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Blog / High performing teams May 5, 2023Headcount approaching 100 staff? Ask yourself these seven crucial questions. You’re a CEO on a mission. Over recent years, you’ve scaled your business with a sound strategy and talented people. …

Podcast / Strategy April 11, 2023E242 | Dealing with Risk In A World of Uncertainty with Michele WuckerDoes everyone in your team look at risk in the same way? When we make decisions about whether to take …

Blog / Strategy March 31, 2023How to tackle a lack of urgency in your business head-onYou’ve just shared some financial data with the rest of your Executive Team. The auspices aren’t good. Your platform’s on …

Podcast / Culture Building March 28, 2023E240 | Creating Effective and Engaging Meetings with Mamie K. StewartHave you ever felt that you were wasting your time in a meeting? When we ask clients this question, all …

Blog / Strategy March 24, 2023What are the best metrics to track through economic uncertainty?Uncertainty continues. Only this week, the markets have been spooked by the collapse of SVB Bank and Credit Suisse. Fears …

Blog / Strategy March 17, 2023The seven most common problems that could be holding your business backYou’re the CEO of a fast-moving business. All the stars are aligned. You have a strong strategy, white space in your …

Podcast / Strategy March 7, 2023E237 | Exploring the Power of Emotions To Boost Your Marketing with Anthony ButlerHow do you want people to feel when they buy from you? How do you want people to feel when …

Blog / Strategy February 9, 20237 important lessons from Jim Collins’ ‘Good to Great’Jim Collins’ books – where do I start? They’re some of my favourite management books of all time. You must …

Blog / Core Customer January 27, 2023Why focus is the secret to fast business growthThere’s no denying it. It’s tough out there. Many business leaders who come to us asking for help feel exhausted …

Blog / Organisational agility January 13, 2023Six things you need to do to ensure business transformations succeedYou’ve invested time, money and effort into a significant business transformation. Getting to this point has taken dedication from the …

Blog / Strategy December 9, 2022How to accelerate your business growth through value-based pricingDo you charge all your customers the same price? Be honest here. And did you reach that price by looking …

Blog / High performing teams November 25, 2022The five best metrics to use in talent recruitmentHiring A-Player talent is the most significant difference you can make to your growing business. Because it’s so important, it’s …

Blog / Strategy October 21, 2022Why pricing based on value is better than pricing on costSimple question. Is your business making enough money? No? Are your margins disappearing as inflation bites? Maybe it’s time to …

Blog / Organisational agility October 14, 2022How to maintain your business growth in a world of uncertaintyUncertainty is back, and this time it’s on steroids. The UK economy is tanking, and interest rates are soaring. Instead …

Blog / Core Customer October 7, 2022How customer feedback data is just as important as financial dataThink back to your last Executive meeting. Was there any discussion of customer feedback? If so, was this dominated by …

Blog / Scaling Up September 16, 2022How do you write a comprehensive business plan to grow your companyDo you have a strong idea of where your company is heading? Is this in the form of a business …

Blog / Strategy August 12, 2022Eleven proven ways to grow your business through a recessionHere we are again on the brink of another recession. It’s all so familiar. The media is full of doom …

Blog / Organisational agility July 29, 2022Why size matters when it comes to your Executive TeamSimple question.  How big is your Executive team? Five people? Eight? Twelve? This is important because the more extensive your …

Podcast / Core Customer July 26, 2022E205 | How to Become a Hidden Champion with Hermann SimonDo you aspire for your company to become a Hidden Champion?  Hidden champions are what businessman and bestselling author, Hermann …

Podcast / Strategy July 19, 2022E204 | How to Launch into the US as a European Tech Business with Daniel GlazerIf you’re thinking about targeting the US market with your startup or to scale up business, do you have a …

Blog / Positioning July 15, 2022Why your growth strategy needs focus and depth on attributesLet me read your mind for a moment. I’m trying to guess why your business is different from your competitors. …

Podcast / Innovation July 12, 2022E203 | Smart Growth Leadership and Personal Disruption with Whitney JohnsonThe fundamental unit of growth in any organisation is the individual.  The more you understand about how to respond to …

Blog / Core Customer July 8, 20228 common mistakes companies make with NPS (and how to fix them)Net Promoter Score. Do you use it? It’s one of our top recommendations to clients who, like us, are obsessed with …

Podcast / Strategy July 5, 2022E202 | What Do You Need to Do Your Best Work? with David LancefieldWhat do you need to do your best work? That is the question David Lancefield strives to find the answer …

Blog / Core Customer July 1, 2022How to build a customer success team that will grow your businessFeel like you’re filling a leaky bucket? That’s frustrating. No sooner have you won a new customer than a couple more …

Blog / Organisational agility June 16, 2022How To Make Your Startup More Successful With Lean Start-UpCreating a startup comes with many risks; inherently, it is a hit-or-miss proposition. A study by Harvard Business School’s Shikhar …

Podcast / Strategy June 14, 2022E199 | How to Create Value-Based Strategy with Felix Oberholzer-GeeAre you struggling to create a simple strategy for your business? Then don’t miss Felix Oberholzer-Gee, faculty member at Harvard …

Blog / Scaling Up June 10, 20228 practical ways to galvanise your decision-makingFinding it harder to make decisions as your company grows?  That’s not unusual. When businesses start out, teams are small, …

Podcast / Scaling Up June 7, 2022E198 | The Jobs Only the CEO Should Do, with Anthony RoseIf your business is struggling to innovate, or is in fact resisting innovation all together, then don’t miss Anthony Rose, …

Podcast / Organisational agility May 31, 2022E197 | Why Redesigning your Business Structure will Help you Scale with Lex SisneyAre you a mid to late ‘nail it’ stage business, trying to scale your company? Then you don’t want to …

Blog / Strategy May 13, 2022Why finding strategic thinkers is essential to business growthImagine this. You’ve been working in your industry for at least ten years. You know your customers inside out and …

Podcast / Innovation April 26, 2022E192 | How to Try a New Way of Thinking with Roger MartinIf you’ve found that the way your organisation does things isn’t working for you any more, rather than flogging a …

Blog / Strategy April 14, 2022Why strategic context is so essential to business growthLet me ask you a question. What’s the best fruit in the world? Apples maybe?  Or grapes? I might be thinking bananas. But …

Podcast / Strategy March 29, 2022E188 | How to Set Up your Business to be Acquired with Robert BelgraveIf you’re thinking of selling your business, or you’re wanting to create value to make your business more attractive to …

Podcast / Strategy March 22, 2022E187 | How a Germ-Zapping Robot Company Became a 10 Year Overnight Success with Morris MillerAre you worried your business hasn’t hit the big time yet? Don’t be, says Morris Miller, former managing director at …

Blog / Strategy February 25, 202210 ways to optimise your recruitment process to attract top talentWant to grow your business this year?  Then you’re going to need good people.  Hiring top talent is the single …

Podcast / Strategy February 17, 2022E182 | Growing Your Organisation through a Digital Transformation with Paul Leinwand & Matt ManiIs your organisation looking for a new growth strategy? Are you about to undergo a digital transformation? Perhaps you already …

Blog / Positioning February 3, 2022How to differentiate your business for fast and sustained growthDifferentiation.  Everyone says they’re doing it. Very few are doing it correctly.  If you want fast and sustained growth, you …

Podcast / Rockefeller Habits January 25, 2022E179 | Why Referrals are Essential for Business Growth and Reputation with NPS creator, Fred ReichheldHow loyal are your customers and employees? How likely are they to refer your organisation to their colleagues and friends?  …

Podcast / Strategy January 11, 2022E177 | Buying and Selling Companies with Arrowpoint Advisory MD, Daniel DombergerIf you’re an entrepreneur thinking of selling your business and want to maximize the return on your life’s work, or …

Newsletter / Strategy January 7, 2022Are you clear on strategy for 2022? | Issue #171How to get clarity on your strategy for 2022 Has Christmas given you some breathing space to think about your …

Blog / Positioning January 7, 2022How to get clarity on your strategy for 2022Has Christmas given you some breathing space to think about your business?  Maybe downing tools and taking a break has …

Blog / Organisational agility December 10, 2021Want to grow your business in 2022? Then ditch annual planningAre your thoughts turning to next year?  Thinking you need a new plan to grow your business in 2022?  Maybe …

Blog / Culture Building November 19, 2021Are your core values a load of old bollox?‘Integrity. Excellence. Teamwork. Quality’… recognise any of these?  Loads of businesses use them to describe their company values. And they …

Blog / Resource Allocation October 22, 2021How measuring your ‘labour efficiency ratio’ will drive your profits higherYou’re an ambitious CEO of a business with real potential. You’ve assembled a great team of A-Players and everything looks …

Podcast / Strategy October 12, 2021E165 | How The Rescue & Recovery Experts Can Save Your Business with Rick Smith & Ben WestobyIs your company in trouble? Is your business on the verge of going bust? Then don’t miss this week’s episode …

Blog / Core Customer October 8, 2021How A Value Proposition Canvas Will Give Your Business The EdgeSimple question. Why do people buy your products or services? And not your competitors’? Do you have an immediate answer? Is it …

Podcast / Strategy September 27, 2021E163 | Solving The World’s Consumer Goods Distribution Problem with Justin FloydIf you’ve ever suffered with your supply chain, then don’t miss Justin Floyd, founder and CEO of RedCloud, the startup …

Blog / Strategy September 17, 2021How an activity fit map will set your business apart from your competitorsWhat is it that differentiates your business from others in the same space?  Do you know immediately or is your …

Blog / Strategy September 10, 2021How clarity over your value chain will grow your businessSit back in your chair and think for a moment. What is it your company does that really drives profitability? Are …

Podcast / Strategy August 24, 2021E158 | The Melting Pot Webinar: Simple Numbers with Greg CrabtreeThis week we’re bringing you a special episode: a recording of one of our live webinars with Greg Crabtree, founder …

Podcast / Scaling Up August 3, 2021E155 | Strategic Advice from Appletree Answers Founder & Scaling Up Coaches CEO, John RatliffToday’s guest knows all about scaling up. Not only is John Ratliff CEO of Scaling Up Coaches, he’s also a …

Podcast / Innovation July 27, 2021E154 | How To Be A Disruptor, Not Disrupted with Eleanor WintonIs your organisation a disruptor? Or is it being disrupted? Don’t miss Eleanor Winton, a consultant and expert in disruption, …

Blog / Core Customer July 23, 20215 ways to help you say ‘no’ more than you say ‘yes’Do you get a hit from new ideas?  Does your serotonin peak when you think about a different approach? And …

Blog / Strategy June 25, 2021How to nail down a powerful, post-pandemic vision for your businessWhat does the future hold for your business?  Does everything feel different as we emerge from the pandemic?  Is the …

Podcast / Core Customer June 15, 2021E148 | How To Improve Customer Relationships By Creating A Connected Strategy with Nicolaj SiggelkowNicolaj Siggelkow is a lifelong academic, currently the David M. Knott Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of …

Blog / Positioning May 21, 2021How A Strategic Council Will Keep Your Business On CourseOK – so you’ve come up with a new strategy. The whole Executive Team is on board. The excitement is …

Blog / Scaling Up May 14, 2021What is the growth trap (and is your business stuck in it?)Feeling weighed down by your business? Or nostalgic for the irrepressible fun of those heady start-up days?  Do you yearn …

Blog / Positioning April 30, 2021Strategy vs operational effectiveness – are you clear on the difference?Step back for a moment.  Imagine you’re looking at your industry as a whole. What do you see?  My bet …

Podcast / Strategy April 6, 2021E138 | Improving Productivity By Creating A Network Of One Person Businesses with Andrew Holm & Julian WilsonIf you’re the owner of your business and you’re keen to improve productivity, or you want your business to run …

Podcast / Culture Building March 16, 2021E135 | The CEO Test With Adam Bryant & Kevin SharerDo we really need another book on leadership? Well, when it’s been written by two global heavy hitters – Adam …

Podcast / Innovation February 2, 2021E129 | In Conversation With The Lean Startup Legend, Steve BlankToday’s guest needs no introduction. Essentially, if you run a startup and you haven’t heard of Steve Blank, can you …

Blog / Strategy January 29, 2021What is ‘Profit Per X’ (and Why is it Powerful?)Here’s a deceptively simple question.  What type of business are you really in?  Do you know where your profit comes …

Blog / Purpose January 8, 2021Is your business still heading in the right direction?Brutal. That’s how I’d describe 2020. And 2021 isn’t shaping up much better.  Here we are in our third national lockdown …

Podcast / Strategy December 22, 2020E123 | The Similarities Between Being In A Rock Band And Heading Up A Startup with Brian CoburnWhen was the last time you met somebody who’d spent 30 years in the same company?  Meet Brian Coburn. Brian …

Blog / Sprints December 10, 2020How to write an annual plan for growthLet’s see if you recognise this. It’s time to produce your annual plan. As CEO, you look back at the previous …

Podcast / Strategy November 24, 2020E119 | The Theory Of Constraints with Andy WattEli Goldratt wrote a book called The Goal, which Verne Harnish has described as one of the most important business …

Blog / Strategy October 23, 202014 powerful ways to boost your strategy sessionsIf you’re a CEO planning a strategy session or kick off with your Executive Team, it’s important to be well prepared.  Particularly …

Blog / Strategy September 25, 2020How to grow your business with powerful marketing metricsThinking of cutting back on marketing?  You won’t be alone.  In July this year, Marketing Week reported a record decline …

Blog / Culture Building September 4, 2020How to focus on the right things in your businessFeeling stuck?  Swimming against a tsunami of demands with no hope of moving forwards?  You’re not alone.  Many of the …

Podcast / Strategy July 28, 2020E102 | Why Pricing Is Not Primarily About Price with Hermann SimonIf you have a fear of pricing, or if you’re worried that if you put your prices up you’ll lose …

Podcast / Strategy June 9, 2020E95 | Running A Business In A Recession with Shannon Byrne SuskoYou’ve probably shifted your thinking from ‘how to survive the pandemic’ to ‘how to survive the upcoming recession’. In which …

Podcast / Innovation June 2, 2020E94 | Navigating High Uncertainty Environments with Rita McGrathAre you wondering how your business is going to survive not just the remainder of the pandemic, but the looming …

Blog / Strategy May 15, 2020How to build powerful momentum in your businessAre you re-thinking your entire approach to your business? You won’t be alone. The economic disruption of the pandemic is starting …

Podcast / Scaling Up May 5, 2020E90 | Reshaping Fulfilment With Actual Humans with Martin ByshIn an otherwise bleak world, today’s guest is a success story who just keeps going from strength to strength.  Martin …

Podcast / Strategy April 28, 2020E89 | Covid-19: The Great Business Accelerator With Dr Kaihan KrippendorffAre you bored of hearing about the negatives of a recession? Well, if you listened to last week’s episode with …

Blog / Organisational agility April 24, 2020Are you measuring the right things in your business?Concerned about the future?  You’re most certainly not alone. It seems inconceivable that a few short weeks could turn the …

Podcast / Organisational agility April 21, 2020E88 | Surviving A Black Swan with Jack StackIf you’re struggling to see how your business is going to survive the current Black Swan, then you should listen …

Blog / Strategy April 17, 2020How to think strategically through a crisisThe coronavirus crisis poses many dangers. Most obvious are physical health impacts.  But less apparent, and more widespread, are the …

Podcast / Organisational agility April 7, 2020E86 | Responding To Disruptive Change with Julian BirkinshawHow should you as a business leader, respond to disruptive change in a decisive way?  As the current global crisis …

Blog / Organisational agility March 20, 2020How to make communication with remote teams really slickWell – what a difference a week makes. It feels like the world has shifted on its axis.  The outbreak …

Podcast / Marketing March 3, 2020E81 | How to Use Talk Triggers with Jay BaerIf you’re trying to deliver remarkable customer experiences that will get customers talking, then you’re trying to create Talk Triggers.  …

Blog / Organisational agility February 21, 2020How brand promises can guarantee unparalleled growthIn a frantic world where trust is hard to come by, brand promises matter.  They’re how people learn whether they …

Blog / Scaling Up February 7, 2020How To Craft A Killer Business Strategy For The First TimeMade any plans for 2020? Feeling confident about the future? Is there a clear road-map in your business, leading to …

Podcast / Resource Allocation January 21, 2020E75 | Getting the Most When You Sell Your Life’s WorkIf you’re looking to sell your business, then you will be wanting to get the most out of what is …

Podcast / Leadership January 14, 2020E74 | Rebroadcast: Shannon Byrne Susko – The Accidental CEO Turned Reluctant Bestselling NovelistShannon Byrne Susko isn’t just a CEO, she’s a serial entrepreneur, business coach, keynote speaker and the reluctant author of …

Blog / Strategy December 13, 2019Why your company needs a ‘talk trigger’Creating a buzz.  Getting people talking.  Doing something remarkable.  This is what you want for your business.  In a world …

Blog / High performing teams November 29, 2019Do your staff know when they’ve had a good day? (Rockefeller Habit #9)Motivation and engagement – the holy grails of any business.  With productivity levels languishing in the UK, companies need to …

Blog / Rockefeller Habits November 15, 2019Do your employees “get” your strategy? (Rockefeller Habit #8)Here’s a challenge for you.  Tomorrow, ask your staff to describe your company strategy.  Could they do this quickly and …

Blog / Core Customer November 1, 20196 surefire ways to build a customer-centric business (Rockefeller Habit #6)Criticism. Sometimes it can be hard to take.  It’s so easy to get defensive and try to blame everyone else. …

Blog / Sales September 20, 2019How the right pricing strategy can transform your businessWishing your business was more profitable? You’re not alone. Many of the CEOs I speak to are frustrated. Their order …

Blog / Strategy September 12, 2019An attribution map is what you need to nail your strategyDo you have a clear strategy for your business?  Such a simple question but boy, can it be difficult to …

Podcast / Core Customer August 13, 2019E52 | Cutting through the marketing bullsh*t with Sander ArtsToday’s guest on The Melting Pot is Dutch-born Sander Arts. His list of titles is as long as your arm—Consultant, …

Blog / Organisational agility August 1, 2019Using 3HAG Can Turbocharge Your BusinessHow using the 3HAG Way can turbocharge your business growth Tell me. Is your business strategy crystal clear? Do you …

Podcast / Marketing July 16, 2019E48 | Growing and Scaling a Creative Business with Andrew DobbieToday’s guest is the founder and Managing Director of creative brand agency, MadeBrave® and Executive Chairman of content production agency, …

Blog / Organisational agility June 7, 2019Why you need NPS® to grow your businessIt’s always puzzled me.  Why do so many businesses focus on finding new customers rather than keeping the ones they’ve …

Podcast / Strategy May 28, 2019E41 | From hacker to neuroscientist: how we make choices with Professor Moran CerfToday’s guest is Professor Moran Cerf, a neuroscientist and business professor at the Kellogg School of Management and the neuroscience …

Podcast / Strategy April 23, 2019E36 | Behind the Scenes of in the Night Garden Live with Creator Andy FletcherToday we talk to Andy Fletcher, a chartered accountant with a MBA from London Business School, who is also responsible …

Podcast / Core Customer December 24, 2018[Rebroadcast] The Perfect Pitch & Finding a Niche: Meet Chris DonnellyAt the age of 27 Chris Donnelly already runs a very successful business, Verb Brands. He’s the founder and managing …

Podcast / Resource Allocation December 18, 2018E21 | Helping Businesses Get Proper Funding: Meet Stephen SacksToday I’m talking to Stephen Sacks, the author of Reboot your Business, a step-by-step guide to reinventing your business for …

Blog / Purpose July 27, 2018The One Page Personal Plan – How Writing Down Our Goals Can Turn Them Into RealityWhere do you see yourself in 10 to 25 years’ time? Now, that is a big question, isn’t it? Have …

Podcast / Core Customer July 25, 2018E14 | The Melting Pot Podcast with  Chris DonnellyAt the age of 27 Chris Donnelly already runs a very successful business, Verb Brands. He’s the founder and managing director of …

Podcast / Leadership June 20, 2018E9 | The Melting Pot Podcast with Alain FalysIt won’t be long until cash disappears — it’s so much easier paying by card, or even by phone these days, and …

Blog / Purpose June 19, 2018Follow Your North Star To Reach Those Goals  I’ve read a lot of books and articles about goal setting, and how important it is to set out …

Podcast / Leadership May 24, 2018E6 | The Melting Pot Podcast with Shannon Byrne SuskoShannon Byrne Susko knows business. She has more than 20 years experience building and leading high-growth technology companies and her …

Blog / High performing teams May 19, 2018Reaching goals couldn’t be simpler with OKRsLet’s start at the beginning — what are OKRs? They are Objectives and Key Results. A process for setting, communicating and monitoring …