Mind Your Business

So many people lead there business without giving themselves the space and time to really connect and live the CEO role.It's really easy for business owners to look on social media and see everyone else living the CEO role (working on their business, not in their business) and end up with a feeling of failure that they are not there yet.The reality is that this is something that a huge amount of business owners struggle with, and even those that will tell you they've cracked it are not 100% there yet.This week the boys discuss everything relating to the mindset of living the CEO role. 

Does your 2022 New Year's Resolution involve getting more things done?In our first podcast of the new year, we discuss two Italian time management techniques that can make a massive difference to productivity.

This week the boys are back talking about strategy.We explore 3 distinct, proven strategies:Operational ExcellenceProduct LeadershipCustomer IntimacyFor each strategy they discuss which household names are using it, what the key information is and how that could be implemented into a smaller business.

This week, we dive into the 14 leadership lessons advocated by Steve Jobs.Alan has a really interesting article, written by Walter Isaacson in 2012 (just after Steve died) and we pick a random selection of the lessons and discuss them and their impact on entrepreneurs.We cover everything from why face-to-face meetings are still important to why you should always push for perfection.

On this week's podcast, Matt and Alan have a conversation about leadership styles.Is it important to understand your own natural style and the character traits that make up your personality?Do you know where you stand on a DISC profile?Is it essential to be able to adapt your natural style when dealing with colleagues that have the opposite style?How close should your 'work' persona be to your 'home' persona?The boys answer all these questions (and more!) on this week's pod.  

This week, in our Halloween special, we talk about Vampire Customers!Accepted business wisdom tells us that you make 80% of your profit from 20% of your customers.Matt thinks it's also true that you get 80% of stress from 20% of your customers.So what do you do if you have a Vampire on your customer list? How to you fix them? Do you have to manage them away from the business or can you set out the rules of the game and turn them into good customers?We discuss all this, and more in 32 minutes of podcast gold!

On this week's podcast Matt and Alan have a great conversation about whether to continually push for business growth or to take some time to strengthen what you already have.Is there any point to growing revenue if it's not adding to your bottom line (net profit)? Should we be measuring growth in another way, rather than focussing on increasing turnover?If a business is not growing, is it dieing?All these questions and more are answered on the podcast.

This week we are talking all about innovation in business. The modern business world is full of obvious innovation - cloud computing, automated software, machine learning etc, but there is also a lot of off-line innovation happening that is driving some amazing results for more 'old-fashioned' businesses (we use Marks and Spencer as an example).

This week we discuss all things Strategy.Do you have one for your business, do you need one?Recently a hitherto unseen memo from Steve Jobs to his board was released into the public domain. In it, Steve Jobs distills the overall strategy of the biggest company in the world into 5 topics and about 8 lines of text).We discuss that, plus a host of other strategy-related topics in 32 minutes of podcast gold.

This week Alan and Matt discuss how the pace of change in technology has fundamentally changed how businesses operate.Covering everything from Estate Agents to Marketing companies, via Victorian Meat Markets, the boys talk about how business has moved forward over the last decade and speculate on where it will be in 2031.

The boys are back for Season 2!This week Matt and Alan breakdown the destructive power of apathy within a business.Whether that's a business owner's anxiety manifesting as apathy, or self-sabotage or a team member that's having 'one of those days' we discuss all things Apathy and provide some tips on how to deal with it.

What is one of the most productive ways you can strengthen and grow your business?Personal referral.In this episode Alan and Matt discuss how to make optimum use of this simple and yet highly effective business strengthening strategy and establish a discerning referral system. Your Hosts:Matt Williams is the founder and owner of Cypher, the fastest growing accountancy firm in Oxford. As an accountant Matt combines his extensive expertise in the financial world with boundless business insights gained through many years of supporting clients across a range of industries.  Matt lives with his family in Oxfordshire and is known for his humour and optimism, both of which are necessary traits as he supports Oxford City Football Club. Find Matt at www.cypherhq.co.ukAlan Clark  is the founder and Managing Director of Exponential Coaching,  his business and leadership coaching focuses on creating growth experiences to help entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders and their businesses to thrive. A Pharmacist by background, Alan spent many years in Senior Leadership roles within a global health care company and draws on these experiences alongside wisdom gained from coaching a myriad of clients; from start-up's, established SME's to multinational conglomerates. Originally from Glasgow, Alan now lives in Worcestershire with his wife, teenage children and a growing number of pets. Find Alan at www.exponentialcoaching.co.uk

Alan and Matt are back with another juicy podcast where they share insights, experiences and wisdom to business owners and entrepreneurs.This episode was recorded on their return from their summer break and initially draws on a news story that got the boys thinking about valuing the services we provide as businesses and being aware of the transformation they can offer. As well as addressing some of the money-mindset issues that can hold us back, they also discuss the notion of "value added" services, the need to reflect regularly on pricing structure and getting comfortable with your offering and pricing.  Drawing on some examples from current affairs and sharing candidly on their own business expertise with a good dose of their usual wit this is sure to bring clarity and an opportunity to reflect on where we are on our own business journey.  

Reinvention. A word we may associate more with the likes of Madonna or global business players such as Microsoft or Netflix.But does it deserve a place at the table within SME and Owner-Managed businesses?In this episode Alan and Matt get into the nitty gritty of Reinvention in a business setting.  Some of the gems included in this episode include:What it means to Reinvent your businessThe merits and challenges of ReinventionRe-invention as a form or re-evaluating the business offering and changing needs of the business ownerHow to plan for and harness reinvention for optimal business and personal successAs always, Matt and Alan draw on business case-studies and powerful examples from their everyday work.

In this episode Alan and Matt share their insights on Breakthrough Conversations.They explore the merits and potential positive outcomes of breakthrough conversations, the barriers to getting started on these important conversations as well as some top tips for success. Matt and Alan draw on their own experiences and discuss the merits of creating a Breakthrough Culture within organisations.Enjoy!

This week the boys discuss how relevant a proper business plan is in the modern world.We talk about the important elements that all plans should include, what is just 'fluff' and why it's important to revisit your plan regularly.

This week Matt and Alan discuss the differences between Entrepreneur and Employee Mindsets, and how pivoting between the two is a massively important skill for new business owners in particular.There's also an improptu TV Review of Clarkson's Farm (which is actually relevant to the topic!)

This week Alan and Matt are talking all things toxic culture.Following the open letter from Brewdog's staff to it's CEO (which you can read here: https://www.punkswithpurpose.org/dearbrewdog/ ) the boys discuss the damage a toxic culture can do to a business.Covering everything from different theories of management to one rogue member of the management team, if you lead a team of people this is a must-listen episode.

This week, following Cristiano Ronaldo single-handedly knocking $4b from Coca-Cola's stock market value by moving two bottles half a metre, Alan and Matt talk about branding, and how powerful (but tenuous) a good brand is.

On this week's pod, Matt and Alan discuss the nagging voice of self-doubt (the inner critic) and how business owners can sift the positive points out of all the negative thoughts they throw at you.