Business Coach and Consultant for Business Owners

Ongoing business advice and support

Most of my work involves an ongoing relationship with a business owner. This gives me time to understand the business properly, keep important issues moving and help deal with new challenges as they arise.

Meetings are normally held fortnightly and usually last around 2 hours, although the frequency and length can be adjusted to suit the business. Nowadays, meetings will likely be online, but we can meet at your premises, or somewhere convenient to both of us if practical.

Sometimes meetings involve only the owner. At other times, members of the management team or other key people may join us where their involvement would be useful.

Between meetings, you can contact me when an issue arises that would benefit from another perspective. That might be a decision you need to make, a difficult conversation you are preparing for or an opportunity that cannot wait until our next scheduled meeting.

What happens during meetings?

There is no imposed agenda or standard coaching process. The discussion reflects what the business needs at that particular time, but it will typically involve some combination of:

• Reviewing what has happened since our previous meeting
• Identifying the issues that most need your attention
• Working through decisions, problems or opportunities
• Testing assumptions and considering alternative options
• Agreeing practical priorities and actions
• Following up matters that might otherwise lose momentum

I won’t manufacture tasks simply to give us something to discuss. Some meetings will be strategic; others will deal with an immediate commercial or management problem. The important thing is that the conversation remains useful.

Ongoing relationships normally operate on a monthly retainer. I don’t ask for a fixed-term commitment: the relationship should continue because it remains valuable to you and your business.

One-off business consultations

Not every situation requires an ongoing relationship. You may want an experienced independent view on a particular decision, problem or opportunity.

This might include:

• Considering an acquisition or significant investment
• Resolving a management or organisational problem
• Reviewing business performance or profitability
• Preparing for a major change
• Working through a decision you don’t want to make alone

A one-off consultation may involve a single meeting or a short piece of work supported by relevant financial information, plans or other documents. We’ll agree what is required and the likely cost before beginning.

If the issue can be dealt with through a focused piece of work, I’ll say so. I won’t try to turn it into an ongoing coaching arrangement unless there is a genuine reason for one.

I work best with owners of established businesses who are open about what is happening, prepared to have their thinking challenged and willing to act when a decision has been made.

You don’t need to have everything neatly organised before speaking to me. In fact, the reason for getting in touch may be that the business feels stuck, overly dependent on you or simply more complicated than it should be.

What matters is that there is a genuine issue to address and that we both feel we could work well together. I value honesty, straightforward conversation and working relationships that are enjoyable as well as commercially worthwhile. Serious matters can still be discussed without making the relationship overly formal or heavy.

I mainly work with businesses in and around Cambridge, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Ely and Haverhill, although location is less important where the relationship is particularly well suited.

You can also read what clients have said about working with me.

1. Tell me a little about your business

Use the enquiry form below to briefly explain what your business does and what you would like help with. This helps me establish whether I am likely to be the best person for you before taking up your time.

My fees reflect the experience and involvement I bring and are comparable with those of other experienced professional advisers.

2. Have an initial conversation

If it looks as though I may be able to help, we can arrange an initial conversation, normally up to an hour, without charge.

This is not a sales presentation. It gives us both an opportunity to discuss what is happening, what you want to achieve and whether we are likely to work well together.

3. Agree the right next step

Sometimes the appropriate next step will be clear from our initial conversation. For a more involved ongoing relationship, I may suggest a separate fact-finding session to understand the business, its finances, structure, management team, systems and priorities in greater depth.

I’ll explain the proposed way of working and the likely cost before you make any commitment.

My fees reflect the experience and involvement I bring and are comparable with those of other experienced professional advisers.

If you have a business decision, problem or opportunity that would benefit from an experienced and straightforward outside view, tell me a little about it below. I’d love to hear from you: