How do you build a business ? 

This isn’t a blog about strategic building blocks or financial planning. 

It’s a quick insight into the things I discovered when I bought a business out of liquidation and turned it into a viable scalable business, employing thirty two people with a national network of customers.

Building a business takes the following qualities in bucket loads: 

Courage

Optimism 

Realism 

Determination 

Compassion 

Resilience 

Energy 

It’s not just about having a great product, it’s about the whole experience of interacting with your business. 

As the business owner you should role model what good looks like at every possible touchpoint of your business. 

It’s about understanding people, they can make or break a business and as a business owner you can end up dealing with issues that certainly don’t feature on a business school syllabus. 

What do you do when one of your loyal employees comes in having been seriously beaten up by her partner? 

People can bring you joy and they can also be the cause of huge disappointment. 

Growing a business isn’t a linear experience you will enjoy massive highs but also travel through incredible lows. 

As a business owner you need to put on your big girl pants and get yourself out there. Your business will benefit if you have a high profile and grab every opportunity to speak in public or be featured in local and national press. 

You have a responsibility as a leader to encourage and support others to achieve their potential. 

Ensure that people feel safe and confident enough to experiment and take risks without repercussion. Nothing changes and innovation will never happen if people are afraid to do something different. 

Focus is key. Endless new strategies and approaches leave you bouncing from one thing to another and the people around you confused about what is actually happening. 

Never be afraid to try something new, continuous improvement yields great results and is incredibly satisfying. 

To summarise:

Be Brave

Be Kind 

Help Others 

Focus 

Never stop learning 

Blag it ( sometimes) 

Break the Rules

Be Amazing