Business Strategy – 10% picking the right general direction and 90% executing like no-one else
Since 2009, I have delivered strategic direction and implementation support services for over 40 businesses ranging from $1m to $400m in turnover. The principles and the disciplines are absolutely the same. It comes down to focus and making changes; just like eating an elephant – one bite at a time. In the context of always having an exit strategy
Succession or Exit – one of the two certainties in business life
You have two choices: prepare to hand the business on or, prepare to close the doors. Over the next 10 years, nearly half of all businesses will come onto the market as baby boomers look to retire fully and exit their business. And only those that:
- start to prepare their business for transition now;
- look actively outside and within for potential buyers; and,
- make themselves redundant; will achieve anything like the true value of their business.
It’s already a buyer’s market as these exits are on a roll; and it’s accelerating. No hysteria. Just fact.Some business owners are able to let go the reins; some have them wrenched out of their hands; and others will die hanging onto their business until they drive it into the ground, with them. For many business owners where the business is their life’s work, and in reality, one of their offspring, it will not feel easy. But the pain of transition can be minimized with careful planning, foresight and diligent implementation. In 2012, we were asked by Enterprise Connect, an Australian Government program to promote better Small to Medium Business skills and run a number of Succession Ready events. These events were highly successful and saw over 150 business owners develop their thinking on business succession planning.
John retired as a partner from global professional services firm, Deloitte, to establish this Strategic Mentoring business. His aim was to get much closer to a few business owners and CEOs rather than drive significant projects and teams as he had done for the previous 27 years in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Along the way, he was a founding Principal of the successful, Business Development Company. There he led the Strategy and Franchising advisory team. He is very proud that this business continues to grow from strength to strength and from a start up to 25 staff and offices up the eastern seaboard serving some Australia’s largest franchise businesses.
Today, he is strategic mentor to CEOs and business owners of organisations with 10 – 300 staff to help them to:
- Set the direction of their businesses and plan how to achieve their vision.
- Build their businesses with the resources, skills and capabilities to deliver those Directions.
- Focus on doing the right things right and to achieve their visions by measuring and managing their performance.
- Provide coaching to them to face their growth challenges.
- He works closely with our clients at all stages of their growth assisting them in achieving targets.
