If your one to ones have turned into operational catch-ups, you are robbing your people of the most important development conversation you can have with them. Here is how to reset, prepare, and protect your one to ones so they work the way they should.
Stop Wasting Your One to Ones Read More »
Are you trying to run your business and lead the sales function at the same time? If so, a cash roller coaster is almost inevitable. In this post, Marco Soares explains why the £3 million to £10 million growth stage catches so many good businesses, how one structural decision unlocked three problems for a real client, and how a simple in-flow/out-of-flow exercise can help you work out whether you have the right people in the right seats, so your business can finally scale the way it deserves to.
Right People, Right Seats: How to Escape the Cash Roller Coaster Read More »
The business owner is smart, the team is capable, and plans are in place, yet there’s no meaningful progress. Discover the one thing that helped one business achieve more in 90 days than in the previous 12 months.
Why Doing Too Much Is Killing Your Business Progress Read More »
Promoting a great manager into a director role sounds like the right thing to do, but it is one of the most common mistakes made in growing owner-managed businesses. In this post, Marco Soares explains why being a great manager does not automatically translate into being a great director, what the fundamental difference between the two roles actually is, and the three questions you must ask before making any director-level promotion. Get this wrong and your business hits a ceiling. Get it right and you build the leadership capability that sets you free.
Managers vs Directors: Are You Promoting the Wrong People? Read More »
Some people grow your business. Some people quietly hold it back. Learn how to use the four-quadrant team matrix to identify your stars, risers, drains and disruptors, and build a truly high-performance team.
How to Build a High-Performance Team Read More »
When times are uncertain, most businesses fall into the same three traps: losing sight of what they can control, taking their eye off the numbers, and letting their pipeline dry up. In this post, Marco Soares cuts through the noise and gives you three clear, practical areas to focus on right now. This is not about staying positive, it is about staying focused, owning your numbers, and feeding your pipeline so that your business comes out of uncertain times stronger than it went in.
How to Lead Your Business Through Uncertain Times Read More »
Most business owners think they are measuring their marketing, but are they measuring the right things? In this post, Marco Soares breaks down why tracking phone calls, emails, and contact forms tells you very little about what is actually working. Using a simple three-level pyramid framework, campaigns, channels, and method of contact, he explains exactly what you should be measuring, why lead source reporting is non-negotiable for growth, and how to build the visibility you need to invest in marketing with confidence.
Are You Measuring Marketing Effectiveness Correctly? Read More »
Is your business growing but cash still feels tight? In this post, Marco Soares explains why growth sucks cash and introduces the cash gap — one of the most important concepts every business owner needs to understand. Learn how debtor days, stock days, and creditor days combine to tie up your working capital, and discover what you must do to monitor and manage your cash gap so that growth builds cash rather than draining it.
Why Growth Sucks Cash: Understanding Your Cash Gap Read More »
Most businesses don’t fail because they lack ideas — they fail because they never master the basics. The fundamentals, the foundations, whatever you want to call them, are incredibly important. Having worked with many businesses, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that most of the challenges you face right now are not because you lack the fanciest, newest way of doing something. They exist because the basics are not absolutely nailed in your business and operating consistently. In business, just like in life, there are no shortcuts.
Why Most Businesses Fail: Mastering the Business Basics Read More »
Most people problems in business are not usually about attitude or effort. More often, they come from poor organisational design, unclear responsibilities, and a lack of ownership.
People’s problems often come from poor design, Am I right? Read More »
