TJ Slattery is the owner and founder of Crowsnest Consulting. A lifetime entrepreneur and strategic advisor, TJ harnesses his decades of experience to create clarity and stability for business owners immersed in the day-to-day on an entrepreneurial island. Armed with honest, relatable candor (and a stylish neckerchief), TJ leverages his business acumen, experience and relentless curiosity, and enables his clients in the finance space to connect the dots between the business they have and the vision they want to achieve–it’s time to stop treading water and get up into the crowsnest where they belong. TJ can offer invaluable insight into the following topics:

• Shiny Red Balls: identifying what’s important vs. what’s a distraction.
• Underpants Gnome Syndrome: understanding ‘step 2’ of the business plan.
• Tree in the Forest: why the onboarding experience is key for retention. Effective clear direction and training are more important than ever. Onboarding is the magic moment to keep employees engaged.
• Indiana Jones Moment: scary step into the business void after you’ve done all the prep - there’s no better feeling when you hit the ground.

 Summary of the PodcastIntroductions and background

TJ Slattery introduces himself as a corporate consultant and strategic advisor who helps small business owners take a "crow's nest" view of their business. He explains his background in entrepreneurship and the concept of "underpants gnome syndrome" - when business owners have a grand vision but lack a clear plan to get there.

Identifying and addressing business gaps

TJ discusses how he works with clients to create a detailed 12-month performance plan, looking at all aspects of the business (financials, marketing, sales, operations, etc.) to identify gaps and ensure the growth plan is realistic and sustainable. He uses exercises like the "pipe burst" test to uncover the business's weakest points.

Ideal client profile and engagement model

TJ explains that his ideal clients are service-based businesses with 3-5 years of experience, revenue of $500K-$1M, and a desire to scale. He typically works with them for 6-month engagements, meeting bi-weekly to implement a roadmap and track progress.

The role of AI and technology

TJ discusses how AI and technology may impact his business, noting that the personal touch and strategic advisory role he provides would be difficult to fully automate. However, he sees opportunities to leverage AI tools to enhance his offerings and support his clients.

 The Next 100 Days Podcast Co-HostsGraham Arrowsmith

Graham founded Finely Fettled ten years ago to help business owners and marketers market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. Graham founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, which combines the world's biggest source of 10,000 marketing experiments with AI. Find Graham on LinkedIn.

Kevin Appleby

Kevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.com