Small Business Stories

Raymond (Ray) McKenzie is the Founder and CEO of Starting Point Technologies, Inc, a company developing solutions for service-based companies focused on service management, client engagement, efficient workflow, and team collaboration. Ray is also the Founder and Managing Director of Red Beach Advisors, a technology management consulting group providing services in the private and public sector. He has more than 20 years of experience as a senior business executive, leader, and consultant leading global organizations ranging from start-ups to large enterprises.

What we cover:

- What drove Ray to decide to start his own small business

- Why it is important to know what you’re not good at

- Different ways of marketing your business and the importance of SEO

- Why you need to write down and revisit your goals regularly

Resources:

- Starting Point Technologies, Inc https://www.startingpoint.ai/

- Red Beach Advisors https://www.redbeachadvisors.com/

- Blue Ocean Strategy https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/

- Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended-ebook/dp/B014DUR7L2

- Connect with Ray McKenzie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymondmckenzie/

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

- To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159 

- To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

Jan Cavelle is a writer, author and speaker focused on helping people scale businesses by getting them on the right track. She has several decades of experience of both micro and SME’s, and has been involved in many different campaigns to encourage entrepreneurs throughout her working life. She writes about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship, and has published her first book “Scale for Success.”

What We Cover:

- How Jan ventured into small businesses, and how she fulfilled her dream of being a writer

- The benefits of accountability and challenges of growth

- Why affiliate marketing is a good way of advertising your business

- Why it is important to set up long term, medium and short term goals

Resources:

- Jan Cavelle https://jancavelle.co.uk/

- Jan Cavellle, Scale For Success: Expert Insights Into Growing Your Business https://jancavelle.co.uk/scale-for-success/

- Real Business https://realbusiness.co.uk/

- Connect with Jan Cavelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jancavelle/

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

- To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

- To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

Jamie Goldthorpe is a freelance copywriter and founder of ‘Words’ by Jim, tailoring effective and engaging copy to best suit any brief. He specialises in web content, but also writes articles, blog posts, advertisements, marketing materials, press releases, scripts, slogans, and more. 

What Is Covered: 

- How the lockdown has changed the work culture for good 

- What kind of clients Jamie serves and how much awareness of copywriting there is among business people

- Where people who are starting their own businesses can find help and advice 

- The benefits of getting into a comfort zone with your business, and not necessarily striving for growth

Connect with Jamie Goldthorpe: 

- https://www.words-by-jim.com/ 

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-goldthorpe-284464167/ 

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

Yasmin Ali is a polymer clay artist and founder at Beadeze, who helps women business owners feel less stressed by exploring their creativity with polymer clay. 

What We Cover:

- How Yasmin transitioned from working as a part-time employee to a full-time business owner

- How running your own business helps you to build confidence

- How to create a marketing mix using social media, emails and direct mail

- Different new products and online and offline avenues Yasmin is exploring in her business

Resources: 

- Beadeze https://www.beadeze.com/ 

- Beadeze on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/beadeze/ 

- Bezadeze on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/beadezeshop, https://www.facebook.com/groups/theclaycraftingcircle 

- Connect with Yasmin Ali on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasminalibeadeze/ 

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

Crista Grasso is a lean business consultant, who helps growing businesses achieve more by doing less through a combination of strategic planning, and lean business practices. She is the creator of the Lean Out Method.

What We Cover: 

- Why running a business in a lean way is critical for next stage growth

- How much time it takes for a business to start adopting lean practices

- The biggest challenges that business owners are facing with

- The secrets behind building a high performing team

- What percentage of time business owners should dedicate to working on their business

- What multi-billion dollar businesses are doing that entrepreneurs should adopt 

- The strategies for growing a business that does not result in overwork and overwhelm

Resources: 

- Lean Out Planner https://leanoutplanner.com/

- Lean Out Method https://www.leanoutmethod.com/

- Connect with Crista Grasso https://www.instagram.com/cristagrasso

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

In today's episode, we are focusing on finance in your business. We've gathered a panel of three experts on the subject - Gary Thorpe, Rob Harris and Malcolm Sackman, 

Gary Thorpe is a Commercial Cardiologist, Cash Flow and Credit Management Strategist at Debt Doctors. He helps businesses eliminate late payments and get their invoices paid on time.

Rob Harris is a financial educator, teacher, mentor and CEO at Your Financial Friend. With over 30 years of experience as financial adviser, his mission now is to empower people with the tools, information and skills to grow their money, investments, pensions and to take ownership of their financial future.

Malcolm Sackman is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser at Ten Accountants, offering traditional accountancy tax services. He specializes in helping small businesses better understand, measure, quantify and improve their key numbers and their key profit drivers. 

What We Cover:

- The common misconceptions people have around debt collection, and how to combat them and communicate more effectively

- How to vet and choose your clients in order to prevent problems with late payments and when to ask for professional help 

- What are the biggest risk factors for businesses running out of cash

- Why everyone should make time for sending their money out to work for them and make daily commitment to work on their business 

- The best tools and practices for tracking and monitoring your cash flow

- How small tweaks in managing your key profit drivers can help you have a good financial year even during the COVID pandemic

- Advice for people who are looking to start their own business in 2021 

Connect with Gary Thorpe: 

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/garythorpedebtdoctors/

- https://www.debt-doctors.co.uk/

Connect with Rob Harris: 

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/financialcoaching/

- https://www.yourfinancialfriend.co.uk/

Connect with Malcolm Sackman: 

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolmsackman/

- https://tenaccountants.co.uk/

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

In this episode, we are turning the tables, and I'm delighted to have my previous guest and current client, financial educator Rob Harris, interviewing me about my own small business story with Admin & More and Small Business Growth Club. I want to share with you how I started my business, what the biggest challenges have been during these five years, and what I've learned along the way. 

What We Cover:

- How I decided to start a virtual assistant business after careers in banking and charity fundraising

- What you should do if a client doesn't pay you early on in your business

- How I learned to say no and to choose who I work with 

- How to avoid fixation on how much money your making in your business

- The value of networking and how we generate leads at his point in the business

- The challenge of growing too soon and why growth needs to be gradual

- How to transition from working fully in the business to being more hands off 

Resources: 

- The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferris https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307465357 

- Small Business Stories with Rob Harris https://podcasts.apple.com/en/podcast/small-business-stories-with-rob-harris/id1478442190

Connect with Elizabeth Wright and Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

Moira Frost is an independent stylist for cabi Clothing, an American clothing brand for women, which came to the UK market four years ago. She explains how cabi works on the intersection between network marketing and franchise, and what her experiences have been running her own business. 

What We Cover:

- How Moira decided to begin working with cabi Clothing

- How her previous experience in retail banking and project management helped her to start her own business

- How the pandemic has affected the way cabi stylists are working

- cabi’s advertising strategies and cultural fit with the  UK

Connect with Moira Frost:

- https://moirafrost.cabionline.uk/ 

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/moirafrost/ 

- https://www.facebook.com/moirafrostcabi/ 

Resources:

- https://www.cabionline.com/ 

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

Claire Sweet is an award-winning Financial Advisor and Money Coach, Owner of Peace Together Money Coaching. She helps clients, predominantly women, to organise their finances, and create a plan for their future which lets their money work well for now, but also well for the future. Her work has been featured in The Telegraph, Moneywise and Sheerluxe and she is a regular guest on BBC Radio Kent, as an expert in her field.

What We Cover: 

- Claire’s background and how she decided to start helping people get educated about their finances

- How to nurture the mindset of adapting to uncertain circumstances

- The importance of letting go of control, hiring out and taking time for yourself

- The challenge of stepping out of working in the business to become a business owner

Resources:

- https://peacetogether.co.uk/ 

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/peacetogethermoneycoach/ 

- https://www.facebook.com/peacetogethermoneycoach

- The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com

Vicki Parsons is a network marketer and consultant at health and wellbeing company Isagenix. She helps busy professional women change their physical and financial wellness using a simple proven nutrition system and 1on1 coaching. 

What We Cover:

- How Vicki came across Isagenix and became a network marketer

- Network marketing as a way to supplement pension fund and build a business

- Selling on Amazon vs. Isagenix business model

- Overcoming the challenges of network marketing

Connect with Vicki Parsons: 



- https://avparsons.isagenix.com/isamovie 

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicki-parsons-54b687b3/ 

- https://www.facebook.com/avparsons 

- https://www.instagram.com/thecreativitythread/ 

Resources: 



- Isagenix https://www.isagenix.com/ 

Connect with Small Business Growth Club:

- https://www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com

- https://www.adminandmore.co.uk

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/virtual-assistant/

To Join Small Business Growth Club go to https://smallbusinessgrowthclub.simplero.com/product_categories/36159

To try our networking group go to http://smallbusinessgrowthclub.eventbrite.com