The Profit Margin, with Jamie Delargy and Naomi McMullan

What really separates perceived winners and losers? Ashley Merryman is a New York times best-selling author. She's co-written a book called Top Dog, and she believes she can help anyone get mentally tough enough to compete in a way that suits them. (She has consulted with Olympic athletes to find out what makes a champion.)

"Everyone thinks winners win all the time. That's not the case. What makes a winner over time is that seeing the benefit of competition is improvement. Winners accept it can take a long time to get good at something. Losers just give up and get frustrated. Winners focus on success, people who lose worry about failure."

You can listen to Ashley's interview on our podcast to hear about how your personal approach has a very real impact that makes a BIG difference to performance. Plus she has some tips about "Home advantage". Sports teams score better when they're playing at their home ground. The same applies to business. Ashley explains why you should always negotiate on home turf. It could make a difference to your next business meeting.

Plus Business Improvement Districts have been slow to take off here. But after a lot of debate, more towns and cities are now embracing the concept.

The simple idea underpinning the BID process is a pooling of contributions from businesses to fund initiatives that otherwise wouldn't happen.

In Belfast, menswear retailer Chris Suitor says he's already more than recouped his outlay through savings from the city's BID projects.

The Managing Director of Belfast One Clare Maguire says such is the growing reputation of BIDs she expects other urban areas to follow suit and set up their own projects. In the podcast she explains why she thinks it's a good idea.

Start-Up

Our start-up this week is Storm Harvester. They build drainage systems to harvest rain water, which they claim can reduce water demand in commercial developments. Listen in to see if you think it's a system that will take off.

What really separates perceived winners and losers? Ashley Merryman is a New York times best-selling author. She's co-written a book called Top Dog, and she believes she can help anyone get mentally tough enough to compete in a way that suits them. (She has consulted with Olympic athletes to find out what makes a champion.)

"Everyone thinks winners win all the time. That's not the case. What makes a winner over time is that seeing the benefit of competition is improvement. Winners accept it can take a long time to get good at something. Losers just give up and get frustrated. Winners focus on success, people who lose worry about failure."

You can listen to Ashley's interview on our podcast to hear about how your personal approach has a very real impact that makes a BIG difference to performance. Plus she has some tips about "Home advantage". Sports teams score better when they're playing at their home ground. The same applies to business. Ashley explains why you should always negotiate on home turf. It could make a difference to your next business meeting.

Plus Business Improvement Districts have been slow to take off here. But after a lot of debate, more towns and cities are now embracing the concept.

The simple idea underpinning the BID process is a pooling of contributions from businesses to fund initiatives that otherwise wouldn't happen.

In Belfast, menswear retailer Chris Suitor says he's already more than recouped his outlay through savings from the city's BID projects.

The Managing Director of Belfast One Clare Maguire says such is the growing reputation of BIDs she expects other urban areas to follow suit and set up their own projects. In the podcast she explains why she thinks it's a good idea.

Start-Up

Our start-up this week is Storm Harvester. They build drainage systems to harvest rain water, which they claim can reduce water demand in commercial developments. Listen in to see if you think it's a system that will take off.

Do you or your team need to get better at dealing with conflict at work and having difficult conversations? It can take up a lot of time and damage productivity if personality clashes aren't handled properly. What do you need to do, to resolve an issue so it doesn't keep reappearing?

This week we're talking to Amy Gallo, a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review and author of The HBR Guide to managing conflict at work. She has tips on how to deal with different personalities, stop fighting among staff and how to get the best out of people.

Plus, we'll show you how to cut your water bills. For a business water bills can be between one and two percent of a companies turnover. Many firms don't realise they're entitled to a rebate; confusingly it's called the domestic allowance. It's worth £500 a year and if you haven't been claiming, it you can backdate it for as much as six years.

We'll hear from the consumer council about how to go about claiming that cash back.

Start-Up

This week's start-up is MakeMatic. They are aiming to help teachers prepare to use technology in the classroom. Clients already include government agenices and Microsoft. Listen in and see what you think about their proposition.

Do you or your team need to get better at dealing with conflict at work and having difficult conversations? It can take up a lot of time and damage productivity if personality clashes aren't handled properly. What do you need to do, to resolve an issue so it doesn't keep reappearing?

This week we're talking to Amy Gallo, a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review and author of The HBR Guide to managing conflict at work. She has tips on how to deal with different personalities, stop fighting among staff and how to get the best out of people.

Plus, we'll show you how to cut your water bills. For a business water bills can be between one and two percent of a companies turnover. Many firms don't realise they're entitled to a rebate; confusingly it's called the domestic allowance. It's worth £500 a year and if you haven't been claiming, it you can backdate it for as much as six years.

We'll hear from the consumer council about how to go about claiming that cash back.

Start-Up

This week's start-up is MakeMatic. They are aiming to help teachers prepare to use technology in the classroom. Clients already include government agenices and Microsoft. Listen in and see what you think about their proposition.

Companies are amassing more and more personal data. Used properly it can help customers find the products and services they want. A win that's making everybody happy then? Not quite.

A UK wide survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Marketing has revealed findings that should disturb anyone who's in the selling business.

Consumers have become cynical and are now unwilling to share their personal information. The reason? Marketers are falling behind when it comes to honesty, transparency and even knowing the law.

Steve Wooley is head of external affairs for the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He was in Belfast recently. We spoke to him about what marketers should be doing to win the trust of customers and how that can benefit everyone when it comes to targeted services.

We'll also be hearing from Jack Butler the CFO of American company MRP, a company now owned by First Derivatives. It's a marketing firm powered by data and software. It set up a base in Belfast in 2010. Since then the team has grown from 5 to 200. Like many executives who come here, Jack is impressed both by the quality of recruitment pool and the facilities the city has to offer. He also has some tips on what he thinks Northern Ireland could improve on.

Plus Angela McGowan is the new head of the business group the CBI in Northern Ireland. We'll be hearing about her priorities as she begins the new role.

Start-up:

This week, our start-up is one of the finallists of the Invest NI Propel Programme. These are start-ups that have been singled out for having high growth potential. Vault Proof authenticates and securely transfers data for freelance professionals and procurement agencies.

Companies are amassing more and more personal data. Used properly it can help customers find the products and services they want. A win that's making everybody happy then? Not quite.

A UK wide survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Marketing has revealed findings that should disturb anyone who's in the selling business.

Consumers have become cynical and are now unwilling to share their personal information. The reason? Marketers are falling behind when it comes to honesty, transparency and even knowing the law.

Steve Wooley is head of external affairs for the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He was in Belfast recently. We spoke to him about what marketers should be doing to win the trust of customers and how that can benefit everyone when it comes to targeted services.

We'll also be hearing from Jack Butler the CFO of American company MRP, a company now owned by First Derivatives. It's a marketing firm powered by data and software. It set up a base in Belfast in 2010. Since then the team has grown from 5 to 200. Like many executives who come here, Jack is impressed both by the quality of recruitment pool and the facilities the city has to offer. He also has some tips on what he thinks Northern Ireland could improve on.

Plus Angela McGowan is the new head of the business group the CBI in Northern Ireland. We'll be hearing about her priorities as she begins the new role.

Start-up:

This week, our start-up is one of the finallists of the Invest NI Propel Programme. These are start-ups that have been singled out for having high growth potential. Vault Proof authenticates and securely transfers data for freelance professionals and procurement agencies.

Family businesses have been described as the backbone of the local economy. Less focused than typical PLCs on short term results, they are better able to take the long view on investment and profit taking.

That in theory makes them more resilient when the inevitable recession bites But they often suffer from a similar weakness: lack of a clear strategy for handing over control from one generation to the next.

And that vulnerability matters because of their scale. Michael McQuillan, Director of Ulster University's Business Institute says family businesses make up most of our largest locally owned firms. In a survey last year carried out by the University in association with accountancy firm Harbinson Mulholland, it was found that family businesses occupied seventy two of the 100 top positions in a league table of Northern Ireland's biggest indigenous firms. Mr McQuillan said: "Creating the right environment for family businesses is incredibly important."

As regards the important issue for succession, a lot of families think about it in time but, according to Mr McQuiillan, many don't until it's too late.

There are practical steps that a family business should undertake to smooth the handover. Darren McDowell of Harbinson Mulholland said families should sit down as early as possible and work through what their plans are. The clearer the lines of communication are throughout the family the more painless the process will be when it gets closer to major events like succession.

Mr McDowell says a key step family businesses should take is to set up a family council. In turn that should lead to a family charter which though neither a legal nor financial document should address the issues of succession and other matters.

One family business that's already started investigating how to manage the succession from parent to children is GPS Colour Graphics, a printing firm based in East Belfast.

Lorraine Bell, a daughter of the founder, says she, her sister and brother now work in the firm. While their father is still very active in the business, over time the siblings have been taking some of the strategic decisions, a process which is set to continue. So far they have not yet created a family charter but it was something they were very interested in putting together. Lorraine says she would recommend other firms following her example. As she says, while you may never need a charter, if you do and it's not there, then you may have a problem.

Family businesses have been described as the backbone of the local economy. Less focused than typical PLCs on short term results, they are better able to take the long view on investment and profit taking.

That in theory makes them more resilient when the inevitable recession bites But they often suffer from a similar weakness: lack of a clear strategy for handing over control from one generation to the next.

And that vulnerability matters because of their scale. Michael McQuillan, Director of Ulster University's Business Institute says family businesses make up most of our largest locally owned firms. In a survey last year carried out by the University in association with accountancy firm Harbinson Mulholland, it was found that family businesses occupied seventy two of the 100 top positions in a league table of Northern Ireland's biggest indigenous firms. Mr McQuillan said: "Creating the right environment for family businesses is incredibly important."

As regards the important issue for succession, a lot of families think about it in time but, according to Mr McQuiillan, many don't until it's too late.

There are practical steps that a family business should undertake to smooth the handover. Darren McDowell of Harbinson Mulholland said families should sit down as early as possible and work through what their plans are. The clearer the lines of communication are throughout the family the more painless the process will be when it gets closer to major events like succession.

Mr McDowell says a key step family businesses should take is to set up a family council. In turn that should lead to a family charter which though neither a legal nor financial document should address the issues of succession and other matters.

One family business that's already started investigating how to manage the succession from parent to children is GPS Colour Graphics, a printing firm based in East Belfast.

Lorraine Bell, a daughter of the founder, says she, her sister and brother now work in the firm. While their father is still very active in the business, over time the siblings have been taking some of the strategic decisions, a process which is set to continue. So far they have not yet created a family charter but it was something they were very interested in putting together. Lorraine says she would recommend other firms following her example. As she says, while you may never need a charter, if you do and it's not there, then you may have a problem.

Much has been made about technological advances in the office; ironically it means we don’t even need an office anymore as remote working is now easier and more accessible than ever.

Though where will the inevitable march of progress take us? Will robots really steal our jobs? Could a lot of the work we do now, potentially be replaced by artificial intelligence?

Timandra Harkness presents a programme on Radio 4 on “future proofing.” We caught up with her at the Women in Business conference in Belfast. She makes the point that a lot of jobs are more susceptible to automation than the vast majority of people realise. Ultimately though, she believes there will always be a place for human creativitiy, instinct and intuition, in particular when it comes to developing new products.  You can listen to her interview in our podcast and find out which sectors she thinks are most vulnerable to the march of machines.

There are also more immediate pressing concerns about how the current workforce is changing. How do we deal with the demographics of an ageing workforce as the retirement age is pushed up, plus how do hold onto millennials once you’ve invested in them? Dr Nicola Millard is head of customer insight and futures at BT. She was in Belfast for the Business in the Community conference. A  psychologist by background she has tips around how to retain staff and build trust between the generations.

One women looking for feedback from firms in Northern Ireland is  Dr Ruth McKernan. She’s the new CEO of innovate UK.  Their job is to find and drive the technology innovations that will grow our economy.  In fact, Innovate UK is going to appoint a regional manager in Northern Ireland. On her first official visit to Belfast in her new capacity you can hear how Ruth thinks Northern Ireland compares to the rest of the UK in terms of innovation. 

Our start-up this week, is one of the finalists in the Invest NI Propel Programme.  Olivia Farnam is the founder of the Blinky company. She’s developing products aiming to make the lives of parents and babies easier. 

Much has been made about technological advances in the office; ironically it means we don’t even need an office anymore as remote working is now easier and more accessible than ever.

Though where will the inevitable march of progress take us? Will robots really steal our jobs? Could a lot of the work we do now, potentially be replaced by artificial intelligence?

Timandra Harkness presents a programme on Radio 4 on “future proofing.” We caught up with her at the Women in Business conference in Belfast. She makes the point that a lot of jobs are more susceptible to automation than the vast majority of people realise. Ultimately though, she believes there will always be a place for human creativitiy, instinct and intuition, in particular when it comes to developing new products.  You can listen to her interview in our podcast and find out which sectors she thinks are most vulnerable to the march of machines.

There are also more immediate pressing concerns about how the current workforce is changing. How do we deal with the demographics of an ageing workforce as the retirement age is pushed up, plus how do hold onto millennials once you’ve invested in them? Dr Nicola Millard is head of customer insight and futures at BT. She was in Belfast for the Business in the Community conference. A  psychologist by background she has tips around how to retain staff and build trust between the generations.

One women looking for feedback from firms in Northern Ireland is  Dr Ruth McKernan. She’s the new CEO of innovate UK.  Their job is to find and drive the technology innovations that will grow our economy.  In fact, Innovate UK is going to appoint a regional manager in Northern Ireland. On her first official visit to Belfast in her new capacity you can hear how Ruth thinks Northern Ireland compares to the rest of the UK in terms of innovation. 

Our start-up this week, is one of the finalists in the Invest NI Propel Programme.  Olivia Farnam is the founder of the Blinky company. She’s developing products aiming to make the lives of parents and babies easier.