About my programmes
If you’re considering working with me, here are a few things to know about my coaching, how I work, and what you can expect.
Does your coaching actually work?
Yes. I’ve seen people completely change the way they run their businesses and live their lives. And interestingly, some of the biggest changes had very little to do with why they came to see me in the first place.
Someone might come to me because their business has stopped growing, they’re exhausted from making every decision themselves, or they’ve been avoiding a difficult conversation for months. Then we start digging, and it turns out the real problem is somewhere else entirely. That’s often where things get interesting.
I’ve seen business owners regain their confidence, start enjoying their businesses again, and finally find time for their families. I’ve also seen people make difficult decisions they’d been putting off for years. Sometimes those changes are worth considerably more than another million in turnover.
And that’s one of the things I love about this work. You never quite know what we’ll uncover when we start asking the right questions. But after 18 years of coaching, I can tell you that some of the most important breakthroughs have started with a conversation somebody didn’t particularly want to have.
Who needs a business coach?
Someone who carries a lot of responsibility and doesn’t always have anyone they can speak to openly. Maybe your business is growing, but every problem still ends up on your desk. Maybe you’ve hit a wall. Or perhaps everything looks successful from the outside, but you’re quietly wondering why you’re still working every weekend.
You don’t need to be in trouble to benefit from coaching. You do need to be willing to question your own thinking, hear things you might not like and actually do something about them. I’ll give you my honest opinion, even when we disagree. The decisions, as always, are yours.
And if all you’re looking for is someone to tell you how brilliant you are, I’d save your money.
How much does it cost, and how long do we work together?
My coaching programmes start at £4,000 + VAT, with a minimum commitment of three months. The actual fee depends on your situation, the length of our work together and the level of support involved. Longer programmes generally work out more economically on a monthly basis, but that doesn’t mean you should commit to six or twelve months if you don’t need to.
Some people come to me with a particular challenge they want to work through. Others want ongoing support as they grow their businesses, take on bigger responsibilities or navigate difficult periods. Once I understand your situation, I’ll tell you what I recommend, how long I think we should work together and exactly what it will cost. I’d rather give you a proper answer than pull a number out of thin air.
Is everything we discuss confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is fundamental to my work. We discuss sensitive business matters, financial information, employees, business partners and sometimes very personal issues. What we discuss stays between us, subject to any legal obligations.
I regularly sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) with my clients. If you or your company require one, we’ll put it in place before discussing anything confidential.
I take confidentiality seriously. I expect my clients to trust me with matters they wouldn’t discuss with anyone else, and I treat that trust accordingly.
Can you guarantee results?
No. And I’d be very suspicious of anyone who did.
I’ve seen people achieve things they didn’t believe were possible when we first met. I’ve also learned that even the best advice in the world is worth very little if someone isn’t prepared to act on it.
I’ll give you my experience, my honest opinion, and sometimes tell you things you’d probably rather not hear. I’ll challenge you, support you and hold you accountable. But I can’t make your decisions or do the work for you.
And there’s one thing worth remembering: sometimes the best result is realising that what you’ve been working towards isn’t actually what you want anymore.
How will the business coaching work?
First, I need to understand what I’m dealing with. That’s why we start with an initial consultation session, where I’ll ask you plenty of questions about your business, your life, the people around you and what you’re trying to achieve. And don’t be surprised if I ask about things you hadn’t even considered relevant. There’s usually a reason.
If we decide to work together, I’ll build a programme around your situation, what needs attention and what we want to achieve. No generic templates or predetermined list of topics. Some of our work might focus on business strategy, leadership or difficult decisions. Other conversations might get rather personal. That’s perfectly normal. After all, you’re the one running the business.
I don’t watch the clock during our sessions. We usually spend two or three hours together, sometimes longer, depending on what we’re working through. If we’re in the middle of something important, I’m not going to stop simply because we’ve been talking for three hours. We’ll work through what’s in front of us, agree on what needs to happen next and see how things develop. And if something important comes up between sessions, you can contact me. Business problems rarely wait politely for your next appointment.
Can we work over Zoom or Video Call?
Absolutely. Although if you’re based in London or nearby, I’d strongly recommend meeting in person at my office on Davies Street in Mayfair, just a two-minute walk from Bond Street Station. I’ve always found face-to-face conversations more productive. You can pick up on things, get to know each other properly and have conversations that sometimes take a different direction than you’d expected.
If you’re based further away or overseas, we can absolutely work together over Zoom. I’ve had clients travel to London from Germany, France, Jersey, Poland and even the USA and Canada. If you can make it to London for at least a few sessions, I’d strongly encourage it. It makes a difference.
That said, I understand that travelling isn’t always practical. We can still do some excellent work together over video calls. The important thing is that we can have an open, honest conversation, wherever you happen to be.
What happens during the Initial Consultation?
We sit down and have a proper conversation. Usually for two to four hours, sometimes longer. I’ll ask you plenty of questions about your business, your life, the challenges you’re facing and what you’d like to achieve. You can ask me anything too. There are no presentations, sales pitches or awkward conversations about signing up before you’ve even had a chance to explain what’s going on.
I’ll give you my honest opinion about your situation, including things you might not have considered. And if I think you’re heading in the wrong direction, I’ll tell you. That’s part of why we’re having the conversation in the first place.
The consultation is complimentary, but I don’t offer it automatically to everyone who contacts me. I’ll first ask a few questions to understand your situation and decide whether I believe I can help. And after we’ve met, there’s no obligation to work together. We should both be comfortable with the decision.
What if I’m not sure what the real problem is?
That’s perfectly normal. You’d be surprised how many people come to me convinced they know exactly what’s wrong, only to discover that the real problem is something entirely different.
You might think you need a better business strategy, a new team or simply more time. Perhaps you do. But sometimes the problem is a decision you’ve been avoiding, a conversation you should have had six months ago, or the fact that you’ve built a business where absolutely everything depends on you.
You don’t need to arrive with all the answers. That’s part of what we’re going to work out together. And don’t worry, I’m quite good at asking necessary questions.
Do I need to own a business to work with you?
No. I work with business owners and entrepreneurs, but also CEOs, Managing Directors and senior leaders who carry considerable responsibility without necessarily owning the company they run.
Some of my clients are building businesses from scratch. Others are managing established companies, leading large teams or dealing with decisions that affect hundreds of people. Different situations, different challenges.
And yes, we can talk about your personal life too. Your relationships, confidence, health, ambitions and happiness all matter. I’ve never met anyone who could completely separate their professional life from their personal one. And frankly, I don’t think they should have to.
My perspective on business and life
How do you know when it’s time to walk away?
Knowing when to walk away is just as important as knowing when to keep going. I’ve seen people waste years, enormous amounts of money and their own health trying to make something work simply because they couldn’t accept that it wasn’t working.
There’s a big difference between determination and stubbornness. Determination keeps you moving when things get difficult. Stubbornness can keep you heading in the wrong direction long after the evidence is telling you to stop.
Sometimes you need to push harder. Sometimes you need a different approach. And sometimes you need to have the courage to say, ‘Enough. This isn’t working.’
Walking away from a bad decision doesn’t make you a failure. Continuing to make it simply because you’ve already invested so much might be the bigger mistake.
Is starting your own business really worth it?
Yes, but it depends on a few factors. I also think far too many people have a rather romantic idea of what running a business actually looks like.
For most of human history, people had to be resourceful. Farmers, craftsmen and traders made a living by producing things, selling their skills and finding customers. The modern idea of spending your entire career working for one employer is relatively recent. And with technology, AI, and entire industries changing so quickly, I wouldn’t automatically assume a comfortable job today will still be comfortable ten years from now.
Does that mean everyone should quit their job and start a business? Of course not. I’ve been an entrepreneur for more than 22 years, and I know exactly how difficult it can be. The freedom can be wonderful. The responsibility can be bloody exhausting. And there will be days when you wonder what on earth you were thinking.
But I do believe more people should learn to think like entrepreneurs. Take responsibility, recognise opportunities, understand risk and become less dependent on someone else making all the decisions about their future.
As for when to start? When you’ve got a reasonable idea, understand what you’re risking and are prepared to do the work. Waiting for perfect conditions is a very effective way of never starting anything.
What separates successful people from everyone else?
Quite often, less than you might think. Successful people have doubts, make mistakes and get things spectacularly wrong, just like everyone else. The difference is often what they do next.
They make decisions, take responsibility for them and learn when things don’t go according to plan. They’re prepared to have difficult conversations, change their minds when the evidence tells them to and take calculated risks. And yes, sometimes they’re scared. They just don’t let fear make every decision for them.
I’ve also met people who are incredibly successful on paper but thoroughly miserable in their lives. So before you spend years chasing somebody else’s idea of success, make sure you know what success actually means to you. You might be surprised how much that changes your decisions.
What happens if we disagree?
Good. I’d be more concerned if we agreed on absolutely everything.
You’re paying me for my experience, my perspective and my honest opinion. If I think you’re making a mistake, I’ll tell you. If I disagree with your strategy, I’ll explain why. And if I think you’re about to do something particularly stupid, you can expect me to be rather direct about it.
But here’s the thing. I don’t have all the answers either. You know your business better than I do, and if you make a better argument, I’ll happily change my mind. I’ve learned plenty from my clients over the years, and I intend to keep doing so.
We can disagree, challenge each other and have some fairly heated discussions. That’s perfectly fine. I respect people who can defend their thinking, and I expect the same respect in return.
At the end of the day, it’s your business and your decision. My job is to help you make the best one possible, even if that means telling you something you’d rather not hear.
What are the most important skills for running a successful business?
If I had to choose two, I’d say decision-making and delegation.
First, learn to make decisions. Good decisions, preferably quickly. I’ve always believed that success likes speed. You don’t need another three months of meetings to make a decision you could have made last Tuesday. Get the information you need, consider the risks, make the call and move forward. And when you get something wrong, which you will, deal with it and learn from it.
Second, learn to delegate. And I mean properly. Far too many business owners suffer from what I call Superman Syndrome. They try to do everything themselves, convince themselves nobody else can do it as well, and then wonder why they’re working 70 hours a week. Find the right people, give them responsibility and let them do their jobs. You can’t build a serious business if every decision, problem and task has to go through you.
The sooner you master those two skills, the sooner your business can grow without consuming your entire life.
What’s the biggest mistake business owners make?
Thinking that because they’ve built a successful business, they must have all the answers.
I’ve met some incredibly intelligent and capable entrepreneurs who were making their own lives unnecessarily difficult. They’d built impressive companies, hired excellent people and achieved things most people only dream about. Yet they were still making decisions based on assumptions nobody had challenged in years.
Success can make you confident. Sometimes a little too confident. And the longer you’ve been running a business, the easier it becomes to surround yourself with people who agree with you.
One of the smartest things you can do is have people around you who are prepared to tell you when you’re wrong. And then have the sense to listen.
For many of my clients, I’m that person.
Why do so many business owners struggle to grow their businesses?
More often than not, because the business has outgrown the person running it.
The habits, decisions and ways of working that helped you build a company in the first place won’t necessarily help you take it to the next level. What worked when you had five employees can become a serious problem when you have fifty.
I’ve seen business owners spend fortunes on marketing, hire more people and chase new opportunities when the real problem was much closer to home. They were still running a much bigger business as if it were the small company they started years ago.
Growing a business often means changing the way you think, lead and operate. And sometimes the hardest part is accepting that you might be the one who needs to change first.
What does success actually mean?
That’s a very good question. And I think far too many people spend their lives chasing success without ever stopping to ask themselves what it actually means to them.
Don’t get me wrong. I love business, I love making money, and I have absolutely nothing against ambition. Money gives you freedom, opportunities and choices. But I’ve also met people who have more money than they could reasonably spend and still aren’t particularly happy. So clearly, there’s a little more to it.
To me, success means building a life you genuinely enjoy living. Doing work you find meaningful, having people around you who matter, being able to make your own decisions and having enough freedom to enjoy what you’ve worked so hard for. And yes, being financially comfortable is a very nice part of that.
I’ve always had this rather peculiar ambition. I’d love to reach the end of my life and have someone look at everything I’ve experienced and say, ‘Bloody hell, that man was lucky.’
Because if someone thinks I’ve been incredibly lucky, I’ll know I’ve probably done something right.
Is working harder really the answer?
Sometimes. But if working 70 hours a week hasn’t solved your problems, I’m not convinced working 80 will.
I’ve met plenty of business owners who are incredibly hardworking, constantly busy and permanently exhausted. They’re the first to arrive, the last to leave, and somehow there’s never enough time to get everything done. And the funny thing is, some of them are actually proud of it.
Working hard is important. I’ve built businesses myself, and I know there are times when you simply have to roll up your sleeves and get on with it. But being busy and making progress are two very different things.
Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is stop, look at how you’re running your business and ask yourself why everything requires so much of your time in the first place.
Because if your business can only function when you’re working yourself into the ground, you’ve got a problem worth fixing.
What’s the hardest part of running a business?
For me, it’s the responsibility. And sometimes the loneliness that comes with it.
When you’re running a business, people expect you to have the answers. Your employees want direction, your clients expect results, and your family would probably appreciate seeing you occasionally. Meanwhile, you’re dealing with problems nobody else knows about, making decisions that could cost you a fortune and trying to look like you’ve got everything under control.
And who do you talk to? Your employees? Your business partner? Your spouse? Sometimes, yes. But there are conversations you simply can’t have with everyone, especially when their jobs, money or future might be affected by your decisions.
I’ve been on that side of the table myself. I know what it’s like to carry that responsibility, and I know how valuable it can be to have somebody you can speak to openly, without worrying about what they’ll think or how they’ll react.
Sometimes, just having the right person to talk things through with can make an enormous difference.
What’s the best business advice you can give?
Learn to take responsibility for your own decisions, your business and the life you’re building. Nobody is going to care about your future quite as much as you do, and expecting somebody else to sort everything out for you is a rather expensive way to learn that lesson.
Surround yourself with good people. People who are better than you at things you don’t need to be good at, people who challenge your thinking and people you can trust when things get difficult. Treat them well, but don’t confuse being a good leader with trying to keep everybody happy.
And finally, remember why you started your business in the first place. There’s very little point in building something successful if, somewhere along the way, you end up creating a life you don’t particularly enjoy living.
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