Understand yourself and read behaviour quickly
From bonkers to brilliant. Discover how people who run businesses behave and learn what drives entrepreneurs and how are we affected by different situations, the decisions we make and the people with whom we work. This subject covers: leadership; communication; decision making; relationships; failure; psychology; conceptual thinking; buyer behaviour and more…
Successful Phone Sales Calls
Learn the art of making successful phone sales calls
People who don't seek to master the art of making successful phone sales calls are often crap at their job.
What’s worse is that many charlatans have received some god-awful training which might as well be called ‘How to shaft the customer’... Read More
Become a Better Business Writer
Be a better business writer & sharpen your communication
To be a better business writer it's important to practice and learn from mistakes.
Years ago, I co-wrote and published an on-line book. Entitled ‘Dexter Bentley: My first million’ the story follows the entrepreneurial journey of a young man whose academic failures prove to be the catalyst for business success... Read More
Top 10 Entrepreneur Websites
Recommended top 10 entrepreneur websites
To discover the top 10 entrepreneur websites, I polled the views of over 500 people involved with the industry.
All respondents worked in an advisory/business support capacity in academia, and/or the public/private sectors. Some people ran their own businesses.
To keep things simple, I asked the single question:
"What websites do you recommend entrepreneurs use..?" Read More
World’s Greatest Entrepreneur
Unbelievable! Interviewing the world's greatest entrepreneur
Meeting the world's greatest entrepreneur started with a cold call. "I'm sorry but Nick rarely gives interviews" I was informed.
The PA on the other end of the line was pleasant but firm. "But please give me your details. Someone in PR will get back to you."
Two days later the phone rang. To my astonishment, I learnt my wish had been granted.
Slap in the middle of his hectic schedule I would be meeting the world's greatest entrepreneur. He even wanted to meet me in person and had insisted on making all my travel arrangements... Read More
Go Screw the Pitch
No one ever sets out to screw the pitch or screw up their presentation. But so many people do because they don't prepare properly and/or assume (falsely) what the audience wants.
But for anyone who wants to screw the pitch (or for anyone who has suffered in the audience) here are my top 10 fulfilment tips.
Enjoy the comedic, funny but true, value. Read More
Commercial Comedy is Serious Business
No joking. Commercial comedy and having a laugh is serious business.
As our plane readied for take off to Cape Town, the stewardess commenced the well rehearsed health and safety briefing. Little did we know that the airline's approach to commercial comedy meant the ordinary was about to become extraordinary.
"In the event of the cabin losing air pressure, oxygen masks will drop down from above your heads." Her words were calm. She paused and looked to see who was paying attention... Read More
Effective Salespeople avoid Crap Meetings
Learning how to avoid crap meetings is a key skill for entrepreneurs
Once upon a business life I self-published a ‘book’ for the caravan market.
Knowing little about these boxes on wheels and kidding myself the product was half-decent, I led a telesales department (me) and phoned UK caravan outlets in search of orders.
And then I thought I had struck gold... Read More
Achieving Millionaire Status
How does money motivate you?
Salespeople regularly offered me lifts back in the eighties. It's fair to say I enjoyed the banter. Their cars went faster too.
London bound, one bright weekday winter's morning, I was hitching a lift onto the M1.
Without warning, a car was jamming on its brakes and pulling into the empty slip road ahead of me. The smart-suit in the driving seat said he could take me 60 miles. In no time we were doing 90+ in the outside lane. All was good with the world... Read More