Efficiency is doing the thing right… Effectiveness is doing the right thing!
Managing your own time against the multiple demands of running a business is difficult enough but when it comes to managing employees’ time and productivity it can be a mammoth task. However it’s hugely important for the running of an efficient and profitable business. In…
A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all
Generating new business to grow your customer base is crucial for long term business success, but it’s also critical to take exceptional care of the customers you already have. Both of these areas of business management have challenges and opportunities. Here are seven ideas aimed…
Fortune Favours the Brave
At Prime Strategies we love graphs. This one below encapsulates the behaviour of many SME’s (Small to Medium sized Enterprises) showing why they don’t go on to become the huge success that they originally intended to be. It demonstrates that when we are risk taking,…
5 Risks to face when you create a start up business
By Sreekanth Ravi for Entrepreneur. “Starting a business has never been more exciting. The startup economy is rich with opportunity, innovation and potential. But at the same time, it is also fraught with high-stakes risks. And while it may be scary to take that leap of faith,…
Is a Company the right business structure for you?
Choosing the correct business structure when you start out in business is very important for a number of reasons – not least that the wrong business structure may be costly to change later on. Often people assume that they need to form a company to…
Launching a new venture? Here’s how to beat the odds
By Clark Gilbert & Matthew Eyring for the Harvard Business Review “For nearly 20 years the case study used to introduce Harvard Business School’s Entrepreneurial Management course has been Howard Stevenson’s “R&R.” It looks at Bob Reiss, an entrepreneur who launches a venture in the board-game…
3 Non-tech steps to build a successful business
By Johnathan Long, VIP Contributor, for Entrepreneur Technology can always improve your business, but you don’t need it to grow. “We should all be focusing on technology to help grow sales — the digital transformation of most aspects of commerce has created more business leverage than just…
7 Life Lessons from My Entrepreneurship Journey
By John Rampton for Entrepreneur. Starting a business is tough and challenging on all fronts. Here’s some wisdom that may ease your load as you navigate new terrain. Entrepreneurship can be a tough and long journey for many people. Some get lucky and succeed the…
Sales skills that create lasting results in 2018
Marc Wayshak, sales strategist and bestselling author of “Game Plan Selling” (Breakthrough Success Publishing, 2012) and “Breaking All Barriers” (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012), spoke with Business News Daily and broke down the five keys to successful selling in today’s world based on his recent survey findings. He points…
Are you a natural born leader? Test your leadership talents.
Are you passionate about leadership? Or uncertain if you have that je ne c’est quoi for inspiring a team? Not everyone is born to lead, but with determination and learned skills, most people can develop and cultivate their leadership skills enough to do well in…
7 Steps for Business Growth – The Do’s and Don’ts!
Business growth is really exciting – you have a great product, you’re reaching the right people – but it’s crucial to have a sturdy business plan. Here’s a list of 7 things to check your performance against. Do: Research, Set goals, Get feedback, Target new…
Have you got your target audience in the cross-hairs?
Do you know who your target audience is? For most businesses, the answer is yes. Knowing who will buy your product or service is a key part of creating a business that thrives. “The more specific you can get [with your strategy], the easier it…
4 Tips on how to be an ethical business leader
There is an evident difference between a leader and a boss, and the way they make those below them feel. Do they abuse their power to intimidate workers, or do they lead by example? The latter is key to managing a healthy, happy team. “In…
500% growth in one year? Here’s how.
The thought of quintupling business growth in under 12 months may sound impossible, but Scott Oldford has done it himself (learn more in the article by Scott for Entrepreneur) – and helped others achieve the same amazing business growth too. “You may find it’s easier…
Owning a business is not a job
I talk at length to my clients about how owning a business should not be thought of as having a job. It may feel like that at times, however a business should be an answer to what the owner wants from life – owning a…
Are you using the 7 C’s of Communication? Or is it 10 C’s?
What makes for great communication? According to the methodology outlined in the Mindtools video below, clear and concise communication (oops, spoiler alert!) requires 7 C’s: Clear. Concise. Concrete. Correct. Coherent. Complete. Courteous. Watch the video and let us know what you think – is this…
10 Steps to starting a new business in New Zealand
MBIE has created a handy list of steps to check through to help ensure you are well prepared to start a new business or create a new company of your own. This checklist covers off and outline of what’s involved, from testing your idea to…
Under-appreciated staff are a cost to your business
By David Hassell for 15 Five. “There’s a lot of truth behind the saying “people don’t leave jobs, they leave bosses”. More often than not, it’s not because they are underpaid or overworked… it’s because they feel undervalued and unappreciated. Two of the most basic human…
Is underpaying staff costing your business?
Paying your staff too little can be more damaging than paying them too much – and it can cost your business more! We all know how costly and time consuming it can be to find the right person for a role – interviews, commission to…
Is your business ready to grow? Take the quiz
Growth and innovation take the right plans, adequate resources & a dose of attitude to succeed Are you at the right stage for business growth? We’d love to introduce you to one of our nationwide network of Business Advisors who will sit with you to…
The purpose of a Business Plan in 5 Simple Points
“A business plan is an important tool for managing and growing your business. A well-designed plan lays out a vision of growth and the steps needed to get there. A plan is also an essential communications tool for attracting financing for your business as well…
When Employees Bring Personal Struggles Into The Workplace
What if your employees are struggling with personal problems that begin to take over their work life? “Studies show that almost half (47 percent) of employees admit that their personal problems sometimes have an effect on their workplace performance. Not only can this impact their their…
Accelerating business growth in 15 steps
Scaling for business growth takes considerable effort. Initially you will find you are handling all management aspects of your business single-handed, even dealing with clients on a daily basis – which all makes it hard to step outside the ‘doing’ and focus on the big…
Five Ways a Business Advisor Can Make You More Successful
Think you only need a business performance advisor when things are not tracking so well? Not so. All businesses need help at some stage – even the fastest-growing businesses can have stressful cashflow issues. For any business, the chance to work with a good business…
15 expert tips: How to write a great business plan.
Writing a good business plan can be a make or break step for a SME Business in the fast paced New Zealand market. A strong business plan gives your investors, stakeholders and your team insight into where you have been, what you have learned, the…