I first met Nikki Gatenby (above) when I was chairing a discussion about high growth companies. She was a great panelist, energetically fluent about how she had grown her SEO and search marketing agency Propellernet. She’s done it by focusing steadfastly on the wellbeing of her team and their sense of purpose – “to make… Read more
Sabio MI: wisdom grown from hands-on experience and hundreds of conversations.
My conversation with Martin Irisarri made me think about the different kinds of knowledge you absorb during your career. His story might make you see your own expertise with fresh eyes and how you come across when you talk about it to customers. Martin Irisarri (pictured above with his wife and fellow director, Sarah) is… Read more
Stories that do your business a big favour.
Let me tell you a story. When Mark (pictured above, juggling pineapples) was 21 he went on a big adventure. He travelled the world for two years, getting lost in the rich colours, sounds and smells of Asia, Australasia and the Caribbean. He returned with vivid memories of remote villages, expansive beaches and magical moments… Read more
Delegate your story to people who tell it better
One of the best ways to explain why your business is valuable is to get someone else to do it for you. Someone who can do it better than you. They’re not necessarily a better communicator than you, but they will have the edge over you because of who they are. That someone is your… Read more
Starting up, scaling up and the art of sacking yourself
Cocoa Loco started when Sarah Payne took a career break from her computer programming job to look after her children. She discovered that she was very good at making brownies. They were always in great demand when she went round to her friends’ houses. So one day she said to her husband Rory, “I’m going… Read more
Vision and values are good things. The stories behind them are even better.
Many companies list their values on their websites. That’s great. It gives me a benchmark to measure them by. But when I read these lists I want to know the stories behind the vision and values. Why do things like ‘quality’ and ‘integrity’ and ‘creativity’ matter to you? If you tell me why, I’m more… Read more
Do the stories you tell yourself set you back at work?
It’s not fair. However senior or successful you are, a version of that phrase has probably flitted through your mind at some point. How did you react to that feeling of being thwarted or overlooked? Perhaps it sapped your enthusiasm. Or, as Ishreen puts it, you might have had an “I’ll show them” moment and… Read more
When you stop speaking, how much will your audience remember?
Even in the age of cyber marketing, doing the occasional event – a presentation, speech, workshop – in front of an audience of real human beings, is a good way to promote you and your work. But it has to be worth all the effort – the thinking time, the rehearsal and the nerves. You… Read more
Be a knock-out success with your audience. (When being weak is a strength.)
Does anyone have a question? It’s a question speakers routinely ask at the end of any session. In my experience, it kills the conversation. An irony, because it’s designed to do the opposite. And I understand that. When I go to conferences, I never want to speak up first. It takes me back to the… Read more
A judgement call that makes or breaks your business?
This is how I made mine – and why I’m looking forward to chairing the Difficult decisions and how you make them discussion at the Brighton Summit. When I left the BBC, I had a romantic idea of being a ‘portfolio’ worker. Someone who would offer a range of services, based on my broadcasting background…. Read more
