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Brent Spilkin

Aug 18
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Growth in your absence: How to take a sabbatical without your business needing you

By Business Coaching Coaching Consulting Strategy No Comments

Here’s the dream for most business owners…

They want to mature a business to the point where they can take 3 months off at once and not open a single email from that remote beach in Tahiti. Now imagine doing that and coming back to a business that has grown in sales, margin and people?

Impossible? Well, not really. I’m going to show you how.

But first, why are you doing this?

You want your business to thrive without you

While you, Founder and CEO, are working in the business daily you are not always able to see which elements of the business can’t survive (nay! thrive!) without you, as you just keep smoothing over those cracks with your time and remarkable skills. The trick is to step away and let the team swim in the deep end. But not all at once.

Start with one week first

Start with setting a time-based goal. Let’s say in 3 years you want to take off 3 months and not worry about the organisation you have left behind, you’ll need to train that muscle first. So start with one week. Here’s your to-do list:

One. 

Play pretend leave.

Plan a week’s “holiday” in about a month or 2 from today.

Two.

See if your 2IC can see you through the choppy seas.

Pick your 2IC [second in command] and let him/her become the central bottleneck and filter for all information in the business in your absence.

Three.

Daily information you want to know.

Decide on which key pieces of information you want to know daily, and when and how you want to receive this. Examples are; sales, pipeline, profits, marketing metrics, people metrics, retention stats, cash flows, volumes of delivery, process changes and general red flags.

Four. 

Create a RAG rating for the daily information 

You should also then categorise all this info into a RAG rating [Red, Amber and Green].

Green: Items you want to know about that are in the band of acceptability.

Amber: those that have some level of issue and escalation, but are being managed internally. You are not needed. Revert back to ice-cold G&T.

Red: Concerns, problems or issues that the team and your 2IC can’t manage. G&T is set aside to deal with issue urgently.

Five. 

Wrap that information up, tweet style.

If you had to condense all this info into a single “140-character tweet” – how could you do that and get that via Whatsapp/email once a day, at close of business? That’s what you need to do before you depart.

Six. 

Don’t leave yet! Test it first.  

Test this model for a few weeks before you leave. Explain to the whole company that you are on holiday [dammit!] and will not be available unless there is a genuine emergency [marked as RED.]

Seven. 

Pour G&T…and watch.  

Take the week off, allowing the team to manage and maintain the business with no expectation of growth or anything fancy. The team must track all issues that cropped up that they could not deal with.

Eight. 

Compiling the fracture list

From your time away, you’ll build a list. It includes the issues that cropped up while you were away that couldn’t be handled without you as well as the parts you always cover anyway (that were not delegated to the team in your absence). These are the fractures in your business that need repairs.

Nine. 

Fixing the Fractures (metal rods, plates & screws not needed)

Over the coming weeks, create processes and train your team on how to handle and think about solutions to the problems that arose while you were away.

Do you want growth in your absence? 

Then take leave again…and again…and again.  

Every time you go away you are stress testing the business. Now plan the next trip. If you can, make it a few days longer and again follow the steps above. If you keep adding days to the “holidays” and repeat the process every 2-3 months, you should be forcing the business to mature internally to a point where it can at the very least maintain itself. Now to be clear, when I say go on holiday every couple of months, you may not practically be able to do that but then afford yourself the time to work away from the usual spaces. Gift yourself the time to be strategic in nature, so that you can build more structure and process in order to take the next big leap – growth in your absence.

Freedom begins when you give authority, training and trust

After a few repetitions in this cycle, you should see obvious brittleness in some of your people, your operating processes and the dependency of the business on you.

Let’s be honest, you are still most likely overseeing invoicing, sales and high level client engagements – all tasks that you must solve for by giving authority, training and trust to people in the business to solve. Remember if you are doing a task the same way more than once it should be automated, delegated or outsourced.

Share this article with your COO, 2IC or your whole team. You’d be surprised as to how excited your people will get at taking on more autonomy, decision-making and strategic responsibility. In this context, sharing really is caring.

@Spillly

 

[Extra special shout out to heavyweight B2B content writers at Shelf-Made for the edit!]
Jul 05
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With every rand you bill, you are losing money

By Business Coaching Consulting Strategy No Comments

Over the past three months the amount of clients asking if they should be billing offshore and how to find clients overseas has almost consumed my engagements. It’s clear that with the current South African economic climate, the ‘strength’ of the rand and the huge Covid unlocks in terms of selling and delivering remotely, “Africa, your time is now.”

 Why aren’t you billing in dollars, pounds or euros for your precious hours? 

Consider this [and please don’t stone me for this later]: Shipping skills north of the equator removes the BEE constraints of doing work in South Africa, can unlock anywhere between 50% and 200% more rands per hour for the same work [considering you are world class at the services you peddle] and it has genuinely never been easier to do than right now.

If you get this right, and I am not suggesting that you leave the cash offshore and skirt SARS, let’s be honest, setting up smart and legal structures may be of advantage to you and may also feather your Plan-B nest. God, I love mixing metaphors. Also, that second beer just kicked in.

So how do you start and what should you consider?

You are almost starting a new business. Don’t forget some of the fundamentals of that. Consider the quality of your skills [and match clients], consider your differentiators and remove frictions that your opposition [in your target market] don’t have. Like what?

Start with banking. If you intend asking your client to bend over backwards and pay you in a manner that becomes a pain point for them, you may lose them in the sales process. Ideally when a client asks, “So how do I pay you?” you should say, “Just like you pay your local suppliers!” Solve that.

If you consider yourself a BPO [Business Practice Outsource] solution, then be aware that prices may become your forced differentiator. Think Indian call center – high volume, low margin. Not ideal. So, what is the local market paying for your services and if that average is “100%”, by what % margin do you need to be cheaper for the client to consider using you? Between 10% and 40% is probably the needle mover but then again, why discount at all? Rather compete on a different USP and at the same price. If you are that good, then why not ask full price? Price is race to the bottom and you are most likely not set up for low touch, high volume, razor thin margins, are you?

Network. If you have lived, studied, and worked in South Africa, you know expats, lots of expats. You just haven’t applied your mind as to who that is. Start with that ex-girlfriend/boyfriend, the one whose heart you broke and ended badly and haven’t spoken to for 10 years. Ask how they are, where they are and who they know that can spend money with you. Okay, don’t start there, but go deep into your ecosystem and make friends again with people living abroad that could be a degree removed from your next customer.

Another way to get your name out there is to target the middlemen – businesses like yourself that either don’t do the same work as you but live in the same industry sector and may be able to use you for overflow work or even [better] mark you up and resell your services. My first prize is to find people who will place you directly in front of leads for a referral fee. Yes, set that up, and offer it when applicable.

Going direct is hard, I know, but way cheaper than paid media and Google ads. We as South Africans have no comprehension how competitive that landscape is until you try bidding on words in London or Hong Kong. Direct = LinkedIn. Direct = email. Direct = cold call. Did I mention direct is hard? It’s a volume game and you should play that endless game with patience and grit.

We speak English [mostly good enough] and are for many regions, in the two- to three-hour time zone that works for them. We are easy to reach [outside of loadshedding hours] and our quality of work and most importantly, our work is ethic, is world class. [I feel that South Africans work like dogs, mostly.] Some of us even speak Portuguese, Hebrew, German and other second languages that help us diffuse into the local sales mix like frankincense and ylang ylang.

Join the Facebook pages, the forums, the entrepreneur organisations and the local chambers of commerce [yes, some of those actually work in other countries] and preach the word. If that doesn’t work, start looking for South African clients that are part of a global brand, blow them away with your work and charm, and get the global referral over time. That’s a long play, but is most often how I see local clients gain international work.

If you have the money to burn [and burn it you will] then hire a local salesperson/account manager/business development guru and get them to open doors and be the face of your organisation in the city of your choice. When it comes to big city life, avoid the obvious cities. You want London, try Liverpool. You want Paris, try Marseille. You want NYC, try Boston. Did I mention how competitive these big cities are? Look for the secondary and tertiary cities – they are big enough for you and your ego, I promise.

Once you have decided to target and dominate your city of choice, ensure that all your owned marketing channels and content speak to that city and ideally the industry of that city. If I hit your website, it had better say why you are the “Most savvy agency in the Norfolk region for the fintech SAAS start-up.” Own the geographical niche. Then get back on the direct outreach and be hyper focused. You probably don’t need 100 clients. You just want five that pay twice as much as your local clients. Lastly, on this point, immerse yourself in their local knowledge – who are their politicians, musicians, soccer heroes and idols that make for quality presales chit-chat? Grease those sales wheels, baby.

Make no mistake, you have a challenge in SA with finding and keeping local talent, and one of the reasons is that they are leaving physically or leaving the local market to sell in Sterling and now you just can’t afford them. Your SA clients can’t pay those kind of rates, so find ones who can, and leave you a healthy margin.

It’s about to get very competitive in South Africa. Local brands will have to start paying more for quality output or lose the chance of working with you and your team to a truly global marketplace that will find value in you and not have to swallow a giant price pill. Get a foot in the door, show your value and barge that door wide open! You can do this. It’s never been easier or more profitable. No more excuses.

Disclaimer. This was written without editing on a late night flight from Cape Town to Joburg after a few beers and may rub you up the wrong way. I am open to debate. I know it’s not ‘one shoe fits all’, but you gotta admit there is something here, right?

ps. This post was subsequently edited by Mandy Collins.

May 24
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Weird Flex, but OKAY – The Spillly Testimonials

By Business Coaching Consulting Motivation Uncategorised No Comments

It’s been a rollercoaster 2-years for everybody, and we’ve all had to deal with a crazy and truly unpredictable shit-storm.

But one thing that I can be extremely chuffed about is the adoration and exaltation that I’ve received from my superb, ingenious and downright magnificent clients.

In stroking my massive ego, they’ve made me feel all warm and giddy inside and I couldn’t have asked to work with better people on my journey as a business coach. So, much, much thanks goes out to them!

Endorsements From Every Angle! 

I was recently caught in an avalanche of awesome testimonials by some of my favourite clients and they had a few tear-jerking things to say about how I operate as a business coach.

Apparently, I’m deeply understanding and extremely easy to get along with – being seen by my clients and referred to as a mentor, friend, confidant and a no-bullshit kind of guy.

You hear that? Damn right. I won’t tolerate any kind of shit, be it from a bull or a horse.

Getting back such stunning feedback and praise provides one of those things that we all most certainly love to receive: recognition.

Recognised for my ability to offer practical solutions; high levels of openness and transparency; a deep understanding of my clients’ journey (we’re talking ocean-floor depths); and most importantly: trust.

Any business owner needs someone that they can trust, (and trust me) it gets lonely at the top, where there’s always an abundance of starving, lurking and opportunistic piranhas.

You could say that (although my clients have already beat you to it), I act as an energetic, informative, tactical, straightforward vault of information with a mouth attached. Or a sort-of business therapist, if you want to be boring about it. Never betraying the trust of a client, especially with the amount of highly-confidential information that is hermetically sealed in my big, bald head, I’m tied to an oath similar to that of Omertà.

Waterboard me, whip me, castrate me – try your worst, I’ll never speak.

Definitely one of the coolest compliments I’ve received is that I’m like a smorgasbord – multifaceted in my approach, with so much insight to offer and straight-up delicious (okay, I squeezed in the delicious part, myself, but you get the point).

And another common, cool and creative comment about my coaching-style is that I always bring an authentic energy to my clients, so contagious that it energises them for the rest of the day. How cool is that? These people are amazing!

I appreciate every single one of these clients, friends, colleagues, comrades that I work with and coach – they make me fall deeper and deeper in love with what I do.

So, cheers to them! Cheers to you! And cheers to us seeing the next couple of years through!

Peace.

Apr 04
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Mind your FKN Language (In Business)

By Business Coaching Creative Leadership Public Speaking No Comments

Running a business brings about all sorts of challenges and it goes without saying that communication is one of them. Finding the right language to use to get your point across and convey the impact of certain situations that arise within your company isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

Whether a meeting needs to be had about important changes happening in your business, or a long-time client is on the line and you need to act quickly to prevent losing them; conveying that information in a way that creates a common and coherent understanding amongst employees can be a bit of a pain in the ass, to be brutally honest.

Naturally, your favourite bearded business coach has a special trick up his sleeve to go about doing this in a straightforward and uncomplicated way:

Similar to the DEFCON (Defense Readiness Condition) system that the US Armed Forces makes use of, this approach is about creating a method of communication around urgent and important situations that pop up in your business – which can be helpful in developing an efficient and clear form of understanding between both staff and management.

This is a DEFCON 1 situation, so you’d better pay close attention.

Listen Closely. Your Job Could Depend On It! 

If I ask you to think about the situations that surface in your business and how you go about informing others of those situations, then the use of effective communication is a massive priority in getting your message across and understood.

If something serious is happening and the life of the business depends on certain actions to be taken; if you’re implementing a new strategy and everybody needs to be made aware of it; or if there’s a new rule, regulation or law that needs to be adopted by employees – starting a system of language that your staff understand and are aware of will help you gather them much quicker than an email that they might not read, or a lengthy statement that might spread confusion.

When I coach clients, I remind them that using the right communication tools are important in creating awareness around the defense conditions within their business.

The use of strategic language is a crucial tool to develop a sense of understanding around these conditions and it allows for a level of brevity when trying to get an important message across to staff.

Knowing whether it’s an existential problem that the company is facing (like the threat of a shut down), or if it’s something that can be dealt with at a later stage (like the implementation of new policies), it ultimately helps create a clear picture that everybody in the organisation can understand.

Reworking The DEFCON System Into Business 

The DEFCON system is basically a prescribed set of terms that highlight the urgency of dire situations being faced during war through the use of strategic language. It helps to ensure a sense of readiness so that the correct actions are taken and so by using it, everybody involved in the defence of a country will be informed of the severity of those situations, ensuring that certain measures are in place to deal with them.

When breaking it down, the ranking starts at DEFCON 5 (least severe/minor) and works its way to DEFCON 1 (most severe/serious) – and It functions extremely well when communicating serious and minor issues that need attention.

That’s why it’s such a great tool to adapt and implement into your business.

By creating a similar ranking system in the workplace, you’re able to quickly communicate a situation and ensure that the most appropriate responses are given by both management and staff. This speeds up action and creates a common awareness amongst everyone.

Instead of using long-winded and tedious statements like, “everybody, we have an urgent meeting at 5 o’clock and you all need to be there,” you’ll make use of a much quicker term or phrase, such as, “I’m calling a DEFCON 1 for 5 o’clock”, or “it’s a Defcon 5, when can everyone make it?”.

Obviously, you need to make sure that everyone in your business is aware of this terminology and that it’s taught in a way to be used in the right context.

If you abuse the language, then people will attach less importance to the severity of the situation that each term entails and it might be rendered useless. Do you remember the story of ‘the boy who cried wolf’? Well, the moral of the story is that you shouldn’t give an alert for danger when there is no danger, otherwise nobody will care about what you have to say when danger actually presents itself.

Make your DEFCON 1 known to be a serious matter and that employees should act accordingly. Perhaps you indicate that it refers to the risk of losing an important client – everybody needs to take that indication seriously, shift gears and take necessary action.

You also don’t have to use that particular ranking system in your business – I have clients that use a Bronze, Silver and Gold system or an animal-based system (zebra, rhino, snake) to differentiate the levels of severity.

Whatever imagery you choose, remember that it needs to be understood in a logical and applicable way.

Other than the fact that it creates ease-of-communication between management and staff, it can help bolster a stronger organisational culture; employees are essentially connected through a common language, allowing them to have a shared form of understanding. It creates a deeper bond within teams and forms a common-ground for everybody involved.

With this system, you will come to find more appropriate responses given when problems come to surface and that everybody is on the same wavelength when having to face difficult circumstances.

Come up with a set of terms. Train your organisation to react according to those terms. And get shit done properly through effective communication.

I’m calling a DEFCON 2, so you need to pay some serious attention right now.

Sources tell me that your business needs some TLC and that your time is far too scattered for you to make improvements in your strategies, communication and the overall operations of your business.

So in doing you a solid, I’ve called in some backup:

An experienced and well-balanced business coach, armed with powerful weapons, enough ammunition and the most superb strategies to take on any challenge that your business presents.

That business coach is me. So act fast, make the call (an email or Whatsapp will also do) and don’t be shy to reap the rewards.

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

Feb 16
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In Fear Of Losing Valuable Employees? Try The Golden Handcuffs.

By Business Coaching Hiring Strategy No Comments

As a business owner, especially when operating a small company, it’s common to find a star employee that perfectly complements your vision – exceeding expectations, getting the job done perfectly and making a positive impact on your business.

It’s only when you recognise that employee that the fear of losing them becomes a reality.

And the last thing that you want to do is have to find someone else to replace that person, as it can become costly, time-consuming and often difficult to achieve.

So how do you keep them happy? How do you retain them for the long-haul?

While locking them in a room and hoping for Stockholm Syndrome to take its course isn’t exactly an option – arresting them with a sleek pair of golden handcuffs just might be.

Value Is In The Eye Of The Entrepreneur 

In a lot of the smaller businesses that I deal with, I come across clients that become incredibly dependent on one, or a few key members of staff. And it inevitably leads to a fear of loss, as they believe there’s a huge risk in losing any of them.

What often tends to happen is that these key employees begin to recognise their own value and the impact that they have on the business. This leads to them either asking for more money, or some kind of guarantee that their hard work will benefit them far more than just the salary that they receive.

And it’s at that moment when business owners make the mistake of giving away or selling shares to a star employee (especially in the early stages of starting their company).

More often than not, this comes back to bite them in the ass. After a few years, the realisation kicks in that giving away or selling shares early-on was a crap decision. What ends up happening is that you give them shareholder rights and create complications if you ever wanted to sell your business at a later stage.

So before jumping the proverbial gun, you need to first ensure that this person is capable of being a good partner, not just a good employee.

Just like in dating, you need to know if they fit the role of being a good parent, a caring partner and whether or not there are any red flags to be cautious of. The same applies to that star employee – you need to work with them for a long enough time before offering them a stake in your company.

If you’re feeling pressured to make promises or provide them with a reason to stay – then I’ve got some really great tricks for you.

Arrest Their Attention With Golden Handcuffs

Being a business coach means that I always have (or find) a solution to the problems that business owners have to face.

That being said, dealing with a situation like this can be easy if you have the right tactics to approach the situation:

Profit-Share Scheme: With this option, you give the employee the opportunity to earn more based on the success of the business. If the business makes a great profit, then the employee is rewarded with a piece of that profit. This can come in the form of a percentage (say 10% of the year-end profit) or even a flat bonus.

This method works great, because harder work results in more benefits for the employee. The performance of your staff is often affected by how they feel about your company – so by sharing a piece of your profits, there will be increased levels of trust, productivity and efficiency.

To make this work, you need to be transparent around the finances of the company and clearly set the expectations that need to be met in order to benefit from the profits.

With this approach, it’s important to note that small business owners don’t always feel comfortable with sharing how much the company is making – that sort of transparency often results in staff becoming less productive, as they feel they deserve more.

Ghost Shares: This method is usually based on an agreement between the employee and owner that gives them all of the benefits of being a shareholder, without the risk or the decision-making power of actually being one.

By using this approach, you offer an agreement to the employee that will give them a percentage of the profits that are declared – as well as a cut of the value of the business, should it sell. This can also extend to a seat at the management committee, where they have the opportunity for their voice to be heard – which gives them a sense of belonging and involvement. However, in the case that they leave the company, they forfeit those shares.

Doing this works, because they believe that they will benefit from the business without feeling like a pawn. And by implementing this type of share agreement, you become aware of the type of person the employee is over time, allowing you to figure out whether or not they’re cut-out to be someone that you can open discussion around proper equity with.

One of the biggest benefits of the ghost share is that you’re able to move the business forward without relying on partners giving you the go-ahead.

Also Remember That… 

You need to make it clear to these employees that profits will be forfeited if leaving the company before a pay-out; that these pay-outs are often only reflected annually or quarterly (based on performance reports); and that they ultimately affect the profits that the company receives.

Payments also don’t necessarily have to come in the form of straight cash, but can sometimes be used for education, vacations or things like retirement funds.

Ultimately, this approach will add value to the employee, their experience and the relationship that they have with the company.

Personally, I feel that the best approach to take is to dramatically increase the person’s salary. It not only says that you respect and need that employee, but that you’re willing to pay them more than any other business is – which will motivate them to stick around.

Either way, keeping your star employees just became a whole lot easier.

I happen to have a sleek, comfortable set of golden handcuffs that are waiting to embrace you:

While you might find it stressful to ensure that your business always moves in the right direction, that you are always making the right decisions for you and your staff, and that you keep focused on the ideal path to success – I’m here to tell you that winning just became a whole lot easier.

Based on the many clients that I’ve successfully coached, I know I can add massive value to your life. I know I can make you feel like a winner. I know that you’re ready to take the leap.

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

Don’t waste another second thinking about it. Let’s have a chat.

Feb 11
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Diamond-Shaped Networking – WHY Referrals Matter To YOU

By Business Coaching Sales No Comments

Referrals are often the lifeblood of a business, especially in the B2B space; they build heaps of credibility, attract the most immediate clients and transform your business in more ways than you could imagine.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not disputing the fact that sales and inbound marketing are powerful tools to build a strong client-base, but the value of referrals should never have doubt cast upon it.

In fact, referrals are statistically more effective than other means of gathering clients, so I recommend that you start harnessing that power as soon as you possibly can.

Why Does Credibility Matter? 

People are inherently more trusting of strangers than they are of new, or unfamiliar brands. It’s harder to get somebody to spend money on a product or service provided by a company that they are unsure of – this is one of the biggest reasons why sales and marketing is so important for any business to grow.

As a business owner, being aware of this is crucial. Making use of the best sales, or marketing team is in itself highly important, but leaving a solid and lasting impression on existing and past clients, as well as anybody that knows what you do, is just as important.

By developing your credibility, you’re perceived as a brand that leaves a positive impact on your customers, your staff and everybody that you work with and so you’re more likely to harness a powerful network and create more opportunities.

If people are impressed by the work that you do, they come to respect and admire you, which results in them telling others about your service. When you leave a lasting and promising impression, then people will come to spread you like the plague.

This creates a sense of credibility around your name, brand and identity – which in turn will aid you in your networking and the dissemination of your solution.

In other words, credibility is important, because referrals are important and referrals are important, because they work better than sales and marketing. 

Diamonds Are A Business’s Best Friend

When visualising the shape of a two-dimensional diamond (four points: one on top, two on the sides and one at the bottom), it becomes a bit easier to map out the structure that referrals follow.

If you demarcate the point right at the bottom as your business, the two side points as your referrals and the top point as the client that you want; you have yourself a diamond-referral structure.

In my own business, as well as those of the clients that I work for, I ensure that the system or structure that we use is in the shape of that two-dimensional diamond, as it helps to give you a visual representation of the symbiotic relationship within that network.

As a business owner, your job is to produce a high-quality solution and provide a remarkable service. By doing just that, you immediately impress the clients that you work for. Your past and current clients are your biggest source of referrals, so you need to ensure that they are always pleased and satisfied with the work that you do for them.

It comes down to creating a wonderful customer experience, as they ultimately generate new leads for you.

When a potential client looks at your brand, they’re often hesitant and go through their own cognitive process to determine whether or not they can trust you. However, when that client is introduced to feedback, or insightful opinions through current or previous clients, then they tend to make a quicker, more informed decision.

If the information that they receive is negative, they know not to bother; if it’s positive, they know it’s worth their time and money. Again, this could be a past, or a current client that has been utterly impressed or disappointed by you, so they inspire (or warn) new potential to either engage with you or avoid you completely.

Why, Then, Do I Use A Diamond And Not A Triangle?

I’ve come to find that it’s not that common to have just one person refer me to new clients, but rather that there’s always a 2nd person that motivates the final decision.

Having two sources refer you to a new client will (obviously) result in a much higher chance that action will be taken. Having one person give a positive opinion about you is powerful in itself, but having two give that impression is supreme.

I know, I know – the odds aren’t exactly the greatest that you will find two people singing your praises, but worry not, as it isn’t necessarily confined to only a second person that motivates the final decision.

And that’s where your marketing strategy comes in.

If you consider one of the points to the side as a client that has referred you, then the other side will often be a form of marketing that they’ve encountered.

When you see an advert, piece of content, billboard or poster then you become aware of the brand, but aren’t necessarily motivated to sign-up; but when someone tells you about a positive experience that they’ve had with that same brand, then you’re far more likely to give it a try.

Two sources will always be better and more effective than just having one. As someone that owns and runs a business, you need to be aware of that fact and ensure that you always leave the best impression possible.

Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals, or to be referred, either. Pride and ego aside, it will be far more cost-effective if you can manage to land clients based on referrals, especially compared to the money you spend going through sales tactics and marketing.

The Best Customer You Can Get 

If the customer or client ends up taking on your product or service through referrals, then you would’ve saved time, money and effort. You end up with a client that will also be more likely to do the same and spread your brand and awesome service through word-of-mouth.

By building out multiple networks of these diamond-shaped structures and putting them together (with the bottom points all intersecting), a flower will begin to form and that flower represents a powerful network that your business is at the centre of.

One of the most important things to remember is that you need to give thanks and show appreciation to the clients that share and spread your brand.

Whenever you land a new client through this process, ensure that you find out who referred you to them and make it your mission to reach out and thank them for it. Sending a gift, giving a discount, or even a simple “thank you” could suffice. Just make sure that you give them the recognition that they deserve. It might also help motivate them to keep referring you to others.

One of the greatest things about working with a business coach like me is that your network will expand exponentially.

Turning your business into something profound and remarkable is one thing, but I’ve been around the block many times and as part of my promise to bring value, growth and development to your brand – I will introduce and refer you to powerful new clients that could make a huge difference in the way that you do business.

Have a chat with me and let’s determine the steps that you’re going to take to become the best:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

 

Dec 15
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6 Reasons Why You NEED A Business Coach TODAY

By Business Coaching Entrepreneur Motivation No Comments

It certainly isn’t easy to start a business, run it successfully and become the ideal entrepreneur that you know you’re capable of becoming. Our ever-changing world can be unpredictable, often demanding time, effort and energy – which all need proper allocation to ensure that you remain efficient in every aspect of running your business.

One thing that is certain – an unavoidable truth that every business owner is aware of – is that improvements can be made in your business, social and personal life with the help of a business coach. No bullshit.

And you know that a business coach will make all the difference in the world if:

  1. You Feel Like You Could Develop And Grow As A Leader and are in need of powerful tools and techniques to improve your relations and ability to motivate staff, as well as yourself.

I’ve been there before and it isn’t always easy to grow without proper nourishment. Being that it is lonely at the top, you find yourself in a situation where you don’t know who to look to for new ways to grow and evolve. It can be hard to juggle the many things that you find yourself wrapped up in, so finding new techniques and methods to turn you into a better leader is often the last thing on your mind.

That’s why I come prepared with modern, relatable and easily digestible advice, bringing speed and nourishment to your development. I have the experience, tools, knowledge and techniques to bring you closer to your staff and to that status of an impactful and proud leader.

  1. You Need Someone To Push You And Make You More Accountable as you would feel more driven and find comfort in having somebody around to keep you on the right track.

It’s not uncommon to find that having a friend or partner around with the same interests helps to extract the drive to accomplish more. It’s sometimes hard to be in a position where you feel stagnant and have the final say. I have people that I do running with that push me to try harder and create a sense of accountability if I dare to be lazy or feel like giving up.

You’re certainly not alone if that’s how you prefer to operate. Yes, it can be difficult to find somebody that truly understands your position, that you know you can trust and relate to, but there is a silver-lining. As someone that knows the importance of an exemplar, I can do exactly that for you, while pushing you to excel and take responsibility for your actions or inaction.

  1. The Struggle Of Work-Life Balance Is Real and you’re struggling to find that perfect ratio in order to keep you from tearing at the seams.

Time acts as a commodity when running a business and it can be difficult to figure out when to take a break or to keep pushing. I’ve made the mistake of pushing myself too hard when I was a business owner, literally to the extent of causing harm to my mental well-being.

Therapy helped with that and I now know how valuable creating the right balance is when dealing with that stress. I can relate in many ways. Don’t wear yourself thin and let someone like me help you make sense of the pressure that you feel yourself dealing with. I’ll help you understand your goals and ambitions, offering a course of action to help you achieve them.

  1. You Have Plenty Of Ideas And Great Vision, but need an objective soundboard to give you critical feedback and constructive criticism, because when you’re all the way at the top, it becomes harder to find people without ulterior motives to bounce ideas off of.

Whether it’s an employee that you think you can trust, or even a family member, the sad truth is that most people act in their own best interest. You’re in a position of power and people are aware of that, so they tend to stroke your ego, instead of being authentic.

Having to deal with sycophants can be a real pain in the ass. I know it all too well. That’s why I prefer to be blunt and avoid sugar-coating my feedback to clients. At the end of the day, we all deserve transparency and the truth. It can be refreshing to receive clarity instead of an arse kissing at every corner.

  1. It’s Hard To Determine What’s Really Important in your daily activities, what you need to focus on and what to do next.

Keeping your finger on the pulse at all times can prove to be difficult. As a business owner, it’s hard to rely on your staff to keep all of the different verticals in check, so you need to be aware of and involved in everything that goes on at all times.

Finding order within that chaos can be challenging, especially when you’ve taken on such a tremendous responsibility. That’s where I come in. I’m fully aware of every aspect of your business that needs attention, so I create and implement processes in an organised and uncomplicated manner that gives you the relief that you’ve been craving.

  1. Your Motivation Is Starting To Dwindle and you need a catalyst to give you more clarity, joy and hope in what you do.

As time progresses, you find yourself with less and less motivation, enjoyment and interest in what you do. You might not know what the next step to take is and require a change of pace or direction to keep you hooked. I know that feeling all too well. It took me years of doing the same routine until I snapped and my motivation shattered.

Finding new and interesting ways to make things exciting is something that I have also struggled with in the past and it’s something that I’m always helping clients deal with. Sometimes a refreshing new perspective, strategy or change in pace is needed and I can bring you that energy and relief.

By refreshing your perspective and re-igniting your passion, I bring new perspectives and approaches to catalyse your personal development. You’ll see and feel business through a shiny, new lens.

Bonus Reason #7:

+ Your Company Lacks A Differentiating Factor that will advance your growth and separate you from the pack.

Everything that you do has the chance of reaching a point where it becomes stale and sometimes it can feel like there’s an expiration date looming in the near distance. You find that everything is coming to a stage of mediocrity and your business feels boring and needs a certain something to help it stand out from the competition.

It may seem like your business is similar to milk at this stage; it was delicious, full of promise and packed with nutrients, but all milk spoils and begins to stink after a while. And I can change that. I’m not saying that I’m Jesus or anything, but I can certainly change your business from bitter milk to a fine wine; even tastier, far more beneficial, sought after and on a path of maturation, rather than expiration.

If you seek moments of greatness, sparks of excitement and enthusiasm, a fresh perspective, and more enjoyment around running your business – then I think it’s time…

… It’s time to get off your ass and mount that stallion; take charge and embrace the speed, comfort and strength that you know you deserve.

I’m certain that you could do with some real coaching, from a real business coach that knows how to keep it real. Make sure you get in touch – you know I’m what you need:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec 01
Love0

Death Or Disability – Don’t Be Selfish.

By Consulting Motivation No Comments

We all try to avoid the inevitable. And even if it’s just a case of thinking about it – death will always deal with a grimace. Although the decision to retire and comfortably wither away with age is one that we all keep close to us – you never truly know what life might have in store for you.

With the world that we live in, it would be naive to assume that being invincible is an option. At any given moment, unforeseen circumstances might take control of the steering wheel and change your life in ways that you could never have predicted.

So, being that life is short and unpredictable, have you taken the necessary steps to ensure that your family, loved ones and those dearest to you are financially and legally secure, should something happen to you?

If not, then it’s time to start gathering your documents and compile your death checklist.

Time Waits For Nobody. So Why Would It Wait For You? 

One of the very first questions that I make sure to ask new clients is whether or not they have access to all of their necessary legal documentation, should something fatal or life-changing happen to them.

And being a business coach, I’ve come to find that a significant portion of large business owners tend to avoid consideration of their personal risks – solely focusing their time and energy on business risks, instead.

But if something had to happen to them, what would happen to their family?

As a business owner, it’s extremely important to know whether or not you have your last will and testament on standby; if you have shareholder certificates between partners (provided you have partners); and if you have insurance for things like income protection and product liability.

Witnessing, first-hand, how so many successful entrepreneurs ignore the importance of having access to that documentation is quite shocking (and irresponsible), to say the least.

It not only puts your business at risk, but your family, as well.

If you don’t have a written will upon death, then you run the risk of your business being terminated and the assets liquidated to settle any debts, with little left for your family; your profits and losses are transferred according to the decision of the country/state you live in; and shares are given to either a spouse, children or valid family member with the responsibility to pay inheritance tax.

This could lead to issues for partners that now find themselves in business with people that they don’t know, whether experienced or inexperienced, and can cause problems between families and shareholders with regards to the valuation of the business.

While it’s essential to have the correct documentation on standby, should something go wrong, it becomes necessary to know which documents you need to have access to. So I’ve developed a checklist of those documents you need as a business owner:

Copy of Your Will –

Where is your will? Is it up-to-date? Does your lawyer have a copy? As I mentioned above, there are certain risks that come without having an updated will ready.

Unabridged Birth Certificate –

Is a birth certificate with the names and identity information of both parents or legal guardians. It becomes important if you have children that might want to travel overseas or if you’re planning to send them for schooling or to relocate.

ID –

Having a copy of your ID or at least making your family aware of its whereabouts is helpful for any legal situations that might arise. It will be used to prove who you are when dealing with the registration of your death, funeral matters and handling your estate.

Marriage Certificate –

Similar to the points made for the requirement of an ID – it’s highly important for when dealing with your will, estate, funeral and registration of death.

Marriage Contract –

This can affect your will and the distribution of assets to your spouse. Depending on whether or not you sign an antenuptial agreement, the marriage contract will help in determining how your assets and debts are shared.

Death Certificate –

Will come to affect certain legal processes if you are to pass away. It serves as the necessary proof for your family to claim life insurance, settle estates and even arrange the funeral

Recent Tax Assessment –

To help define the amount in taxes that need to be paid for that final tax year. There are generally two forms of tax that apply to the deceased: Estate Duty and Capital Gains Tax. The Estate Duty is a tax that applies to the deceased individual’s property and Capital Gains Tax applies to any profit made from selling an asset.

Passwords for banking and devices –

Passing away means that your passwords also get buried with you. In order to give your family access to any money in your bank account(s), they need your security information. And in the case that you have all of the necessary documentation on the death checklist, and it sits on the cloud or in a safe – there needs to be a place to get access to it. Your passwords and pin codes are important.

Bank Details –

If you haven’t set your account(s) as Payable on Death to a beneficiary, the legal process behind it can become difficult. Your account can ultimately be drained through paying debts and fees, preventing any family from ever seeing or using it. It’s wise to keep them informed, or leave information for them to access those accounts, should anything happen.

List of monthly debit orders –

Nobody wants to be surprised when dealing with monthly notifications of gym memberships, purchases or anything else that might be charged from your account(s) if you should pass away or become disabled. This can be a painful reminder or even a hassle – so keep a list and avoid surprises.

List of insurance, investments and funds –

if you’ve made any investments or have any funds or insurance that might be helpful when dealing with the handling of your estate, then keep a list of them that can be kept together with all of your other important information.

Copies of insurance and funeral policies –

The same applies to the legal procedures taken to deal with your estate. It’s important to help prove what insurance policies you’ve taken out. It will also help with arranging and paying out your funeral costs. Remember to leave a contact name and number behind of the person that handles everything.

Lease Agreement –

To determine the terms of your lease. Landlords are able to keep charging rental fees depending on the length and terms that you’ve signed, so keeping that agreement with the rest of your documents can be helpful for your family to either pay it off or to take legal action.

Proof of Medical Aid and Gap Cover –

In the case that you become disabled or deal with a crippling event, then both medical aid and gap cover documents are absolutely essential. If it’s a case of death, then providing proof of those policies will help your family with making a claim from the medical aid.

Title Deeds for Properties –

Should you pass away, then having your title deeds collected and kept in an accessible place will be helpful to your family when you leave them property(ies). It also helps to avoid transfer duty costs if you’ve left your property to an heir.

Partnership Agreements –

If you die without a legal agreement between your partners to keep operating, then the business will usually cease to operate and dissolve. Unless you’ve stated that your partner(s) must maintain operation of the company, then you forfeit the hard work that you would’ve put into the business for your family.

Although it might be scary (or crappy) to think about, it’s your responsibility to ensure that all of the important documentation is readily accessible, should something happen.

Get it all sorted. Make the effort. Your family and partners deserve it.

It took me quite some time to compile this important list and I’d appreciate it if you took the time to gather and accumulate all of those documents.

If you need any advice regarding the list, running your business or making good decisions – then give me a call, send me an email, drop a message [before you drop dead]:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Nov 15
Love0

Why Outsourcing Is The Right Choice For Your Business

By Agency Business Coaching Freelance Strategy No Comments

It’s been a good few years since the release of my book What The Freelance, where I take a deep dive into the benefits that come with outsourcing the right talent for your business.

Since then, the riveting content in my book has been turned into course material for tertiary institutions and made a positive, and noticeable, impact on those that have implemented this approach to improving their companies.

And now, with the pandemic, we’ve seen an even greater surge in the desire for freelancers to help save companies from crumbling to the ground, especially with so many of them having to either shut down completely or retrench significant portions of their staff just to survive.

It has certainly become more important than ever to acclimate to this way of doing things.

That being said, let me clarify how this approach works and why.

So Why Outsource?

Great question.

While outsourcing certainly isn’t a new concept, it’s gained a considerable amount of traction over the last 10 years, especially since Covid came into the picture. It’s also been proven to be a great option for both smaller and larger businesses – whether in their infancy or in their prime.

If implemented correctly, outsourcing can be highly beneficial to businesses that are struggling with revenues and tight budgets, stuck with very little staff and too much responsibility, or handling tasks that might be infrequent (marketing campaigns, blog posts, etc.)

It’s a proven approach that works, and has worked, for businesses for a long time now – especially for greater flexibility and reduced operational costs.

By using freelancers to fill more of the production roles in your business, you’re able to save a lot of extra time, resources and hassle that you would have to deal with when using a more traditional business model.

The 85/15 Rule

Traditionally, most businesses, agencies and consultancies use a core team of permanent staff that usually make up 85-90% of a company, while the remaining 10-15% of capacity was left for the occasional ad-hoc freelancer to fill any gaps.

Over time, a lot of smaller businesses have come to realise that they’d prefer to avoid relying on permanent staff and the costs associated with training, educating and retaining them and would rather opt for a far more flexible and agile overhead.

With the success rates that come with outsourcing, businesses are now swapping those ratios around, instead looking at around 85-90% of outsourced, freelance staff and leaving the remaining 10-15% as the core team to fill the most important roles within the company.

While freelancers are primarily used for production purposes (the product or creative output), the core team consists of roles in sales, account management, client liaison, product management (to also manage the freelancers), bookkeeping and project management.

As a business owner, it’s highly beneficial to focus on doing the jobs that you’re already skilled at, instead of wasting energy and productivity on things like filling out paperwork or dealing with other gruelling tasks that often take up too much time.

This usually results in you spending far more energy on the core processes of the business, getting much more done, while saving precious resources, time, effort and money.

The Benefits Of Outsourcing

Taking this approach to business means that you’ll have far more advantages, especially in the early stages of starting it out.

Firstly, you’re given far more flexibility where staff are concerned, as you’re able to make huge savings on picking freelancers as opposed to permanent employees. The cost of time and money to educate and train, as well as pay salaries, benefits and bonuses to staff (when you might not always require them) can be a major disadvantage.

So if demand dries up for whatever period of time, then you don’t need to keep too many permanent employees on the payroll – which leaves your cash reserves far more protected and readily available for other important and fruitful investments.

Secondly, it can be a huge advantage to your clients. Without the need to solely rely on internal staff to produce the best possible results for a particular client, you’re given far more access to experts and professionals in any field, at any given time.

Say a client requires someone to work on advertising or branding for a niche operation, but your current staff are trained, experienced and only used to handling one area of expertise – you’re given the opportunity to outsource someone that is already great at producing work for that particular niche and who would be capable of providing superb results for that client.

It also allows for the use of a pure strategy that doesn’t have your business making promises to fulfil client requests, regardless of whether or not your staff are capable of doing the job correctly.

It’s a win-win situation for both your business and the client.

Your business might offer to have the right people for the job but aren’t necessarily equipped to handle it in the best way, whereas with freelancers, you can find the ideal person/team to do the work and produce results according to what the client needs.

There are a number of other valuable benefits that come with this approach to business, such as access to world-class experience and expertise, the freeing up of resources that can be used in other areas to make more money, the reduction of risks that come with retrenchments and lay-offs and help in dealing with difficult operations and processes.

By implementing a similar approach to your business, you’re bound to reap far more rewards and opportunities that would be difficult to achieve if you kept to the traditional way of doing things.

Take a hard look at your business and figure out whether there’s room to outsource and find the right type of freelancer to fulfil certain roles far better than a permanent staff member might be able to.

If you need some more advice or guidance to go about implementing this in the best possible way, feel free to contact me.

I mean, I wrote the book after all. 🙂

My coaching expertise is ideal for ANY business owner that has an unrelenting desire for success, comfort and progress.

 

You know what to do:

Pick up the phone, save my number and email address, and make contact.

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

 

 

Oct 21
Love0

Oh! How you love to hate.

By Business Coaching Sales Strategy No Comments

It’s important for every business owner to review and evaluate clients on a fairly regular basis. Every entrepreneur needs to figure out whether a customer/client is either of use to them or should go through the dreaded culling process.

So it’s vital that you ask these two important questions: Do they add value to your company? Or do they annoy the living shit out of you?

In figuring out which clients to retain and which ones to scrap, I recommend using the love-hate quadrant to guide you in your decision-making process.

Hate-Love-Love-Hate 

It can be difficult to determine which filters to use when deciding who you should keep and who you should let go of.

Besides the obvious ones, like whether particular clients bring in small or big revenue, growth opportunities, and profitability – you need to be aware that certain filters usually lead to an emotional feeling between you and the customer.

Which can often result in you hating them.

So instead of relying on your emotions to figure out whether or not they should be kept or dumped, I recommend using a simple love-hate matrix to help you decide which route to take.

There are four different categories that you can place your clients into that will help motivate your decision:

Love-Love Quadrant – will contain your list of customers/clients that you love and appreciate the most. They’re the clients that you want to keep, the clients that you love and that love you in return. They pay well, the work that you do for them is always appreciated, and you enjoy the process and relationship that you’ve established with them. They’re also a great cultural fit and refer you to new clients all the time. So you need to give this category of clients 80% of your time, focus and energy – making sure that you look after them and their best interests.

Love-Hate Quadrant – consists of clients that love you, but you absolutely hate them. You usually run into issues when dealing with them, as they can be a nuisance and overly demanding. The money that they bring in isn’t too great, especially considering the work and effort that you have to put in. But, because they love you and the service/product that you provide for them, it’s wise to try and work them into the love-love quadrant. Make your staff aware of the issues that you have with them and that they have with you, then come up with solutions or offers that can extract more money and better opportunities from them.

Hate-Love Quadrant – this category is for the clients that you love, but they unfortunately hate you. While they’re constantly down your throat with complaints and criticisms, they still bring in a nice amount of money to your business. They aren’t always happy with the work that you provide for them and they make sure that you’re aware of that. While it seems like culling them would be a better option, you should try and address the issues that they have, attempt to satisfy their demands and try to work them into the love-love quadrant.

Hate-Hate Quadrant – these are the clients that you hate and they hate you. It’s mutual. They don’t have much to offer, especially in terms of profits and they consistently give you a hard time. When you despise a client so much that you cringe at the idea of doing anything for them, then it’s probably time to wipe them out. What you should do is work on ways to get rid of them – so that they no longer bring you stress. One of the easiest ways to do this is to just drastically increase your pricing or mention that you will not be renewing their contract.

This matrix is a great tool to use during annual strategy sessions.

It will help you determine and categorise which clients help you and your business, while either working on creating a better experience for those that you still want, or implementing a plan to get rid of those that you don’t.

It’s a simple, easy-to-use process to apply to your business strategy.

You’re welcome.

I would absolutely love to throw you into the love-love quadrant and list you as one of my top clients. So do us both a favour and get in touch with me.

It will change your business for the better. It will make you the leader that you’ve always wanted to be. It will give you clarity and vision. It will also make my day.

Squeeze me in if you don’t have the time, make the effort to grab my attention. I will be the best choice you’ve ever made:

 

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com