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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!]
Oct 15
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Watch Your Assumptions! Why Assuming Can Harm Your Business

By Business Coaching Coaching Leadership No Comments

Playing guessing games can be a dangerous way to go about running your business. It allows for bias to creep in and can affect how you handle certain situations, often bringing about more harm than good.

When you make assumptions, you don’t always take the necessary time to get the full picture, nor the data and insight required to make the right decisions. This can result in taking the wrong actions and end up damaging either a promising business deal, your business strategy or even relationships.

In summing it up quite succinctly, Hannibal from the The A Team, reminds us that “Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups”.

Why Do We Assume Anything, Anyway?

I’m guilty of it, you’re guilty of it and everybody has, in some shape or form, made assumptions. It’s an innate function built within all of us to either protect ourselves or to find shortcuts around our predictions and estimations (in other words, to be safe or to be lazy).

Sociology reminds us that we all have a frame of reference that navigates our decision-making, communication and behaviours; we all have biases that affect our perspective, which opens the way to prejudice and subjectivity. This ultimately shapes our assumptions.

The problem lies in the fact that those assumptions are further linked to our emotions and thus affect the way that we perceive and engage with others – even in making the right predictions around business strategy and the business, as a whole.

Sometimes cognitive bias won’t allow us to see the truth, because protecting our sanity is a priority for the subconscious mind; when something could fail, backfire or cause any mental distress, we often choose to turn away from the truth in order to maintain a semblance of control over difficult circumstances.

What Are Some Of The Common Assumptions In Business?

One of the most important things to remember in business is that objectivity is crucial and that being subjective can be dangerous when engaging with others and dealing with the day-to-day operations of your company.

As a business owner, there are loads of situations and scenarios that you have to encounter and deal with on a daily basis and so the risk of making the wrong assumptions becomes far greater.

When coaching my clients, I sometimes find that a lack of research and data is the culprit behind making inaccurate predictions around business strategy.

Some of these presumptions include the viability of a product or service and believing that there’s a market out there for it; the longevity or shelf-life of a solution, thinking that it can never go out of fashion or become outdated; customer behaviours and ignoring the extent of their interest or disinterest; and competitive forces being perceived as harmless and non-threatening.

Doing thorough research becomes a vital process in order to understand your market, how long your solution will remain relevant, whether or not customers enjoy your product and how intense the competition is. The amount of external factors that will end up shaping your business are far too many to be relying on assumptions, alone.

Some of the most common assumptions found in businesses tend to include ideas around finances, resources, economy and politics, and competition.

Every business owner needs to understand that it takes time to become profitable and that it can take years to produce returns from your product or service; that it isn’t easy to retain skilled employees and talent, as the culture that you provide, as well as the incentives matter; that the political and economic landscape you’re in constantly changes and affects your entire strategy; and that competitors are capable of altering market conditions and redefining entire industries.

By giving awareness and seeking knowledge around the assumptions found in business, it will shape your decision-making and help you work towards better solutions, while giving you enough clarity around the risks that come with making the wrong predictions.

This way of thinking doesn’t only cover the broader components that I’ve mentioned, but also some of the more intimate and personal beliefs that business owners hold.

Assumptions can lead to bad interactions with clients, staff and those that could potentially benefit your business further down the line. Preconceived notions can end up damaging your reputation – burning bridges and losing out on precious opportunities to grow.

On a personal level, especially as a leader and entrepreneur, you need to be a great listener and pay attention to everybody that you interact with. Allowing bias to dictate your assumptions of people can create uncomfortable working environments or awkward interactions that could quickly spread through word-of-mouth. Your reputation is on the line.

Employees, clients and even outsiders could see you as bigoted, which could shape the way that people see your brand. You end up becoming a role-model and ambassador for your business, constantly shaping the beliefs and ideas of your customers and staff.

How Can We Improve Our Assumptions?

Without the correct data, you run a high risk of jumping to the wrong conclusions and making poor decisions for your business.

I understand that certain assumptions will always be made, especially when faced with accurate facts and figures. There can be sufficient data to motivate your assumptions and push you towards action, but you need to constantly be testing those thoughts, as opposed to relying on them.

Remember that no strategy is bulletproof and constantly needs to be re-evaluated to ensure that it’s still effective. The same applies with assumptions, as they can be affected by external factors at any given time.

In terms of personal biases and prejudice, we need to learn to listen more effectively and avoid jumping to conclusions when facing and engaging with people.

Regulating your emotions and thoughts will come in handy when dealing with people; learning to clear your thoughts and mind when interacting with staff, clients and others, asking questions to ensure that you understand what’s being said, and making sure that you find something positive in every situation will go a long way.

In business, you need to differentiate between belief in your product or service and what the data presents to you; customers decide whether or not your solution is necessary, and you need to be aware of how they feel, competitors exist in every space and you need to know how to compete effectively, understanding that the economy and political environment determine laws and regulations, which in turn affect your business, is just as important.

Don’t assume and always follow the facts.

I’m going to go off of a hunch here and assume that, since you’ve made it this far, there’s some value that you’ve taken from this.

And if you’re somebody that seeks value, appreciates and enjoys the insight gained from material like the piece that you’ve read – then I’ve got just the thing for you:

One-on-one coaching with a professional, upbeat and experienced business coach that isn’t afraid of sharing his knowledge, network and novel approach to business growth.

Contact me today and let’s transform your business:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

May 05
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Limber Up For The Double Niche

By Coaching Consulting Marketing Uncategorised No Comments

I recently had a client tell me about a great idea of theirs, one that would have them come across as more remarkable, standing out from the rest of the crowd and I naturally recognised it as one of the concepts that I often preach to business owners:

A little something, called the Double Niche.

Upon recognising the tactic, he asked me “what is that? Some kind of kinky bedroom move?”

No, not quite. But, I mean it could be.

The double niche is a great way to take your area of expertise, find a niche market and become the best-known person to provide a valuable service surrounding that.

Not Just A Lawyer, But The Best Gay Marriage Lawyer Around

 

In making use of the double niche, you need to know what you do best and find a niche audience to cater to in providing that product or service.

When explaining it to my clients, I often use the example of a lawyer that primarily focuses on gay marriages; by taking on the added label of ‘gay marriage’, you become more than just a lawyer or a lawyer that practises in divorce, but seen as a professional in that very particular field.

When someone hits the search bar with “looking for a gay marriage lawyer” then you should be all over the first page of Google and hard to get rid of – almost just like a glitter-bomb (all over the place and impossible to clean-up).

By adding a niche area of the market that you provide your services for, you’re creating an impression of more knowledge and expertise in that specific field – keeping you on the iron throne and at the forefront of anybody that is in need of your unique offering.

Sure, your USP is very important in differentiating you, but I find that it’s not always enough and that you should find ways to add a niche area of expertise that you’re comfortable in.

Another example might include being a graphics designer for pharmaceuticals, where you’re given the advantage of the network that it provides and you’re able to tap into a demographic that caters to that niche market.

You should be the first to pop-up on Google when people search for the service that you provide, especially when combined with a particular niche-area.

People recognise, or become aware of your ability to provide a service in that particular area or field and it narrows their options down to only a few choices that they are left with. If you execute the double-niche well, then you should be that choice.

Become World-Class Through Double-Niching

 In making effective use of the double-niche strategy, you polarize your audience and appeal to a small segment of a particular market – this will make you the go-to person for that service.

As a business coach, clients ask, “why not just appeal to everybody?”

I often explain that with the high levels of saturation and homogeneity in so many areas of expertise, by trying to appeal to everyone, you often end up appealing to nobody.

You can branch out to and be recognised by a world-class selection of clients in using this technique well and ultimately build a strong presence in those niche markets. People prefer to narrow down all of the options to make life easier.

You also offer a very unique solution that nobody else is offering; becoming remarkable and sticky in that field, as well as the perfect choice in a world full of choices.

My Double-Niche Project, BBBRAP!

 I’ve made good use of the double-niche technique in my own unique and remarkable way. With all of the tools at my disposal, I was able to find a perfect fit for both me and a large portion of my clients. 

Coming up with it was quite easy, as I took something I’m great at (business coaching) and blended it together with something that I love to do (ride motorcycles); so I came up with my Business, Bikers and Breakfast Radical Accountability Programme (BBBRAP).

In going after entrepreneurs and business owners, of any size, that also owned a motorbike and were on the lookout for coaching services, I came up with a fun solution that people really enjoyed being a part of.

Rather than just focusing on entrepreneurs, or just motorcyclists, I opted for both niches and took on a small and dedicated market. It was a unique solution and nobody else was doing it, so by default, it became quite popular.

As Seth Godin said, “in your career, even more than for a brand, being safe is risky. The path to lifetime job security is to be remarkable.”

Double-niching will make you stand out and be exactly that: remarkable.

Target the people that are searching for whole sentences in the search bar, “biker entrepreneur looking for a coach,” and be the first option that shows up on the results page – like scattered glitter all over that first page, so people know who the best choice is.

A good friend of mine Richard Mulholland talks about how “your USP (unique selling point) is actually your UPS (unique problem you’re solving).”

There’s always a problem that needs solving and that unique solution can be discovered quite easily with the use of finding your very own double-niche.

Figure out your double-niche with me:

Let’s have a meeting, a cup of joe, or a chat sometime about your niches and interests.

What direction(s) can you take, what do you both love doing and are great at doing?

I’ll be around to help you figure that out and you don’t even a need a motorcycle!

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Apr 24
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The Strategy Paradox – Tactics Or Subterfuge

By Coaching Consulting Strategy No Comments

I always talk about the fact that the word ‘strategy’ is often one of the most abused, overused and misunderstood words in any entrepreneur’s vocabulary. Everyone assumes they’re being strategic, when in fact, they’re being tactical.

Many of the clients that I work with and coach often get the concept confused as a means to describe their objectives and goals – rather than a methodology that needs to be constantly adapted to help them achieve success in their market.

Let’s do some real unpacking and figure out exactly how strategy works and how it effectively applies to business.

Unpacking War – The Origins Of Strategy 

There are many ways to build a company strategy, as there are numerous strategies and methodologies out there, along with a wide selection of tools that support the use and abuse of a great one.

But it should be said that there exists no perfect strategy methodology and that a lot of dependence lies on the complexity of the person’s barriers; like the maturity of their business and how quickly and aggressively they want to build the business and maintain it.

The strategies used for entrepreneurs need to feed the entrepreneurial dream, versus a corporate dream and they should most certainly be differentiated.

In unpacking strategy and it’s roots, you’ll find that it was born out of war with the need to ensure victory over a common enemy. The ultimate price to pay was that of death; with all the many fatalities war has brought there needed to be a way of thinking that would reduce loss and increase the odds of victory.

This boils down to the need of defeating your opponent in the most effective way possible. As soon as there are competitors in the same space; you cannot co-exist and need to take some kind of action to achieve a long-term goal of success.

“No Plan Survives Contact With The Enemy.”

The German field marshal, Moltke the Elder, said that “No plan of operations extends with certainty beyond the first encounter with the enemy’s main strength,” meaning that any strategy is always vulnerable and rarely goes without the need for adaptation to the ever-changing circumstances in war.

This extends to the use of any strategy in pretty much any arena – whether it’s boxing, business, or battle. No strategy is bulletproof and should always be used with the clear understanding that circumstances can change at any given moment, so adaptability is key.

In business, you might build a strategy (with a solid plan of action) that you take to market and as soon as you engage with the enemy – your competition, clients, the industry – your plan ends up being imperfect, leaving you with no choice, but to adjust that plan accordingly.

You should never be completely comfortable with your strategy and need to realign it at multiple stages; it needs to always be flexible enough to change or adapt.

I’ve never seen a person, whether it’s one of my clients or someone in a competitive environment, build a 12-month or even 3-year strategy, get to the end and achieve their goals without changing that strategy – a perfect strategy simply doesn’t exist.

One of the biggest stories that come to mind reaffirming this is the battle of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, a battle also known as “the Sound and the Fury”. These formidable boxers prepared for months studying one another’s fighting techniques, strengths, weaknesses and abilities, each coming up with a strategy to win the battle – until that plan came into contact with the enemy.

During the 3rd round, both boxers were forced to shed away their strategies, as Tyson surprised the world by biting a sizable portion off of Holyfield’s ear. In no way could Holyfield have planned for such an insane turn of events, throwing his strategy straight out of the window. Even with Tyson having lost control of his temper, none of what had happened was planned for and changed the outcome for both parties involved.This example provides insight into the ever-changing nature of strategy and how to approach it going forward, rather than believing it to be a fixed solution.

With Strategy, “It Always Depends” 

The answer to any strategic question or method is “it always depends”, as certain variables can alter the strategy at any stage of it being implemented.

It always depends on what the ambitions are, where we are in the market, how well we’re funded and what leads or resources we have; which results in a constantly dynamic and often imperfect strategy implementation. There’s always a strategy that makes sense at that given time and there are always factors that can alter its viability.

It’s important to understand that strategy is generally broken down into six core stages:

Understanding the current situation; where you are in the market, what works and what doesn’t, where or who your opposition are; your pricing and everything that talks to where your business is today.

Goals, objectives and what you hope to achieve; by making use of the variety of ways to set a plan of action and assessing how close or far you are to achieving your desired results; and knowing exactly what it is that you want to achieve and by when.

Implementation of high-level strategies that can be used to achieve the goals and objectives set, bearing in mind any changes that need to occur during that stage.

The tactics and methods used to activate those strategies in the best possible way and by when they should provide results, or will be in need of re-evaluation.

Granular-level actions to identify and decide who is going to be doing what, how they are going to do it and by when; what needs to be done daily, weekly or monthly to achieve the strategy.

Control and measurement of the strategy, deciding when and how to check-in and gauge the success of the strategy; making sure that what is being implemented is working or failing and coming up with ways to find out how to measure any needed changes.

In building your strategy, it’s always wise to check on these stages and understand how, why and whether or not the strategy is working for your business in the best possible way. Strategy isn’t as clear-cut as it may seem and taking the necessary steps to ensure that it’s suitable and working well is very important to any business owner, leader or entrepreneur.

What’s that? You want more?

You’re seeking more advice on strategy, tactics and how to assess or implement them into your business diet? I have all the right meal plans, supplements and measuring tools you’ll ever need to get your business into perfect fighting form;

Get in touch with me as soon as possible – let’s get you fit, strong and ready to eradicate your competition in the first round:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Let’s destroy your opponents, together!

Apr 08
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5 Leadership Types – What Type Of Leader Are You?

By Business Management Coaching Leadership No Comments

Being a great leader can be challenging. Nobody is born with some miraculous gene that grants them the ability to lead and also be effective at it. To be a leader means that you need to have attributes like patience, curiosity, interest and determination, so that you’re able to create a positive impact on those that you lead towards a collective goal.

But there are many different types of leaders.

Some are more aggressive than others, some more understanding and open-minded, some are strict and some are lenient; but they all have one thing in common: the ability to foster action and mobility while creating an impact on the lives of others.

While I deal with so many different personalities and leadership styles as a business coach, I’ve come to learn that being aware of each person’s approach to leadership is extremely important in developing and strengthening their business, as well as their people.

So, I’ve done a bit of research and listed the top leadership types that exist so that you, as the business owner, can find those that you resonate with in order to develop and enhance your approach to leadership. Let’s dive right in.

 

5 – The Autocrat

The autocratic leader is usually authoritarian in nature. While they’re a bit more aggressive, they tend to delegate the tasks and jobs that need to be done, so that workers listen and do as they’re told.

This style of leadership works well because it saves time and provides much-needed clarity around objectives, goals and outcomes. There are also fewer errors in strategy implementation, as less people are involved in the strategic process – which often brings about much better results.

However, the down-side to this style of leadership is that employees feel undervalued and easily replaceable. It leaves them less motivated and far more likely to rebel against either the leader or the company, which usually results in lower levels of productivity and morale, and increased levels of office politics and infighting.

Using this approach in high-risk environments can be quite effective, as there is usually no room for errors or mistakes to be made. However, it usually fails in educational and creative environments, where people need a lot more freedom and independence to give good ideas and feel heard.

 

4 – The Democrat

This approach to leadership is significantly different to that of the autocratic leader. They make sure to involve team-members in the decision-making process and give them the opportunity to voice their thoughts and opinions. Most of the time, this type of leader has the final say, but values and embraces the input from employees and the team as a whole.

The only problem with it is that it can be quite time-consuming to take in every individual’s ideas and thoughts which can often lead to poor choices if the team or its members are inexperienced or unskilled in any way.

With this approach, the upside is that there is far more motivation from employees, as they feel valued and respected. It allows for the accumulation of different perspectives and approaches, rather than relying on one person to provide his/her viewpoint.

It works really well for those smaller teams or any team that has highly skilled and experienced members which can bring value to the decision-making.

 

3 – The “Let Them Do” Leader (Laissez-Faire) 

The complete opposite of the autocratic leader. This approach doesn’t usually fulfil the typical role of a leader, as everyone’s input is deemed valid and equal. Ultimately, they leave the decision-making up to their team members, giving teams complete trust in their abilities to motivate themselves and navigate the business effectively.

While this style seems quite favourable, it often leads to confusion, delays and slow-progress – especially in strategic planning. It also hampers individual development, as people become reliant on their own ideas and thoughts, rarely looking to improve themselves.

However, this approach can be great in that it helps team members feel valued, heard and appreciated. It empowers employees and leaves them with a greater sense of confidence and autonomy, as they feel capable of handling the work on their own without being pressured and undermined.

This approach works very well in teams with highly-skilled individuals that usually have the expertise to make valuable contributions (similar to the democratic approach). Each member is able to take the lead and has great trust in one another to make proper, productive and effective choices that add value to the company.

 

2 – The Incentiviser (Transactional Leader) 

These are the types of leaders that make use of effective reward and punishment systems in order to promote self-motivation and the ambition to succeed. By using incentives to drive employees, these leaders have a fixed and functioning system that says to work hard or receive no benefits.

One of the biggest issues with this approach is that the environment is usually quite strict in structure and rather inflexible. There’s often little room for different viewpoints or processes and can lead to people feeling undervalued, as they’re only there to follow the lead. Employees usually feel restricted in making an impact and everybody has the same measurement of achievement – those who sell or produce more, get more.

However, the upside is that goals and outcomes are clearly defined and can easily be understood by teams and individual employees. The incentives and consequences are also made crystal clear and it’s up to the individual to do a great job – so it also instills a sense of confidence and accountability in the employee regarding their expectations.

 

1 – The Transformer (Transformational Leader)

This approach to leadership puts more focus on the leader’s personality and the way in which they motivate employees to constantly innovate and improve. They are often guided by a clear vision of success and ensure that everybody is focused on the company’s mission and purpose. These leaders aim to inspire and create a positive work culture for everyone involved, acting as a role-model and exemplar.

One of the biggest issues with this style of leadership is that it makes way for a culture of sycophants that aim to please the leader at any given opportunity. Employees can become more focused on getting their leader’s approval, instead of focusing on performance, productivity and team support.

This approach works well, because leaders act as role-models to staff, inspiring them and motivating them to achieve greatness not only for the company, but for themselves. There’s usually a high focus on the vision of the company and what it will take to become more valuable in the long-run. These leaders value interpersonal relationships and are engaging in the way that they communicate with staff, leaving lasting impressions and a stronger sense of camaraderie.

 

What Type Of Leader Do You Want To Be? 

While there are these different approaches to being an effective and impressionable leader, it’s up to you to pick and choose. Weigh out the different options, see which of them suit your personality more and learn, learn, learn.

By taking the time to educate yourself on your favourite approaches, you’re able to decide which one(s) will be more advantageous to you and your business.

Perhaps you like two, or even three of them and want to make a cocktail that includes the best points into one powerful hybrid approach that suits you better – then by all means, do so. Being a unique individual means finding unique and remarkable ways to do things.

If you find that you’re already comfortable with your approach, but need advice, mentoring, guidance or more perspective, then I’m the right coach for you.

Even if you’re still trying to figure out what leader you want to be, I can help you make the right decision for you and your business.

I’ve worked with so many different clients that I’ve helped develop and grow – engaging with many different leaders and personalities that attract high levels of success, so I know exactly what to look for and inspire in you.

 

Get in touch today. Tell me about your business, your dreams, goals and ambitions. Let me help make the difference that you seek.

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

Mar 16
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The 7 Year-Cycle. Re-invent, Recreate, Re-incarnate

By Business Coaching Coaching Entrepreneur No Comments

Do you remember the old Etch-A-Sketch, or am I just a boomer? For those of you that don’t, it was a pretty amazing toy back in the good old days (look at that, I am a boomer), being made up of a book-sized board and filled with an aluminium powder that you could create sketches on.

By using two knobs, each controlling horizontal and vertical movements to lay out your masterpiece, you were open to a realm of possibilities (if you could actually figure out how to use the thing properly) and by shaking it, the image would clear away – leaving you with a blank screen, ready to start the next new idea.This piece is not about that killer toy, but rather about going through the process of design and creation; only to clear it up and start again with something fresh, new and exciting.

Reincarnate Yourself While You’re Still Alive 

Around 2012, I wrote one of my first blog posts about a pretty dark and confusing time in my life. After seventeen years as a business owner, I threw in the towel and walked away from the years of torment, tears and trepidation that I was facing and made the difficult decision of starting over.

By trying numerous activities and finding solace in distractions, I was taught the valuable lesson of reinvention and coming to terms with who I am and what it is that I want from this world.

I was able to find purpose, a new-found passion for people, life and business; I was able to find myself.

This clarity and direction dawned on me in a profound way, proving that taking a break is often necessary in rewiring and refreshing the repetitive and monotonous nature that life can sometimes dish out at you. In taking the time to trade in years of hard work and sacrifice for a few justifiable moments of simplicity and stupidity – you’ll come to find how rewarding a trade-off like that can actually be.

And this isn’t a new or foreign concept, as there’s a term for people who do this on an ongoing basis – generally university lecturers and a few other fields of work will recommend taking time-off for yourself after every seven years of hard grind; the sabbatical.

After seven years of driving down hard on your work, taking a sabbatical is one of the best things you can do for yourself. I can’t tell you that it won’t be filled with a bout of initial boredom, anxiety and hints of insanity, as a vacation for a full 12 months can certainly be a major shift in gear, especially after forming routines, rituals and a certain rhythm; but it is extremely rewarding to your mind, soul and body.

In taking this time off, you’re going through a sort of pseudo-metempsychosis (or reincarnation) of yourself – allowing a new creature to form within you that is filled with creativity, passion and the reignition of the dimming flame that had you driving yourself to those great heights for so long.

Tabula Rasa – The Clearing Of One’s Slate 

In a wonderful Ted Talk by world-renowned graphic designer, Stefan Sagmeister, there’s a huge amount of emphasis put on taking up to one entire year off after every 7-year run in order to give yourself that much-needed rejuvenation of the mind.

He talks about all of the beautiful insight, vision and invigoration that comes with taking such a necessary break from the constant and relentless effort that goes into working for many years on projects, deadlines and business growth.

The theory of tabula rasa says that we’re born with a clean slate and clear mind, without any innate abilities and that our environment etches our ideas, concepts, notions and abilities onto that slate. There are plenty of arguments against it, as language or talents can be argued to be innate, but if we take the concept and apply it to ourselves after every seven years; we are capable of doing some incredible things.

Similar to the Etch-A-Sketch, once you’ve spent a period of time constructing, creating and working hard to make a beautiful picture; shake it up, clear away all of that effort and see a new, bold and profound ambition come into play.

Adopt and embrace a clean slate, refresh yourself, clean up your act and either take a whole new direction in life, or go back to what you’ve been doing for so many years with a radical, new perspective and love for what you do.

Business owners and entrepreneurs who have been in the game for a long period of time can benefit greatly from doing this, as they can come back with a whole new vision and direction to take their business; perhaps creating a brand-new enterprise with the pent-up child-like wonder that they’ve been struck with.

I’ve taken a huge leap to get where I am today and if it wasn’t for me walking away and taking a much-needed break from the same cycle for so long, I might have ended up bitter and resentful – taking my frustrations out on the people around me.

Learning to embrace and engage in sudden change like that has rewarded me on a whole new level. I’ve become my own brand, adored by my clients and able to make the difference in people’s lives that I have always wanted to make. I’m happier than I have ever been.

Try it for yourself. Shed your skin and come out a better, bigger and stronger creature with a healthy, new appetite for the world and conquer it with a forked tongue. Especially if you’re like me and have put so many years of dedication, time and effort into working your ass off only to find yourself coming to a point of suffering.As a business coach, who’s been through hell and come back stronger than ever, I invite you to take my service into consideration and let me help you decide whether or not this is the perfect time to take a much-needed vacation.

I just need to check-in with the wife, but I’ll be glad to join you on your sabbatical:

Riding out into the sunset on over 1000cc of pure adrenaline, while the wind runs through my not-so-long and luscious locks of hair (a bald head equals more speed, BTW. Less resistance, or whatever).

Contact me, I’m cool with calls, emails, a face-to-face, or even a slow motorcycle race (boomer alert):

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

 

 

Mar 04
Love0

Performance, Culture And Taking On The Terrorists

By Coaching Culture Interviews No Comments

Seeking a high-performance culture, with the highest output is often a top priority in many businesses and the same probably goes for yours.

The stronger and more competent the staff prove themselves to be, ultimately become solid indicators of who you want working for you and contributing to the success of your business.

Who doesn’t like a hard-worker, especially one that produces results at an incredible rate?

In providing my clients with a high-performance culture that has hard-working staff, I make sure to tie-in a soft, nurturing culture that is inviting to the employees; which should be on the top of any business-owner’s priority list.

 

Culture And Performance Matrix 

Most business-owners want to attract high-performance, high-output staff; with fewer people on their pay-roll and that work much harder at building the company, as opposed to having a shit-load of employees where output and performance varies.

In choosing a healthy balance, though, the culture that exists within the business is just as important as the measured performance thereof.

If you ran a business that only had an environment of high-performers, there would be heightened levels of boredom and a looming disinterest in the company and the people running it. So, in combining a nurturing culture that caters to employee relationships and building strong teams with varying levels of comfort would be just as important to the momentum of a healthy operation.

In the following matrix that I provide for my clients, I divide the staff into four different quadrants that look at their different levels of competency, as well as the involvement of company culture. I make sure to put emphasis on the star employees that make the most significant contribution to your business.

On the top right quadrant of the matrix, your best performers and most productive staff members are seated within an appropriate environment of culture and performance. These are the people you should throw money at, they are the future leaders of the company and your best employees. Your goal is to move as many staff into that quadrant.

Conversely, the bottom left quadrant indicates the staff or employees with the minimum performance potential and very low levels of culture; these staff are easily recognisable and have a low productive output, which are better to try and get rid of. They ultimately impede on the performance of the business and can end up driving you mad. In other words, these people must go.

In the bottom right, you’ll find quadrant three, which has what I call the terrorists of the business. They are a great culture fit and are very well-received by the rest of the staff, but are low-output performers. These tend to be the riskiest staff members to have, as they are engaging, humorous and build a strong rapport with the rest of the employees, but, more often than not, motivate other employees to adopt their lackadaisical approach.

Due to their lack of performance, they are often a good target to get rid of, however they affect the rest of the staff in such a way that you’ll be questioned or have to deal with unpleasant rebuttals, as they leave good impressions on the rest of the staff. Complete terrorists, I tell you.

The quadrant to the top left are where your most malleable staff sit; those that have high potential and should be massaged into the right company culture – making them suitable candidates for the first quadrant of high-performing, high-output staff. Love and nurture these employees, find what motivates them and push them toward the first quadrant.

 

High-Output And Strong-Culture Staff Are The Most Suitable Candidates 

A wonderful way to approach this is in the way Jim Collins does with the best of his employees, “we hire five, work them like ten and pay them like eight.”

In using my method and honing in on the right attributes to look for in the staff, you should make a habit of reviewing where it is that your employees sit, especially when doing KPIs or performance reviews.

Cycle through the different categories of employees so that as many of them can reach the level of your most optimal performers, those with a strong culture and high-output. Try to get rid of the terrorists and the poorest performers, while finding the right methods to motivate the best of your employees.

Plot out which employees sit in which quadrant of your business and try to ensure they are a good culture fit and not just high-performing. Ask yourself if they are a right match for your vision.

This is a new way of looking at your staff and you should constantly reflect on the quality of your employees at any given time. I make sure to always apply this tactic as a business coach when working with my clients, as they often struggle with team cohesion and analysis.

 

If this makes sense to you, If it resonates with you, And if you need help to achieve such a cohesive and high-output environment:

 

I’m the right business coach for you.

Hit me up, grab me for a quick cup of coffee, a Zoom meeting, use me and abuse me, I’m a call or email away:

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

Feb 19
Love0

Change Quotient – Better than IQ and EQ?

By Coaching Motivation psychology No Comments

Finding comfort, stability and security are amongst our top priorities as human-beings; we seek to find solace in being as lazy as possible, sitting flat on our asses until our legs go numb.

Some of the most intelligent people on this Earth choose to sniff out the easiest possible route to take in life to get rich as soon as humanly possible. That’s why you might find some of the top-tier criminals have some of the highest IQs.

Unfortunately, a high IQ doesn’t always translate to wise decision-making.

Then there are those with extreme levels of empathy, leaning toward the wrong-end of the spectrum of EQ. Tell me something, is it a form of Emotional Intelligence to be so wound-up about something – anything – exuberating such intense levels of empathy that it translates to high-level cringe? Think extremist vegans; feminazis; simps and the like.

Too much emotion can have you crying and even throwing earth-trembling tantrums for the most irrelevant horseshit.

It goes without saying that a healthy combination of intelligence and empathy can go a long way – as a leader, an employee, a business owner… a serial killer.

But without the ability to adapt to change, they don’t hold as much weight.

 Darwin showed us just how powerful natural selection is – the innate ability to adapt to changing environments and circumstances; inevitably resulting in longevity.

Stupid dinosaurs. They couldn’t even outlive roaches.

Even roaches, crocs (not those despicable shoes) and lobsters all stood the test of time, leaving the dinosaurs but a memory forever bound to history books. What a shame.

What a shame it would be if the top of the food chain – i.e. humans – were to act so weak and powerless. Our innate ability to adapt to changing circumstances makes us amazing, capable and with the potential to evolve faster than anything else on this Earth.

In the workplace, in business, in running the world, our consistent battle with adversity is one that makes us better, stronger and far more capable then any of our quadrupedal counterparts.

As humans, we are constantly faced with hurdles and challenges that test our mettle, that push us far beyond the boundaries of excellence and history has proven this to us time and time again.

Adapting to change is etched into our genetic makeup and psyche, it’s so natural and yet we scoff at anything that rocks our boat, anything that brings about a change in flow and direction.

CQ Is the New Black

Our Change Quotient (CQ) is becoming quite trendy and a far more popular indicator of how capable people are in their work environment – whether running a business, leading a team, or being the best employee.

Being able to adapt and change when adversity rears its ugly head is becoming just as important as one’s IQ or EQ and is a powerful determining factor in our capabilities as humans.

With the Covid pandemic pillaging and destroying businesses, jobs and lives, we’re left to see the determination and power in those that are able to navigate the unpredictable storm.

This burgeoning storm, like many others, has brought about immense change in some of the best ways possible; new ways of doing business, new technologies, new competition, new roles, new services and products.It seems like we only enjoy change when it suits us; which should be all the time.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not about changing completely and having to forage for a new identity from the abyss, but we should constantly strive to evolve and grow, especially in times of adversity or extreme change.

Like a tadpole taking on new features and form, becoming something bigger and stronger without losing its identity, its DNA. Or a caterpillar adapting and taking on a newer, more powerful design, one that can take on far more challenges with poise and agility.

Your ability to change is a profound gateway to more possibilities and opportunities.

3 C’s of Change

 I’ve come to find that there are three different factors that bring about change. These three factors force you to evolve, or be left behind and eaten – gobbled up like a McD’s burger in a fat kid’s lunchbox.

Two of the three factors that play a big role in our ability to make provisions for adaptation shouldn’t be the only reasons to propel us forward in life, as they force sudden change:

Circumstance forces you to take a look at yourself, your position and make quick decisions that will have you adapt and survive. Covid, as an example, has forced us to deal with circumstances we were too relaxed to pay attention to. Only when the shit hits the fan, do we take a look in the mirror and say, “it’s time for a change”.

Don’t wait for a circumstance to creep up and swallow you whole.

Crisis demands that you pull up your socks and get the ball rolling with haste, or die. We hate it when it barges in, but neglect to acknowledge that it is a reality that needs to be addressed and planned for. When you’re struck with absolutely no choice, left wondering “why am I here and how did this happen?”, you’ve been battered by crisis and often find it’s too late to gather your things and run.

Everything gets swept up into the maelstrom and you’re left with no option, but to change.

Don’t wait for a crisis and be shocked when it does come kick your door down.

And finally,

Choice is the factor that we should all strive to undertake. Like the tadpole, or the caterpillar, we should seek and choose to evolve and adapt toward a bigger, better form. We need to make the decision, the choice to bring about change and always be prepared for uncertainty. Be eager to adapt and avoid reliance on comfort.

We all have free-will, so by exercising your ability to change and by showing readiness to adapt, you will find that great benefit and strength in adversity become your new norm.

Do you want to go beyond extinction, still alive and well, way past your due date?

Well then, I have just the thing for you…

… My number and my Email address.

It will take a little bit more than just reading this to prepare yourself.

You need someone that will get you armed to the teeth and ready for war,

Ready to take on the next massive shift:

Find change, before it finds you.

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com

..or just follow my mind as it dumps value all over the interwebs… @Spillly with three Ls everywhere; Twitter, Instagram, Facebook..

 

 

 

Jan 24
Love0

Learn, Leverage and Love – The 3 Ls That Make Up Spillly

By Coaching Entrepreneur Motivation No Comments

“Spilly” was a nickname given to me by friends and classmates back in highschool, way before I had any idea that I would be delivering speeches to industry giants like WPP, or becoming a successful business coach to remarkable clients from all across the globe.

Around 2008, I had created my first Twitter profile and unsurprisingly came to find that the name ‘Spilly’ (with two Ls) was already taken. I was left with two choices, either change the name completely, or simply add an extra letter to the nickname and keep it.

Thus, Spillly was born. An intriguing new moniker which would later have me remembered by some of my best clients as “Spillly with 3 Ls”. The bright side was that these three L’s would come to support my coaching beliefs and ultimately contribute to and shape my presentations forever.

So I formulated Learn, Leverage and Love. It made perfect sense as a general rule for squeezing the best out of any burgeoning business. And by definition, these three concepts carry a profound ideology that will shape and develop any business in a wonderful and convenient way.

 

 

Learn, Learn and Learn Some More

One of the key personal values that I hold is to learn as much as possible and to keep growing through learning. This will not only be a way to complement an already developing skill-set, but will also enhance the ability to use information as effectively as possible.

Learning and education go hand-in-hand with creativity and I’ve come to find that too many creative business owners have trouble growing without having a keen interest in delving into the unknown. This can contribute to a lack of awareness and foster a sense of insecurity in oneself, making it difficult to adapt and diversify their business.

Lifelong learning carries many advantages to any business owner and can enhance multiple aspects of their life, including stronger self-motivation and inspiration, the discovery of new interests, an improved professional life and a major boost in self-confidence.

By cultivating your abilities and knowledge, you gain new perspectives and see far more solutions than problems, allowing you to control and navigate all the many situations and curveballs that life throws at you.

Part of my process is not only to educate, consult and guide my clients, but to nurture and nourish decision-making throughout their business-growth path. This starts with a framework that gives them the ability to set clear objectives and achieve them through the various learning pieces that I provide.

 

Leverage Yourself Upwards Towards Success

As important as learning is, without leveraging what you have learned, you run the risk of diminishing the value of that precious knowledge you’ve come to accumulate.

The powerful quote by entrepreneur Derek Sivers, “if all it took was knowledge, we’d all be billionaires with six-pack abs,” encapsulates exactly what this concept is about. Action needs to follow knowledge, or what would be the point in all the information you have stored up in that incredible brain of yours?

It’s too easy to sit with the knowledge of doing something great, like becoming the next Jeff Bezos, but not many people take action to usher it into reality.

Being able to apply knowledge in a practical way is just as important as accumulating it. Without practice, perfection simply can’t exist. Applying what you know and learn will help leverage your skills and ultimately, contribute to exponential growth.

 

The word ‘leverage’ has a few definitions in the dictionary and for the purpose of this section, it means to “use (something) to maximum advantage.” By using your knowledge to its maximum advantage, you leverage and yield far better results for your growing enterprise.

A study done in Bethel, Maine proved that by making practical use of learning, the level of information retention for future use becomes much higher. Where simply learning the information gave retention rates of 5-20%; by engaging in discussion and teaching others, results of 50-90% were achieved. Which proves just how important applying that knowledge can be.

Many entrepreneurs have an amazing array of skills and abilities, but often struggle to apply them in the right way. That’s where I come in. My goal is to foster those skills in my client, helping them make use of it in a sharp and effective way, creating an awareness of their hidden potential.

Situations often arise in which my clients try to leverage too many things at once, making their load heavy and difficult to operate, which gives me the opportunity to help them focus on using the right tools, at the right time.

Sometimes leveraging your time, resources and ambitions can be necessary in developing a strong business and becoming a successful business owner.

 

Love Until It Hurts and Then Love The Pain

The title might sound somewhat masochistic, but love for your work, environment and for yourself, can be extremely rewarding to your business. Effectively, making you a better entrepreneur and leader.

As cliche as it may be, you need to love what you do and enjoy every outcome that your business brings with it. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to love the product, the staff,  the clients, or the long hours that you put in, as it can often be difficult to enjoy every single element of running a business. There will be great days and there will be days that drive you to the brink of insanity. The idea is to find joy in every moment and focus on the elements that bring you a sense of happiness and pleasure.

Hold onto the various things that bring you satisfaction, then delegate and outsource the rest to people that can grow your business. You need to enjoy the journey you’re on, making it bearable and not a burden.

As the late, great Steve Jobs once said, “the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

By showing a great deal of love in running your business, you become a better performer and make better decisions. If you bring love on your journey, there can be many other benefits and most of them can be attributed to the concept of “flow”.

Coined by Hungarian Psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the concept of flow refers to, “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it”. This love and pleasure in what you’re doing yields powerful results in many different areas.

Do your absolute best to enjoy the process of building something new and meaningful;

Love to learn new things;

Love strategizing and achieving your goals;

Love the competition and competing in the market;

Love your day;

Love yourself for being brave, dangerous and a brilliant business owner.

 

I Leave You with This:

The 3 Ls that I make strategic use of are backed by years of research and a strong understanding of how business owners think. By applying my concepts, you will be one step closer to becoming a powerful and successful business proprietor, making it easier to do what you do best.

It’s my passion to help shape and develop extraordinary people in their journey to grow phenomenal businesses and to provide business owners with what they desire and deserve – whether building a business that brings them millions in profit every month, or one that allows them to have more time for leisure and themselves.

If you’d like to have a chat, or get together for a strategic coffee, feel free to contact me any time on 083 253 3999, or feel free to shoot me an email at brent@spillly.com

 

Jan 05
Love0

What To Do When Your MOM Is SAD

By Business Coaching Coaching Skills No Comments

Something that is extremely important in creating a strong sense of customer satisfaction, loyalty and love for your business and brand is through doing things that are out of the ordinary; above and beyond what your client or customer expects of you.

Through these techniques, you etch an incredible impression on not only the minds of your clients, but also their hearts – creating a sense of wonder and joy when they think about you.

These two awesome acronyms will have you remarked on and scoring tonnes of brownie points from your clients, trust me.

SAD And MOM Are Basically One In The Same

 I’m sure that you’re a bit confused now: all of this shit about mom being sad and a sad mom, what am I even going on about?

Let me explain:

SAD stands for Surprise and Delight, while MOM stands for Moments of Magic. Both of these are basically one in the same and are methods to get your clients to fall in love with you, regardless of your USP.

As a matter of fact, acting on these methods become almost as important as the product or service that your business offers and I encourage all of my clients to make use of these techniques at any and all times.

What it basically refers to is creating exactly those things for your customers – moments of magic that they are attracted to and enamoured by that will have you win them over and spread your brand like warm butter to all who they are capable of influencing.

A moment of magic can come in many different shapes and forms, such as: sending hand-written notes, gifts, coupons, tickets; involving them in your social media through competitions, prizes, retweets, rewards; and even some personal interaction from on top through phone calls, emails, video messages all by the CEO, owner, or managers.

These moments of magic will end up creating a surprise and a sense of delight for your clients, which strengthens their bond, loyalty and trust in your business and the brand as a whole.

In this day and age, customer satisfaction is bigger than ever and creating a delightful or magical experience for them will ultimately shoot your business into stardom or have it dragged down into the fiery depths of hell to suffer for the rest of eternity. (Indeed a gross exaggeration, but some great hyperbole where it’s needed).

At the end of the day, your customer or client makes your business, well, a business, and without them you’d be left to struggle on your own. So plenty of emphasis needs to be placed on their value and how better to show them that you value them through these magic words.

 

Under promise And Overdeliver

This focus and intention on bringing amazing service that your customer or client doesn’t expect will only yield better results for you and your company.

You should be implementing these tactics from the beginning of your journey with the client, as well – being aware of trying to surprise them from the early exposure that they have of your business; from the Instagram ads, to the billboards, to the first time they spend money with you.

And bear in mind that these moments of magic shouldn’t be ad-hoc, either, but should be built into your customer-engagement process; they should be part of the customer journey, by creating magical moments at every stage to surprise and delight them.

Through my journey as a business coach, I’ve come across some amazing ways that entrepreneurs do this in the most remarkable and awe-inspiring methods you can think of – and they are all very simple.

At the very basic level, do what you say that you’re going to do and deliver the product or service to the best of your ability; do what they expect and then give them more than what they’re expecting (deliver more, or earlier, or under-budget, or anything that gives them a positive reaction toward that which they weren’t expecting).

Give them something that they didn’t know they needed and always thank them for being a client of yours.

Take the time to figure out what makes them excited, happy or brings them joy and be the first to act on it. You’ll end up becoming that much more remarkable in their eyes and they’ll absolutely adore you for it.

 

Almost Like A Fright, Make It Memorable

I sometimes like to give my daughter a small fright, waiting around the corner and surprising her with a tiny jolt of adrenaline. It’s not to be malicious or sadistic in any way, but after the small surge of adrenaline, the dopamine kicks in and we both have a good giggle.

There’s a small moment that the surprise has us both bonding and laughing at the outcome and I’m sure that she’s going to get me back very soon; in the end it becomes a memorable moment of surprise that we both look back at, laugh about and enjoy.

I’m not recommending spooking your clients or customers into moments of magic, but those surprises work in wonderful ways that are both memorable and impressionable.

It is often more important to surprise and delight or present moments of magic for your client than the actual product or service that you provide; as bad as that might sound, some clients don’t care that much about the work you’re doing, but will certainly care about being surprised and delighted at any given moment.

A huge part of winning loyalty, keeping yourself relevant to the market and building relationships with the client – using this tactic is so powerful in and of itself.

You can find loads of ways that this tactic is used by massive businesses that don’t even need to bother doing it, but it always ends up working in their favour. Most making use of social media campaigns like Mercedes-Benz sending branded gifts to clients; or Mastercard sending out concert tickets, coupons and celebrity meet and greets.

Steal this tactic and use it in your business, reap the benefits of unending loyalty from your clients – you can thank me later.

OR! You can thank me now, by considering me as your business coach.

I make great coffee, give good back rubs and the banter is always on point. Jokes aside, I will surprise and delight you in helping you develop your business and aid you in forming the greatest, most impactful entrepreneur you weren’t aware you could be.

Make a moment of magic for us both and get in touch with me:

 

+2783 253 3339

brent@spillly.com