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Friday, October 28, 2016

Join me at the Edge - Nov 9 in Melb and Nov 11 in Sydney


I would like to invite you as my guest to  hear  Terry Kew, ex Marketing Director of Fitness First, to present “The Edge: Gaining the Unfair Advantage & Increased Profits", 


What were some of the strategies that helped Fitness First to go from 1 gym to a $1.2b conglomerate? 

 

MELBOURNE

 

We are expecting 200 business owners and leaders there, which will give you an opportunity to collaborate, network and connect.

 

Where: The Arena, NAB Docklands, 700 Bourke St, Melbourne.

 

 

Be sure to download the comprehensive EDGE workbook which you should bring to the event.

 

SYDNEY

 

Seats are limited to 50 business owners and leaders there (17 available , which will give you an opportunity to collaborate, network and connect.

 

Where: BSI, Level 7, 14 Martin Place, Sydney 2000.

 

 

Be sure to download the comprehensive EDGE workbook which you should bring to the event.

 

Hope to see you there. I look forward to catching up with you to explore a few opportunities.

 

 


Thursday, October 27, 2016

Five ways to boost your referral network and stay ahead of the pack

 

The Fast network of 1200 experienced mortgage brokers and 14 Partnership Managers and team seem to get the power of referrals, BBG and Referron. And we look forward to them using our tools and processes to help build there business! 

FAST is one of Australia’s largest mortgage aggregators boasting more than 1200 experienced brokers nationwide and a qualified team of 14 Partnership Managers and support staff.

Building a powerful referral network is one of the most effective ways to grow your business and strengthen your service offering.

Your partnerships might be delivering decent results already, but is there room to step things up? Here are the top five traits that successful referral networks have in common.

1. Relationships built on trust

The key to referral partnerships is trust – the people sending you referrals want to know you’ll service their clients and contacts to a high standard, otherwise it might reflect badly on them.

The strongest referral partnerships are based on genuine relationships. Those involved treat each other as friends rather than business associates. When building trust with a referral partner, three qualities are crucial:

  • Reliability:be honest and always deliver on your promises.
  • Competence:demonstrate knowledge and expertise, and have a good track record.
  • Care:show genuine interest in your partners’ businesses; demonstrate how you can help them.

Referral blog The Referral Edge suggests behaviours you can adopt to build trust and boost your network, including being approachable and asking good questions. See further suggestions from them here.

 2. Regular communication

Are your referral partners able to talk confidently and competently about your offerings? Successful referral partnerships involve regular communication to keep all partners informed and up to date. They provide support and training, and meet on a regular basis.

Arm your partners with the information and tools they need to have robust conversations with their clients about what you offer. Consider content such as brochures, blogs, video, ebooks, cheat sheets, infographics and case studies.

3. A strategic focus

The best referral partnerships are highly strategic. It’s important to be clear on the value you bring to the table, and what you expect from your partners. You also need to have a good understanding of what your partners are hoping to gain.

Successful networks often follow the ‘less is more’ strategy: it can be far more effective to fish from a small pool of trusted partners, with whom you’ve built close relationships, than a large group of acquaintances. You’re more likely to hook better-quality leads with a higher chance of conversion.

4. A generosity mindset

It’s not all about receiving referrals – it’s also about giving them. Good partnerships involve generosity; each partner is willing to give – whether it’s a referral, a contact or some information – without necessarily expecting anything in return.

Always look for ways to share and connect. Helping others grow their business often leads to a boost for your business, too. And having an attitude of abundance and a willingness to help others will help you stand out from your competitors.

5. Maintenance and fine-tuning

A referral network won’t provide a steady flow of quality leads unless it’s monitored, maintained and fine-tuned. The best networks are regularly measured against targets and benchmarks, so the businesses involved can keep track of which referrers are most valuable and which aren’t pulling their weight.

Track the leads you receive, and the quality of the business they generate, so you can make improvements to your network. And keep an eye out for potential new referrers to keep your network strong.

(This can be done with Referron - free to download! ) 

Referral networks are a top source of new business, but like any relationship, these partnerships need time, effort and energy if they are to prove fruitful. Treat them as an integral part of your business strategy and watch the referrals roll in.


Tuesday, October 25, 2016

7 days of working out loud

How does BBG become a partner? 
 

As International Working Out Loud Week approaches on 7-13 November 2016, many people want to experiment with working out loud in their networks and their organisations. Here’s how to use the 7 days of International Working Out Loud Week underway and to set up your working out loud practice ongoing.

We know new practices are best learned through experience and consistency of practice.  Using a practice consistently is the way to iron out the kinks, to learn what works for you and to build new habits.7-days-ofworking-out-loud

Here are seven days’ worth of actions to get you started on working out loud during working out loud week.

Day 1: Share a Purpose

Choose some purpose that is important to you to make the focus of your #wolweek efforts. This purpose may be delivering a great outcome in a project for a group of stakeholders or it could be a personal ambition in your life or your career.  The purpose doesn’t have to be something big but it needs to be something that is worthwhile for you and others to pursue.  When you have chosen the purpose, share that you are working on it with some relevant stakeholders.  You might post a message in a group in an enterprise social network or other community. You might share it on social media like Linkedin, Facebook, Snapchat or Twitter. You might just put up a notice by your desk describing the project that matters to you.  Feel free to repeat this step if you have more than one purpose to tackle.

Day 2: Make a Connection

Ask yourself who else might be interested in your work to fulfil that purpose.  Find someone new with whom you don’t usually interact. Your challenge for day 2 is to introduce yourself to this person or otherwise make a connection.  Join a group that they are a part of, follow them on social media, ask a friend to make an introduction.  Whatever you do take one step towards enriching the networks of people around your work. Feel free to repeat this step to connect a community around your work. A great step at this stage can be to start a Working Out Loud Circle with some new connections.  Working Out Loud circles are a great way to deepen relationships in an ongoing way.

Day 3: Make a Contribution

Working Out Loud is more successful if it is approached with generosity.  On Day 3, take the time to make a contribution to another person who is connected to your purpose.  Reach out and help them in their work in some way.  Perhaps you can share some information, a connection, a skill or just recognition of their efforts.  Find a way to make someone else’s work easier.  Feel free to repeat this step as often as you like.

Day 4: Share Your Progress

Choose one part of your project that is currently undergoing work. Take that work and make it visible to a group of stakeholders who are interested and can help.  Add whatever commentary you need to make sure that they understand where you are at and your purpose in sharing the work is to learn from them and get their feedback.  Feel free to repeat this step as often as you like.

Day 5: Share A Need

Ask for some help from your network. Focus the request on some people who are connected to your work and ideally experienced the first four days of working out loud.  Don’t be discouraged if nothing happens immediately. People are busy and some times the answer is that you are not alone in your challenge. Feel free to repeat this step often, but remember that the best requests for help come in reciprocal relationships.

Day 6: Celebrate Help

Celebrate the contribution another person has made to your work. Make that celebration timely, specific and celebrate them in a way that helps build their reputation in their network and yours. Feel free to repeat this often. We don’t recognise others enough.

Day 7: Plan Next Steps

At the end of a busy week take some time to take stock. Reflect on what you learned working out loud this week. What can you do differently next week. Now plan your next week to carryon on this practice. Feel free to repeat this reflection and planning often.

Feel free to repeat these 7 steps every day after Working Out Loud Week. The goal after all is a new way of working.

Thanks to John Stepper for the inspiration from his book Working Out Loud and his Working Out Loud Circle Guides.

International Working Out Loud Week Partners

International Working Out Loud week is proudly supported by its principal partner Change Agents Worldwide, a network of professionals specialising in future of work technologies and practice. Members of Change Agents Worldwide actively practice, consult on and advocate working out loud

10 essential attributes of an effective networker

"It isn’t what you know, but rather who you know." 
Your database, email list, mobile contact list  and relationships you have made,  are the most valuable assets you have. 

Networking may be the most valuable skill set you can develop. It can help you throughout any point in your personal life and career. 

Building relationships is more than handing out business cards at a trade show. 

It is the genuine connections you make every day with a wide variety of people that involve a win-win-win. It is the way you develop relationships in your personal life and in the workplace that will determine  your success.

Author of 2 linked in books and business coach, Lewis Howes has identified 10 requirements needed to become an effective networker. 

1. Get involved. 

You can't network sitting in your office chair. It takes getting up and getting out. 
Circulate. Engage. Look people in the eyes. Involve yourself in the lives of others and allow them to become involved in yours. Be vulnerable and open and share your life as well as learning about others'. 

2. Know who you are.  

For others to have an interest in you, they need to have a reasonable understanding of who you are and what you do. 

Present yourself well. Be ready to share your vision with the world at any moment. This means you have to get clear on exactly what your vision is. Get tour elevator pitch nailed and have your presentation pack ready! 

3. Listen. 

Effective listening is one of the most important things you can learn in life. Be present and take it in.

4. Discover common ground. 

Much of networking success lies in discovering mutual personal and professional attributes.  Find out what's relevant and important to the person you are talking to. What is going on in the person's business? What is he or she passionate about?

5. Add value. 

Once you know what people are looking for, find a way to add value to their life or business if you can. If you can’t immediately, keep on the lookout for ways to add value to whatever they are about. 

It’s extra impressive when you follow up much later with an unexpected value-add. 

Providing a warm referral is awesome!

6. Remember. 

The basis for a solid networking relationship is knowing, liking and trusting. Remember the things you learn and discover about those in your network. It is this memorization that signifies their importance to you. 

Without a good memory (especially remember someone’s name) every meeting becomes a first meeting.

7. Follow up. 

People have contact with many individuals every day for a variety of reasons, including you. You set yourself apart by following up. This shows them they are important to you. It is always a good idea to follow up with an email, and then a one on one coffee meeting.

8. Contribute. 

You are an effective networker when you contribute to others by giving. Give information, time, energy, contacts and encouragement. Always keep your eyes open for people you can connect. 

Everyone in your network brings a unique set of talents, temperaments and convictions to the world. 
 Pick the people who are experts at what they do and refer their business to others.  

  

9. Ask for help. 

You cannot help others unless you have helped yourself. To get help, be sure to ask for it, and be appropriate and specific. 

I have had some great mentors in my life who taught me a lot about reaching out for help 

10. Show appreciation. 

Say “thank you” for everything. Even thank someone for thanking you (“I so appreciate that you took the time to acknowledge my effort”). Whenever you take the time to thank someone, you create an opportunity to further connect with them.

The more confident you are in your ability to network, the faster you grow relationships. And as we all know, relationships are everything.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Embrace Risk

Without risk there is no impetus or necessity to excel. Risk is our friend - without it, mediocrity reigns. Small risks usually aren’t risks. They’re achievable tasks that just haven’t been done. Always ask when you hesitate to embrace risk if it’s within your grasp to do it. If so, do it. You’ll be glad you did.  


Onward and Upward!

Get Connected NOW as your network is your biggest asset

Business or Personal - Why I think your Connection matters big time - Get Connected NOW as your network is your biggest asset 

“Your network is your net worth.” – Tim Sanders, author, public speaker, and former Yahoo! director

Get Connected before you are too late to know what exactly is the next step to take in a difficult and challenging future ahead... People share posts, knowledge, news and ideas here from everywhere around the World which is a very useful means to get a better understanding on both personal and business interests.. mostly it helps you make the right decisions and also allows you to ask some good people who are ready to help you with their ideas, insights and vision. Yes 90% is what I call them tourists who just exist to see what is happening around and have no role to play in any contributions but there is even a stronger 10% of the crowd who are real passionate, kind and helpful selfless people who really contribute much more than the 90%.

“To any entrepreneur: if you want to do it, do it now. If you don’t, you’re going to regret it.” - Catherine Cook

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." Beverly Sills,

Why is it so important to grow your connections on LinkedIn? and why it matters more than you think,  is this universe one big sea of energy - are we all connected? to make a difference to the World by contributing our best to every need that is challenging our minds today.

To me, adventure has always been to me the connections and bounds you create with people when you're there. And you can have that anywhere. Bear Grylls

I've learned, like with anything else, business is only as good as your connections and your resources. And some of the resources that I have are the fact that I work with huge artists. Daymond John



Friday, October 21, 2016

Hang around with people you want to become

Jim Rohn’s widely quoted line is: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” 

James Altucher advises young writers and entrepreneurs to find their “scene”—a group of peers who push them to be better. Your father might have given you a warning when he saw you spending time with some bad kids: “Remember, you become like your friends.” One of Goethe’s maxims captures it better:
 “Tell me with whom you consort and I will tell you who you are.”

The second part of Goethe’s quote tells us the stakes of this choice:
 “If I know how you spend your time,” he said, “then I know what might become of you.”


Saturday, October 15, 2016

Keep a list of goals and take action

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained" is the creed of the successful. Keep a list of potential goals you’re inspired to pursue. Have it accessible so you can continuously add to it as potential goals arise in your mind. Then, periodically, look at your list, and take note of those goals that call out to you for consideration to take action on now or at some point in the future. By doing this you will stay engaged in completing your present goals while pondering your bigger future. We’re meant to live in the here and now while aspiring to our bigger future.

Onward and Upward!

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Take appropriate risks and Plan

Your Cornerman Daily
Learn to embrace appropriate risk as your partner in opportunity. Appropriate risk is aspiring to an objective just outside your reach that could be achieved if you prepared properly and the timing is right to pursue it. By making these two key filters a standard process in determining whether you will or won’t pursue an objective will create more abundance in your life for all the right reasons.

Onward and Upward!

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Professional service firms are being rocked to the core - they have to change to survive

 

The business model of professional service firms are being disrupted to the core! It's foundations are being rocked.


From accounting, legal and advertising agencies.... no-one is sacred.


The digital economy has arrived and one has to adapt to how it operates.


Gartner has written an outstanding white paper on this supported by research contribution and review were provided by David Willis, Saul Brand, Mary Mesaglio, Daryl Plummer, Marcus Blosch, Chris Howard, Bard Papegaaij and Lee Weldon. 


https://www.dropbox.com/s/3rdm5ekne9uruyf/algorithm-economy-292457.pdf?dl=0


Below is my summary of the paper 


"In the digital era, the economics of connections describes the creation of value through increased density of interactions between business, people and things. "


You no longer have to own assets to create value. You need to develop and nurture relationships.


Value Will Come From Sharing, Providing and Leveraging Critical Capital Assets .


Airbnb and uber are case in points 


Communication and connectedness through distance, based on shared values and interests is available - but there is still nothing like face to face relationships . People are tribal - they like to belong - however, the physical and virtual worlds are blurring


Roles — In the economics of connections, economic agents  could take on any role, such as: 

  • An operator completing a discrete task
  • A consumer seeking to acquire information, goods and services
  • A provider seeking to offer information, goods and services 
  • A broker seeking to connect consumers and providers (referron)
  • A combination of any of these roles. 


Compensation — In the digital era, a different compensation method may accompany each different role. Work can be free, based on an exchange of similarly valued work, plain old currency, a bitcoin, a point system.


Will there be "jobs" (living @just over the breadline") 

Will there be independent operators?

Wil there be a new paradigm?


  • How will people interact?
  • How will they trade there products or services? 
  • What currency will they use? 


Kpis in the connected ecosystem

  • reduced time to complete a process, 
  • ability to gather and process larger data volumes with higher quality, 
  • sentiment analysis and net-promotor score. 
  • Engagement of clients
  • Satisfaction of clients 


Sharing


In digital business models, enterprises create an ecosystem of independent parties sharing assets and resources


In areas ranging from ride sharing and hoteling to funding and development, innovators and entrepreneurs are taking a different approach to how they manage their assets. 


They have a sharing mindset. 


A mindset of giving. A mindset of generosity. A mindset of working together for the benefit of the client.


We are developing an ecosystem of players and capabilities to deliver an exceptional client  experience. 


Sharing and giving is not charity - it's good business. An abundant mindset will grow an ecosystem. It creates leverage and leverage creates growth . 


Tesla understands this 


Tesla Motors has shared for free its patents on superchargers with the general public.


 Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, understands that the more others invest in and advance the technology, the stronger the electric car ecosystem grows. 


A robust ecosystem, especially one using Tesla standards, makes Tesla cars more valuable. This is not charity but good economics. It was a calculated business decision that builds and leverages the ecosystem. Tesla has shared these patent assets to leverage the future ecosystem assets owned and delivered by others. 


Providing these assets free to the "network" multiplies the value of other Tesla assets. 


This is a core principle in the new economic model of connections. 


Several other principles are needed to make this model work: 


Experts and service providers, engineers and professionals can be shared


Rating


Allowing customers to rate the quality of the providers increases the transparency of the ecosystem and spurs ecosystem health, continually improving  provider quality needed attrition. 


In many models, providers also rate customers, creating an open system of value exchange between provider and consumers as peers. 


Governance and professional standards 


As an ecosystem grows, it often needs more governance or more detailed qualification requirements that go beyond ratings to identify providers that are not behaving appropriately. Trust is a key component of these ecosystem-centric digital business models. Professional associations and educational institutions will still play a massive 


Relationships vs transactional - being able to understand customers needs


Economic Agents need to understand the customer needs or "an opportunity" and then identify the best resource in the ecosystem to refer. 


Once an opportunity is complete, another opportunity is created  providing more opportunities to service. 


As long as people are breathing, opportunities will continue to occur! 


The transaction / or servicing of the opportunity is a given - the expertise, professionalism,product or machine needs to be available to provide that awesome service.

 

A transactional mentality must give way to one of relationship , influence and facilitation. 


It's about being able to understand the environment and provide the capability for different process permutations to emerge spontaneously based on the customers needs.


One will need to leverage their connections dynamically to derive the best value in responding to the specifics of the exact situation as it unfolds. 


It means understanding the ecosystem and investing to capitalize on unanticipated, serendipitous value. 


Recommended Actions: 

Invest in technologies that will give them the speed, agility and analytic capabilities to effectively exploit business moments (such as complex-event processing, real-time offer engines and ultra-low-latency middleware).  (Referron? ) 


Be part of an ecosystem of people that you know like and trust, so as to give a brilliant service wowwing  the connected customer!

www.bbg.business 







BUSINESS BUILDERS GROUP BOARD APPOINTS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR


 Following an impressive start for the Business Builders Group (BBG) in 2016, (0-100 members in 5.4 months) , BBG has appointed Greg Kay  as Executive Director BBG Australia. 


Greg brings substantial experience and leadership insight to the role gained through more than 25 years of executive management in the professional services sector, with a strong focus of building referral based business, says BBG Chairman Ivan Kaye 

 

“We were particularly impressed with Greg’s reputation as a sought after key strategic adviser and for his hands on experience in assisting business owners position their businesses for growth particularly through referral networking,” said BBG CEO Geoff Hirsh.

 

“The appointment of an Executive Director for Australia is a key milestone  for BBG and we look forward to working closely with Greg as he leads BBG Australia into an exciting new phase and builds value for our members and their customers in the years to come” concluded Geoff Hirsh.

 

Pictured below – Business Builders Group (BBG) Australia Executive Director Greg Kay 

 

Greg - Suit.JPG                 


3 cool innovation insites

“ Sometime over the next decade your company or organisation will be challenged to change in a way for which it has no precedent.”

-- Gary Hamel in The Future of Management

“ innovation doesn't have to be disruptive to be significant .”

-- Anthony James 

There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. .There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination. 
Sun Arzu - the art of war 


Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Get your pitch right

Whether you’re managing a large corporation, a medium-scale business, or a small start-up, pitching to influencers, partners, investors and customers requires a strategic and tailored approach. Get your pitch right to distinguish your business angle from other market players and disrupters. 

In Australia, we have a tendency to be humble about our successes, relying upon the quality of the product or service to ‘sell itself’. However, this isn't enough. To make your pitch stand out from the rest, you need to communicate your ideas with passion and confidence. 

Research shows that the first 20 seconds of a pitch will make or break the audience’s interest. This is the ‘elevator pitch’ — the crucial moment where you distinguish your business from the rest. Here are my top 5 tips for getting your pitch right: 

1. Articulate your vision with confidence

When you stand in front of people you are selling to, you need to articulate your vision and approach clearly, confidently and concisely. Use succinct, simple language; avoid obscuring your message beneath unnecessary jargon or complex technical terms.

2. Tell an unforgettable story

From the written word to the spoken word, you need to tell an unforgettable story that captures the listener’s attention and holds it. Think about what makes your approach distinct and different. To tell a story that stands out from the crowd, leverage originality and flair, and align your story to the key outcomes and strategies of your organisation.

3. Know your audience

Tailor your material and presentation to the requirements and expectations of your audience. This will ensure that people understand who you are, what you’re trying to achieve, and how your business specifically can help to solve a problem. A personalised approach will drive an emotional connection and deeper engagement with your audience.

4. Step up and differentiate yourself

Australian leaders have a tendency to be modest — but to successfully ‘sell’ your ideas, you need to talk confidently about your achievements. You need to explain exactly how and why your business is relevant to the market. Don’t be shy about your successes; present them with confidence.

5. Be genuine, engaging and enthusiastic

It all boils down to this: you can’t fake passion. To create an outstanding pitch, you need to be passionately and wholeheartedly dedicated to your cause. Self-belief, passion and drive are fundamental to this. If you truly believe in yourself and your ability to bring others on board with your business, they will believe in it, too. 

Read the full article in The CEO Magazine.


Written by

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Can you create a business you love…on your terms?


It’s every entrepreneur’s dream: identify a market niche and have the business idea to mesh perfectly with that opportunity. Start a business with people you trust. Grow it from three people to over 50 in 10 years, in a market that is booming and vibrant. Then sell to a global behemoth.

What next?

For small business marketing mentor Sarah Denby-Jones, exhaustion (understandable). A young family (exciting). An opportunity to assess what she wanted next for her career and her lifestyle (enviable). “I’d proved what I could do, and didn’t feel the need to repeat the same experience,” she explains. “I was ready for a change, with the focus very much on my family and on rebalancing my life.”

sarah denby-jones





#SurfaceLife - Sarah Denby-Jones Small Business Marketing Mentor https://youtu.be/5nX2MR3yWDE via @YouTube

Her decision was to move to from London to Sydney, with a clear initial objective built on her recent success in the UK: regroup, re-energize, recalibrate. It was only after she had fulfilled these personal objectives that she started to consider what the next entrepreneurial move might even be. “I knew I wanted to share my own experiences with people starting their journeys for the first time. I’d walked the path they were on or were about to start, and my experiences meant I could help them. In particular, I wanted to develop the idea of having the freedom to strike that balance, and to help others in business do the same.”

As she notes, businesses change fast, and disruption and innovation can appear at any moment. Small business owners especially can struggle to decide what’s important and relevant whilst staying true to their purpose. That’s where Sarah comes in, working as a mentor and strategic advisor to her clients.

“It’s sobering to remind ourselves that around 30% of startups or small businesses fail to survive beyond two years, often as a result of the initial idea being unsustainable in the medium term.

“At the same time that figure improves markedly for startups with mentors – 70% of these companies last beyond five years. There are few things in a startup’s life that can double your chances of success, but having a mentor is one of them!

“So I challenge my clients’ thinking and strategies, I take them back a few steps, work with them to help them identify the core of their businesses, and what drives them. We focus on these foundations, and on getting them right. It’s too easy to focus on the tactics and the tasks of the moment, but if you’re operating on foundations that are weak or wrong, you are bound to fail.

“And no business owner deserves to fail.”

sarah denby-jonesMarketing is Sarah’s passion. “It’s my fundamental position and belief that marketing is about everything that you do. Once you’ve found your space the magic is in the details of the experience you create, and in how you connect on a human level. It’s about the culture, systems and structures that you put in place that pulls everything together to support your growth. These are your foundations, and they support the proposition you take to your customers.”

Sarah now works with disruptors. “Successful companies are now ‘fast’ rather than ‘big’ or ‘small’, size matters little if you can scale, and it’s technology that lets you scale,” she says.  “When I started in London in the early-eighties, accessible technology was still in its infancy. We were anchored to desks with large PCs if we were lucky, we had secretaries if we were really lucky, and phones connected to walls with cables! So you actually had to have an office in a building. It was inevitable that our clients then were large companies, many leaders in their segments by definition. Much of our work was around changing strategy and the way they went to market. It was like turning proverbial tankers mid-ocean. We did it, but it took time.

“Technology has changed everything. I’m still in awe about what I can do because I can remember what it used to be liked!

“So being able to run a business from something as compact and as powerful as my Surface Pro 4 is just so cool! I can operate my business with clients from home or on the move. Its mobility is important because it lets me run my business on my terms, and means I strike the balance I seek in my life. I can work at home on product development, and meet with and engage with clients, with everything to hand.

“One thing about the Surface that I do love is the note-taking. I think and express myself with diagrams and hand-drawn schematics. Being able to do so with the stylus on the screen, and then to share and discuss new ideas with clients, is very powerful and very important and fundamental to how I work.”

Working with small businesses, and successfully growing and selling one of her own, gives Sarah Denby-Jones first-hand insights into what creating a business actually means. “It’s difficult to turn dreams into reality, and every business starts with a dream. Each entrepreneur’s path to success is different and you move along your path by learning as you go. I work with entrepreneurs who seek to create purposeful and profitable businesses. The passion and purpose will sustain you through the tough times and define your success, the profit is your reward.

Her one message for entrepreneurs is, “Leaning into your strengths is one of the most powerful things you can do, not least because you end up doing what you love, as well as playing to your skills.”

As to the future, Sarah sums it up this way: “I want to work with extraordinary people who want to put a dent in the universe, who believe they can do something different, however big or small.”

Contact Sarah Denby-Jones at online or find out more about Surface for SMB’s.