One year in and it’s official – I’m doing what I should be doing!

 Transitioning from a single journey and instead engaging the full diversity of my experience and network to support a range of owners in a pretty brutal climate is both challenging and hugely rewarding. Every engagement is unique, so there is no place for prescriptive, “off the shelf” solutions. Furthermore, my commitment to add value with every interaction has fuelled my own continued learning and growth.

 One of the biggest personal adjustments has been the shift from leading “on the pitch” to influencing off it. This has accentuated the demand for forensic inquisition and discovery, coupled with honest observations and feedback. I’m blessed to work with founders that embrace that kind of exchange – not all do!

 From what I’ve witnessed over the last year, here are 5 themes for leaders to consider in the coming months, before the momentum of recovery kicks in:

1. Lead with Purpose – define the “bus” you want your team to get on; loyalty is a privilege, not a right. Grit & graft will follow
2. Calibrate your sales process to the current market and drive performance consistently using aligned indicators
3. Ensure that your commercial dashboards are measuring what’s relevant to your business & make decisions based on data
4. Protect and extend your cash runway – as a measurement, consider using a multiple of your monthly cost base to determine progress
5. Physically engage with your clients – prioritise partnership, process and pricing and use reviews to help build your sales forecasts

I have huge respect for the resilience and determination of founders in our sector and I’m massively grateful to the values-led, early adopters who have put the wind in the sails of Silver Stag Consulting, turning the vision into reality in Year 1 – Thank you!