2023 reflections, CMK breakfast and brunch, client wins, and more!

It's great to be back after a well needed festive break, I hope you had a wonderful time shared with friends and family. 

At Tinderbox Ltd, we want to make even more SME and owner-managed businesses successful, or more successful. So, how will we do this?

Thorough Business Analysis: We conduct in-depth assessments of both the business and its personnel to create practical and actionable plans for success.

Comprehensive Advisory Services: We offer guidance on strategic decisions, business growth, organisational effectiveness, and technology strategies. In some situations we can also become an integral part of the team to implement the solution.

Holistic Understanding: We start the process by gaining insights into your organisation's operations, competitive landscape, culture, goals, and challenges. Our approach involves challenging current thinking with a unique perspective rooted in curiosity, innovation, and reinvention.

Experienced Team: All of our Regional Directors (that includes me!), have extensive strategic management backgrounds with blue-chip organisations, and we have access to a team of over 150 subject matter experts across the UK. This diverse network ensures broad capabilities across various industries and project types.

Human Connection: Yes, we have an excellent track record of results, but we also focus on developing lasting relationships with clients. We want you to thrive, and we're proud to be part of that journey with you.  Here's a great photo of me and one of my clients Nicola Spuffard from The Foot Health Clinic...

My 2023 Highlights.

🥂 Being awarded Consultancy Business of the Year

🥂Celebrating my 12th year making businesses successful, or more successful

🚀 Increasing the awareness of Tinderbox Ltd in #northamptonshire , #miltonkeynesbusiness and #bedford and adding more #success case studies.

🎺Launching Business BUZZ - Local Business Networking in #towcester and having one of the largest launch attendances ever

🥐 Working with Tim Lee and sponsoring the hugely successful Collaborate MK - Breakfast or Brunch Networking at Willen Hospice Cafe event and supporting Willen Hospice Milton Keynes- so successful that we reached physical capacity a couple of times.

🎭 Performing our annual pantomime and raising more than £5,000 for local causes including The Lewis Foundation UK and Harry's Rainbow

🥂 Being part of the MK Can Guinness World Record success placing 104,000 food cans end-to-end in Campbell Park Milton Keynes in support of the MK Food Bank

Client wins! How we supported a Utilities supplier, increasing profit and morale.

We addressed a significant challenge at a £250 million UK subsidiary of an International PLC. Starting from less than 100 employees, we grew to 80+ sites with over 1,000 employees. However, most of our growth was through acquisitions, and we needed to shift towards organic growth.

The Challenge: Their salesforce was struggling. High turnover, low morale, and performance issues were holding us back. It was time for a change.

The Action Taken: We conducted a thorough review of their salesforce, assessing responsibilities, methods, and capabilities. Extensive field accompaniments, sales meeting attendance, and one-on-one sessions with senior and middle sales management were key. We implemented a new salesforce and management structure, focusing on clarity and individualised training programmes covering sales skills, time management, and a more structured approach.

The Outcome: The results speak for themselves! Productivity and profitability soared, leading to a 25% reduction in planned headcount increase. We not only absorbed smaller competitors, but turned them into profit-generating assets more quickly.

What lies ahead for businesses in 2024?

As we step into 2024, what are the challenges that lie ahead for businesses?

Economic forecasters are predicting a tough road with political uncertainty, interest rates, inflation, and energy costs impacting economic performance. It's a critical time for SMEs and owner-managed businesses.

In times like these, the knee-jerk reaction might be to focus solely on short-term costs, cutting headcount and budgets for training, product development, and marketing. However, as one of our business growth specialists once said to me, "You can't save your way to prosperity!". Cutting costs might provide a temporary fix, but it often accelerates the decline of a business.

Here's the real deal: the lifeblood of any business is top-line revenue. It's the true measure of vitality, reflecting a company's competency to acquire, satisfy, and grow its customer base. So, as we navigate through 2024, the key to success lies in understanding what is preventing us from growing.

Creating a realistic and effective plan is paramount. The challenge is, many business leaders aren't accustomed to planning for growth. It's not that they don't want to; often, no one has ever taught them how.

But here's the good news: you're not alone! Many companies will face the 'grow or die' dilemma unless they shift their mindset, strategy, and actions toward improving top-line growth. Let's focus on acquiring the skills needed for effective growth planning and tackle 2024 with a strategic approach. 

Together, we can overcome challenges and ensure sustainable growth in the ever-changing business landscape.

CMK Breakfast and Brunch

In late 2023, Tinderbox took over as sponsor of the Collaborate MK Breakfast & Brunch event.

This is my favourite networking event as it is really 3 events in 1. it's a "no fuss" networking event, with no speeches or lockouts, just mix and mingle and network as you please.

The location is the hospice café, and any proceeds go to support the work of the Hospice. 

JOIN US!

Where: Willen Hospice, Milton Keynes. When: 1st Thursday of each month Timings: Business breakfast: 07.15am - 09.00am 

(and just after 9am if you wish to participate in the net-walk! around Willen Lake).

Business brunch: 10.00am - 11.30am There is usually a different mix of people at both, and If you haven't attended one before I'd highly recommend it.

Let's connect.

My main role as Regional Director of Tinderbox is to help SME businesses in the region. We help businesses with strategy, growth, operational issues including supply chain, management and leadership, shareholder, and exit. Since launching in 2009, we've helped over 400 businesses and you can read some of our amazing testimonials and case studies on the Tinderbox website here. If you're looking to add value to your customers, and enhance your customer relationships, then please do get in touch in reply to this email, or book in a free 1-2-1 chat via my Calendly here. 

I cover the following and the surrounding areas: Daventry, Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough, Bedford, Buckingham, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Silverstone highlighted in the map below.

Please do share with your friends if you've enjoyed this month's newsletter, and connect with me here if you haven't already.

Best wishes,

Ian