SOLO NEWSLETTER 55a
Special NABO Edition
June 2011
www.successfulsolo.com
© Copyright Albert Wright
NABO – The Nationwide Alliance of Business Owners
Launch of NABO Networking North London Group
We will hold our first event on Tuesday July 19th at Arkley Golf Club Rowley Green Road EN5 3HL
NABO Networking is a division within NABO owned and led by Jonathan Jay.
Details about NABO can be found at www.nabo.biz
NABO Networking (NN)
Brief Summary
NABO Networking is a new, fortnightly, local networking organisation, which combines the best ideas and processes from other networking organisations into a unique package at incredible value.
NABO Networking involves (breakfast/lunch/tea/dinner) networking with:
1. Individual 45-second business broadcasts – a bit like BNI.
2. 10 minute, 121, get to know me and my business with another member at each meeting – bit like BNI, ecademy and others, but at the meeting itself.
3. 25-minute business and marketing education via web video and later, at the meeting, live discussion facilitated by local business leaders.
4. “Hot Seat Focus” for a business member at the meeting – a bit like ecademy Boardrooms and NRG.
Groups are being set up Nationwide; my own North London Group starts July 19th covering Barnet, Enfield and surrounding areas.
Come and join us.
Membership costs £200 a year, £99 if you join on your first visit to a local event.
My north London group will meet for breakfast every other Tuesday; starting Tuesday July 19th at 7.30 am. Other groups may hold lunchtime or evening events instead and on different days.
The cost to attend a meeting varies by location. My price for the NABO North London Tuesday breakfast meeting is only £15.
Booking must be made in advance. Visitors are welcome on payment of a £15 charge, including breakfast.
Contact Albert Wright for more information on 07973192712 and book on line at http://nabonetworking.biz/joingroup/
What is NABO Networking?
NABO Networking is the exciting new networking organisation run by the Nationwide Alliance of Business Owners (NABO).
It provides ambitious, pro-active business owners (and people who want to do business with business owners) with a golden opportunity to connect with like-minded local entrepreneurs who are just as passionate about growing their businesses.
Members connect in local venues at fortnightly meetings, in a relaxed, yet professional, environment.
As a registered member you’ll have the opportunity to learn from other experienced business owners, as well as the chance to share your own expertise. Whatever your level of experience, you will always be welcome to participate, and are sure to come away from each meeting with new ideas and new opportunities to expand your business.
Much better value than many similar groups, and run with all the professionalism and expertise that NABO brings to all its programmes,
NABO Networking is currently the fastest growing networking organisation in the UK, and looks set to be the biggest within a few years.
We look forward to meeting you!
Join A Group
Joining a NABO Networking Group is a small investment in your business that can return huge dividends.
For just £99 + vat per year you can have access to every group in the UK and can attend as many groups in as many different areas as you want – just pay that group’s hospitality charge, typically £15 which covers the breakfast, lunch or supper at that meeting.
You will meet a group of business owners, directors and business service providers who actively want to grow their business, not just by doing business with each other but by sharing the very best ways of growing a business in this tough economy.
For example, you’ll share ideas on using social media, pricing policies, the best marketing automation software, sources of new leads, website ideas and so on.
Each two-hour meeting is structured so that you get the best group experience, plus one on one talking time, too. A supportive, mentoring environment like this is a hot bed of ideas and inspiration.
At each meeting a member will receive a ‘hot seat’ session, where the collective brainpower of the group will attempt to solve that member’s most pressing business challenge.
As a paid up member – just £99 + vat per year – you can access fortnightly video tutorials on all areas of business, management and marketing.
These tutorials form the active discussion part of the meeting and the expert interviewed in the video is on hand, online, to answer questions during and after that fortnight’s tutorial is broadcast. The archive of tutorials is a library of business advice that can be shared with staff, as informal training and development.
You can attend your first meeting free of charge (just pay the hospitality fee) and if you decide there and then that you would like to join, you pay the lowest annual fee of £99 + vat.
(Alternatively, you can continue your trial for up to three months, but after the first meeting the membership fee increases to £200 + vat per annum.)
At 20% of the usual annual fee for a national networking organization, NABO Networking represents an incredible return on investment – and something that all active business owners should be part of.
Contact Us
You can contact NABO using the following details.
NABO 39-43 Putney High Street
Putney London
SW15 1SP
Tel: 0208 788 9064
VAT Registration Number: 927949075
Registered Company Number: 06522733
Or contact NABO Networking North London Group Director at
10 Oxford Gardens N20 9AG
and by phone on 020 8343 8558. Mobile 07973192712,
email, albert@millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
SOLO NEWSLETTER 56
July 2011
www.successfulsolo.com
© Copyright Albert Wright
1 NABO – The Nationwide Alliance of Business Owners
2 Right Angle Consultants – Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth book. Now available to order
3 News from the Directors’ Centre
4 Author of the Month – Jonathan Jay
5 North London ecademy, Blackstar Boardroom
1 NABO – The Nationwide Alliance of Business Owners
Launch of NABO Networking North London Group
I am proud to say that I have become a Regional Director for NABO Networking and we will hold our first event on Tuesday July 19th at Arkley Golf Club Rowley Green Road Barnet. The meeting starts at 7.30 am and full details were given in the last newsletter 55a, a copy of which can be found at www.successfulsolo.com
I look forward to meeting you there, but PLEASE book in advance atwww.nabonetworking.bizor phone me on 07973192712.
2 Right Angle Consultants – Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth book. Now available to order
The book is at the proof reading stage and will be published in October 2011. It can be ordered via the RAC website www.right-angle-consultants.co.uk
To get £5 off the normal price as a reader of SOLO please send me an e-mail albert@successfulsolo.com with your details and we will send you an invoice at this special price, which, if paid before October 1st 2011 will entitle you to the reduction.
3 News from the Directors’ Centre
To save £100 on the joining fee for the Directors’ Centre Club, send me an email and in my reply I will provide the discount code.
4 Author of the Month – Jonathan Jay and his 37 Strategic Boardroom clients
I have been so busy this month with planning the launch of North London NABO Networking, a BNI Illustrious Business and Finance Power Team Focus day and various bits of stuff to do with ecademy BlackStar and NRG that I have not had time to finish Grant Leboff’s book, so the review is being held over again.
However, I did attend an amazing 2-day event at a hotel near Euston hosted by Jonathan Jay and his NABO specialists, ending with a guest session from former Dragons’ Den panellist Doug Richard.
What an event. Intensive, knowledge providing, fun plus a great networking opportunity with over 250 business owners from around the UK and most amazing of all Totally FREE, yet in my opinion better than events I have paid over £300 for.
Rather than give you a summary, (phone me if you want more information) simply go to this link and book yourself onto the next one before they sell out, as they did for the June event.
www.BusinessBootCampUK.com It is also known as The Ultimate Marketing System.
As well as learning about 21 Business Systems To Turbo Charge Your Business In The Next 12 Months – I was presented with overwhelming proof by way of case studies and testimonials, that major improvements to sales and profits can be had from the diligent and sensible implementation of great ideas. I know and have met 3 of those featured.
Success does not come from the ideas themselves, (I’m constantly having great ideas, too many of them), NO, success comes from the intelligent implementation of one or two great ideas.
Let me say that again louder – SUCCESS COMES from the INTELLIGENT IMPLEMENTATION of ONE or TWO GREAT IDEAS.
How many times have I heard that sentiment before – success in retailing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration – focus on the important few and ignore the irrelevant many – focus – persevere – practice – repeat.
It’s not that I don’t know what to do – it’s just that I don’t do it!!!
I teach and share this model with my clients and even ensure they stay on track – but without my own coach to hold me responsible I get distracted.
I love to be distracted; my wife calls it displacement activity.
I am always busy but rarely focussed, she on the other hand has her laser lists of what she will do every day – I have my lists of what I didn’t do last week.
I am reminded of Bob Procter, who when asked for the secret of his success said ' ...and each night, before I goes to bed, I writes down the 3 most important things I should do tomorrow, and then when tomorrow comes, I does them, and so on, one day at a time.'
Success is simple – we make it hard.
If you want to de-clutter your To Do list, Prioritise the Positive, Focus on the Fundamentals, Slash the Sluggish Stuff, Implement the Important, Demolish your Demons and Accelerate the Angels – then give me a call.
I Coach, therefore I Don’t.
My paradox in life is I can do for others what I can’t do for myself. 07973192712.
NABO The UK’s Fastest Growing Business Association
Access today’s sales & marketing tutorials
Join the UK's fastest growing business association.
5 North London ecademy BlackStar Boardroom – July 8th
Come to Chez Ton Ton in East Barnet Road London at 12.30pm for 3 hours of networking and discussion of business issues.
You don’t have to be an ecademy member to try us out. Time from 12.30 to 3.30 pm – official price for lunch, coffee, networking and being in the Issues Spotlight now from £50.
Call Albert on 07973 192712 or see the Black Star Boardroom section on ecademy for details.
6 Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth - events
The next series of workshops will be in the autumn.
For more information visit www.right-angle-consultants.co.uk
SOLO NEWSLETTER 57
August 2011
www.successfulsolo.com
© Copyright Albert Wright
1 Author of the Month – David Klaasen
Inspired Management
2 NABO Networking - The Nationwide Alliance of Business Owners – North London August and September meetings.
3 Right Angle Consultants – Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth book, coming out in October. Now available to order
4 News from the Directors’ Centre
5 Jonathan Jay Does It Again
6 North London ecademy, Blackstar Boardroom
1 Author of the Month – David Klaasen
Inspired Management
I have known David for over 5 years. I was impressed the first time I met him when being coached by John Niland and we both later were trained by John to deliver TOP, The Outstanding Professional programme.
When I was in the IBC, I invited David to speak at a London Region event and I attended a residential workshop he co-hosted for Iwam (inventory of work attitude and motivation), so I knew how good he was as a workshop leader and trainer.
David has become even better, he is now truly an Outstanding Professional.
Last month I attended his one day workshop and read his mini book on the 7 Performance Traps.
Now you can have the opportunity from learning directly from David in October.
The 'Introduction to Inspired Management' Workshop
Is your team delivering 100% productivity?
Research shows that it can be as low as 39% for many people. What are you doing about it?
'In just 6 hours you will have the proven formula for driving productivity and profits through your people'
You will get a robust and comprehensive, step-by-step, easy to follow system, guaranteed to work . . . or your money back!
Let's face it, managing people is tough! If you've tried it, you know that getting people to do exactly what you want in the way you want it can be a bit of a challenge.
Maybe you are looking for ways to motivate them or getting them to be more accountable. Or perhaps you just want them to do their job properly.
Do any of the following sound at all familiar?
• 'If you want something done, do it yourself'
• 'They just don’t put in the required effort'
• 'They are always making the same mistakes'
• 'They don’t communicate'
• 'If they would only be more accountable'
• 'They say ‘yes’ but don’t deliver'
These situations are usually caused by one of the 7 Performance Traps
Even with the best will in the world, many managers get frustrated by the lack of motivation and accountability in their people.
An international cultural change consultancy revealed the average level of employee engagement in the UK is 39%. This means that 61% of UK employees are arriving at work each morning feeling somewhere between indifference and serious disengagement or even antagonistic.
There are 7 performance traps in your business and when they are removed you will dramatically improve the performance of your people, your team and your business.
Despite the challenges involved, you stand to gain massive benefits by implementing a simple, clear and robust framework that will provide a dynamic and yet flexible structure for communicating what you require and help your people to contribute to the success of your business.
There are secret advantages to learning the fundamentals of inspired management that not only make your life easier, but also build your confidence and ensure that you work on your business and not just in it. You can then focus on the results that really make a difference and leverage your time and effort to achieve more.
All people are unique and need to be treated in a way that addresses their needs and what works for them. But there are some fundamental principles that can be applied with all people in all businesses.
Without a clear framework for leading, managing and developing your people you may well be squandering talent, tolerating poor performance and missing opportunities to motivate them.
It’s all about removing the 7 Performance Traps.
Proven results
Many businesses are now implementing our unique yet simple formula for improving performance and they are getting a fantastic return on investment.
For example:
• Polyteck Building Services increased turnover from £3M to £5M in 18 months
• Managers at Acorn Maintenance Engineering handled 60-100% more business volume
• SMP increased turnover from £19M to £25M doubling net profit margins in 18 months
The above results were achieved because the Directors and Managers implemented our robust system and were able to focus on the development of the business, rather fire fighting.
For more details and to book, go tohttp://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=8flid7cab&oeidk=a07e4c1vxgu1d1b65c4
What you will learn:
• How to recognise the 7 performance traps and which ones are hindering your success.
• What people really need to know in order to be motivated to perform.
• How to use the CLEAR Framework™ to identify what may be missing in your business.
• The single most common mistake that Directors make when managing their people.
• How to structure highly effective appraisals that get results.
• The information you need to give before doing an appraisal and the 4 topics you must cover.
• How to set standards and smart objectives.
• How to prepare for and conduct FACT Based Appraisals™
• 5 critical questions to ask yourself before delegating and get the best use from the answers.
• The 4 levels of authority you need to consider, so you know which one to use.
• How to guarantee your people take effective ownership and accountability for the task.
• How to motivate and keep them motivated (not explained in any other Delegation programme).
• The most neglected part of the delegation process which will transform your delegation skills.
How you and your behaviour may be the cause of people not doing things.
Master the fundamentals of ‘Inspired Management’
Management is about getting results through others.
Inspired Management is:
a) About helping people to be the best they can.
b) Not just about following a set of rules
c) About Principles that enable you to develop your own natural style and achieve results.
d) About understanding people and using the latest neuroscience research into brain function.
Communicate the basics - Clarify expectations and set priorities - Raise awareness and accountability – Recognise contribution and reward achievement – Be relentless in communication
The “Introduction to Inspired Management” Workshop
Wednesday 19th October 2011 09.30 – 16.30
Central London (near Liverpool St Station)
Last opportunity this year at a fraction of the normal price. £97 + VAT (£116.40)
http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=8flid7cab&oeidk=a07e4c1vxgu1d1b65c4
I really do recommend this event as being ideal for business owners with 5 to 50 staff who do not have an HR Director.
2 NABO Networking – The Nationwide Alliance of Business Owners – North London
FREE Breakfast in August
Our next two meetings are August 16th and August 30th. We meet every 2 weeks starting at 7.30 am to 9.30 am and full details and booking in advance is at www.nabonetworking.biz or phone me on 07973192712.
For a flavour of our videos, a new one is discussed at every meeting.
For the latest video to be discussed at the next meeting you will need to go to http://nabonetworking.biz/training-video/video5/
Special Offer to SOLO Readers – FREE breakfast for first 5 booking directly with me as well as via the website www.nabonetworking.biz – No Booking then NO Free Breakfast.
3 Right Angle Consultants – Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth book. Now available to order
The book will be published in October 2011. It can be ordered via the RAC website www.right-angle-consultants.co.uk
To get £5 off the normal price as a reader of SOLO please send me an e-mailalbert@successfulsolo.com with your details and we will send you an invoice at this special price, which, if paid before October 1st 2011 will entitle you to the reduction.
4 News from the Directors’ Centre
To save £100 on the joining fee for the Directors’ Centre Club, send me an email and in my reply I will provide the discount code.
5 Jonathan Jay does it Again
Rather than give you a summary of Jonathan’s fabulous event with other presenters that I went to in June, I will offer you the chance of FREE tickets.
Simply go to this link and book yourself onto the next one before they sell out, as they did for both June and July.
www.NABOaugustconference.com
There will also be a September Conference event with the new, female member of Dragons’ Den.
It is also known as The Ultimate Marketing System. I have no shame in repeating part of what I wrote last month.
As well as learning about 21 Business Systems To Turbo Charge Your Business In The Next 12 Months – you will be presented with overwhelming proof by way of case studies and testimonials, that major improvements to sales and profits can be had from the diligent and sensible implementation of great ideas.
Success doesn’t come from the ideas themselves, (I’m constantly having great ideas, too many of them), NO, success comes from the intelligent implementation of one or two great ideas.
Let me say that again louder – SUCCESS COMES from the INTELLIGENT IMPLEMENTATION of ONE or TWO GREAT IDEAS. It’s said that successful people generally devote more than 70% of their time to their prime activity. How do you score?
How many times have I heard that 'focus' sentiment before – success in retailing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration – focus on the important few and ignore the irrelevant many – persevere – practice – repeat.
It’s not that I don’t know what to do – it’s just that I don’t do it!!!
I teach and share this model with my clients to ensure they stay on track – but for myself I get distracted.
I love to be distracted; my wife calls it displacement activity. I am always busy but rarely focussed; I have my lists of what I didn’t do last week.
If you want more focus and more achievement in your life, call me for a 30 minute 'taster' coaching session.
Success is simple – we make it hard.
Before, my motto was 'I Coach, therefore I Don’t' but now I am the change I wish to bring about for my clients and myself – and it’s working.
My paradox in life used to be I could do for others what I couldn’t do for myself but that is changing. Phone me on 07973192712 to learn how.
6 North London ecademy Flagship Boardroom – August 12th
Anyone can now come to Chez Ton Ton in East Barnet Road London at 12.30pm for 3 hours of networking and business focus spotlights.
The Official Price for lunch, wine, coffee, networking and being in the Business Hot Seat Spotlight is £99 plus Vat.
To book and for details of member discounts go to http://www.ecademy.com/module.php?mod=club&c=9063
Or Call Albert on 07973 192712.
7 Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth - events
The next series of workshops will be in the autumn.
For more information visit www.right-angle-consultants.co.uk
Right Angle Consultants will also be taking a stand at 2 events / exhibitions in the autumn:
Tuesday November 15th – Fresh Business Thinking.
Thursday and Friday November 17th and 18th – The Great British Business Show.
Book these dates now. Come and meet us in the flesh – but fully clothed.
SOLO NEWSLETTER 58
September 2011
www.successfulsolo.com
© Copyright Albert Wright
1 Comment / Rant of the Month – Prospects for UK economy
2 NABO Networking - The Nationwide Alliance of Business Owners – North London September and October meetings.
3 Right Angle Consultants – November Exhibitions and Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth book, coming out in October. Now available to order
4 North London ecademy, Flagship Boardroom
1 Comment / Rant of the Month – Prospects for UK economy
Things are Not Getting Better; they are also likely to get worse for a further 2/3 years.
While individual businesses will always be prospering and growing, the majority are not having a good time. Those who have failed to change, to adapt to the current situation are going under.
Several High St names have already disappeared and more will follow. A recent survey showed 1 in 10 shop premises are empty; many will never get a tenant again. The companies who supplied them have lost business, the people they employed have lost their jobs and many have not found new work. The owners of the buildings are losing rental income.
Britain is now mainly a service economy. On line retailing is fundamentally different to old line, bricks and mortar retailing and when spending is cut back the old retail, wholesale, catering, leisure and tourism sectors are the first under pressure.
Domestic car sales and new domestic house building have not recovered. Businesses which can make things should be looking to export to find new customers in the growing economies of India, China, Brazil and Russia. Service sector organisations should also be looking to export where this is appropriate but all exporters will have to face international completion and may not be able to command the prices they may have been used to getting in the UK.
The fall in the UK stock market is partly masking the economic decline in the UK as many of the companies listed are increasing the proportion of their income coming from the new economies overseas as against the UK, Western Europe and the USA.
Many of these new overseas economies are making the goods they sell in their domestic market in that market in UK owned factories that do not lead to much work for UK residents. Those there who are exporting to places like Britain may also be displacing formerly UK produced products. We have become an out of touch and high cost economy.
The public sector needs to shrink further. It is still producing outputs that individual consumers and collective consumers are unlikely to demand as a priority if the money spent was to be left in their own pockets.
Parts of the public sector do not really increase Gross Domestic Product through the people they employ directly. It’s more a case of transferring taxes and government borrowing into wages for some publicly paid employees.
We also need to get to grips with the efficiency of the public sector. The outputs from publicly supplied education and health services do not compare favourably with the commercial sector in many cases.
The attack on public sector pensions is only the start of a range of necessary cut backs. Our current generation does not have the right to make our children and future generations pay for what we want to consume today.
2 NABO Networking – The Nationwide Alliance of Business Owners – North London
Meetings September 13th and 27th.
August 30th was the last of the FREE breakfast events.
We meet every 2 weeks starting at 7.30 am to 9.30 am and full details and booking in advance is atwww.nabonetworking.biz or phone me on 07973192712.
We now have 6 NABO TV videos in our business education box, the most recent from Paul Green on Using Time Effectively, which provided for a very interesting discussion among members and visitors.
Visitors pay only £5 for attending events in Septemberbut need to buy their own refreshments.
To attend you need to book in advance and pay £5 on the door. Go towww.nabonetworking.biz – under Barnet to register.
3 Right Angle Consultants (RAC) – November Exhibitions
Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth book out in October.
Information on the Fresh Business Thinking event and exhibition at OLD BILLINGSGATE, LONDON, EC3R 6DX on Tuesday November 15th is now available from http://www.freshbusinessthinkinglive.com/
To register your interest go tohttp://www.freshbusinessthinkinglive.com/page/register-your-interest
As an exhibitor, RAC have FREE tickets for SOLO readers, contact Albert on 07973192712 or email albert@millionairecoachingacademy.co.uk
Great British Business and Start Up Exhibition at Earls Court
Thursday and Friday November 17th and 18th
RAC are on stand 644 – come and visit.
Tickets are FREE. Go to http://www.greatbritishbusinessshow.co.uk/
Do You Want to Double Your Sales and Profits?
Our role is to help you do just that through business advice, training and support.
Right Angle Consultants' (RAC) 3 partners and 11 associates are the specialists you can call on to help you seize the challenges and demolish the barriers to your growth and success that are difficult to do on your own.
If you are the owner of a micro or small business with 5 to 200 employees, you've come to the right place.
Our mission is to improve client profitability by helping you increase your efficiency and effectiveness and do the right things, at the right time in the right way.
With over 14 specialists and associates experienced in subjects ranging from strategy to people management, we are likely to be able to supply the right person to assist you in achieving your goals or sorting out your current challenges.
You can choose from training and workshop events to 121 coaching or hands on consultancy or interim management.
If you want to invest in business support for your business, visit stand 644 and speak to one of our partners.
We guarantee the value you get will always exceed the fees you pay.
07973192712 www.right-angle-consultants.co.uk
Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth book.
Now available to order
The book will be published in October 2011. It can be ordered via the RAC website www.right-angle-consultants.co.uk
To get £5 off the normal price as a reader of SOLO please send me an e-mailalbert@successfulsolo.com with your details and we will send you an invoice at this special price, which, if paid before October 1st 2011 will entitle you to the reduction.
4 North London ecademy, Flagship Boardroom Friday September 9th
This monthly Mastermind Group offers lunch, networking and 2 chances to sit in the Business Issues Spotlight and have group members comment on your key business issue.
Anyone can now come to Chez Ton Ton in East Barnet Road London at 12.30pm for 3 hours of networking and business focus spotlights.
The Official Price for lunch, wine, coffee, networking and being in the Business Hot Seat Spotlight is £99 plus Vat. Special rates for ecademy members.
To book and for details of member discounts go tohttp://www.ecademy.com/module.php?mod=club&c=9063
Or Call Albert on 07973 192712.
If you want more focus and more achievement in your life, call me for a 30 minute ‘taster’ coaching session.
Success is simple – we make it hard. My motto was, ‘I Coach, therefore I Don’t’ but now I am the change I wish to bring about for my clients and myself – and it’s working.
My paradox in life used to be I could do for others what I couldn’t do for myself but that is changing. Phone Albert on 07973192712 to learn how.