If any of these statements resonate with you, you are in the right place.
We want to make a plan to come out of this downturn with a stronger and more resilient business
We want to protect our profit margin
We need to reduce our costs in order to survive
We may need to raise cash to bolster our cash flow
We want to ensure that our team are fully engaged in the changes we make
I’ve developed a programme to help you achieve the following:
Save you time – we will clarify your priorities for the next 12 months and end those countless meetings that go around and around in circles
Get your people on board - we will create a shared vision for your business that you can all work together to achieve
Survive and prosper - you’ll take away a simple one-page business plan that sets out the people, structure, processes and technology you will put in place to emerge stronger than ever
Improve the productivity of your business - we will put a communication plan in place that will inspire and motivate your team to work at their best throughout this critical period and beyond
Based on experience
Over the past few months I have worked even closer than before with business owners and leaders to help them to prepare for the challenging period that lies ahead.
Those leaders who provide clarity, inspire confidence and can execute change will be best placed to emerge with stronger and more efficient businesses than before.
Those businesses who will not or cannot adjust to the new normal will find the next 12 months incredibly hard and many will fail – the stakes are high.
I’ve consolidated everything I have put into practice for the businesses I have worked with so far to create my 'weathering the storm' programme.
I’ve seen that businesses need to move at varying speeds to work through their challenges and my programme can therefore be delivered over four, eight or twelve weeks - depending on what suits you and your business.
Without John by our side we may well have taken some wrong turns
We have been working with John for over eight years now and I can honestly say we would not be where we are without him. John is a great sounding board and he has really drilled into us the benefit of gathering data about our business to back up our gut feelings. He works across various sectors and brings to the table the knowledge shared over his career to offer advice and guidance.
During the events of the last few months, John has come into his own. He advises you to hope for the best yet plan for the worst and without him by our side we may well have taken some wrong turns.
I would highly recommend John to any business owner looking to grow.
Malcolm Davidson, Managing Director, UK Moneyman Ltd
Weatherproof your business
Reviewing your business can be a lonely experience at the best of times, let alone in the worst of times. Having an experienced business consultant by your side who can take you and your leadership team through a proven process and provide a sounding board along the way will add a huge amount of value. I offer a structured framework for your thoughts, an independent view and constructive challenge.
At the end of my four-stage process, we will have created a clear and simple plan for overcoming your immediate challenges. You'll be ready to kick-start your business with a new sense of purpose, maximising the opportunities that are available to you.
Our cash balance has been protected and we continue to operate in the black
John has been working with us for about three years. He has increased our turnover by over 40% and he has doubled our profit by helping us manage the business on a range of fronts.
As soon as the Covid-19 crisis hit, he was by our side. He identified four key things we needed to do to protect the business. We were able to reduce our staff and overhead costs by stepping back to a four day week and using furlough effectively. Our cash balance was protected and we continued to operate in the black.
John introduced us to his kick-start programme and in response we are looking at our systems and how we can be more effective to improve customer satisfaction to strengthen our position. Whilst it has been hard work it has also been fun. John has a good sense of humour and there continue to be many laughs as we adjust to changed circumstances.
Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director - Planning and Design Practice Ltd.
Weatherproof your business in four workshops, each lasting two hours.
Session 1 – SWOT analysis
In this first session, we will evaluate your business in a simple and
powerful way and highlight the following:
- The strengths you want to accentuate
- The weaknesses you want to eradicate
- The opportunities you want to seize
- The threats you need to be mindful of
Session 2 – vision statement
You will emerge with a clear vision of your future and:
- Identified what a successful future looks like
- Described how you are going to turn your vision into reality
- Set out your business goals and immediate priorities
- Reviewed and updated your organisations core values
Session 3 – blueprint for success
Together we will create a one-page plan and identify the key milestones you need to achieve along the way. All plans are bespoke and likely to include:
- Financial objectives
- Proposition developments/changes
- Systems and operations improvements
- Marketing strategy
Session 4 – leadership and management
In this final session, we will create a management framework to set out:
- Your key performance indicators
- How and when you will monitor the performance of your business
- A monthly objective-based action plan
About your programme creator
I’m John Hassall and I spent my formative working years managing and leading a diverse group of companies, including a financial services operation, a general insurance brokerage and a retail outlet.
During this period, I gained invaluable knowledge and experience of dealing with a wide range of challenges frequently encountered by business owners when running and operating small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
In 1995, I joined a FTSE 100 company to gain experience of the corporate world and spent the next ten years climbing the ladder. During this time, I learned all about the systems and controls required to run a PLC and gained an enormous amount of management experience leading and directing local, regional and national teams in a highly competitive environment.
In 2005, I decided to leave corporate life and return to my SME roots. I accepted a role as a director of a medium-sized property-based business which was sold two years later to one of Europe’s largest estate agency groups.
In 2008, I joined a medium-sized financial services company as their Chief Executive Officer. Once we had overcome the challenges of the credit crunch and the subsequent recession, I led the development and growth of this organisation, which became one of the largest businesses in its sector. This business was acquired in March 2012 and after overseeing a successful transition, left to form JRH Business Consultancy.
Ten years on, JRH Business Consultancy helps a diverse range of owner-led businesses to develop and grow by overcoming challenges, setting clear direction and seizing the right opportunities.
John has helped me make tough decisions
I have worked with John for approaching five years and his ‘outside looking in’ help has always been invaluable. In recent times, his ability to talk in a calm and considered manner has assisted me with guiding my business and helped me to make tough decisions. His use of simple tools such as cash flow models and one-page strategy forms has meant that my plans in the short and medium term have not become over complicated to give me a clear vision for the future.
James Carpenter, Director, BB Mortgages
John's skills in putting things into perspective are invaluable to me
John has a rare and precious gift. He has an instinctive understanding of the forces that shape and define businesses, and has the ability to see the structure of a business, with its strengths and faults. He is able to define strategy, and show and explain how it differs from tactics in business, and as importantly how the two mesh together.
I see John as an ally of my business - a critical friend when needed, as well as an informed shoulder to lean on. His cool, clear thinking and his skill in putting things into perspective are invaluable to me in helping me steer my company in a positive direction.
Paul Pinder, Chairman, Boards Direct