a conversation takes at least two people
Enough is enough, it’s time to talk?
We feel now is different to everything that business has experienced in the past and we want your help to develop a solution for todays situation that will work for tomorrows opportunities.
We’re talking to the business operators or future business operators in the room….
So, how are you? How’s it going? Do you find yourself asking others these questions and never been asked them yourself?
As the main driver of the business you are always asking your staff, your customers and your suppliers how they are doing. What’s different about you asking is that you really need to know how they are doing. You are seen as a solution holder for your staff, your customer and your supplier. Are you now at the point where you need someone with a solution?
Why is now different?
Many of the business founders and family business owners we are talking to, say they feel something different at the moment. A lot of them are feeling ‘enough is enough’. We got through BREXIT , we got through COVID, we were getting our heads around the cost of living crisis , the climate change crisis and the creeping impact of AI. This all made us think that dealing with change is the new normal. Then the National Insurance rise , inheritance tax and other new budget measures just added to the constant changes we have to navigate.
So the answer to ‘how are you?’ may be ‘OK this week’. Whilst the answer to ‘how’s it going?’ might be ‘ask me next week’.
We want to know how long can you go on like this? What do you need to help you navigate the current and future changes you are and will be facing?
Talking helps
We (Thomas Jardine & Co) unlock change for founders and family firms. There are two common solutions:
- The first is putting a group of people who are at the same stage of business together and help them develop solutions for each other.
- The second is to sit with them individually and really listen to what they want to do and how they are going to do it. Then to help them develop solutions from what we have heard them say.
We are working with a brilliant group of food and drink businesses fully funded via Cumbria Business Growth Hub and Cumbria Community Foundation. We are helping them focus on individual projects that align with their business and personal goals. The four month program will help them to create time to focus on their business. We are not telling them what to do. Importantly, we are allowing them to discuss where they want to get to and how they are going to get there.
Over the years we have also ran ‘business peer groups’ with a variety of business owners. These are usually funded (thanks goes to Lancaster University, Cumbria Chambers, the old Cumbria LEP and Enterprising Cumbria). And more focused discussions such as our current work with BT and Be the Business on tech solutions for marketing and sales.
We mentor and in some cases coach a variety of individual founders and family business owners through their current business landscape. To get your team involved, we run exec and senior management team days and can also sit as non execs.
Founders and family business owners
So as owners of established businesses do you need someone to listen to how you’re doing? Do you need space to work out where you are going? Would you like to get together to share your current situation with like minded business owners? What can we do to help? What would work for you?
This is not a sales pitch. We genuinely want to know. We feel now is different to everything that business has experienced in the past and we want your help to develop a solution for todays situation that will work for tomorrows opportunities.
Email Keith or Jacqui or ring us on 07460 034499
Let’s start the conversation.
