Better Director
Spring 2008 saw the completion of the Magic Million survey, a report examining how successful businesses break through the million pound turnover barrier. There were certain key characteristics that these businesses exhibited that separated them out from those that never got that far.
With the recession all the findings seemed to get thrown out of the window. How could anyone still be talking about successful business growth when we were facing the biggest economic downturn in living memory?
When researching for the latest book, ‘Beating the Credit Crunch’, it soon became clear that the Magic Million survey was far from irrelevant.
Looking back at how we survived the Thatcher recession and reading the formal research as well as the more loosely based articles it became clear that the Magic Million ‘ology’ is what is actually needed to be applied today.
The answer to the fundamental questions, ” what separates the less successful from the successful?” and “what holds back the less successful?” is resoundingly simple. The poor performers blame everyone else but themselves; the successful take the blame for all successes and failures.
All the research blames managerial deficiencies, inefficiencies and incompetence for business failure; yet the business failures blame everyone else. Moral of the story: before you start pointing your finger get a mirror and take a look at yourself.
The successful have an obsession with strategy (working on not in their businesses), marketing (helping people to buy from them) and teams. This is not rocket science. Other key characteristics are willingness to take external advice and possibly external finance. After all, you cannot do it all on your own.
And so we get to 2009. Encapsulating the Magic Million for today’s market has created a new seminar, The Better Director Programme. Sponsored by BlackBerry, The FD Centre, The Directors’ Centre, Albany Software and Peninsula, this programme of seminars talks specifically to businesses that have broken through the elusive magic million turnover. Lesser businesses need not apply!
Robert Craven, the entrepreneurship guru, will lead delegates through a morning which will challenge them to increase sales, profits and business value. Not for the faint-hearted, the programme talks direct to the owners and directors of these medium-sized
businesses.
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EDITORS’ NOTES
1) Better Director Programme – 24 events led by Robert Craven, across the UK. For businesses employing 10+ employees or turning over £1m+.
Visiting Bristol, Swindon, Reading, London, Manchester, Leeds, Portsmouth, Cambridge, Exeter, Birmingham, Cardiff.
www.better-director.com info@better-
2) Robert Craven – “The entrepreneurship guru” (The Financial Times). “Truly inspirational”
Robert is a keynote speaker, entrepreneur and author who works with the owners and directors fast-growing businesses. Author of business best-sellers “Bright Marketing” and “Kick-Start Your Business” (with foreword by Sir Richard Branson). His latest book is “Beating the Credit Crunch”. Photos available from the office. Robert is available for interview via the office.
www.robert-craven.com;
3) The Sponsors
• BlackBerry – “smartphones integrated with software that enable access to email and other communication services”
www.blackberry.co.uk
• The FD Centre – “the longest established and fastest growing provider of part-time Financial Directors”
www.thefdcentre.co.uk
• Albany Software – “innovative ways to get smarter with your payments“
www.albany.co.uk
• Peninsula – “personnel, employment law, tax and health & safety services”
www.peninsula-
• The Directors’ Centre – “brighter, gutsier business consulting for fast-growing businesses”
www.directorscentre.com
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
