Many people dread audits. They see them as invasive – an activity designed to find fault and catch you out. But that’s not what an internal audit is about at all. It’s about helping you identify opportunity, mitigate risk and prepare for external audits. Following an audit, I’ve often been able to help streamline processes […]
Could your business benefit from a remote audit? Read More »
I’ve always found flowcharts to be an excellent tool for businesses. Presenting information in a visual format that can be quickly referred to, increases efficiency, enables faster problem solving and clarifies processes. Unfortunately, I often come across businesses that are using out of date, overcomplicated or irrelevant flowcharts – and that’s if they are using
How to create effective flowcharts Read More »
The mention of an audit is rarely met with excitement. Many people feel that being audited is a negative process and that auditors are simply looking for mistakes. This misconception is often the reason that companies avoid carrying out internal audits, and this is a real shame as they are extremely beneficial. Internal audits help
Internal audits: ditch the checklists Read More »
ISO certification is a pretty expensive piece of paper, and I often get asked if it’s worth it. It allows you to tender for more projects and reassures clients that you’ll deliver to the highest standards, so it can provide a good return on investment. But what if you don’t tender for work? What if
My business doesn’t tender so why would I need ISO frameworks? Read More »
There’s a reason that Lego has remained so popular over the 70 years since its conception. It’s fun, creative, easy to put together and versatile. There aren’t many people (adults or children) who can resist the urge to push a few blocks together if there’s a Lego set in front of them. Recently, while building
Building an ISO framework is like playing with Lego Read More »
Businesses and organisations have been using SWOT as a strategic planning tool for decades. A SWOT analysis can help you make great decisions about your business and prevent you from making costly mistakes. However, it can only do these things if you take some time to understand what it is telling you. Carrying out a
What your SWOT analysis is really telling you Read More »
I often hear business owners say they can’t afford to outsource when it’s usually the opposite that’s true – they can’t afford not to outsource. Yes, it costs money to outsource, but it also frees up time for you to do the things in your business that make you money. Therefore, if the amount of
Why outsourcing is an investment, not an expense Read More »
Ever hear people discussing strategic planning, change management or risk analysis, and wonder what on earth they are talking about? Maybe you recognise the terms from your time in the corporate world and are glad you don’t have to think about them in your small business. I’ve never been a big fan of corporate jargon,
How to apply corporate thinking to your small business Read More »
Question: What do I have in common with Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Agatha Christie, Pablo Picasso, Beethoven, Da Vinci and Albert Einstein? Answer: The same thing I have in common with at least one in ten people – I’m dyslexic. Despite dyslexia being so prevalent, many people still don’t understand it. The biggest
Dyslexia: my secret weapon in business Read More »
