Planning
People
Processes
Positioning
4P Business Development Ltd
4P Business Development Ltd
4P Business Development Ltd
4P Business Development Ltd
4P Business Development Ltd
4P Business Development Ltd
4P Business Development Ltd
4P Business Development Ltd

Profitability

Working on the Planning, People, Processes and Positioning Creates Profitability

Is your business a labour of love?

I frequently find that business owners, while they started the business because of their core skills and passion, discover they end up working longer hours than ever before and often for less financial reward …

If you’re thinking about taking time out from your business, read my 10 top tips!

copyright: 4p business development

According to Gallup Small Business Index survey:

  • 57% of small-business owners say they work six or more days each week. In sharp contrast, only 7% say they work fewer than five days each week.

  • 62% of small-business owners say they work 50 or more hours each week.

  • As if that’s not bad enough, A high percentage of small-business owners work while on their holidays, with 81% saying they made or returned business calls, and 52% initiating or answering e-mail.

So are you satisfied with your ability to achieve a positive work-life balance? With all the pressures of business and the responsibilities that go with it, how important is it for you to take time out?

Research has shown that 1.3million small business owners were suffering health issues due to the pressures of running a small business, with 660,000 of those feeling that it had a very adverse effect on their health.

How much better would your business be if you actually worked fewer hours, took time out and worked ON the business, rather than IN it? Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few moments, including You!

Here’s my top 10 tips to take time out and recharge your batteries:

  1. Ensure you get sufficient sleep to restore your energy

  2. Exercise and stay active as sitting all day is not good for us

  3. Take time off; the time away will recharge your energy and focus

  4. Make time to spend with family and friends, have fun and switch off

  5. Take care of your health, eat regular healthy well-balanced meals

  6. Indulge yourself in your hobbies or other planned activities

  7. Ensure your workplace is pleasant and comfortable with plenty of light

  8. Set communication boundaries limiting emails and social media

  9. Set a clearly defined time for your working day to end

  10. Think positively and remain optimistic as positive thoughts create positive results

Finally, remember to allocate specific times to work ON your business.

Should you chose to continue to work all the time in your business without giving yourself time out for relaxation, contemplation and growth, you will find it extremely difficult to progress and grow your business to achieve your core goals.

Create the opportunity to take time away from the business to increase your skills and to enable you to create strategic plans to take your business forward to the next level. Use your diary and schedule at least one day a month out of your business to focus on the future.

 

“Would you like to know more?”

 

Nor sure where to start when taking time out from your business, finding it difficult to set those big goals, don’t know what you don’t know or simply needing someone to question the status quo? Call me on 01280 700405 or click here to ping me an email and let’s see how I can help you.

Until next time …

KATH BONNER-DUNHAM

 

PS:

If you’re looking for a partner to help grow your business, visit www.4pbusinessdevelopment.co.uk to discover how 4P Business Development can help you!

The perils of running a family-owned business …

About half of all new businesses survive five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more. If you’re married to your work partner, then there’s a good chance that you can succeed …

When you are married to your work partner it’s not all black and white!

copyright: 4p business development

Today, there are more and more married couples in business together than ever before. Being married to your work partner, whilst still, a family business brings its own complications and areas that need to be managed carefully.

 

“One client often refers to me as their business coach AND a marriage guidance councellor!

 

I am really not sure about the last bit but do understand how during our regular meetings both areas tend to cross over. It probably can’t be helped when you’re married to your work partner.

Good planning is crucial to ensure all business goals are concurrent with life goals, and timelines are synchronised to run a successful profitable and sustainable business.

The Federation of Small Businesses have identified:

  • There was a record 5.7 million private sector businesses at the start of 2017.

  • Small businesses accounted for 99.3% of all private sector businesses; at the start of 2017 and 99.9% were small or medium-sized (SMEs).

  • Total employment in SMEs was 16.1 million; 60% of all private sector employment in the UK.

  • The majority of population growth since 2000 has been due to non-employing businesses, which accounted for 89% of the overall increase.

  • Non-employing businesses accounted for 79% of the overall 197,000 increase in the last year.

It’s not uncommon to see couples decide to go into business together. The close relationship, shared goals, and unwavering support they have together often make entrepreneurship seem like a natural fit.

“However, the closeness of living and working together, and the lack of personal space and time bring many challenges!”

According to Forbes, here’s How To Tackle The Biggest Entrepreneurial Challenges when working with family and/or partners, and how to overcome those challenges for a successful personal and professional partnership.

  1. Discuss and establish operating norms

    Explore each other’s values, assumptions, strengths and needs. Document and agree to some clear guidelines that define how you will honour the other person’s needs, and clear up assumptions.

    Clarify how you will make decisions, and talk about guiding principles for your business and how that relates to the future you see for both your business and your relationship.

  2. Get your legal issues and business contracts in place

    It’s important to make sure that all legal and contractual measures are in place before any business partnership takes place, even in a marriage or intimate relationship. It allows the business to have a solid foundation independent of your personal relationship.

    No matter what part of the relationship may turn sour, your business interests are protected, and a plan is in place to move forward.

  3. Clearly define your roles and responsibilities

    The biggest challenge I’ve seen is the clear line between who is ultimately the boss. Someone needs to make the final call, and that needs to be determined in advance for different situations, otherwise, roadblocks become impassable.

    I find that clearly defining roles and responsibilities in the partnership, and respecting those, can be a huge step to having success.

  4. Set aside time for non-work activities

    Couplepreneurs often spend far more time together than average couples. To avoid relationship burnout, try not working in the same space. If that’s not possible, make sure your roles are clearly defined and separate so, your roles don’t collide, and you complement one another.

    Remember to make a designated date night on a regular basis where you don’t discuss work and enjoy a shared hobby or nice meal out.

  5. Plan for time away from work and each other

    Successful couplepreneurs separate their work and home life. They define clear boundaries around their personal time. They disconnect from business issues and business talk at the end of the workday. They invest in their relationship by planning fun activities. They also have lives apart from each other, spending time with their individual friends.

I have a vast amount of experience working with family-owned businesses and businesses in which the work partners are also life partners. I am versed in dealing with the unique challenges these businesses face.

 

“Would you like to know more?”

 

If you’re married to your work partner and would like to know more about how I can coach your family-owned business, call me on

01280 700405 or click here to ping me an email and let’s see how I can help you.

Until next time …

KATH BONNER-DUNHAM

 

PS:

If you’re looking for a partner to help grow your business, visit www.4pbusinessdevelopment.co.uk to discover how 4P Business Development can help you!

Remember, people now have to opt-in …

The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) come into force in May this year. If you hold data on EU individuals then you have to get their consent to continue to receive your communications …

GDPR is going to have a major effect! Will you be caught out?

copyright: 4p business development

Previously, contact forms could have ticked opt-in fields and data could be held for as long as you liked (such as unsubscribed email addresses so you didn’t add them again). Thanks to GDPR, everything has changed.

GDPR will apply in the UK from May 2018 and replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), however:

  • Did you know that the fines could be as much as £10m or 4% of your annual turnover (whichever is the greatest) per incident?

  • Do you believe that because you are a small business that these laws will not apply to you?

  • Will you continue to send out your communication, newsletters and other marketing material without taking the necessary steps?

Obtaining an ‘opt-in’ from the individuals in your database is just one step to protecting yourself.

Should you make the decision to continue sending out emails, mailshots and other communication in the same manner as you have always done, without gaining the individuals specific consent, you may find yourselves receiving a ‘Subject Access Request’ (SAR).

An SAR is a legal inquiry about why you have an individuals information, what you know about them and why you have it. You have to reply in a timely manner and you can’t charge for doing it.

Time is running out! Here are the top 6 things you should be considering immediately:

  1. Put processes in place to ensure that you can demonstrate that the individual consented specifically to your communication (collect signatures through specific Opt-In process)

  2. Where there are multiple matters, ensure that each individual consents specifically for different types of contact

  3. Make it extremely easy for individuals to withdraw their consent

  4. Ensure that all consent is freely given

  5. Ensure that consent is no longer assumed by the provision of a service

  6. That the individual absolutely understands what they are consenting to

For additional guidance, the Information Commissioners Office has published various guidelines and checklists to help you to understand and assess your level of compliance with data protection legislation.

They have created a PDF called ‘GDPR: 12 steps to take now’ which you can download by clicking here and further information for data controllers and data processors can be found here.

After considering all the information I have gleaned over the past few months from numerous seminars and events, I sent out an ‘opt-in’ email request to my database of existing and potential clients that I hold.

To date, I have received a positive response from less than 10% of my list. I will carry out this exercise once or maybe twice more after which time all data of those individuals who have not responded positively, will be removed from my newsletter database.

 

“How is this going to affect your business and how can you continue to attract new potential clients?”

 

If you’d like to get more insights about GDPR from my own experiences so far, do call me on 01280 700405 or click here to ping me an email and let’s see how I can help you.

Until next time …

KATH BONNER-DUNHAM

 

PS:

If you’re looking for a partner to help grow your business, visit www.4pbusinessdevelopment.co.uk to discover how 4P Business Development can help you!

What our clients say

“Kath is a skilled and experienced Business Coach, Mentor and Adviser who will always go the extra mile to bring value to her clients.”

Charles Briggs
CMC Partnership

2017-07-20T14:07:00+00:00

Charles Briggs
CMC Partnership

“Kath is a skilled and experienced Business Coach, Mentor and Adviser who will always go the extra mile to bring value to her clients.”
“Kath is a dynamic, inventive and challenging business coach able to adapt her style to suit her client’s needs and their preferred way of working. With Kath’s help I was able to push aside limiting beliefs that were holding me back and form a clearer vision of what I want for my business and myself. I now have a game plan in place and am working steadily to put it into place.”

Lesley Long
Women Go Wild Outdoors

2017-07-16T23:50:27+00:00

Lesley Long
Women Go Wild Outdoors

“Kath is a dynamic, inventive and challenging business coach able to adapt her style to suit her client’s needs and their preferred way of working. With Kath’s help I was able to push aside limiting beliefs that were holding me back and form a clearer vision of what I want for my business and myself. I now have a game plan in place and am working steadily to put it into place.”
"Kath Bonner-Dunham gets results. She has the powerful ability to cut through the distraction, noise, and chaos that beset so many business owners today. Her refreshingly clear communication and straight-to-the-heart approach are a gift to her clients."

Michael C. Cody
My Coaches Coach

2017-07-16T23:19:04+00:00

Michael C. Cody
My Coaches Coach

"Kath Bonner-Dunham gets results. She has the powerful ability to cut through the distraction, noise, and chaos that beset so many business owners today. Her refreshingly clear communication and straight-to-the-heart approach are a gift to her clients."
“Kath is a highly committed and energetic Business Mentor with a strong focus on providing a high quality client service. Armed with a wide ranging support and resources she is well placed to support the needs of SME’s.”

Bernard Goodchild

2017-07-16T23:32:41+00:00

Bernard Goodchild

“Kath is a highly committed and energetic Business Mentor with a strong focus on providing a high quality client service. Armed with a wide ranging support and resources she is well placed to support the needs of SME’s.”
“Kath is a very personal Business Mentor who has provided us with valuable information and contacts. Kath is very reliable and always ready to answer any questions we may have for her. She has a wealth of knowledge regarding marketing and business development idea’s and has really pushed our company in the right direction. Her enthusiasm and drive is really inspiring and she has played an important role in helping our venture become a reality.”

Bryony Brice
Betty Brice

2017-07-20T13:54:59+00:00

Bryony Brice
Betty Brice

“Kath is a very personal Business Mentor who has provided us with valuable information and contacts. Kath is very reliable and always ready to answer any questions we may have for her. She has a wealth of knowledge regarding marketing and business development idea’s and has really pushed our company in the right direction. Her enthusiasm and drive is really inspiring and she has played an important role in helping our venture become a reality.”
“In few words Kath is a highly motivated, professional and results driven mentor with great experience and know how. A must for all business people in need of mentoring/coaching to get the best out of you. I recommend her enthusiasm and warmth to anyone looking to improve their management skills.”

Alan Cooper
Westmoreland Mechanical Testing and Research Ltd

2017-07-20T13:55:59+00:00

Alan Cooper
Westmoreland Mechanical Testing and Research Ltd

“In few words Kath is a highly motivated, professional and results driven mentor with great experience and know how. A must for all business people in need of mentoring/coaching to get the best out of you. I recommend her enthusiasm and warmth to anyone looking to improve their management skills.”
“Kath is just a person you need to know! She can help you on many levels and she helped me as a Mentor and the results were fabulous!”

Raine Hilson
Banbury-Cross.co.uk

2017-07-16T23:48:54+00:00

Raine Hilson
Banbury-Cross.co.uk

“Kath is just a person you need to know! She can help you on many levels and she helped me as a Mentor and the results were fabulous!”
"Marshes know, like and trust Kath and have benefited immensely from her wisdom, experience, and encouragement. If you're looking for a professional, personal and honest intervention that will help kick your business into its next vital stage of development then arrange to meet with Kath."

Phil Cockayne & Danny Jones
Marshes

2017-07-16T23:51:54+00:00

Phil Cockayne & Danny Jones
Marshes

"Marshes know, like and trust Kath and have benefited immensely from her wisdom, experience, and encouragement. If you're looking for a professional, personal and honest intervention that will help kick your business into its next vital stage of development then arrange to meet with Kath."
“Kath’s support has meant we have many more business ideas and avenues to explore and her input has been motivational, relevant and very insightful. For anyone looking for some sound business advice, I would recommend Kath very highly indeed.”

Duncan Cooper
Selection Matters

2017-07-20T13:49:43+00:00

Duncan Cooper
Selection Matters

“Kath’s support has meant we have many more business ideas and avenues to explore and her input has been motivational, relevant and very insightful. For anyone looking for some sound business advice, I would recommend Kath very highly indeed.”
“Kath is an amazing woman. Kath can get to the root cause of the ‘blockage’ which is mostly in us. If you thought you were good, you will be 10 times better after meeting Kath.”

Dan Kaye
Smith Kennedy Ltd

2017-07-20T14:04:40+00:00

Dan Kaye
Smith Kennedy Ltd

“Kath is an amazing woman. Kath can get to the root cause of the ‘blockage’ which is mostly in us. If you thought you were good, you will be 10 times better after meeting Kath.”
“Kath is an inspiring Business Mentor. Selection Matters has been using Kath on ongoing basis for more than two years and she has added real value to our business. She is full of ideas and an expert in her field. I would highly recommend Kath to any business owner who wants to accelerate the growth of their business!”

Izabela Cooper
Selection Matters

2017-07-20T13:56:45+00:00

Izabela Cooper
Selection Matters

“Kath is an inspiring Business Mentor. Selection Matters has been using Kath on ongoing basis for more than two years and she has added real value to our business. She is full of ideas and an expert in her field. I would highly recommend Kath to any business owner who wants to accelerate the growth of their business!”
“Kath listened to my situation and gave me some surprising suggestions. Although I was well qualified, with an MSc and an MBA, Kath pointed out that my sales and marketing knowledge was practically non-existent. Kath is exactly the kind of Business Mentor I needed – straight talking and not afraid to tell uncomfortable truths. It is precisely this style that produces the brilliant results Kath gets for her clients. In summary, if you want results, not platitudes, go to Kath.”

Sue Priest
Ems2

2017-07-20T14:00:58+00:00

Sue Priest
Ems2

“Kath listened to my situation and gave me some surprising suggestions. Although I was well qualified, with an MSc and an MBA, Kath pointed out that my sales and marketing knowledge was practically non-existent. Kath is exactly the kind of Business Mentor I needed – straight talking and not afraid to tell uncomfortable truths. It is precisely this style that produces the brilliant results Kath gets for her clients. In summary, if you want results, not platitudes, go to Kath.”
“Kath worked with me over a period of time as a Coach to help me get my business back on track after I had decided to part company with my Business Partner. Kath was very good at helping me to see the way forward myself and to understand what I had to do and why. Anyone wishing to build a successful business would find Kath’s help and skills a golden opportunity to help them succeed. She is highly recommended.”

Rona Cant
Explorer, Author & International Speaker

2017-07-20T13:57:41+00:00

Rona Cant
Explorer, Author & International Speaker

“Kath worked with me over a period of time as a Coach to help me get my business back on track after I had decided to part company with my Business Partner. Kath was very good at helping me to see the way forward myself and to understand what I had to do and why. Anyone wishing to build a successful business would find Kath’s help and skills a golden opportunity to help them succeed. She is highly recommended.”
“Kath Bonner-Dunham is the ultimate networker – always on the look-out for how she can help the people with whom she comes into contact. Her entire focus is to help others find the solutions which work for them, and she will go well out of her way to find them the right support. People are drawn to Kath’s commitment, energy and integrity, and I am delighted to recommend her and the services she provides.”

Kate Mercer
Shine Consulting

2017-07-20T13:59:01+00:00

Kate Mercer
Shine Consulting

“Kath Bonner-Dunham is the ultimate networker – always on the look-out for how she can help the people with whom she comes into contact. Her entire focus is to help others find the solutions which work for them, and she will go well out of her way to find them the right support. People are drawn to Kath’s commitment, energy and integrity, and I am delighted to recommend her and the services she provides.”
“Kath takes an interest in your business, and is excellent at identifying key areas for development. She’s wonderfully positive, full of enthusiasm and good ideas, and has a huge network of contacts that she shares to create positive outcomes for all involved. I would thoroughly recommend Kath to anyone wanting to develop or grow their business who needs a solid sounding board and progress monitor.”

Sophie Breslin
Athensis

2017-07-20T14:01:55+00:00

Sophie Breslin
Athensis

“Kath takes an interest in your business, and is excellent at identifying key areas for development. She’s wonderfully positive, full of enthusiasm and good ideas, and has a huge network of contacts that she shares to create positive outcomes for all involved. I would thoroughly recommend Kath to anyone wanting to develop or grow their business who needs a solid sounding board and progress monitor.”
“Kath is a superb Business Mentor. She asks perceptive questions that enable her to gain a rapid grasp of the key issues in a business so that she can provide exactly the right resources to support the business in the way that is right for them.”

Elaine Whittaker
Marketing Being

2017-07-20T14:03:52+00:00

Elaine Whittaker
Marketing Being

“Kath is a superb Business Mentor. She asks perceptive questions that enable her to gain a rapid grasp of the key issues in a business so that she can provide exactly the right resources to support the business in the way that is right for them.”
“Kath has very good work ethics, she delivers a high standard of coaching and has mentored my staff and I on a specific project with great results.”

Sali Brown
Chelton Brown

2017-07-20T14:02:49+00:00

Sali Brown
Chelton Brown

“Kath has very good work ethics, she delivers a high standard of coaching and has mentored my staff and I on a specific project with great results.”
“I cannot recommend Kath highly enough. I hired Kath to work with us as a business mentor last year and in addition has subsequently been working with our management team and staff on a monthly basis. Kath is an excellent mentor, has great rapport with all our staff who have responded to her advice and mentoring in a very productive and positive way. I am sure that we will continue to use her invaluable services for many years to come.”

Jo Robinson
Indulgence Bespoke Catering

2017-07-20T13:51:44+00:00

Jo Robinson
Indulgence Bespoke Catering

“I cannot recommend Kath highly enough. I hired Kath to work with us as a business mentor last year and in addition has subsequently been working with our management team and staff on a monthly basis. Kath is an excellent mentor, has great rapport with all our staff who have responded to her advice and mentoring in a very productive and positive way. I am sure that we will continue to use her invaluable services for many years to come.”
“Kath gave us just the encouragement we needed when we started out in business and then continued to be on hand when we needed further advice. Kath understands the needs of small businesses and has a huge network of very useful contacts. She is a firm, no nonsense person and we have great confidence in the excellent service she provides.”

Jeremy Sacha
Sacha Barnes

2017-07-20T14:05:25+00:00

Jeremy Sacha
Sacha Barnes

“Kath gave us just the encouragement we needed when we started out in business and then continued to be on hand when we needed further advice. Kath understands the needs of small businesses and has a huge network of very useful contacts. She is a firm, no nonsense person and we have great confidence in the excellent service she provides.”

Are you a business owner with a passion and desire to grow your business?

To discuss your specific requirements and to arrange a diagnostic meeting, contact us today.