Jacob Aldridge’s Alumni Client for Life Programme

Welcome to my Client for Life page.

Designed to remind my alumni clients that I am always here to chat and help.

If you want to skip to my Life Updates section, click here.

“All great relationships are built on clear expectations.”

That statement has formed part of my sales proposals since I began my business coaching and advisory career (with Shirlaws Group) back in April 2006. And yet the other end of a client engagement – how do we stay in relationship between, or after, coaching projects – hasn’t been clearly documented until now.

The purpose of this page is to make it clear to you – my alumni clients, to whom I remain grateful – how I intend to honour our relationship for the long term.

Once you have become a Jacob Aldridge client, you are my client for life.

Wherever we worked together: Shirlaws, businessDEPOT, and Como and more…

Over 17+ years, I have handed over a few business cards.

I’ve worked in 25 different countries, was the youngest person ever offered global partnership in Shirlaws Group, and also spent 2 years as a partner of businessDEPOT back in Australia.

When my daughter was born in March 2019, I put family first and removed my commitments to those other businesses – focusing on the direct relationship between me and my clients.

This decision was largely based on your feedback – while you love the offices and some of the perks larger companies provide, ultimately you made the decision to invest in Jacob Aldridge … and you’re happy to leverage my network, but don’t want to be passed over to another coach or advisor.

With Josette starting school in 2024, business growth is underway once more. This time alongside my beautiful wife Harmony and under our own brand: Como.

So how do I help my Alumni?

Let’s get specific. When you invested in me, I made a commitment to help your business ambition. And my commitment didn’t stop when our projects or coaching ceased.

I would never charge you for these things, so feel good about reaching out for:

1. A regular, or one-off, coffee chat
   I would love to hear how your business and life are going, especially after the Coronavirus Recession. In person or via Zoom, let’s catch up. And if you need someone for a coffee (or breakfast) every month or so, who better to chat with than someone who already knows your business.
2. A team or partnership refresh
   The strategic frameworks we used weren’t a one-off – it was about building strategic systems in your business. And that includes taking your team on the journey. Have they forgotten why you do what you do (the Context)? Maybe you’ve grown or turned over key team members? Invite me in for a team training session, to refresh our previous plans and conversations
3. The right introduction
   Like all good advisors, I give more referrals than I take on new clients. As someone who has seen ‘beneath the hood’ of your business, I may be in the best position to make you an introduction to another supplier, advisor, or business owner who can help with whatever keeps you awake at night.

I’ve made this offer now to more than 1,000 alumni clients of my advisory and group training: it may surprise you that barely a handful reach out in any given month. So you’re not imposing on me – I am here to help, for the life of your business.

Email me jacob@jacobaldridge.com or shoot me a text message (or even risk a phone call!) on +61 427 151 181.

As of November 2023, my primary base is Brisbane, Australia. During 2024 I intend to spend time in the UK, Dubai, Singapore, and Malaysia.

How can we work together again?

Our paid advisory relationship ended for a reason: ongoing investment wasn’t going to deliver a return (either because you reached a sweet spot or because we didn’t get the engagement expectations right).

With 15+ years of experience now, I’ve fallen into a rhythm with many clients like you:

• New Projects
  Not sure what’s next, or how to best achieve those goals? With a clear scope and a fixed project fee, leverage my deep generalist business expertise to get you through the next speedbump, hurdle, or brick wall.
• Annual Check-in / Strategic Retreats
  You have the capability, and the team, but once or twice a year you convene to review Strategy – and you engage me as a trusted advisor to maintain your momentum
• Team Training
  If you keep photocopying a photocopy, the resolution gets blurry. Return to source for semi-regular team training – what are the key frameworks we use, and how do we apply them here.
• X-Factor
  Sometimes your business hits molasses, or your mojo goes walkabout. Exactly why – and how to rejuvenate the energy – may not be clear, but that’s when my experience as an advisor and in your business specifically comes in handy.

So if at any time you want to chat specifics about re-engaging me to help your business vision, reach out and let’s chat.

But let me be clear: my offers to meet with you or your team for free are in no way a disguised sales pitch. I will never put a proposal in front of you unless we are both clear that I can bring substantial value.

I have a referral for Jacob – aka “This guy HAS to meet you!”

My best clients comes from referrals. If you know someone that might benefit, please do make the introduction – I am always happy to talk business, and help in any way I can (just a chat, making more introductions, or working with them directly).

My target client has changed over the years, especially as many business owners, CEOs, and salespeople have sought me out for performance coaching delivered remotely. These good fun, smaller commitment, high return clients now form half my coaching client base.

The clients I work with are mostly:

• Business owners who are 30-45 years old, often with a young family
• They have already achieved a level of success with their team, so aren’t start-ups
• With aspirations to achieve a higher level of freedom and impact, they realise “what got me here won’t get me there”
• B2B or professional services, rather than B2C like retail or hospitality, since my business expertise means I understand their customer as well
• Coachable and willing to change. If you’re ready to do the work, I’m committed to walking that journey beside you.

If you know someone who meets that description, the best next steps are:

1. Get their permission to make an introduction to me. If you’re not sure what to say, explain that “Jacob is an international business coach with a lot of experience helping businesses like yours. And it costs nothing to meet with him, if you’re looking for how to make that change you want.”
2. Send a 3-way email, from you to both them and me and including their best phone number. Ask me to reach out and organise a meeting – that gives me permission to make a phone call, and they know to expect it.

I promise to close the loop and let you know how the conversations progress. I can’t help people who don’t want to change, and I will also make a further referral (with your OK) where I believe that is a better solution.

Thanks Again

Expectations set? Then let me end by thanking you once again for the faith you put in me and my team.

Owning and growing your own business is among the most emotional and rewarding experiences in life. To invite someone in alongside you requires great trust, and it has been my privilege to be there with you.

You’ve made the investment. Keep making the return!

With love,

Jacob Aldridge

Jacob Life Updates

Update August 2010: Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it’s off to London I go. This relocation – however permanent or temporary – has been in the planning for some time, and I look forward to connecting with my UK colleagues on arrival. Well, after a month in Spain.

Update January 2013: Look who’s back, back again… Last year my beautiful wife and I visited 25 countries, and I helped Shirlaws UK achieve new record revenue levels as we exit the GFC / Great Recession. For family reasons, the time is right to return to a land down under.

Update April 2016: After 10 years with Shirlaws Coaching, as a Licensee in the UK and Australia and also having held key roles in the NavitasIP Product Team, the Shirlaws Global Project to address the Great Recession, and as COO of Shirlaws UK … I have decided to return my license. There are many reasons for departing what has been my global family for many years, but the most significant was ultimately feeling the direction of my business no longer aligned with the focus Shirlaws wanted to take.

Update March 2019: We have a baby! Many of you know it has been a long slog for us, and your support has been most welcome. “Paternity Leave” for me is going to look like fewer client days per month, and also more remote coaching as we travel the world as a family. Follow along here.

Update March 2020: Are you subscribed to my YouTube channel “Don’t Waste a Good Recession“? Jump onboard for timely economic updates and business forecasts in Australia, the UK, and the USA.

Update January 2021: Paternity leave is over, and I remain ‘trapped in paradise’ here in Brisbane. If we haven’t caught up for a while, now’s the time – 0427 151 181; jacob@jacobaldridge.com

Update January 2023: With the pandemic restrictions behind us, and the looming ‘pay the piper’ economic downturn ahead of us, it’s an intriguing time to be in business. I’ve started the new year all guns blazing…so expect to see a new Brand, new Website, new Team, and possibly even a new Location by the end of this year.