Posts by Jacob Aldridge
Choose Magnificence [Archive]
Originally published on the Shirlaws Business Coaching Blog, 2007-2010. This is a copy of a speech I gave to a group of high school seniors recently. That’s an experience I’ve wanted to have for some time, and I hope to do similar events often in the future. As with all speeches, I learnt a lot…
Read MoreFeeling a little fragile? Get anti-fragile with our October update
A lot of us have spent 2020 feeling ‘Fragile’, and perhaps you wish things were different – that you and your business were more ‘Robust’? But when I look at my clients who are doing well right now, it’s not because they’re robust. It’s because they’ve gone one step further in developing their systems, business…
Read MoreSocial Networks for Business [Archive]
Originally published on the Shirlaws Business Coaching Blog, 2007-2010. Your business can never have too many friends. Why? What better way to get to know, and be known by, a broader network of possible clients and staff, especially the oft sought-after and much generalised Gen X & Gen Y? I’ve heard of that, but exactly what…
Read MoreTechnology Trends for Businesses in 2008 [Archive]
Originally published on the Shirlaws Business Coaching Blog, 2007-2010. VoIP Why? Cost efficient, close to free telephony. I’ve heard of that, but exactly what is it? Historically, telephones have transferred your voice, converted and interpreted by receivers, through increasingly efficient materials from copper lines to fibre optics. VoIP stands for ‘Voice over Internet Protocol’, and…
Read MoreSeptember economic snapshot: speedy recovery or long-term lingering woes?
Since you all enjoyed my Mental As Anything reference, I needed another classic rock anthem for this month’s economic snapshot and who does it better than The Oils: the rich get richer, the poor, get the picture. The coronavirus recession is about to split into: speedy recovery for some, if indeed you even suffered financially…
Read MoreSO WHAT?! Economic Snapshot and SME Forecast for August 2020
Every month I prepare an Economic Snapshot – to track the Recession, pinpoint the Recovery, and help you make better decisions in your business. Subscribe here for updates by email. Love your business? Remember to Like and Subscribe to “Don’t Waste a Good Recession”. Since the world changed in March 2020, our Economic Snapshot has…
Read MoreCompelling Value [Archive]
Originally published on the Shirlaws Business Coaching Blog, 2007-2010. My recent life experience (I’ve just relocated my coaching business from Australia to the UK or, as I’ve taken to calling it, I’ve made the ‘Brisbane to Brixton’ run) provided a quick lesson I thought I would share: the importance of creating compelling value in making…
Read MoreHow to Respond to a Recession at any Price Position
A common assumption is that when the economy turns for the worse, it’s the premium-priced businesses that are most likely to feel the brunt of changes. History has shown – that’s not always the case. Here is my guide for responding to the Coronavirus Recession – whether your business is Haute Couture, Bargain Basement, or…
Read MoreBenchmark Business Indicators during the Coronavirus Recession
In Business we can obsess over the Future, and chase the ‘Lead Indicators’ that help us predict it. We can lament the Past, and the ‘Lag Indicators’ that tell the story of what might have been. But when it comes to making better business decisions, there is only one time that matters: the Present, what…
Read MoreHold Your Breath or Go For Broke? [Archive]
Originally published on the Shirlaws Business Coaching Blog, 2007-2010. I had the benefit last week of chairing an expert panel discussion addressing ‘Business in Uncertain Times’. The core question was whether, at this time, businesses and their owners should Hold their Breath or Go for Broke at the opportunities that exist. Ultimately, of course, the answer from the panel was…
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