I’m writing this from Portugal. Not from a desk or between meetings, and not with emails open in the background. Properly away. It’s made me realise something that sounds obvious – yet most of us ignore it. Stepping away from work isn’t a luxury. It might actually be the most productive thing you do all […]
You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup: Why Taking Breaks Makes You Better at Everything
I’m writing this article from my desk, but by the time you read it, I’ll be somewhere rather lovely in Portugal with my wife Kay, hopefully with a glass of something cold in my hand and absolutely zero emails on my mind. I’ll be honest, scheduling this time wasn’t easy. The past few weeks have […]
When Life Throws You a Budget: Why Your Response Is Your Superpower?
Yesterday’s Budget has certainly got people talking. I’ve had messages from business owners feeling anxious about what the changes might mean for them. Some are worried about increased costs, others about how to plan ahead when everything feels uncertain. And I get it, I really do. When external forces shake things up, it’s natural to […]
Progress Beats Perfection: Lessons from Our Away Day
Last week we held our annual ‘away day’ (it’s actually an away two-days but that’s not as catchy!), a chance to step away from the daily whirlwind and spend time on the business rather than in it. It’s amazing what happens when you pull a group of like-minded business owners together in one room. There’s an instant sense of energy, […]
Evaluate Your Life Day – The Power of Hitting Pause to Move Forward
This Sunday is Evaluate Your Life Day. Yes it might sound like one of those quirky “national days” dreamt up by someone with too much time and a social media calendar to fill up, but I actually really like the thinking behind this one, and the timing couldn’t be better! Why? Because this week, we’re taking […]
The Squirrel Problem: Why Focus Beats Frenzy
It’s October, which means it’s National Squirrel Awareness Month. In our house, squirrels bring a lot of entertainment, and more than a little chaos, thanks to our dogs, Bobby and Lily. As sighthounds, chasing is what they were born to do. The problem is, lately they’ve been dashing about the park in frantic zigzags, trying […]
Leadership Under Pressure: What the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final Taught Me
Last night, Kay and I had dinner with three people who know more about pressure than almost anyone else I’ve ever met: Kane Williamson, New Zealand captain Ben Stokes, now England captain Eoin Morgan, the man who led England to that World Cup win in 2019 There were about 500 of us in the room […]
Why Self-Care Is the Secret Ingredient to Productivity
A sleepless dog, a missing mouse, and what it taught me about focus Sleep has been in short supply in our house recently. Our dog Lily, usually calm and playful during the day, has turned into a night-time patrol guard. She paces the bedroom, ears pricked, eyes alert, unwilling to settle. It all started […]
Stop Doing, Start Leading, Continue Growing.
Yesterday, I sat down with eight service-based business owners who were all facing the same challenge…they were no longer just delivering the work, but not yet fully leading their businesses. We created a safe space where we could be honest about what’s working, what’s not, and what really needs to change. What followed was a […]
Positive Expectation for Leaders: Why It Beats Positive Thinking
This Saturday is National Positive Thinking Day. But let’s be honest, positive thinking on its own doesn’t move the needle. What does make a difference is something far more powerful: positive expectation. The Science of Expectation David Robson’s brilliant book The Expectation Effect dives into how our beliefs shape our outcomes – mentally, physically, and emotionally. It isn’t fluffy self-help […]
