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Michael Crane Live: Business Tips and Inspiration

Michael Crane Live: Business Tips and Inspiration

By Michael Crane

Business conversations: In Michael’s Business Conversations Michael interviews a diverse range of entrepreneurs and business owners. Each guest brings their particular expertise as well their personal business journey. M&S Show: The M&S Show is a series of conversation between Michael and successful business coach Simon Teague, in which they talk about all things business-related and draw lessons from other life experiences. One to a Million: Two young, aspiring business owners as they take their first steps on the journey of learning about, and setting up, their first business.
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Episode 62 Learn why waiting for burnout to happen is a recipe for disaster

Michael Crane Live: Business Tips and InspirationJun 08, 2023

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35:35
Episode 62 Learn why waiting for burnout to happen is a recipe for disaster

Episode 62 Learn why waiting for burnout to happen is a recipe for disaster

Learn why waiting for burnout to happen is a recipe for disaster, Join us as we delve into the dangers of waiting for burnout to strike and discover how to prevent it. In a previous episode, we discussed how even high-profile individuals like Jacinda Arden are not immune to occupational burnout.
Don't wait for burnout to happen to you.
Take control of your life and work by learning to spot the warning signs and implementing strategies to protect your mental and physical health. Let's work together to create a sustainable and fulfilling work-life balance.
Jun 08, 202335:35
Episode 61 Why Focusing Solely on Sales Could be Killing Your Marketing Efforts

Episode 61 Why Focusing Solely on Sales Could be Killing Your Marketing Efforts

Why Focusing Solely on Sales Could be Killing Your Marketing Efforts: Chris is a true achiever, launching three successful businesses and publishing his first book in 2019. Despite his busy schedule, Chris always finds time to be a devoted husband and father of three, an avid golfer, and a beer connoisseur.   

He's also a passionate cook, although he admits his skills in the kitchen are a work in progress. Chris believes in living life to the fullest, which means cherishing his relationships with family, friends, and the wider community.   

His humility and drive to succeed are an inspiration, and his story is a testament to the power of hard work, dedication, and ambition. We're thrilled to have him on the show and wish him all the luck in the world!  

Apr 27, 202343:29
Episode 60 Motivated Finn Crane, hear how he will Achieve His Dreams!

Episode 60 Motivated Finn Crane, hear how he will Achieve His Dreams!

Podcast host Michael Crane is so proud to have on the show someone who is demonstrating the importance of starting young to achieve success his son, Finn!  

Finn has been developing himself, learning from his mistakes, and becoming aware of his surroundings at a young age, and it has been inspiring to watch him grow and make progress each day.  

As a successful young entrepreneur, Finn will be sharing share some of his thoughts about how he has stayed motivated and his plight to strive for success. 

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO STAY MOTIVATED? 

Keeping the momentum going is important, like in everything you do, no one wants the same thing over and over again. To keep your customers interested, you need to find new ways to switch up what you’re doing.  

To make it more profitable, he has done research and looked at ways to make the processes more efficient, so he can get more profit and for customers to be able to purchase from him. For example, he will be speaking about print-on-demand services for custom clothing, as he looks to expand his portfolio to include t-shirts and other gear like boxing pads.  

WHY HAVE YOU NOT GIVEN UP? 

The strength within you lies in your resilience and determination to persevere.  

Why have you not given up? Finn says, “The answer lies in the results you’ve seen and the progress you’ve made. it is like a staircase, with some steps larger than others. Every 10 steps, you get a glimpse of what you are working towards. Seeing people with similar goals as yours achieving success, or getting the money back after selling them, has kept you motivated. It is this motivation that will drive you to success”. 

YOU NEED TO BE A MASTER OF SO MANY SPECIALITIES IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL. 

Finn says he needs to be a master of many specialities, but out of the subjects he is studying at school, the one he most enjoys is marketing. It allows him to use the information he must create, something creative.  

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE CASH TO BUY THE PRODUCT DIRECTLY? 

He says, If you’re looking to save and grow your money, you’re in luck.  

He has started to save roughly 60% of what he earns and split the amount equally into two separate accounts – his personal bank account and a business account. The thought behind his thinking is to have money in his business account that will finance future products that will be added to his portfolio and build up his cash in hand to allow him to self-financing his venture while he is still young. 

TO RECAP

As Finn embarks on his journey to build his empire, he understands that success is not an overnight phenomenon.  

To achieve his goals, Finn knows that he needs to remain focused on the things that matter and align his efforts towards them. It’s important to address the question of why he hasn’t given up, as many individuals tend to lose sight of their dreams too soon. By tackling this issue head-on, Finn can stay motivated and continue to strive for success. 

We also discussed the significant role of skill development in achieving success. No one possesses all the answers, and it’s crucial to gather new information and learn from peers and people in his network. Finn can benefit from the wisdom and knowledge of his teachers at school, which can help him achieve his business goals and overall outlook on life. 

Apr 13, 202329:26
Episode 59 Business Productivity, Processes and Reducing Risks

Episode 59 Business Productivity, Processes and Reducing Risks

Business Productivity, Processes and reducing Risks can determine if you will be successful in business.  Learn from Gareth on how to use processes to create success in your business. Hear how TeamEasyCrane minimises risk and costly mistakes while increasing business productivity.  

Find out what processes you need to be in place to ensure the sustainability and success of your business and the importance of having the right people in the right positions. Don't miss this valuable opportunity to get the inside scoop on starting a business from an experienced entrepreneur. 

Gareth says starting a business is no easy feat. It takes a lot of planning and hard work to ensure its sustainability and success. But it's not just about the processes — it's about the people, too. Without the right team in place, a business can quickly become bogged down in costly mistakes and risks. 

Today, we have Gareth on the show, sharing his experience with us about the processes in place at TeamEasyCrane that help to minimise risk and costly mistakes and increase business productivity.  

Gareth will share how having a guide and a set of processes can help any business keep on the right track and avoid costly mistakes.  Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Gareth and learn how to use techniques to create magic in your business. 

The working day can be hectic, and it can be hard to stay focused and on track. With all the contingencies in place, it can be hard to stay motivated and stay on track. This is where the process and contingencies that you have handed to us as a TeamEasyCrane come in. It's like an instant reset button for your mind.  

No longer do you have to worry about creating the process or getting sidetracked. With the process and contingencies, TEC provides, you can instantly reset and refocus on your roadmap to success. It's like a mantra that gets into your mind and keeps you on track. 

Even when things don't go your way, you can count on TeamEasyCrane to help you stay on track and achieve your goals. 

Gareth says, absolutely! It's been a worthwhile investment to join forces with someone who has already gone through trial and error and perfected the system. That way, you benefit from their hard-earned knowledge and expertise, and you don't have to go through the gruelling process of starting everything from scratch. 

It's like getting a head start on a business without the financial burden of a full-fledged franchise. What's more, you can rest assured that these processes are tried and tested - so you know you're getting the best out of them. Do you think that this was the best move for y


Mar 21, 202327:25
Episode 58 - Positive Attitude, what does this mean to you?

Episode 58 - Positive Attitude, what does this mean to you?

A Positive Attitude is an essential part of personal growth and success. Find out what attitude means to Ryan and how to develop a positive outlook in life. Learn how to make a conscious effort to develop a strong and positive attitude that can help you reach your goals and live a more fulfilling life. 

Ryan has an impressive list of achievements and a successful career in financial services, sales, leadership, and lean manufacturing that have earned him the respect and admiration of his peers.  

But he was not content with that, he wanted to do more. 

Dedicating himself to helping others achieve their full potential, Ryan shares his deep well of experiences to illustrate key leadership and performance concepts that are easy to understand and apply to the lives of others.  

Through his passion and dedication to helping others become the best version of themselves, Ryan has been able to create remarkable transformations in the lives of those he works with.  

Mar 14, 202335:22
Episode 57 The Benefits of Self-Care and Mindful Living

Episode 57 The Benefits of Self-Care and Mindful Living

The Benefits of Self-Care and Mindful Living

Taking time out of your busy life is essential for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It allows you to rest, recharge, and focus on the things that matter most to you.

Taking time out of your day-to-day life can help reduce stress, increase productivity, and give you the energy to take on the challenges ahead.

On today's podcast, we will be discussing why taking time out of your busy life is so important, as well as our upcoming trip to Gran Canaria and the perfect opportunity to step away from our laptops and recharge our mind, body and soul.

Tune in to find out why taking time out of your busy life is so important.

How do you know when the time is right to get away from stress?

If you start to feel overwhelmed or experience a feeling of unease, it may be time to take a break and get away from it. Good stress can give us energy and focus, but when we cross the line into bad stress it can lead to a feeling of unease.

This feeling can have a negative effect on our energy levels, sleep, and even our mood. It's important to recognize when you start to feel this way and find ways to cope with the negative emotions.

Take a break, find a healthy outlet, and make sure to take care of yourself. Doing these things can help you to regain your energy and balance in life.

The importance of listening to your body’s clues and taking action.

It's incredible to think that our bodies can give us the clues to make smart decisions when it comes to our health and wellbeing. By paying attention to these signs, we can take appropriate action before it's too late.

Take my own story – Simon started running the parkrun and felt niggles in his leg. He could have decided to ignore the signs, pushing myself too hard and risking injury, but instead he chose to listen to my body. he slowed down my pace and eventually the niggles faded, so he was able to continue his run.

When you can get away from it, it’s amazing how much more creative we become.

Our mind is the foundation of our physical health and state. When we escape our current environment and immerse ourselves in a new one, we become more creative and innovative.

For example, when we go to Gran Canaria, Simon is able to think more positively and constructively without becoming overwhelmed by challenges or problems.

You dream more and get great ideas that seem to come out of nowhere. When he’s away on holiday, his dreams become more vivid and is able to think of solutions and opportunities that he wouldn't have otherwise considered.

How often do you think it’s important to get away from the office?

Most companies and their employees tend to get four to five weeks of holiday each year. But in today's busy world, that is the bare minimum. We should be aiming to take all four weeks off and go away, if possible.

We understand that with the increasing cost of living, this may not always be feasible. However, it is important to make a conscious effort to take all of our allotted time off and enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

Recap: Take Time Out of Your Busy Life

When life starts to feel overwhelming and you start to experience that feeling of unease, it may be time to take a step back and get away from it all. We understand the importance of self-care and mindful living, and taking time out of your busy life to focus on your mental wellbeing.

Stress can be a double-edged sword; while it can give you focus and energy, when it crosses over into bad stress, it can lead to a lack of energy, difficulty sleeping, and even a negative mindset. Taking a break from your everyday routine and taking the time to focus on your own wellbeing can help you to feel more balanced and in control.

Mar 07, 202330:08
Episode 56 Abandoned at Birth and Now Earning a 6 Figure Income – Hear the Inspiring Story on the Podcast!

Episode 56 Abandoned at Birth and Now Earning a 6 Figure Income – Hear the Inspiring Story on the Podcast!

Abandoned at Birth and Now Earning a 6 Figure Income, Railey‘s story will inspire you to believe anything is possible. Even when you’re abandoned at birth and feel like your life is over. Through hard work and resilience, she has turned her life around and now enjoys a  six-figure income and the ultimate work-life balance.

She’s able to live in a place she loves and can do her work from anywhere in the world, with the warmest weather. But that’s not all –  with the perfect husband by her side, she can experience the ultimate luxury. Sounds like a dream come true! Let’s hear from Railey herself to learn how she made this reality. Welcome to the show!

My father abandoned me when I was a baby

What do you remember about your experience of being abandoned at birth?

She doesn’t remember anything about being abandoned at birth but realized it when she turned 30 years old.

Her father was living with her mother when she was born, and when she brought Railey home from the hospital, he told her to leave. He had already had another woman in the house, and her mother had nowhere to go.

Her older brother and sister created a tent in the backyard to ensure her family were safe. She cannot imagine what her mother went through,  but she never told Railey about it until she was older.

As a child, all she knew was that her father wasn’t there—but she always held on to the story that he wanted and loved her, but he couldn’t find her. It’s amazing how the innocence of a child’s mind can be so powerful.

The freedom to have the choices to do what you want and live your ideal life

Railey came into coaching later than most. Many start right after high school or college but only begin their business two years ago. Her finance background and the 10 years spent teaching entrepreneurship and  Spanish gave her a strong foundation.

The most important thing for Railey is serving others and providing insight to minimize their suffering. Having a business where she works for herself is a dream.

Freedom is incredibly important to her!

As a child, she felt trapped in so many ways, but now she has the freedom to create the life she wants. With the support of her amazing and loving Italian husband, they have co-created this life together. It doesn’t mean that it’s problem-free, but by using self-awareness and self-management, they are able to manage their problems in ways that propel them closer to their dream.

This journey has been an immense blessing for Railey, and she is grateful for it. Although she experienced a difficult childhood and didn’t wish it on anyone, she is also thankful for it as it has helped her to transform and share her story so that others don’t have to.

More on Railey's

Discover the inspiring story of Railey Molinario and her journey of self-love and empowerment.

Visit her website to find out more and follow her story.

Plus, don't forget to check out her amazing FREE resources: the Ultimate Guide To A Thriving Relationship and the Relationships Without Fighting Masterclass. With Railey's help, you can take the first step towards transforming your life and discovering your true potential!

Did you know one out of every two women struggles with self-doubt more than self-love? Are you ready to make a meaningful change in your life? Now is the time to break the cycle of self-doubt and start building self-love and confidence - one step at a time.

Feb 28, 202333:27
Episode 55 Revolutionising the Market: How Second-hand Phones Can Create a Sustainable Business and Protect Our Planet

Episode 55 Revolutionising the Market: How Second-hand Phones Can Create a Sustainable Business and Protect Our Planet

Growing up in a busy household in Northern Ireland, her mum and dad worked hard to provide for her family. Even though it meant they had to work long hours and do extra jobs on farms, they still managed to get by without the latest gadgets like laptops, gaming consoles, and phones.

How Lisa became more aware of the need to make ends meet. She learned the need to make ends meet while studying at school. She was always one of the most studious students in the family home and was determined to attend university. she realized that typing up essays and coursework was a requirement, and she didn't have a laptop.

How did you get started in entrepreneurship? Once she made it to Queen's University Belfast, she was exposed to entrepreneurship possibilities. This opened her eyes to technology, which she had been previously excluded from due to a lack of finances.

She was incredibly fortunate to have her first job at OCO Global, a firm that works with entrepreneurs in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It was a fantastic opportunity to gain first-hand exposure to entrepreneurs growing and expanding their businesses in the UK.

What is the Green Ally Award, and why should you win it?  The Green Alley Award is one of Europe's most prestigious circular economy startup competitions. In 2014, Landbell Group initiated the Green Alley Award, one of Europe's most prominent electronic recyclers.  It recognizes innovators providing pragmatic, simple solutions to stimulate the circular economy. If we were to win this award, VOTE NOW. It would mean a great deal to her regarding exposure and credibility.

With your vote, you can make sure she has the best chance of success at the award ceremony in Berlin; in front of hundreds of people, she could proudly share her vision of boosting the circular economy, particularly for products such as electronics and electrical.

Revolutionising the Market, The Green Alley Award is a highly sought-after accolade that Lisa Stafford would love to win for her business. With Tazaar, Lisa has created a platform that boosts the circular economy for consumer electronic and electrical products. From the point of purchase to the end of life, Tazaar captures and authenticates condition, service, and ownership history securely and reliably.

Feb 14, 202327:11
Episode 54 Achieve Visionary Success: Unlock Your Potential as a Business Owner or Entrepreneur

Episode 54 Achieve Visionary Success: Unlock Your Potential as a Business Owner or Entrepreneur

Achieve Visionary Success. We're discussing the power of visionary goal setting and how to line your vision with your goals. Whether it's a personal goal, a business goal, or achieving the body of your dreams, we want to focus on the feeling of accomplishment when those goals are achieved. We'll use the example of finding the perfect home – what would it look like, and how would you feel when you walk through the door for the first time?

For business owners and entrepreneurs, the feeling of success when you reach your goals can be truly empowering. So, let's take a look today at what happens when you set a vision and reach for it.

Join us as we explore the power of goal setting and how to make sure your vision translates into reality.

What’s the definition of a clear vision?

There’s an old saying, “without vision, people are lost.” It is a powerful reminder of why we should set goals and objectives for ourselves - by having a clear vision of what we want our lives to look like. We can set achievable and measurable goals to help us get there.

Having a clear vision of where we want to be is the first step in the journey towards success. Having a clear idea of the end goal is essential, whether it’s our personal life, our businesses, or a particular project or expedition. Once we have a vision and a destination, we can set objectives and milestones to help us get there.

What is the difference between goal setting and vision?

The power of goal-setting and vision can be mighty, especially when achieving our goals and dreams. While it's essential to have specific goals, it's also important to have a bigger vision that can help us stay motivated and inspired as we work towards our goals.

Don’t be afraid to fail with your vision

Having a clear vision and taking action to reach that vision is an exhilarating experience. There are times when the journey may be bumpy, and it may not be easy to stay focused. But having a big dream and a clear vision can be incredibly motivating and inspiring.

The French team were indeed gutted after their loss at the World Cup. But having a big vision and aiming for the stars is still a success, even if you only hit the moon. It's important to understand that, no matter what, you should never be afraid to fail or to aim high.

The importance of bringing your vision to life regularly

For the past five years, Simon has held tight to a vision of the future planted in his heart and mind. He remembers cutting out a picture of a cruise ship and sticking it on his vision board at the time and have forgotten about it until he discovered it again in the loft a couple of months ago. What's amazing is that most of the dreams and goals he'd set out to achieve in those five years were accomplished in that period without him even realizing it. This experience speaks highly of the power of our subconscious minds and the ability to manifest positive thinking into reality.

Have you ever been to a place where you’ve achieved your vision?

It's been many years since Michael was in school, but h can still remember my passion for learning to fly. He had a vision of himself soaring in the sky and was determined to make it a reality. At 18, he started taking flying lessons, and, despite not being the sharpest student in the class, he achieved his private pilot's license.

Jan 31, 202337:24
Episode 53 Unlock the Secrets to Finding Clients - A Comprehensive Guide to Success

Episode 53 Unlock the Secrets to Finding Clients - A Comprehensive Guide to Success

Unlock the Secrets to Finding Clients -  A Comprehensive Guide to Success! - A Practical Guide Entrepreneurs, if you've been looking for inspiration, then look no further! You won't want to miss this podcast featuring Gareth, a new Teameasycrane distributor. He will share his experiences from his first month as a distributor and explain how the TEC team provided him with a quick start guide and the resources he needed to build his pipeline and gain sales.

Tune in to hear his inspiring journey in business and gain valuable insights. Unlock the Secrets to Finding Clients!

What was the most important thing from the start?

Unlocking the Secrets to Finding Clients A Comprehensive Guide to Success, For Gareth, the most important thing was just to start.

He decided to go with a tried and tested business; the team at TEC provides a quick start guide, and sales support, making it easier for entrepreneurs to get their businesses off the ground.

You’ll have access to all the processes and methods you need to get your business up and running. You won’t be left in the dark - you’ll be able to start quickly and confidently.

How often should you send emails to prospects?

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for how often you should send marketing materials to potential clients, but the key is to make sure the material you send is relevant, interesting and hits a topic of interest.

With email, you can tailor the content to fit each recipient’s needs, interests and expectations, making it even more effective. You can also track the success of your campaigns and learn from the data what works and what doesn’t. This allows you to adjust your strategy on the fly so you can reach your prospects in the most effective way possible.

How has the postal strike affected your marketing strategy?

The success of any business hinges on effective marketing.  

As an entrepreneur, it's essential to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, and the recent postal strikes in the UK have been no exception. We understand the need for effective and reliable marketing strategies, and we have recently seen first-hand the effects of postal strikes on business.

It's all about making your office productive

We all know that the start of a new year is the perfect time to get back on track and back to work. This is especially true when it comes to staying productive and truly reaching our objectives. The types of products I’ve been earmarking to promote have been aligned with the importance of being organised and staying motivated, and that’s why we’ve created a range of motivational products that can help to kickstart the new year. 

To Recap - Unlock the Secrets to Finding Clients

When I was first considering taking the plunge into entrepreneurship, I was so daunted. It felt like I was being invited to a party where I knew one person and no one else. All of the apprehensions, nervousness, and doubts raced through my mind: Will I look the part? Will I sound the part? Will I write the part?  But very quickly after I started, with the warm welcome from the entire TEC team, I felt at ease and ready to go. After years of experience in the industry I knew I could do it.

With advice from Teameasycrane, you can have the confidence to start your business and take the journey easily.  We hope you liked our Unlock the Secrets to Finding Clients -  A Comprehensive Guide to Success! Podcast Show


Jan 24, 202327:06
Episode 52 Learn the Secrets of Entrepreneurship with Finn's Journey!

Episode 52 Learn the Secrets of Entrepreneurship with Finn's Journey!

Learn the Secrets of Entrepreneurship with Finn's Journey, an aspiring entrepreneur, as he goes on his journey to source his first product. Learn how to make your mark in the world with Finn's journey and gain valuable insight to help you on your own entrepreneurial journey.

After months of hard work and dedication, Finn has finally launched his first product to the world.

Why did you decide to build your first product?

At michaelcrane.live, we’re all about helping entrepreneurs reach their dreams, so when we heard about Finn’s journey, we had to share it. Finn is an inspiring entrepreneur who has built a product from the ground up, and it all started when he discovered a gap in the market at the Muay Thai training gym he attended.

How did you find your supplier in the UK?

His goal was to identify the best suppliers and figure out who could provide the highest quality products and services.

After a few phone calls and emails, he had gathered a shortlist of four potential suppliers. he understands the importance of selecting a reliable and trustworthy supplier, especially when language barriers exist.

What type of person will be buying my product?

Understanding your market is key to success, we understand this, and that's why we decided to start our journey with a product that was sure to please our target customer.

At the gym where we train, we noticed a lack of branded quality Muay Thai shorts. Everyone was wearing the same basic style, and there wasn't a brand associated with the gym. We knew we could do better.

So, we decided to make our first product: branded Muay Thai shorts. We focused on what our ideal customer wanted. We wanted to create something that was stylish, comfortable, and durable. We wanted to create something that was perfect for Muay Thai training and for in the ring at amateur bouts.

What’s the plan for 2023?

I understand that becoming successful takes a lot of hard work and dedication.

The first step to reaching success is to stay focused and dedicated to your studies. You should always prioritize your education and learning. Whether you’re in school or not, make sure to take the initiative and invest in yourself.

The second step to success is to read various books on business. From business guides to autobiographies, there’s something for everyone. Reading about successful entrepreneurs will give you the insight and motivation to reach your own goals.

Finally, you should learn to invest in the stock market. Investing can be a great way to make your money work for you, so you don’t have to be stuck in a 9 to 5 job for the rest of your life.

A good place to start is to read up on investing, speak to financial advisors, and open a brokerage account.

Recap

Finn's journey is a great example of the hard work and dedication it takes to become an entrepreneur. It shows that with some research and perseverance, one can achieve success in their field.

Following Finn's journey is a great way to gain insights into the world of entrepreneurship and can be a great source of inspiration. Whether you're just starting out or have been in business for some time, Finn's journey can help you on your own entrepreneurial journey.

At michaelcrane.live, we're proud to support entrepreneurs like Finn and are committed to helping more people make their dreams of owning a business come true.

Today’s podcast show has been sponsored by www.teameasycrane.co.uk, we help you build a business and generate recurring profits.

Jan 17, 202321:27
Episode 51 Business Decisions

Episode 51 Business Decisions

On today's M&S Podcast show, we are speaking about decisions. Decisions can be from a business perspective or a personal reflection. Every day, we make decisions, good or bad or damn right ugly. At first glance, it may seem like an easy topic for a podcast episode, but it's the driving force behind all that we do. You know it's true - the decisions you make and the paths you choose can profoundly impact your future. So take the time to explore this concept more deeply - you never know what you might discover.

8 Step decision-making process

  1. Lessons from before
  2. Reflection
  3. Does the outcome move me forward
  4. Seek wise Council before
  5. Make the decision
  6. Take action to implement
  7. Review
  8. Champion the success or learn from the lessons

What did we learn from the mistake of a previous decision?

It is all too easy to make a great decision, and the outcome is exactly what was wanted; however, it only sometimes works out in the way we intended, and sometimes the decision is disastrous. If you have made many terrible decisions in business, let me tell you, you are definitely not alone. One way we learn from our mistakes is by deciding after the event what worked, because more times than not, a poor decision was not all bad; there would be some of the events that were all right, but the end result was not the intended success.

How do we learn for next time?

One of the best ways to learn from a previous poor decision is to make notes and decide what didn't work before, so you can do less and, on the other, what did work and do more. We are often away in the moment of triumph or defeat and forget the good and the bad when a similar event comes our way next time.

It's essential to take the time to reflect and think about your overall outcome. It's vital to be conscious and analyse yourself at the moment. Sitting on your hands and taking the time to consider the consequences of your decisions is invaluable. Taking this time to evaluate yourself and your choices is an essential step in ensuring you reach your desired outcome.

Michael Crane Live - Episode 51 - Business Decisions


Dec 20, 202230:50
Episode 50 Are Entrepreneurs Born or Bred?

Episode 50 Are Entrepreneurs Born or Bred?

Are entrepreneurs born or bred? We have heard this saying many times about leaders. Are leaders born or bred is a more familiar statement to hear. Entrepreneurs fall into the same category of questions. In the United Kingdom, can you name an entrepreneur?

Yes, most people go to Sir Richard Branson or Sir Alan Sugar, leaders in their field, no doubt, in the United States of America, we sometimes hear many more people named as remarkable entrepreneurs. For example, the likes of Elon Mush, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

Without a doubt, our guest today, Gareth, states one of his all-time grand statements, “Don’t take advice from someone who you wouldn’t take criticism”.

And the second biggest lesson would be associated with time management, no matter how much money you have or how large or small your home is, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is how we use our time to be efficient and purposeful in what we are going to be doing in our career or otherwise.

Working hard is not always working smart and one thing Gareth would change is to choose a career with fewer hours and have the use of technology at his disposal to be time efficient. And therefore, allows him to enjoy life instead of working long hours like so many other business people in his network.

BEING THERE GROWING UP WITH HIS FAMILY

He was blessed to have the time to create memories that would last a lifetime. Now that his daughter has moved away from London, he wants to continue to be able to see her no matter where she should be. Thanks to the latest technology, he no longer has to spend all his time working long hours – it does the work for him so that he can spend more time with his family. With this confidence and assurance, he can now proudly look forward to many more years of making memories with the family.

He mentions he didn’t go into business to work 15 hrs a day. He went into business to work for a company that didn’t need him as much as it did in recent years. Therefore, giving him time to spend with family doing more important things.

HEALTH IMPACT WHEN WORKING IN THE BUSINESS AND NOT ON THE BUSINESS

Life is short, and we need to use our time wisely, ensuring we can meet our financial responsibilities without needing to head to the A&E department with anxiety or even worse. As a confident businessman, he believes there is more than one way to improve efficiency within a business.

A FRANCHISE-TYPE BUSINESS – ONE LARGE UPFRONT PAYMENT

A franchise typically is a type of business where you pay one large upfront payment. In return, you receive a set of processes and branding and so much more to implement and build your business efficiently in the shortest time possible. The key reason a franchise is a good bet versus a new start-up is that you get the tried and tested processes of the things you need to do that work straight out of the gate.

A DISTRIBUTOR-TYPE BUSINESS – A MONTHLY PAYMENT

A distributor-type business is not a franchise in that you pay one large upfront payment. This is the type of business whereby you get all the efficient processes associated with a company for a tiny monthly fee. This type of business offers a less risky opportunity than shelling out a large upfront payment.

There is usually no lengthy sign-in period, and you should get all the systems required to get up and started immediately to grow your business opportunity.

Michael Crane Live - Episode 50 - Are Entrepreneurs Born or Bred


Dec 13, 202221:53
Episode 49 Business Referrals

Episode 49 Business Referrals

On today's podcast, we're going to be talking about business referrals and why so many people don't ask for a referral when they've done a good job. A referral can be asked of a friend, a relative, or even a customer. If you have been doing a good job, why would a friend or relative NOT give you a glowing recommendation?

Both Michael and Simon think that referrals are the best type of new business acquisition you could ever dream of. Another way of asking for a referral is indirect, asking a client to give feedback on your service. If the feedback is strong, then it would bolster your chances of winning the referral.

They are passionate about business and go the extra mile when it comes to delivering great service.

Testimonials

When you're trying to sell a product or service, it's important to get testimonials from people who have used your product or service. Testimonials can help build trust with potential customers and show that your product or service is valuable.

However, once you have a testimonial, it's important to follow up with the person who gave it to you. This shows that you're interested in their experience and that you're grateful for their feedback.

One way to follow up with a testimonial-giver is to ask them if they know anyone else who could benefit from your product or service. This shows that you're interested in helping others, and it may also lead to new customers.

Referrals

So, once we have the testimonial, it makes complete sense to either ask for the referral. Or even better to ask something like this, “whom do you know in your network who would be able to use our services? I think you will be surprised at how many referrals you would receive.

Recommendations

Is a recommendation different to a referral and if not why not? Simon on the podcast speaks about the difference between a recommendation and a referral. He refers to a recommendation as a passive scattergun approach to gaining business. All too often he believes people are not afraid to ask for a recommendation but they are afraid to ask openly for a referral. Interesting perspective no doubt.

Reward and prizes

I know a lot of corporate clients do not allow gifts of any nature, especially if they have a non-bribery policy which is ever so more popular nowadays than it used to be. So, we need to be creative in how we reward clients and friends for passing a referral to transact business. One of the ways we can give a reward is by agreeing to donate to a charity either linked to the client or friend and therefore benefiting the well-being of your community and supporter network

Conclusion

Both Michael & Simon think all people in business or otherwise should have a clear strategy when it comes to going to your network of family, friends and clients for an opportunity to work with the people they know. In starting any business this is one of your first ports of call to establish the needs and requirements of your nearest network.



Nov 30, 202239:07
Episode 48 Building a Business

Episode 48 Building a Business

Building a Business: In today's episode - Michael talks with the young entrepreneurs as they research and explore ideas and thoughts about what they want to start selling as they build their businesses.

The One to a Million project is back after a couple of months with the news: meet Alfie Young the new member of the team.

For those unfamiliar with the project, "One to a million" aims to guide and support young entrepreneurs in their early journey as they build a business from the bottom to a million by the age of 20.

The big why

In this first part of the episode, Alfie & Finn talk about their big "why" and what makes them want to try their hand at a business venture. According to Alfie, the main reason is making money, but he also wants to have a job that he enjoys and is passionate about.

The conversation moves swiftly on to the subject of success and for him living life to its fullest surrounded by the people he enjoys spending time with and doing the things he likes would be the definition of success.

Michael asks the young entrepreneurs where they get these images associated with successful people, and both boys agree that social media is a place where you can get this kind of motivation due to all those images where people are living really luxurious lives and enjoying themselves.

Building a Business

In the second part of the episode, the young entrepreneurs share with us their views on business and talk about the sort of business they are thinking about starting. They both agree they don't want to work average jobs or 50 hours a week; they don't want to follow the crowd. They want to put the effort in to be unique.

For now, as both entrepreneurs are still at school, the business they should start should not be interfering with their schoolwork, so Finn believes drop shipping is a good option due to the effectiveness of its cost.

In this business, the seller accepts customer orders but does not keep goods sold in stock. Instead, it transfers the orders and their shipment details to either the manufacturer, a wholesaler, another retailer, or a fulfilment house, which then ships the goods directly to the customer. As such, the retailer is responsible for marketing and selling a product but has little or no control over product quality, storage, inventory management, or shipping. This eliminates the costs of maintaining a warehouse. As in any other form of retail, the seller makes their profit on the difference between an item's wholesale and retail price, less any pertinent selling, merchant, or shipping fees accruing to them.

Support Network

When asked if they think it’s hard to make their first business Finn’s answer was simple. Whatever you do for the first time will be difficult but having a support network around you will help you overcome the challenges in your business journey.

And that's why "One to a Million" is a good program for young adults who might not have any experience with business because the show is a support network to help them do business if they want to do business.

Feb 26, 202229:17
Episode 47 Lessons from history

Episode 47 Lessons from history

In this month’s show, Michael and Simon are talking about the lessons we can take from history and the opportunities that we face today. Why is learning about history so important?

History gives us a very clear picture of how the various aspects of society — such as technology, governmental systems, and even society as a whole — worked in the past so we understand how it came to work the way it is now.

WHY IS LEARNING ABOUT HISTORY SO IMPORTANT TODAY?

They begin by talking about the opportunities that we face today and what we can learn if we look back into history. Michael mentions the Spanish flu outbreak, how many people died during this time and what happened 10 years later. He then asks Simon why is learning about history so important to which his friend replies that the start point is to see if we can learn from history; if we can learn from history, it might help us to have that hindsight to make better decisions.

CAN WE LEARN ANYTHING FROM 100 YEARS AGO, COMPARED TO TODAY?

For Michael, it seems that certain things are repeating themselves and the main question is how does this time help us reflect and learn the lessons that people 100 years ago were experiencing?
Based on events such as the First World War, The Spanish Flu and The Great Crash of 1929 Michael believes that this current episode is different. At that time we had less money in our pockets, the government were buying weapons or producing manufacturing weapons but now, the government have bailed out the population by offering furlough and grants and loans. So even though these events hold similarities, the wealth distribution is so much more different.

PUMPING CASH STIMULUS TO KEEP THE ECONOMY STABLE

For Simon, it’s a better way of doing it than before. Because before, if you didn’t do it, you cause this deflation, which causes mass unemployment, and all the complications, problems and all those horrible things that society faces through history. Whereas pouring stimulus into the economy, is like putting a pump into that blow-up bed, you’re pumping, and the bed is getting bigger and bigger. It causes inflation which, in Simon’s opinion, is better than deflation.

WHY LOOKING AT HISTORY CAN BE HELPFUL FOR BUSINESS OWNERS?

In Simon’s opinion business owners need to look ahead three to five years from now to start thinking about what might happen in the next years, run some scenarios (What’s the worst-case scenario for my business? What’s the best-case scenario?) sit down and spend some really good quality time and draw that classic SWOT analysis, looking at the strengths and weaknesses, the opportunities and the threats, and really hone in on that threats box to see where can they deal with those threats right now and turn those threats into potential opportunities. Because if they’re a threat for your business, there’ll be a threat, the same threat for your competitors.

Business owners and entrepreneurs need to be fit need to be sharp and make flexible decisions, ones that they know where it’s okay to do a U-turn if they think we might actually have got that wrong, or suddenly the economy swings or something changes.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It also comes down to knowing your business, your market, knowing your distributor distribution network and your manufacturers and working on that supply chain.
Start in business, stay in business and thrive in business. That would be a good statement – what do you guys think?

Feb 16, 202247:18
Episode 46 What Is A Sales Process And Why Is It Important

Episode 46 What Is A Sales Process And Why Is It Important

Sales process is a structured routine of actions that facilitate integration between sales and marketing and this will be the topic at today’s episode of the M&S monthly podcast show where Michael and Simon will be speaking about this process, what should it consist of and where should you be putting most of your energy.

THE STRUGGLES OF 2021

Michael starts the conversation by talking about the real struggles that we’ve had during 2021, how it’s been a challenging year and also mentions his suspicions of a possible 2022 flavoured with what we’ve had in 2021. Simon talks about how the pandemic is proving catastrophic for businesses, not only because of the illness that comes with it but also because of the lack of government foresight and knee jerk reactions.

The duo agrees on the topic and Michael mentions that you need to be nimble and flexible regarding business while Simon recommends SWOT analysis when things need to change overnight.

Regarding the lessons learned from the past year, Simon says that the main lesson for him is understanding that we can pivot our business if we’ve considered the different scenarios on which the business is trading and where the economy is going

SALES OPTIMIZATION

Sales process can provide amazing results and with the use of the correct tools can attract and convert new customers all at once.

Simon believes that acquiring and implementing the right systems to take away a lot of the manual work that he has to do, as also bringing in good people to his business are the things he will be doing differently this year. To make sure that we identify within our business, what are our strengths, not just the strength of the business, but our individual strengths as owners and employees. In his words “we cannot survive as a business without a really good, strong, robust sales process. And our sales process also has to be nimble and flexible. Because if we keep a rigid process when the world is ever-changing, then we’ll get stuck.”

In his opinion, the conversion lies in the speed of response, how quickly we’re able to communicate back with that client to really understand what they need. Focus on spending time with that prospect, asking the right questions, so that we’re able to provide the clients with the right solution, they are much more likely to convert with the speed of response, at the right solution.

HOW DO YOU LEVERAGE YOUR CLIENT TO SELL THEM MORE?

According to Simon, the key to it all is that the client is in a place where your service is being enhanced. And the most important thing is making sure that we’ve got a means of communicating with clients. Are we communicating regularly with our clients so that they know exactly what we do and how we’re doing it?

RETENTION

Regarding Sales Process, in Michael’s opinion, business does not put enough emphasis on this area because they’re either great at converting winning leads or they’re great at selling additional services but what do you do when the people fall out of the funnel at the bottom. And it’s the most expensive acquisition you will do to win a client. And they are the most cost-effective practice to keep them on board by doing the simple things that probably we’re already doing, we’re just not putting enough focus on the areas of the business that need the most attention.

TO RECAP

Michael and Simon recommend you look into your sales process, do your SWOT analysis and turn yourselves into efficient profit. Remember: focus on the companies that are working with you rather than against you.

Jan 13, 202248:16
Episode 45 Harlequins Rugby Club - Life after Sport

Episode 45 Harlequins Rugby Club - Life after Sport

Harlequins Rugby Club, the analogies between sport and business are commonplace. We talk about being at the top of our game, we toss ballpark figures around, we put the ball in someone else’s court. We have teams and coaches.

In this podcast episode, Michael’s guest is someone who was a professional sportsman and has now transitioned into the world of business and finance. He may not use all the analogies, but he does talk about the lessons learned and how he now applies them to his new career.

Toby Freeman was a professional rugby player, who ended his career at a high point – playing for the Harlequins.

Second career

Unlike many professionals who expect their career to last their entire working life, sportspeople know that they will retire at a relatively early age. Toby had already begun to think about what direction he might go in a couple of years before making the move. He and Michael talked about the process he went through. There were some clear phases he went through from not wanting to think about retirement, to realizing he needed a plan but not knowing what that was, to having a plan and taking action.

Pursuing goals

Some people have a clear dream of their ideal life from an early age and pursue it. Others develop their dreams more gradually, or maybe even accidentally. But once you know what you want to do, the direction you want to go in, you need determination and persistence to achieve it. As Toby says, “If you’re stubborn enough, for long enough” then you can achieve a lot. For him, that meant a place in the Harlequins, playing top-level rugby.

Now he’s applying a similar ethos to developing his second career. He knows it won’t all be easy or plain sailing, but his experience of putting in the work in sport is standing him in good stead now that he has turned his talents to financial planning.

Lessons about leadership

The success or failure of leadership is very clear in sports. It can be measured in goals scored, records beaten, championships won or lost. Toby talks about the lessons he learned as a younger player, watching more established players, watching the coaches, seeing what worked and what didn’t. Now he coaches in his spare time and he’s able to apply these lessons practically on the rugby pitch. But how do they relate to business in general and his work in particular? Listen in to hear more about how he applies important lessons from his past to help him with his current role.

Financial education for entrepreneurs

Michael shares with Toby some of his own experiences about financial education, and they talk about the importance of taking ownership of your own financial future. Toby is clear that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for his clients. He is always keen to listen to them talk, not just about their current situation, but about their hopes and dreams for the future. Each person is unique, and their financial plan must work for them. This means being educated about possibilities and options, not just buying a product that may or may not achieve the outcome they want. Some people may, for example, be best served by amalgamating all their pensions into one pot. Other people may benefit more from a different plan.

Whatever the situation, nothing will happen without a plan. Just as you may plan your marketing campaign or your supply chain for your business, you need to plan your personal financial future.

Nov 23, 202145:02
Episode 44 How To Become a Millionaire

Episode 44 How To Become a Millionaire

Who wants to be a millionaire?

This episode of the one-to-a-million podcast is very different to what has gone before. For a change Michael Crane, the podcast host, finds himself in the guest seat, being interviewed about his own business experience, and the reasons behind the show.

What's the first step to becoming a millionaire?

This question reflects the origins of the show, and Michael shares his insights on making money. While having a successful business is a major step in the process, there are some savvy ways to make your money work harder, grow faster, and give you an enviable lifestyle quicker. Michael talks from his own experience—early mistakes, lessons learnt, and his current successful approach. He shares it all, providing useful insight to anyone who has their eyes fixed on that goal.

Is it possible to become a millionaire from your bedroom?

When asked about the right and wrong way to start a business, Michael’s answer was simple. The only wrong way is to not get started. His own experience was to start from his bedroom. Short of space and short of money to invest in a rented office, he had no choice. He talks about some of the lessons he learnt, and how young entrepreneurs can benefit, not just from his example, but also from his experience of how to do things differently. He knows that if he started the same business from scratch now, he’d be more successful in a lot less time.

Do you need a six-figure income to be a millionaire?

Michael has a strong belief that anyone has the potential to be a millionaire, if they have the right attitude and the right tools. While he can’t do anything about your attitude, he is here to help you with the tools. He talks about money management, about how to make your money work for you, and not the other way around. He talks about the power of money to make money, and how to get started down that track, even if you think you’re not yet in a position to do so. Listen in to find out more about his methods and how you can apply them yourself.

One To a Million Project - The Young Entrepreneurs

The one to a million project was conceived to help young, aspiring millionaires to get started in business, and equip themselves with the knowledge and tools to make their first million. The idea was to take them from zero, not even a business, and help them from the ground up. From coming up with business ideas, through all the stages of creating and building a business, to compounding their income and reaching that magical six zeros.

As Michael explains, the project has evolved since the initial launch, and is currently in a revision phase. This means there is a fantastic opportunity for more people to get involved. If you might be interested, listen to the show to find out more about who the project is for and how to be a part of it.

Is it possible to become a millionaire without going to college?

Michael talks a lot in show about gaining knowledge, about needing a business education. For people wo dislike formal education, it is tempting to think that leaving school at the earliest possible opportunity and setting up a business, such as running a market stall, is their best option. There are certainly some high-profile life stories to support such a decision. However, those people are not necessarily typical. Michael refers to research which shows that there is a consistent correlation between income level and educational level. So while starting a business at a young age, and learning everything possible about how to run it effectively is something he recommends, it shouldn’t be at the expense of other educational opportunities.

Check this out here

Nov 16, 202145:31
Episode 43 Latest Networking Insights

Episode 43 Latest Networking Insights

Latest Networking Insights

Michael and Simon have been recording the M & S show for a while now, and each episode brings powerful information and insights to the entrepreneurs who tune in. This month is slightly different. The episode was recorded, live, at an event, providing Michael and Simon’s unique blend of expertise and business wisdom not just to the podcast audience, but also to the entrepreneurs in the room at the King’s Summit in Kent, United Kingdom.

The King’s Summit

A summit is an annual event for business owners and entrepreneurs. This year it was back to being an in-person event. For many of the attendees, including Michael, it was the first in-person business conference they’ve been able to go to in more than eighteen months. This made it extra special.

The Power of Networking

Michael and Simon talk a lot in this episode about the support group you need to form around you when you are in business. And these groups can arise in different ways and serve different purposes. Whether it’s purely a networking group, with a primary purpose of helping members acquire more business, or a mastermind group, or what Simon refers to as a mentoring group. Different groups for different purposes. And Simon explains not only the benefits of having a group of some kind around you, but why that’s so important, and how to get the best from it.

Simon and Michael discuss the highs and lows of being in business on your own. What are the stumbling blocks? What are the low points that bring you to the point of giving up? What are the tools, tips, and reasons to motivate you to keep going?

They talk about one of their old adventures. How did they cope when the going got tough? What kept them—literally—climbing the mountain? How did they reward themselves at the top?

Through all of the discussion, one theme reoccurs. People. The people around us can lift us up or push us down. There are people in our lives who are our motivational force. There are people who are our role models, cheerleaders, teachers and mentors. Michael reveals how lonely he found the first few years. How much he wanted to have people he could learn from and share with.

This is a major underlying motivation for the michaelcrane.live podcast. The desire to reach back and be there for other entrepreneurs. To offer them the help he wishes he had. And of course, taking advantage of new technology makes it possible in a way that wasn’t available twenty years ago.

New networks

In business, as in any other endeavour, it is important to have the right people near you. And Simon share his thinking about some ways in which you can achieve that.

Right there, live in the room, new networks were being formed. Group leaders were being identified. People were being offered the opportunity to leave the conference with a new vision, new tools, and a new support group to help them implement. How powerful is that?

Summary

Do you want to know more about how to build your own support network? Do you want information, motivation, inspiration? Then check out this episode, and listen to Michael and Simon talk about the importance of building your own support network, the different types of groups and purposes, and how to get started. You’ll leave with ideas and energy, just as the audience at the King’s Summit did.

Nov 16, 202135:32
Episode 42 ADHD in Adults and Being a Content Writer

Episode 42 ADHD in Adults and Being a Content Writer

ADHD in Adults: Are you an entrepreneur? It’s a word we hear a lot, not least on this show. But it’s a word that can mean different things to different people.  Michael’s guest this week is Marge Brown, and among the other topics of conversation, she shares her definition of what makes someone an entrepreneur.

Marge and her husband, Bruce, work together on their business, now, but that wasn’t always the case. The story of how to combine successful business ownership with raising a family is not uncommon, but as a couple they found their own unique path which has taken a number of twists and turns.

FROM TEACHER TO ENTREPRENEUR AND BACK AGAIN

When they were first married they were both teachers. And that legacy has come through in the businesses that they are now running, but it is more like coming full circle rather than following a straight line. Along the way, they have learnt a lot about themselves and each other, about dealing with other people and about how to run a business.

They have gone from various forms of selling their time (and hard graft) for money to being more successful at that by defining a niche, to the point now where they are teaching other entrepreneurs how to create a business that works.

DECISIONS, REALISATIONS, AND LESSONS

Looking back along the journey she has taken, Marge is able to identify specific turning points for herself, and for them as a couple. She shares with our listeners the decisions that they took at each moment, and what the business or life lesson was that they learnt at that time.

One of the biggest moments was when Bruce realised that he suffers from ADHD. This was a transformation for them both and for their relationship. Although the diagnosis didn’t come until relatively late in life, Bruce had already created a successful career for himself as a freelance content writer, well known in his specific niches.

In fact, it was because of his work in one specific niche that he discovered his ADHD. Once the diagnosis had been confirmed, Marge and Bruce set to work to understand the condition, and how they could make changes that would improve their lives.

THE ENTREPRENEUR’S ANSWER TO A NEW SITUATION

In true entrepreneurial fashion, they didn’t sit back and wait for others to do the work for them. Now they are building a programme to help other ADHD in adults sufferers understand how to live a more comfortable and satisfying life.

This programme is just about to launch, and Marge was delighted to have the opportunity to explain to Michael how it will work. They have invested a lot of time, and their combined expertise and experience into creating something that will provide practical support and help to people of any age who have ADHD.

This is in addition to the already successful content writing programme they run, showing aspiring freelance writers exactly how to create a successful business. But Marge is not intending to rest on their joint laurels any time soon. And neither of them are currently making any retirement plans. Marge’s philosophy is that if you are passionate about what you do, why would you want to retire?

She has yet another programme in the making.  And although it isn’t yet ready for launch, she explains her ideas to Michael. She has her own vision, which is to support other people in following theirs.

https://mcrane.link/e42


Oct 19, 202135:37
Episode 41 Side hustle business – Formulating Success

Episode 41 Side hustle business – Formulating Success

Formulating success

Have you ever wondered how to take the raw ingredients of a business and mix up a delightful success? 

This week’s guest, Lorraine Dallmeier has some great ideas to share based on her own experience of building a small side hustle into a multi-million-pound business.

A kitchen table enterprise

As a botanist, Lorraine is a specialist in plants but her early career as an environmental consultant took her away from the green growing variety and increasingly into contact with plant in the form of heavy industrial equipment.

Whilst on maternity leave, she impulsively decided to create an app to show people how to make their own beauty products from fun natural ingredients. 

She outsourced the coding but provided all the content, as well as successfully creating a following on social media and her blog.

Her spontaneous brainwave proved very popular and from this small beginning she realised that there is a huge demand from people who want to create their own products, whether purely for fun or to be completely in control of the ingredients.

It was time to take the enterprise more seriously.

The science bit

Lorraine started studying the science of formulation. Although she knew a lot about plants, she didn’t know much about the beauty industry.

While we often think of beauty products in scientific terms, something created by people in white coats in sterile laboratories under controlled conditions, Lorraine wants us to think more in terms of cookery. 

We should be more confident about making our own products at home, just as we feel able to cook our own meals. We can even grow our own ingredients, just as we may grow our own vegetables.

Lorraine was ready to move forward, to challenge the accepted industry norms and empower individuals to go D-I-Y. She had a vision for the future of her business and its place in the world—an essential ingredient in the success of any entrepreneur.

Bringing more to the table

Like any business owner with a clear vision of the goal, Lorraine needed to find a way to make it happen. She was able to acquire the school she’d studied with, which at that time was very small. But like any plant in the hands of a botanist, she was ready to help it grow and flourish.

While the school still offers introductory courses to allow students to mix up their own face cream on their kitchen table, there is now much more on offer.  Like any other successful business, it has had to evolve to keep up with the demand of its clients (students). 

And now many graduates are creating their own successful businesses, reaping the rewards of the seeds Lorraine planted. The tuition provides them with everything they need to know to create, not just excellent, unique products, but an excellent and unique business.

Summary

Whether a business starts with mixing ingredients at a kitchen table, or in some other way, creating success requires persistence and perseverance, along with a clear mission to change something in the world.


Oct 05, 202141:47
Episode 40 Peer to Peer Networks and building Nets

Episode 40 Peer to Peer Networks and building Nets

Peer to Peer networks is the secret recipe to building a strong resilient business. And, this is the topic of our conversation on today’s M&S monthly podcast show.  This episode brings not only the usual mix of insights and practical tips but also news of an exciting business event that will be of interest to any entrepreneur.

The Lonely Road

Michael starts the conversation by talking about his early business life, and how hard he found it without the right kind of support and guidance, and the lack of a peer network he could turn to.

Simon brings the insights gained not just from years of providing support to businesses in a number of different roles, but his own experience of going through the process of starting out.

Since the last show,  they continue the journey of walking and talking. They are currently undertaking the Pilgrim’s Way—a walk from Southwark Cathedral – London to Canterbury Cathedral – Kent and have just completed stage three. In the podcast, they reflect not just on some of the conversations they’ve had along the way, but also on how valuable the process is. By making a  commitment to themselves and each other to get outside, into nature,  they are creating an opportunity to ground themselves, to get away from their desks and be able to get a new perspective on their businesses and to be able to give and receive support from each other.

Peer to Peer networks Support & Friendship

Peer to peer relationship(s) is very important to Michael. It is built on trust and the sense of being on the same wavelength with your friend, walking partner, business collaborator, you can call it a number of things. They take time to listen to each other, and they value the other’s skills, talents and insights.

On today’s show, Simon talks about the King’s summit, a business conference unlike any other. Simon is one of the founders of this event,  which is now in its fourth year. He shares the reasons behind the creation of this event and explains why it has been designed to be different.

There is a parallel between the way they connect and support each other, and the wider reach of the King’s Summit locally and nationally.

This year’s theme is about “Nets”,  and it’s partly about creating networks—attending an event where you will be able to really connect with other business owners and start looking at building your business in a stronger way.

Simon has a different perspective on the meaning of networking, so listen in and discover the insight he shares on his interpretation.

In addition to hearing some great speakers at the summit, at the event, Simon is keen to help people build their very own Peer-to-Peer  Network with others in the room.

If you feel this is what you may be missing in your business life,  this is a must-attend event on the 14th October 2021, to book your tickets Click Here.

Recap

If you want to know more about the benefits of, and how to find your own, peer network this is an episode that should be at the top of your listening list. 

Episode 40 Peer to Peer Networks and building Nets https://mcrane.link/e40

Sep 28, 202146:07
Episode 39 Putting your best foot foward

Episode 39 Putting your best foot foward

In today’s episode, Michael is in conversation with Sarah Gittins, an inspirational business owner who shares her journey to success and provides great insights for anyone wanting to create or grow their own business.

FIRST STEPS

Starting out in business, it’s easy to downplay what we do. We pigeon-hole ourselves, and focus on the job, rather than the business. In Sarah’s case, she’s a dance teacher and it took her a while to realise how much more there is to creating a successful business than just standing in front of a class and teaching. As her business grew, she continued to think in small terms of “just” being a dance teacher. Until she had a moment of revelation, which was all about mindset. We can “just” be a… whatever it is our business does. Or we can run a business that provides that product or service. So her first leap in changing her way of doing business was to change her thought pattern around what it was she did. This is one of the many insights and tips that Sarah shares with the audience.

MAKING PROGRESS

Gradually, over the next few years, Sarah learnt more and more about how to create and run a successful business. She understood how to build on strong foundations, and what would happen if they weren’t in place. She’s clear about what you need to put in place in order to have that strong foundation. Ideas that puzzled her in the early days, like marketing to an ideal client, became really obvious. This enabled her to build a successful dance school, that has multiple venues, hundreds of students, and employs other teachers.

NEXT STEPS

As her own business grew, and her knowledge and understanding of business practice grew alongside it, Sarah discovered she wanted to help other people in her niche. As with any business, though, a lot of what she has learnt, and the lessons she shares, can be applied more universally to any business. In the beginning, she wanted to give everything she learnt to others, even while she continued to learn, both through formal study and practical experience.

Now she’s more methodical, having reflected on the process. Sarah talks about the importance of having the right information at the right time, but not being overwhelmed by information overload, or constantly distracted by the next great idea. Just as she didn’t understand the concept of ideal client initially so trying to implement strategies that built on that idea would have failed, so any business owner who doesn’t have the basics, to begin with, will fail to effectively utilize more advanced strategies.

A STEP BACK

The pandemic hit so many businesses very hard. And businesses that are built on in-person interaction, such as dance classes, suffered. Alongside that, other parts of the arts industries were equally hard hit with the lack of live performance opportunities. Sarah managed to find her own way through these difficult times. But it also gave her an opportunity to take a step back and reevaluate what she does, how she does it, and what she’s going to do next.

Sarah talks freely about her own ups and downs, the challenge of juggling family and multiple businesses, and the learning she gained along the way. All of these lessons can benefit other business owners.

WORLD STAGE

These days Sarah’s dance school is still going and is still successful. But she also mentors other business owners in the creative arts and education industry – dance schools, theatre schools, music schools. Her reach is global as she shares her own learning and experience, helping other businesses to thrive. She is putting the final touches on a new programme that will launch very soon. Tune in to find out more about it.

Sep 21, 202147:34
Episode 38 Leadership in different settings

Episode 38 Leadership in different settings

In this episode, Michael is in conversation with King James, the pastor of Favour House Church. It may seem that he is an unusual choice of guest for a business podcast, but if you listen in you’ll find out why his message is relevant to leaders in all walks of life.

KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE

Whether you are running a business or leading a charitable or voluntary organization, leadership is still important, and there is much that can be learnt from one environment and transferred to another. Especially, during recent times, when passionate, empathic leaders have been desperately needed.

King James talks about his purpose. And in business, we all need a purpose. We need to know why we do what we do, in order to keep moving constantly in the right direction. King James’ purpose is very clear. He believes passionately in what he is doing, and the reason for it. This clarity of vision not only drives him but enables him to lead his congregation. They can get behind him and support him because they completely understand what he is striving for. Often in business, especially in the early years, we can get so bogged down in working IN our business, that we lose sight of our purpose. And that means it’s hard for our network to support us. Because we’re not communicating clearly with them.

He goes on to talk about how he uses all the tools and skills available to follow his purpose. King James believes passionately that it doesn’t matter if you start small if you start with nothing. If you have a vision and are prepared to work hard, you can achieve what you are called to do. In his case, unsurprisingly, he is called to spread the word of God. His calling is to grow the awareness and love of Jesus Christ. But that won’t happen by sitting back and wishing for it, any more than an entrepreneur can grow a business just by dreaming about it.

When asked about his leadership style, King James is very clear. He doesn’t put himself above others. He uses the style known as servant leadership, prepared to give his own time, his own skills and knowledge to not only grow his congregation but to care for them, to enable them to do their best work too. And this idea of enabling others to do their best work can be applied equally to running a commercial enterprise as it is to the voluntary sector.

FEEDBACK AND ADAPTABILITY

Another quality that he values is flexibility or adaptability. He talks about how important this is, especially in recent times when so much has needed to change to cope with the pandemic, but also in more general terms, too. Being able to think creatively, to approach old problems with new solutions is a hallmark of a successful leader, in any sphere of life.

Once more, King James illustrates how knowing your purpose, always working towards it, enables change. It enables you to find ways to achieve your mission in spite of obstacles that might occur. In the case of the church, it meant they had to find new ways to serve their community when in-person contact was no longer possible. He makes the point that organisations – whether businesses, churches or any other type – need to be able to adapt, or they risk becoming extinct. And that may not just be about changing the way the organisation works. It may require you to change something about your own way of working. He talks about the importance of being open to feedback—even things that could be seen as negative. If they’re true, and people are seeing this negative behaviour in you, then you can change your behaviour to become more effective in following your purpose. It’s not just about changing to please people, but really understanding what might be getting in your own way.


Sep 14, 202157:47
Episode 37 Simple Truths From The Pilgrim’s Way

Episode 37 Simple Truths From The Pilgrim’s Way

In this episode of the show, Michael and Simon are once more embarking on a long walk. Having completed the South Downs Way, they are now following the Pilgrims Way from Southwark to Canterbury. This is the trail immortalized in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales but was a well-used pilgrimage route before Chaucer and his companions made it famous.

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

This walk is very different to the previous one, and Simon and Michael reflect on the similarities and differences of walking these two well-known paths.  

The Pilgrims Way offers greater diversity in the environment they walkthrough. For one thing, there are more obvious signs of the history of the route, and of the country. Michael and Simon consider the impact of history on the present day, and how we can draw lessons from the past. They discuss what the route, and the experience of walking it, might have been like for those pilgrims centuries ago. The historical sites and green spaces are broken up by industrial parks, a clear change from that long-ago experience.

ROUTES AND MAPS

Another big difference is the need for a map. The South Downs way is clearly signposted throughout, and it would be almost impossible to get lost. But the Pilgrim’s Way isn’t clearly marked, so they needed to refer frequently to the map. This led, of course, to a comparison with business. Many business owners find themselves going off-track, and they may not have a clear map to refer to recover their direction. Simon shares some great insights and pointers for how business owners can create their own map, and how best to use it to their advantage.

Each time they veered off the path, they would realise, consult the map, and get themselves back to where they needed to be. But that is not the only lesson to be drawn from this. There is also the fact that they were walking this road together.

GROUPS AND GURUS

In the early days of setting up and running a business, entrepreneurs can feel lonely. They don’t know where to go for advice, or who to trust. They may turn to the so-called business gurus for help, but while many of them offer great information, they’re not all as good as each other, and it’s not always easy to tell them apart. Michael talks briefly of his own experience.

Simon is a great proponent of groups. Not just networking groups, but peer-to-peer support. He refers to a fantastic historical example that included some stars of the business world and then goes on to talk about how people can access this kind of support today. The benefit of a peer support group is that it grows into a tightly knit unit, where each member supports the others, cheers them on, celebrates their success, and offers practical support and advice to help solve problems. There are a number of opportunities available to get involved in this, or similar activities, sponsored by the government. Listen in to hear more details.

KINGS SUMMIT

Simon also talks about the King’s Summit, an annual business event that he runs. This year, they are back to meeting in person, and one of the outcomes planned for the event is that attendees can connect with like-minded business people, and leave with the beginnings of a peer-to-peer support group established. There is much more to the summit though, and to find out what’s on offer and how to access it, with a spectacular ticket price, listen in to the show. 

PILGRIM’S WAY – TO RECAP

Michael and Simon walk together and talk together. They discuss aspects of their own businesses and business in general. They share insights and tips that benefit any business owner, whether just starting out, or already well on their way to their destination.

Sep 07, 202139:48
Episode 36 Important Lessons for a profitable bottom-line

Episode 36 Important Lessons for a profitable bottom-line

Bottom-line profitability

In this episode, Finn and Michael talk about Finn’s latest thinking  and insights about the business he is planning. Despite being on  holiday, Finn’s business brain is still working hard, a situation most entrepreneurs can relate to. A  lot of the work that goes into a business, particularly in the early  stages, is mental. We dream, plan, and learn.

Playful learning

In Finn’s case, he has been combining work and play and looking to  see how he can learn some business lessons from the products and  services he uses himself. And the first of these is how he uses his PS4.  He talks about the attraction of subscription models for both consumers  and suppliers. He then continues on the topic of games and gaming, by  comparing the new and second-hand markets for games and accessories. He  is beginning to reflect on his own experiences and those of people he  knows. He’s starting to understand how companies spot the profit  potential in different markets, and what they need to do in terms of  advertising and building their reputations in order to create a viable, sustainable business.

Business Questions

Finn has a lot of consumer experience, and he is beginning to put  this to good use in thinking about his own business. He is asking  himself interesting questions, such as ‘What makes a good product?’ and  ‘How do companies promote their products?’ but also, maybe more  importantly, ‘What makes a good business?’ He’s becoming more aware of,  for example, the power of reviews. He explains how he, as a consumer,  will use reviews when he is considering a purchase and reflects on how  they can affect the business.

Beware of bargains

In recent weeks, Finn has begun experimenting with using some popular  well-known online sales portals to find out what works and where things  can go wrong. He has both bought and sold; he has looked into different  portals and their strengths and weaknesses, and he has both made a  profit and lost out to a scammer. He has learnt some valuable lessons  from his successes and reframed ‘failure’ into a different learning  experience.

He discusses the old saying, ‘If it’s too good to be true, it  probably is.’ While we all love a bargain, sometimes we need to evaluate  how much of a bargain it really is, and this ties in with his earlier  observations about reputation and the need to create repeat business and  referrals.

It has also raised his awareness of terms and conditions of sale,  purchase, delivery, guarantees and refunds. All important elements that  he will need to build into his own business model.

Market research

Finn has already begun thinking about how he can make sure his business will be successful from day one. An important part of any business venture is to be sure there will be a market for the product you want to sell. Finn turns this around and is finding out what people want to buy. Rather than designing a product and looking for the consumer, he is asking consumers what products they would like him to find for them.

He is also thinking ahead to how his business may develop in the future. He is aware that it can start small and grow, but that will need planning and direction. He already has some ideas as to how that could work.

Aug 31, 202125:49
Episode 35 Dealing with Crisis in the Spotilight

Episode 35 Dealing with Crisis in the Spotilight

Dealing with crisis

In today’s episode, Michael is in conversation with Ann Wright of Rough House Media who has an interesting personal business story, and great information for other business owners.

Starting off in media

Ann began her working life as a journalist on a regional paper. Even  at that early stage of her career, she chased down a big consumer story  that went national. A series of career moves took her to the BBC where  she ended up as a producer on some high-profile documentary and consumer  shows. She and her husband originally founded Rough House Media as a  side hustle, but after her son was born she took the decision to leave  the BBC and concentrate on the business.

It was a steep learning curve, as she grappled with all the  unaccustomed tasks that fall to every business owner. Not the least of her new challenges was sales. Although the business was already in  existence, their client base was small, and she had to expand it to make  the business viable. Early on, she discovered the power of saying “yes”  to opportunity and then working out the next steps.

Making the most of media opportunities

Since 2008 the business has gone from strength to strength, helping  their clients prepare for media appearances. During that time the  landscape has changed and developed significantly. Mainstream media is  still there and is hugely influential but alongside that, the rise in  social media has produced a different kind of impact. Posts can go viral  within hours or even minutes—and not always for good reasons. There is a  rise in podcast and YouTube channels, providing a fantastic array of  opportunities to spread the word about your business.

If you want your business to develop and grow, then it is important  to understand how you are perceived, whether that is on TV, on a  podcast, or on a social media live interview. If you are unaware of how  to present yourself and your information in the best way, then your  brand may suffer from audience perception that you are ill-prepared,  unprofessional or, even worse, a bit shady.

When things go wrong

Rough House provides training in all aspects of media, and one of the  most important elements of what they offer is preparing clients for how  to deal with a crisis. Since March 2020 we’ve all had more than our  fair share of crises, but even without a pandemic things sometimes go  wrong in business. Social media has the power to make a small faux pas  go viral in minutes. How would you cope if that happened to you?

With her background in the BBC Consumer’s Unit, Ann has seen time and  time again what can happen to a business when things go wrong. She saw  the hundreds of thousands of complaints that came into the unit from  people who felt they had been treated unfairly or ripped off. She and  her team investigated many of them.

Ann and her colleagues have a huge amount of combined experience in  the media, covering events of all kinds, both celebrations and  disasters. Who better to prepare you for the worst? Ann has some great  tips and advice for dealing with crises. Her top tip is not to wait  until it happens. Do you have any kind of risk assessment in your  business?


Aug 24, 202142:55
Episode 34 How to sell your business

Episode 34 How to sell your business

The Challenge Of Ethical Profit

There are a lot of buzzwords that bounce around in business, and companies are
increasingly jumping on descriptions like ethical, sustainable, and inclusive to position
themselves favourably. Today Michael’s Business Conversation is with someone whose
business truly had to walk the ethical walk, while still making a profit. His guest, Sarah
Hawke has a fascinating story to tell.

An unusual business and unique challenges

The business that Sarah ran, together with her partner, is an independent school and care
home for children, many of whom had multiple challenges and a history of trauma to deal
with. Sarah and her organisation view these young people as extremely resilient humans,
with a wealth of skills and talents available, if they are given the opportunity to shine. It’s an
unusual business and so it brought with it a unique set of hurdles.

The couple bought the business as a going concern and had to take on major financial
commitments to do so. This meant that right from the outset they had to ensure it was
profitable enough to keep going. They have faced questions and criticisms around making
a profit from such an enterprise, and accusations of profiting from vulnerable young people.
They have dealt with incomprehension regarding the unsustainability of an organisation that
doesn’t make a substantial enough level of profit to pay the staff, provide facilities that cater
for a range of needs, and reward the owners for their investment of time, money, and
expertise.

Partners in business and life

On top of these ethical questions, the couple faced the additional challenge of working
together. Many couples dream of running a business together, and Sarah has some words of
advice. While Sarah and her partner made a success of their venture, it wasn’t all plain
sailing, especially in the early days. She is very honest about decisions that would have
been different with the benefit of hindsight, particularly about how greater clarity was
required regarding their separate leadership roles.

Other challenges

In addition to the challenges mentioned above, this business runs 24 / 7 / 365. It’s a
residential home, providing a secure and stable environment for young people who have
already experienced more than their fair share of disruption in life. There is no opportunity to
switch off the lights and close the doors and go home for the weekend. While the majority of
the day-to-day work is delegated to members of staff, when the team are working the
leadership team have to be available to support them as needed.

In addition to the residents and the staff team, Sarah and her partner had two other groups
of stakeholders to satisfy: the parents or legal guardians of the young people, and the
commissioning authorities who were paying for the placements. There was also a very tight
regulatory framework to operate within because the young people in their care are very
vulnerable.

How to sell your business: Exit plan

Sarah and her partner learnt much from the experience of owning and running a business
together. They acquired the business as a going concern, being on the receiving end of the
previous owners’ exit plan. At the beginning of last year, they chose to sell the business as
an improved venture, benefitting from the same process. Sarah talks about the sale and
everything that is involved. It is maybe not quite as straightforward as people might imagine.

Aug 17, 202158:12
Episode 33 Debt Collector, Cash, Risk & Emabarrassment

Episode 33 Debt Collector, Cash, Risk & Emabarrassment

Cash, Risk and Embarrassment

Today Michael’s Business Conversation is with Clayton Coke of PRMS Ltd. And this conversation raises a number of topics of interest to all entrepreneurs but will be of particular interest to any business owner who is concerned about cash flow in their business. The saying “Cash is King” is not new, but it stays as relevant as ever.

Twenty years after the elevator pitch

Cash, Risk & Embarrassment when the Debt Collector comes knocking on your front door. Clayton and Michael first met twenty years ago in a lift where they literally exchanged elevator pitches, on their way to a networking event. They embody the concept that networking is not just about trying to find your next client today, it’s about forming business relationships regardless of immediate benefit, and maintaining those relationships over time

Risk and the entrepreneur mindset

Clayton’s expertise lies in debt recovery. And so naturally the conversation delved into the concept of risk. Risk-aversion is not a characteristic commonly associated with the entrepreneurial mindset. On the other hand, levels of risk are relative, and each person needs to decide what is realistic and comfortable for them. Clayton shares his views on the risks taken by different business owners. He and Michael talk about a number of well-known businesses such as Amazon, Airbnb and Karen Millen, comparing the very different kinds of risks incurred by their different business approaches, and how that has worked out long-term for them.

Cash flow

Cash is King, naturally, one of Clayton’s biggest concerns is about businesses taking care of their income. And he shares some tips with the listeners on how and when they should take action if their customers are not paying. He also makes a special offer to listeners of the show, so you need to tune in to find out what that is.

He stresses the importance of businesses getting paid for the goods or services they’ve delivered. He talks about the difficulty of managing this. And he compares the approaches typically used by British and American businesses, which are very different.

To Recap

Michael and Clayton talk about the effects of Covid-19 and Brexit. How will these major events impact the economy in the rest of this year and longer-term? Clayton shares his views on how these effects are already starting to be felt and may show up further down the line. The two businessmen agree that while there is still plenty of money in Britain, the way individual consumers are using their money is changing. And this will no doubt impact businesses. If people are anxious about their financial future, they can choose to live (and spend) wildly—as seen in the Roaring Twenties after the last great pandemic. Or it can go the other way, as in the Great Depression.

Social media links for PRMSLtd.co.uk can be found on their site.


Aug 10, 202143:34
Episode 32 Sales Tickets, Small Tickets and Managing Sales

Episode 32 Sales Tickets, Small Tickets and Managing Sales

In this month’s show, Michael and Simon are talking about the difference between small ticket items and big-ticket items. And the difference is far more than just price

Differences between companies, products, and sales

They begin by looking at whether there is a difference between SMEs and corporates in the value of the products and services they sell. And while it may be easy to conclude that small-ticket items tend to be found more among SMEs and big-ticket items are in the domain of the corporates, Simon and Michael demonstrate that that isn’t always the case. In fact, the opposite can be true.

Is there a right or wrong position on the scale?

Sales, the next topic they explore is whether companies should specialise in, for example, only selling top-end products, or whether it is better to have a range of offerings that will suit different clients. This is an important consideration, especially for smaller businesses. When what they are selling are physical products, rather than services, making a mistake can be costly in terms of outlay for stock, storage etc. But for services companies too, there is an outlay in terms of time spent developing an offering, marketing and so on.

For any business of any size, making decisions about not only what they are selling, but who their client is and how to reach them is crucial. Simon shares some insights from his own business, and from some of the many successful businesses he has worked with. He talks about how to cultivate customers and retain them, rather than having to constantly find new ones.

The duo discusses different types of business, from delivery companies to utility providers, to restaurants, and show how ideas can be taken from one place and applied somewhere else.

Aug 03, 202146:41
Episode 31 A winning Mindset is Easy when the Path Is Smooth

Episode 31 A winning Mindset is Easy when the Path Is Smooth

A Winning Mindset is easy when the path is smooth

Today’s episode of the One to a Million show is a bit different. It is a powerful practical example of applying a winning mindset. It’s a case study in the action of the ups and downs so familiar to every business owner.

Young entrepreneurs

This series is all about the early stages of entrepreneurship. It’s designed to help young entrepreneurs-in-waiting to learn all the skills they need to be ready to launch their first business and make their first million.

But in business, as in life, things don’t always go according to plan. And what we learn in one sphere of life we can often apply elsewhere. Many business owners take lessons learnt from business and apply them, for example, to support charitable causes. Or a professional athlete may take lessons from the track and apply them to business.

Applying lessons learnt

In a shift from the previous round table discussions, one member of the team presents this episode solo. He takes this opportunity to talk about what he has already gained from the project and draws parallels between his business education and his mainstream academic education.

Finn shares with us his views on setting and reaching goals. He talks about what he’s learning in terms of how to set smarter goals, and how that is helping him with his schoolwork. He is also realising that he needs to take responsibility for, and control of, his own progress. That just setting a vague goal and hoping to somehow reach it, isn’t enough. He has become very clear about the power of goals to help guide you on your path, but more importantly, the importance of making sure your goals are well-framed.

Routine

One of the themes that Finn talks about in this episode is the power of developing routines. In recent months he has had to revise for exams. Now he is able to reflect on that period of time, and understand what he did well, and where he could have done better. And developing the right kind of productive routine is one aspect that he believes can help, whether it’s revising for exams, building a business, or improving athletic ability.

Goals and obstacles

Finn talks about his realisations of what it means for a goal to be both achievable and realistic and eloquently explains the difference between the two. As he starts to think more in-depth about what he needs to do in order to achieve his goals, he is able to re-evaluate them and make a more informed decision about whether or not they are still right for him.

He has faced the reality that there is no single, smooth path from start to finish. There are challenges and obstacles that need to be dealt with. While these could present a perfect reason to give up, or completely change direction, they can also be an opportunity to recommit, to be even more determined to succeed and to learn practical lessons about perseverance.

Communication

One of the themes that have surfaced for Finn from the project so far has been around communication. He has begun to understand how powerful good communication can be, and how damaging poor communication is.

Whether at school, in business, within your family, or in life in general, clear, unambiguous, communication—using the right kind of language that will land with your audience—is key to building strong relationships that help you to achieve success.

Summary

Despite the original plan for this episode not working out as expected, Finn has stepped up and produced a solo instalment that has given him a great opportunity. He took the chance to reflect and put into words some of his own thoughts and ideas. He has shared with us some important lessons that he has learnt and showed how he has applied them. 


Jul 27, 202118:25
Episode 30 Messenger Boy To Business Owner

Episode 30 Messenger Boy To Business Owner

Today Michael’s Business Conversation is with John Hayes, a man who went from messenger boy to successful business owner.

John’s working life began in Fleet Street as a messenger boy, delivering the artwork for Portsmouth and Sunderland newspapers. It was here that he began learning all about advertising. He moved on to work at Capital Radio, and then some other global brands, always on the sales and marketing sides of the business.

Early inspiration

John’s school days were far from glorious in a large, undistinguished inner-city school. But he remembers it as a good time in his life when he took on some important lessons. From his much-loved sports, he learnt the importance and power of teamwork, the necessity to work with people regardless of whether they’re in your special clique. He learnt the art of storytelling and enjoyed developing a beautiful style of handwriting.

From school, he went to Fleet Street and a whole new set of lessons. In the early years of his career, he was lucky to have supportive managers and inspiring mentors, one of whom recommended a book that would be a huge influence in his life. Listen in to hear John and Michael talk about some of the books they recommend to other entrepreneurs. John loved reading non-fiction and was soon hooked on business books.

One of the biggest early lessons in his working life was sincerity. And as he reflects back over thirty years, he can see how this has really helped him both when he was an employee, but even more importantly in running his own business.

Introducing Marketing

John talks about the early days of marketing when it was perceived as very American. Something that British companies weren’t very knowledgeable about. And how he came to learn the practicalities of the business. He’s able to discuss the difference between sales and marketing from an insider’s perspective, even though very often the two functions are lumped together, and many people may not be aware of what sets them apart.

In spite of having started in marketing long before the prevalence of social media that we see today, John, of course, has stayed up to date and is able to pass on some tips about effective use of social media. He uses it for his clients, so he knows how to incorporate it into an overall marketing strategy.

At the peak of his business, John was running a successful partnership and employing nearly thirty staff. Listen in to find out how he achieved that, and why he made the decision to sell it and move on.

Giving back

John is a great proponent of early business and financial education. He has worked with his local Chamber of Commerce to go into schools and provide lessons on business for teenagers. He says it’s very important that, alongside the academic qualifications, and the bright ideas that young people often have about a business they would like to have, they should have a firm grasp of what is needed to set up and run a business. It requires knowledge of many different aspects, not least of which is how to get funding and how to manage the money once you have it.

He talks again about his early experience of having his own business, and how things have changed since then. For example, he had an excellent close working relationship with his bank manager that enabled him to access funds relatively easily in the early days, and that’s more difficult now for many people.

So as part of this chamber of commerce initiative, they would run Dragon Den style sessions in the schools to really help the pupils get a grasp of the bigger picture of running a business.

Conclusion

As John and Michael wind up their conversation, John shares some valuable marketing tips, that are useful to any size of business from a solopreneur upwards. This conversation is full of useful information on marketing, but also on the mindset of a successful business owner.

Jul 20, 202144:14
Episode 29 Valuable Startup Lessons Revealed

Episode 29 Valuable Startup Lessons Revealed

Valuable Startup Lessons Revealed

In today’s episode, Michael is in conversation with Rav Roberts. Rav is an entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of a digital health tech startup in London called Pharma Sentinel Ltd and its go-to-market brand medsii. The business uses AI to predict, inform and prevent future health problems. It is designed to help people understand more about their own health and the medicines they use. It gathers anonymous data to improve its functioning and shares medical and pharmaceutical information from all around the world to help patients stay informed. In this episode, Michael and  Rav talk about his business journey, startup lessons and how he came to be involved in a business.

Early Success and a burst bubble

Rav’s early career was in IT, and he did very well for himself, finding employment in Silicon Valley and riding the dot com boom of the late nineties. He talks about what it was like, as a young man, to decide to move from the UK, giving up a lot to do so. His willingness to take that risk embodies one of the traits common to many entrepreneurs. He explains the transition he had to make to a job and employment culture unknown to him and how he learned one of his most useful lessons by needing to find information everyone assumed he already had.

While he was living it up in San Francisco, his early desire to have his own business manifested. This was his first experience of starting a company, and he didn’t go it alone. He was part of a small team of excellent people, and they were very successful. But when the dot com bubble burst, so made his career.

In his conversation with Michael, Rav shares the highs and lows of that time and the hard way he learned the startup lessons. But in true entrepreneurial spirit, he picked himself up, returned to the UK and decided to put those lessons to good use.

Business Lessons the hard and easy ways

He talks about those following years, what he could achieve, and more lessons along the way. He studied for an MBA at Cass, which equipped him with a lot of the knowledge and skills he’d lacked before. But he also continued to learn informally too. He worked as a business consultant for one of the big five firms, but the desire for his own company never left him.

He is once again part of a highly qualified team in this new business, but he says his approach is very different. Everything he has learnt and is continuing to learn is shaping both his expectations and his input. He understands much more now about how to approach a start-up strategically. He has a much better grasp of what is needed to start and develop a successful business, and today he shares with Michael what some of those lessons are.

To Recap

He is an enthusiastic supporter of startups, and why now is a better time than ever before to go into business. He talks knowledgeably about resources that are freely available online to anyone who wants them. Valuable information that wasn’t available twenty years ago can now be found by anyone with an internet connection and a desire to learn. Finally, he shares some of his own go-to sources and what he thinks it's important to know about.

Rav concludes with his one major tip, the single most important thing you need to do to find success.

This episode is a great learning resource in itself, with information on how to start a business, mistakes to avoid, tips for doing things better, and resources to look out for. You can check his Linkedin page here and their Twitter feed here.

Jul 13, 202150:30
Episode 28 Winning Mindsets

Episode 28 Winning Mindsets

Winning mindsets

Liz Taylor joked that it took her 20 years to become an overnight success! Success takes time, commitment, and consistency. But what is it that keeps people motivated, putting in that time and effort consistently?

In today’s show, Michael and Simon look back over a recently completed challenge and talk about how their experience parallels their experience in the business. Regular listeners to the podcast will already be familiar with this trek and the ups and downs of the experience – both physical and metaphorical. They talk about scientific research into determination and persistence, and about the lessons they have learnt, and how they have applied those lessons to their own, very different businesses—each creating success in their individual ways.

Walking and talking

Simon and Michael reflect on their recently completed walk along the South Downs Way. A tremendous achievement that took the initiative, planning and stamina. They can identify the different phases of the walk, the beginning and end, which both bring their own energy and momentum and the middle, the “grunt” phase, where you need more determination and self-discipline to keep going. They talk about how this is like starting a business.

The initial phase is full of energy and enthusiasm, where everything is new and exciting. And then when that passes, what is it that will keep the business owner, the entrepreneur going? Once you’ve entered the grunting phase of creating and building a business, what stops the successful person from giving up? This is crucial knowledge for anyone who is considering or is already setting up and running a business. And while the hurdles faced by each person may feel unique, there are enough similarities and points of overlap to learn from each other.

They have plenty of information and ideas to share here, alongside their own personal experiences. But, as Simon says, three out of four start-ups fail in the first five years. So what is it that keeps that fourth business going? And how can you give yourself the tools and strategies to be a successful fourth business? Listen in for more tips and motivation.

The Rat Race

Experiments on rats in the 1930s and 40s give us some insight into working for rewards. Rats in a maze were given rewards, and then their speed and effort were measured as they ran towards the goal. The closer they got, the faster they ran, the harder they worked. We need to be rewarded for our efforts if we are going to continue. It’s essential to remember this during the grunting phase. It’s easy to set the big goals, the big vision. But what keeps us working towards that, day in and day out?

Working harder and faster

Simon and Michael provide practical tips that you can apply to help your own business journey. They share some of the tools they personally use to keep their energy and motivation high and keep themselves motivated and running towards their rewards. They discuss the benefits of the right kind of network, of making the best of coaches, following  thought-leaders, and how to harness the mundane habits of daily life to get you through the grunt phases of business and life and into the euphoric phases that carry their own momentum.

If you are an entrepreneur, you need your own motivational toolkit. You need to build a bank of resources and know-how to keep yourself and your team pulling harder and faster so you can capture those rewards.

Jul 06, 202142:24
Episode 27 Essential skills for success

Episode 27 Essential skills for success

They begin by talking about inspiration. We all need the spark, the moment that sets light to the flame inside us. Whatever that flame is—whether we’re burning to make a difference to our own lives and those of our families by making money, or we’re burning to fight injustice or change the world. Often there are several small flickers that pave the way, and then the single spark comes along and lights everything up. Without that inspiration, you won’t have the drive to carry you forward.

They share information about books and films that have either helped ignite that flame or taught them something about how to harness and use the energy. Drive and ambition are necessary ingredients but without the skills, the knowledge of what to do with it, all you can do is want success. You can’t work towards it, you can’t progress on your path.

Learning business skills for success

As the two young entrepreneurs are just starting out on their journeys, they are becoming aware of how much they have to learn. They are also realizing that lessons are all around them. They discuss different business models and different sources of income. They have a goal, to set up a successful business. But that goal is one step toward a bigger goal—a life goal of creating wealth for themselves and their families.

Michael helps them to understand a little more about the sales process, as they attempt to answer the question of the right way to sell a pen. He teaches them the skills involved in selling without alienating the potential customer. Whatever the product or service, there is a right way and a wrong way to sell.

The power of brands and recurring revenue models

This leads them into exploring the whole idea of meeting consumer demand, and how to discover what that might be. They have already begun thinking about the businesses they might start, so it is important for them to understand what products they may be able to sell lots of. They are learning to think about the commercial world in a new way.

They talk about the power of brands, and what they can learn from the success of brands that they and their friends like to buy. They also discuss the importance of protecting your business, being able to get a solid return on your investment, using Netflix as an example.

Jun 29, 202124:56
Episode 26 Cybersecurity in a world of risk

Episode 26 Cybersecurity in a world of risk

Cybersecurity in a world of risk

On today’s show, Michael talks with special guest Brian Altimus. Their main topic of conversation is something that affects all of us. It affects our businesses, no matter what size they are, and it affects us as individuals.

Brian worked for seventeen years for KPMG in the tech risk and Cybersecurity side of the business. Then seven years ago, he left to set up his own consultancy. So he has a huge amount of knowledge and experience in this area and understands exactly what it means for businesses of all sizes. He has a thorough understanding of all the risks and also the mitigating actions that businesses can take.

Jun 22, 202149:19
Episode 25 Success, dating, and films: One woman’s adventures in the screen trade

Episode 25 Success, dating, and films: One woman’s adventures in the screen trade

Delissa produced over 600 hours of television and worked for production companies across the world. She’s worked alongside many well-known people, including Sir Ian McKellen, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, and Graham Norton.

Combined with a string of other achievements and ventures, she has just launched her Masterclass. Here, she teams up with marketing experts to teach filmmaking essentials to business people to broadcast their own business. To find out more, check out the masterclass tab of her production company website.

Jun 15, 202133:02
Episode 24 Success and Failure: Lessons from Business and Basketball

Episode 24 Success and Failure: Lessons from Business and Basketball

Success and Failure lessons taken from Business and Basketball

In this episode, Michael talks to Dr Wayne Wrightentrepreneur, inventor, company director, leading business coach and owner of the largest all-inclusive basketball club – The Maidstone Warriors.

Listen in as they talk about all things business and basketball. Dr Wayne brings a vast and varied business experience to the conversation. His main business interests have been in the arenas of healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and he is a huge proponent of innovation and invention, with his name on eight patents. For the last twenty years, he has led [W]sq solutions, a boutique coaching organisation that supports entrepreneurs in starting, running, growing and exiting fast-growing businesses. He also works with the executive teams of larger businesses to ensure continued growth and success.

Basketball

As they talked about Dr Wayne’s involvement in the basketball club, it quickly became clear that his interest in this organisation came not from playing the sport, but from observing the positive impact that sport can bring to the lives of anyone involved in it. He talks about the benefits, not just for the top-performers—the stars—but for everyone, and how that spills out into their lives outside of basketball. The success of the club is not just about creating a winning basketball team, but about creating a community, and fostering the next generation of leaders.

He brought his understanding of strategy and success, gained from his years in the corporate world, to this very different arena, and helped the club to grow far beyond its origin. He sees many parallels between what happens on the pitch and what happens at work. The club relies on a sizeable team of volunteers, and by supporting and coaching these people, the whole club thrives. In any organisation it is the leadership team who need to set the tone and if they are not sufficiently skilled, whether in their technical skills, such as ball control, or in their interpersonal skills, such as clear communication, then the whole venture is in jeopardy. But a highly skilled top team can spot potential and nurture it, they can spot potential trouble and find the strategies to avoid it. They can help turn an underperformer into a star.

Business Success and Failure: Dr Wayne Wright book  10 Commandments of Business Growth One of the most interesting questions that arose in today’s conversation was “What makes a person extraordinary, a top achiever, a winner or a champion?” Dr Wayne Wright has had years of business experience working with many highly-placed executives in global businesses, with young entrepreneurs building fast-growing successful enterprises; he’s worked with people in many different industries; with inventors and researchers; he’s been a director of many companies. His answer to this question took them down a fascinating route.

If you are interested in being interviewed and have business insight or knowledge to share with your fellow entrepreneurs, then please follow me on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.


Jun 08, 202145:17
Episode 23 Vision in Business & Direction Absolutely - M&S Monthly Podcast Show

Episode 23 Vision in Business & Direction Absolutely - M&S Monthly Podcast Show

Vision in Business

In today’s show, Simon and Michael talk about vision, goals, direction and planning. These topics are linked but not the same. Sometimes people don’t have a clear grasp of the differences between their goals and their vision, and clarity is an essential element of vision.

20:20 Vision
Cycling London to Paris

Vision in business and In life, if our vision isn’t clear if there’s something wrong with our eyes and we can’t see where we’re going, then we’re going to end up having problems. It’s the same for a businessperson. They need a clear vision of where they’re going to be sure they keep heading in the right direction.

But the vision isn’t just about what happens in the business, though of course, that is important. Michael and Simon also talk about vision boards, and Simon shares his experience of a board he created with his family. Having a successful business is not necessarily the vision. For many entrepreneurs, business success is about allowing them to fulfil other visions. Listen in to hear what Simon had on his vision board and how much of it he has already achieved.

Beyond Vision

Having a clear vision is essential. If you don’t know what you want to achieve, whether that’s in terms of e.g. a business of a certain size, or a house of a certain size. Whether that’s the number of employees or the number of cars in your driveway. Or something completely different to any of those. Until you know what your vision is, you can’t start planning how to achieve it. You have no direction, no purpose, so no way to plan your route.

As Simon explains, a vision needs to be set for a specific time in the future. By that time, three years or five years or ten years from now, you will have … And then to start planning how you’re going to get there. What do you need to put in place? What are the stages to go through to reach your destination?

Vision in Practice

Vision In Business calibrated with your realistic thoughts, Michael and Simon talk about the time they cycled from London to Paris, a three-hundred-mile challenge, and

what they learnt from doing it. The whole adventure becomes a practical lesson in establishing a vision and seeing it through. Despite the rain, the headwinds, the unexpected steepness of the hills. Every obstacle on the way could have been an excuse to give up, to turn back. Did they? Or did they focus on the destination, their vision of sitting on white garden furniture under the Eiffel Tower with a beer in hand.

A clear vision provides impetus to carry you through the tough times. You may be feeling discouraged, or disheartened. You may be feeling victorious and celebratory. But keep the vision clearly in your sights. While your feelings, whatever they are, are valid and have their own usefulness, don’t allow them to derail you.

As always, Michael and Simon are here to share practical information and tips, along with inspiration and motivation for anyone who is, or aspires to be, an entrepreneur.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and get your regular fix of help and encouragement.

This show has been sponsored by TeamEasyCrane, we help you build a business and grow recurring revenues.

Jun 01, 202146:41
Episode 22 The Young Entrepreneurs - Greed & Fear

Episode 22 The Young Entrepreneurs - Greed & Fear

The Young Entrepreneurs - This is where the conversations really start to happen... Building a Team - The Power of SIX

The Young Entrepreneurs - Hear on today's show what Mattia & Finn think about building a team from scratch. Right now, there are two of them, they want to build a team of SIX. Why, we feel that teams of six work the best in any business organisation and more importantly, different people bring different qualities, also needed in the most successful enterprises.

The key to their development is to have a financial target of a £1,000, 000 business. Although along the way, they will be building on their skill set by becoming:

  1. A better Communicator
  2. Develop their skills in leadership
  3. Develop a better understanding of Sales & negotiations
  4. Finance
  5. Team Well Being and trust
  6. Marketing
Does an Employee know more than the boss?

The conversation moves swiftly on to the subject of, does the employee know more than the boss? Both boys suggest that an employee should know more than the boss and Michael completely agrees with this statement. On the basis, that when two or more people come together great things can happen. Therefore, we are building a team of six in the team, which will bring collaboration between members and will encourage communication and leadership as they build their business.

If you have a 14 to 15-year-old young adult and are interested in business, please get in touch by emailing Michael@michaelcrane.live for a short application process to be accepted into the team and project.

Please note: the founding members of the one to a million project will be the people choosing who will be joining the team.

Greed & Fear Rule your life

The Young Entrepreneurs are developing their interests and keen to explore areas of their business acumen right from the start. Although they are finding recording the podcast surreal, the topics and conversations at this early stage are encouraging to hear and see. In life, we all fear the unknown, similar to anyone stepping out in business on the first day of the journey. The young entrepreneurs are still studying at school, the one to a million protect is already seeing development in several key areas of their development.

The fear of failure is always at the forefront of one's mind. It doesn't have to be this way if you have a plan of what you are doing, where you are going and what needs to happen in order for you to achieve your end results.

The main thing we are focussing on right now is building routines each week, which over time become consistent. You have probably heard on previous podcast interviews Michael Crane had with his walking buddy Simon Teague. We recently walked The South Downs Way, which stretches from Winchester - UK to Eastbourne UK, Overall, it wasn't that far, only 120 miles from end to end.

If you like what you hear on the podcast today, please don't forget to follow the show. If you have a young Entrepreneur that you think would like to join the team, please email michael@michaelcrane.live for an informal chat about being part of the one to a million project.

May 25, 202119:04
Episode 21 Business Recovery Plan - The Hopeful Journey out of Covid 19 Pandemic

Episode 21 Business Recovery Plan - The Hopeful Journey out of Covid 19 Pandemic

How has your business Suffered during the pandemic?

Michael Crane shares his story by stating that the pandemic hit his business seven years prior. He employed 45 staff across two sites, one in South East London and the other site in Sandwich, Kent. He was operating a 24-hour operation with vans circling London and the home counties daily.

At that time, he made many changes in the day to day operation and streamlined his operations. He outsourced his warehousing and logistics operations and adopted an e-commerce portal that does heavy back-office functions.

Fortunately for him, he preserved cash, ready for all emergency situations.

He advises on today's show about the importance of reducing overheads and preserving cash. His business was dramatically affected as the work from home rules meant many of his clients needed to work from home, and the everyday products were not in as much need as before.

His product portfolio had to be spun on its head as he started stocking certified PPE products for next day availability to his clients across the United Kingdom. The technology took over to make his business www.easycrane.co.uk highly efficient and effective. The key to his success in the past year was to keep his costs low and, if possible, make them variable as much as you possibly can. Running out of cash adds to the struggle every business faces when they run out of cash.

Dr Wayne Wright - Stopped charging

The business Recovery Plan for Dr Wayne Wright was to stop charging his clients overnight, which was a remarkable solution but one that was so needed to help his clients. Across the country, we saw companies revenue stream seizing up as the country went into lockdown and people were being forced to work from home.

Now he has re-engaged, and he is finding he has got more clients than he ever had before. And his reputation for genuinely and authentically supporting people during challenging times. Because the concept of managing his, clients businesses, to the next your next level and assisting them to scale up during good and bad time is paramount.

He has now emerged from the pandemic and found a way to pivot his business is catapulting his business from just surviving to thrive as he continues to grow from strength to strength.

Managing People from Afar

Business Recovery Plan will consist of managing more of the team remotely than ever before. Michael Crane has suggested some of his favourite productivity hacks, like Asana, Trello and Evernote, to name just a few. These tools are easy to set up and administer and encourages collaboration between key stakeholders in the business.

To Recap

King James, the host of Today Show, is a Pastor at Favour House Church; the Road map to Business Recovery has been an insightful look into the minds and hearts of true leaders and entrepreneurs as the United Kingdom navigates itself out of the Lockdown.

To Follow Click on the link here King James

May 18, 202101:05:39
Episode 20 Developing your own Client Portal: is the expense worth it and how does it add value to your clients?

Episode 20 Developing your own Client Portal: is the expense worth it and how does it add value to your clients?

Co-Founder Simon Teague New level Results

Simon Teague started his career at the tender age of 16 in NatWest bank, on a week’s work experience that lasted 26 years, and he finally escaped over the wall in 2008. During his last seven or eight years in the bank, he was doing a lot of coaching and mentoring and got quite a nice reputation for building teams, and taking teams from the bottom of the league to become top performers, and winning awards and all sorts of accolades within the organisation.

And, so he wanted to set up a business that really reflected that he was helping people with their leadership skills, coaching, mentoring, and training all around the art of being a great leader for teams.

Client Portal – The Curve

Developing a platform, a client portal, to track and plot the success of a clients plan was key. Number One objective was to have a platform that was really simple, clean, easy to use from the clients perspective. As coaches, he wasn’t too worried about whether it was a bit clunky for him and his partner or technically challenging for them; it needed to be really simple and efficient.

So, that’s how it ended up being designed and developed. It was quite challenging for them at first. The clients started to love using it. In fact, they’ve got clients now that have used the curve for years because it’s become the way they run their business.

They don’t even need Simon or Andrew anymore as their coach; they just come every year and say Simon, can we have the platform for another year? Of course, they can.

Results from using the technology

What’s fascinating, they began seeing great results from their coaching clients, and they started to win more business than they could cope with. That’s then when they started looking in the marketplace for some really outstanding coaches who might be interested in joining them.

They found five coaches who joined them at first. And, in fact, it was at a time when they needed to put a lot of money into the investment of developing The Curve to the next level. And, so they needed a financial commitment from those coaches joining. They looked at a franchise model but decided to hold on to a licence model. That’s the basis on which the coaches came in to build their business.

Winning Business

Developing a client portal that was robust enough to take on bigger clients is key to their success. They are now branching out with their coaches the length and breadth of the UK, winning business and leveraging The Curve to track and share their clients success.

The Software has become a system the coaches have come to rely on and use every day in their business; it also compliments the experts in the field that are a license holder to use the software

Simon says, “different coaches are looking for different things from them, they have coaches in their team who don’t want anything else from apart from to run their business completely independently because they already have a really good, strong business, what they were looking for was the sustainability of their coaching business.”

Also, if coaches listening who are thinking, I need an edge; I need something different. The marketplace is shifting; people are becoming more discerning about coaching, then it’d be great for them to reach out and visit our website, new level results.co.uk.

Thanks for listening! Please comment, like, and share. Want to reach us? Connect on Twitter @michaelcrane44

May 11, 202145:44
Episode 19 Entrepreneurship is not taught in school, hear the thoughts of Michael & Simon on the M&S Monthly Podcast Show, they think it is a Mistake?

Episode 19 Entrepreneurship is not taught in school, hear the thoughts of Michael & Simon on the M&S Monthly Podcast Show, they think it is a Mistake?

Entrepreneurship is not taught in school, how can we improve the pitfall?

South Downs Way

We started in October 2020 during lockdown walking The South Downs Way and last week, we walked stage 10 out of 12 from Housedean to Alfriston, ending at St Andrew's Church. During the lockdown, walking and talking is truly amazing, we have found that while walking and talking, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and the office is truly amazing.

The mind needs a place to settle down, it really needs to dis-connect with the normal and give it the space to come alive with fresh exciting, thought-provoking ideas that have a profound impact, if you spark the creative side of your mind to flow.

Since, starting the walk-in Winchester, some 90 miles ago, we have gone through all the challenges you face in business. If you break the walk up into three equal sections, there has clearly been the euphoria of starting the walk, the middle bit we will call the grunt phase, where you just want to get it done, this is the middle part, and now as we enter the last third of the walk we are once again feeling euphoric.

South Downs Way

We started in October 2020 during lockdown walking The South Downs Way and last week, we walked stage 10 out of 12 from Housedean to Alfriston, ending at St Andrew's Church. During the lockdown, walking and talking is truly amazing, we have found that while walking and talking, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and the office is truly amazing.

The mind needs a place to settle down, it really needs to dis-connect with the normal and give it the space to come alive with fresh exciting, thought-provoking ideas that have a profound impact, if you spark the creative side of your mind to flow.

Since, starting the walk-in Winchester, some 90 miles ago, we have gone through all the challenges you face in business. If you

Financial Independence

Entrepreneurship & financial independence is a fascinating subject and one we feel needs to be taught in school, arguably this is why we do business. We feel Secondary Schools have inconsistent standards, with regards to teach in basic financial skills. College students are not taught about how to manage their finance, despite many taken on £1,000s of pounds in student loans and credit card debt to pay for school.

The result is a younger generation, facing, financial deficits without a solid foundation for how to save, invest, and grow.

Why is entrepreneurship not taught in school? was on the agenda as we walked through some of the most glorious countryside the country has to offer, from the rolling hills to the winding paths, passing through some of the most picturesque little villages imaginable. Not somewhere, I would like to live, but quite simply amazing for the inhabitants that have made the place home. Home is where the heart is.

Thanks for listening! Please comment, like, and share. Want to reach us? Connect on Twitter @michaelcrane44

May 04, 202145:02
Episode 18 The Young Entrepreneurs One to a Million Project Challenge Creating the Product

Episode 18 The Young Entrepreneurs One to a Million Project Challenge Creating the Product

The Young Entrepreneurs

One to a million, we have the stars of the show, Mattia & Finn. They are members of the one to a million project.

We have discussed the goal, our objective is to gain 25 sales per day, we have thought about the business name and fine-tuned the product of what we are going to make.

Finn is to create and design boxing briefs, Mattia is thinking of building a clothing company and also the goal is to sell 25 units per day.

The Products in our Portfolio

The Young Entrepreneurs, Mattia and Finn are keen sportsmen, Finn likes Muay Thai Kick-boxing and Mattia enjoys Swimming. Both their business will be around sports clothing, from swimwear to Gym wear, and also include a creation to wear outside socialising.

Finn general thought right now is to create a piece of clothing/brand of boxing briefs, for any other sportspeople to avoid stale sweat and moisture so reduces sweat and bad body odour.

As they build their business, both Mattia and Finn will be adding products to their product portfolio, Finn is thinking about providing earphones and boxing gloves?

He wants to expand their business so it does everything.

When do you think about sports brands like, Nike, Adidas ASICs he wants to build his business so his products compete with what the top brands are doing, but better?

Mattia is looking to build his product portfolio to include sunglasses, branded socks, luxury shoes, even gloves, just to get the business started.

How do you get it to your market?

Both Finn and Mattia will be selling their products via a website, that has been designed and branded with quality in mind. We have been looking at platforms that will be able to get our products to our customers in a timely manner. We have been looking at Amazon.co.uk, shopify.com and also printify.com as a place where we can protect the little money we have.

The overall strategy is to build the business initially by selling the product first, then efficiently using our money to place the order to create the product and get it shipped speedily and efficiently.

They are still at School...

The Young Entrepreneurs are still at school and this challenge and study are to complement their school work and studies. Therefore, building the business must be done in a cost-efficient manner and also, be automated so the mundane gets done automatically without their input from a logistics perspective.

In the following episodes of the one to a million podcast, we will be speaking about creating the brand, where to source the products and also, how we will be doing market research to ensure our products are needed by our target audience.

If you would like to join the one to a million project, please email michael@michaelcrane.live to learn more.

This podcast show has been sponsored by www.teameasycrane.co.uk where we help entrepreneurs build their business quickly and efficiently with very little financial risk and trial and error.

Apr 27, 202116:20
Episode 17 Camden High Street London A Vibrant New Look Lighting Up Local Artists

Episode 17 Camden High Street London A Vibrant New Look Lighting Up Local Artists

Camden High Street London - Camden Open Air Gallery, the founder and creator, a young entrepreneur born and bred in Camden is now back from his time on the South Coast to build his dream of creating something unique that many others can benefit from.

His passion is to bring Camden back to life after bearing a significant hit to visitor numbers during the Covid Pandemic.

CAMDEN is a mysterious mistress, attracting visitors from all around the world who come and see the punks, however, it started out as a docklands and is turning into a vibrant community inspired by Finn..

He thinks it has great, Instagram value, in his opinion, he thinks there are THREE things that put Camden on the map:

  1. Punks
  2. Tourists
  3. Amy Winehouse

Not only, but there is also the canal walk to Camden High Street from King Cross, a place that has seen a huge development in recent years and now has been transformed linking the two places together.

The shops of Camden are trying to reinvent themselves and this is one of the ways Finn’s open Air gallery is adding spice and the inspiration needed to change the outcome of so many local businesses.

On today's podcast, we speak about shop owners who are re-engineering the products they are offering, Finn speaks about the shop he lives above, and this shop is changing the products sold to Dr Martens. A brand synonymous with Camden, with the hope it will bring local community purchases to the shops.

We speak about the challenges of setting up the Camden Open Air Gallery, and Finn tells me there were challenges around the legalities and getting his first shutter. Which was a very interesting phase of the start-up business. From an age perspective, he is a 22-year-old young entrepreneur, asking a shop owner if it was agreeable to place graffiti onto the shutter of his shop. But, what he found was, once the FIRST landlord agreed to have their shutter painted, other landlords loved the idea and came forward to be a part of the Camden Open Air gallery.

You will learn how he expects to monetise the gallery concept and the idea of drop shipping prints instead of holding stock of the prints before his customers buy the artwork.

However, one of the challenges he faces is creating a fair share of the profits between landlords and shop owners and artists and naturally the Camden Open Air Gallery.

Dreams are to assist the best artists to become even more famous and globally known for their creations and help turn global visitors to raving fans of Camden that bring tourists back in their 1,000’s, just like Pre-Covid times.

Inspiration is to build a platform for young artists to express themselves in their art to the local community and build a community of supporters from the local area, including the council, bars and venues local business owners to make Camden a cool place to hang out.

A great help to Finn while setting up needs a shout out to Billy from VIP Graffiti Paint your help has been greatly appreciated and thank you for the inspiration you give to the youth #streetart.

Finn has a plan to launch officially in July and shut down Camden High Street for the evening, plans are afoot for the Camden Open Air Gallery.

To hear more go to  www.camdenopenairgallery.com


Apr 20, 202138:21
Episode 16 Coaching the Entrepreneur, Simple Truth, Reality Bites When You Don't Plan

Episode 16 Coaching the Entrepreneur, Simple Truth, Reality Bites When You Don't Plan

Reality Bites

Coaching the Entrepreneur  “Reality bites” says Piers Mummery, on today’s podcast we explore the possibilities when starting out in business. Being realistic with your goals and aspirations are key to success. If you’re going to dream, dream big and start taking action and you will begin to see the fruits of your labour.

How can a Young Entrepreneur become a millionaire?

Coaching the Entrepreneur from an early age, we speak about a 90-year-old person who runs a marathon compared to a young entrepreneur before a certain age, telling people you will be a millionaire by the age of 25. The difference between the person who was able to run a marathon, some 26.2 miles at the young age of 90 and the young entrepreneur aiming for £1million comes down to the plan and goals and taking the appropriate action, sustained over time.

It is fine and perfect to have the thoughts, however, without true commitment and action to improve your skillset, knowledge and talent that gathers momentum in the direction of your goal, is foolhardy to expect things to happen that you want. After all, though with no action gets you nowhere.

One may say, “how long will it take?” the real answer to this question is who knows, In actual fact, the honest answer,  is, "however long it takes". The detail is in the action, of course, a lack of action takes you to a well-defined place.

Be Consistent in driving your beliefs! Having a Goal and taking action.

The answer is to have a goal, have a plan and take action. You don't need to make big daily steps, small steps repeated each day will take you there too. Piers talks about taking a holiday to your dream destination, you don’t just arrive at the resort, you plan where you want to go, that includes how you will be getting to the airport, you plan where you’ll be staying and so forth, only once you have completed the tasks do you arrive at the dream destination of your choice.

Without a plan, you tend to go nowhere, with a plan you tend to achieve your goals.

In the second half of the podcast, we speak about the entrepreneur setting unrealistic goals. Aiming at the stars is a good approach, but they have to be your goals and aspirations, not a pushy parent or relative who is hoping for the best in you only for the goals to fall apart all because they were not your goals but somebody else.

Elon Musk wants to live on Mars

When we are speaking about setting dreams and setting our direction, we take a look at the perspective of Elon Musk, remarking in the press that he wanted to live on Mars. Also, The founder and owner of Virgin Atlantic Richard Branson who was delayed at an airport on his way back from his holiday and decided to charter an aircraft to get him home and eventually was how his airline Virgin Atlantic came about.

We also, look at the perspective of a plumber who worked for an independent local company for 20 years until the company went into liquidation and he found himself setting out on his own and creating a lifestyle plumbing business. No matter what your dream is, your dream and aspirations are unique to you and no one else.


Apr 13, 202135:21
Episode 15 Coaching Versus Mentoring Gain Astonishing Results. M&S Monthly Podcast Show

Episode 15 Coaching Versus Mentoring Gain Astonishing Results. M&S Monthly Podcast Show

Coaching Versus Mentoring What is the difference? And, Why you should make a coach your first recruit.

Coaching Versus Mentoring - How The Two Differ

Coaching versus mentoring, a coach asks the coachee the questions whereas the mentee ask the mentor the questions. This is the difference between a coach and a mentor. If you are looking for a coach, make sure you have a connection with the person and preferably choose a coach that has already travelled the journey of the path you want to take.

This can fast track your journey to success and avoid extremely costly mistakes in the early stages. No one when starting out in business knows all the pitfalls that are likely, so it is important to take on the support and help of others.

Your First Member Of Staff

On today's podcast, we are exploring the many options open to us when looking out for help, in the start-up phase and when you become more established. There is an argument that suggests, it is better to take on a coach or mentor before you take on your first member of staff.

This would be a new way of thinking for many entrepreneurs starting out on their business journey and although it is an additional cost to the business, this approach needs to be considered to avoid employing the wrong member of staff and quite possibly.

The first member may not even be needed at the point and there may be a better source to get the work down by outsourcing the work.

Depending on the project to be completed, you may find a site like www.fiverr.com a reliable source saving on costly employment mistakes. You must make sure you keep your cost base to a minimum in the early days of starting up.

Scale-Up Institute Report

Three out of four business startups fail in the first 4 years of starting so it is important to stack the odds in your favour by asking for help in the early days. Did you know, there have been more start-ups in the past 6 months than any other time in history, and according to the UK ScaleUp Institute published a report in 2019.

You can read it here: Scaleup Review 2019 the institute defined that a scale-up business had growth of 20% or more in a year. They also concluded in the report that all businesses growing by 20% or more had a coach or a mentor or both and this was a consistent factor to get external help and support.

Getting Help When Needed

Coaching Versus Mentoring, The help needed can come in many formats, a coach, a mentor or a peer group of other like-minded business people who may face the same struggles. Or reading material directly linked to your chosen business or philosophy.

The overall cost may be lower, although, it will not be on a one to one basis, it can potentially provide the support all startups and even long-established businesses may need. Just remember, be open-minded and look for groups that work for you, not only on a business basis, you may find they can support you from a person more emotional perspective.

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This podcast has been sponsored by www.TeamEasyCrane.co.uk we help you build your very own business.

Apr 05, 202138:34
Episode 14 Project One to a Million with the amazing stars of the show Finn & Mattia

Episode 14 Project One to a Million with the amazing stars of the show Finn & Mattia

The project, One to a Million.  Some time ago when I was at school at the tender age of 10 years of age. It was remarkable to know where I wanted to go in life and how I was going to get there.

There was a problem, and not surprisingly, the why was huge, the how was the bit of the road map that was missing.

So, what do you do in this situation? Everyone needs a mentor and coach, unfortunately not everyone gets one when they need it most. And, by the way, to me then, a coach was a vehicle that took me and a group of people from point A and dropped us off at point B.

I didn’t know how to achieve my goals.

I needed help constructing my roadmap, the roadmap was not there and therefore there was no clear way forward.

Today, let me introduce you to the stars of the project, one, to a million. Finn (age 14, my son) and his friend Mattia (age 15).

They first met two years ago, at the Pauline Quirke Academy drama school. And since then, they’ve become good buddies and friends. About three months ago, as I drove Mattia home after a day at my house, spending time with his mate Finn.

He told me about a recent trip to Italy. He said to me these words. While I was in Italy on vacation with my mum. We were looking for houses to buy. Very similar to my start out at school. I had a goal. I had a big reason why, but I didn’t know the path to take. And like so many people time just passes you by.

I wanted to help. by changing their outcome and be their business mentor just like the mentor I didn’t have the same age.

The journey has started and we are planning to document their story in this podcast to be broadcast monthly.

Their journey is going to be finding a way to get ahead and build the skills and knowledge and talent to become more educated that is going to stay with them forever and explore different avenues as they navigate life.

Welcome to the project, One to a Million.

Here is an outline of the project:

In the year 2021, Finn is 14 Mattia is 15, by the time they both reach 20, they will have a business, turning over £1 million pounds in revenue per annum. It is not going to be just about the money target, money without the right intelligence is worthless and therefore we will be homing in on the skills and education of building a highly profitable, highly successful business.

On top of this, we will be developing skills such as negotiation, financial management,  salesmanship, communication, teamwork and many others, all the lessons that young adults need in life. These are lessons not normally taught in school.

The plan is to build a team of six. The power of six, from this team, a leader will shine, as will a financial person, as will a great communicator which is going to be all essential skills linked to business and aligning their individual skills to work collaboratively together as a team.

it’s about gaining the skill set, gaining the knowledge, gaining the education. And the last thing that actually comes is wealth. I think at the age of 20, the wealth and the education will set them up with a strong foundation to build another business, and live a life that everybody desires, free from their daily commute, free from the need to work for someone, and the opportunity to work for yourself.

I’ve given them no promises, all I’ve said is we need to start planning for the right actions to achieve our goals, one day at a time.

Today is the very first broadcast of project one to a million we hope you like what you hear.

Don’t forget to follow us by hitting the link on this page.

We will be going live with a broadcast one per month on a Monday.

Thank you for listening. Let’s get into the show.

Mar 29, 202118:35
Episode 13 Hear How Morton Patterson Launched Books Talk Too, And Learned From The Costly Lessons

Episode 13 Hear How Morton Patterson Launched Books Talk Too, And Learned From The Costly Lessons

Getting the right people around you when starting a business is key to your success. On today's show, we hear from Morton Patterson.  He started out his business with a passion to create a service where books can talk too, way before Audible.co.uk, launched in the UK.

With his passion and desire, he re-mortgaged his home and went it alone. Going alone is not always easy as Morton shares his story today on the pitfalls and lessons to any budding entrepreneur building a business from scratch.

The best way to learn is by learning from someone who has already done it, learned the lessons and build again. Stronger, more resilient and technically sound.

On today's show, Michael asks him, if he were going to do it again, what would he do differently?

You can learn more about Morton on his website, www.mortonpatterson.com and join his weekly newsletter.

Mar 22, 202136:06