The information to Win in Business, the information to Win in Life, all wrapped up in one winning, weekly email. Winformation Weekly.

My 14 years’ experience of growing a business from £0-£100m as well as the life that goes with it.

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Simon Says

Winformation This Week...

Last week I was walking back to my car after a meeting during a stressful day where not much had gone as planned. As I was cursing the world and my “luck”, I pulled out my phone to start listing the problems I had to sort out.

How have I wound up in this position? Why does everyone look at me for every answer?

Then I looked over through a railing at a sports field where 30ish people were training outside. They were running around in the fresh air with smiles on their faces. Then I noticed it. They were ALL wearing my company's logo across their chests.

We sponsor 86 sports teams locally. No matter how tough things are and how impossible it all feels, you will be having a positive impact on someone, somewhere. In today’s One Idea to Win in Life, I talk about the very simple thing I do daily that has totally changed my mindset and helped me to see the positive around me (far more often!)

One of the richest men in the world keeps a seat empty in meetings. The reason why is more important than you think.

Whatever you might think of Jeff Bezos or Amazon, their growth over the past 20 years has created some amazing lessons we can all learn from and below in today’s One Idea to Win in Business we look at probably one of the most important.

One Idea to Win in Business

Something to Improve Decision Making

Learn from Jeff Bezos’ Empty Chair Rule

If you are about to launch your first ever business or looking to scale one you have been operating for years, the best place anyone can start their planning is through the eyes of the customer. No matter how big or small your desired business, you HAVE to think like your ideal customer.  

But how often do we do that? 

Now, ask anyone in business, they will all tell you the same. “Yeah, of course, we are client/customer focused.” But are they? Really? 

The founder meeting 

Take the usual weekly meeting between the founders. Lot of opinions, lots of options, so many “priorities” that actually nothing seems to be a priority at all. You look at everything that needs to be done, and think to yourself “I could work here 60 hours a week for 3 straight years, and we wouldn't have made much of a dent.” 

So what do people focus on first? 

Things that are more convenient for the company than the customer. Usually. The thing that the customer requires is usually lots of work to implement and lots of money to produce.  

A business lesson from Amazon enters the chat 

Big Jeff leaves an empty chair in every leadership meeting they have. Who’s it for I hear you ask? No, it’s not for the cleaner who comes in a few minutes early.  

It’s there to represent the customer.  

The customer is so important that they should (metaphorically) have a seat at the board meetings.  

It acts as a visual reminder as the meeting is going on as to who they are serving. This in turn will affect the decisions being made.  

Now, if your business is you and a mate, or you and your husband (so far) there will be lots of empty chairs around your table at the start. So I’m not suggesting using the same method.  

But you could create an AI image of your ideal customer (whether that’s a sports student, a retired teacher or a family living in Liverpool) and stick it to the bottom of your screen.  

Keep your customer and what they want from their ideal supplier of (fill in the blank here!) right at the center of everything you do. You might not blow up like Amazon but will be far more successful than making decisions solely through your business owner's eyes.  

One Idea to Win in Life

Something to Improve Your Mindset

This Tiny Habit Totally Changed My Mindset

There was a particularly tough few weeks last year where I felt I was swimming against every tide there is to try and achieve my business and personal goals. I’d always read about gratitude and the importance of “counting your blessings”.  

I’d always convinced myself I don’t have time to journal. But I found a less involved way of practicing gratitude. 

I thought I'd try it for 4 weeks and see what happens. 

Not to sound dramatic, but it's changed my life in a small way, and my mindset in a big one. 

Every day, I load up an app where I simply list 3 good things. It’s purposely kept really vague. It could be 3 good things that happened that day, or 3 good things that are happening in general. The simple act of listing 3 things you are grateful for every day, and how it makes you feel has totally transformed my mindset.  

As a founder, entrepreneur or business operator, your natural mindset is one of problem solver.  

This type of brain can have major benefits over the years to your life, those around you and ultimately your bank balance...but it comes with a downside. You scan the world for problems to solve. After a while, all you really see are the issues. It becomes pretty demoralising. There is so much to be grateful for. So much positive coming from your grind. Connecting with 3 of them a day has been a game changer for me. The app I use is 3 Good Things (and I absolutely promise no one has paid me to say this, but this app is worth looking into as a beginner guide to gratitude). 

Win or Wonder?

Ask Me a Question…

No matter where you are on this mad journey. Starting out, scaling up, or somewhere in the messy middle feel free to ask me anything.

Business, life or mindset, I read and reply to every question. The best ones will get featured in future editions of Winformation, with your permission of course!

To ask, just hit “reply”, type your question and send. That’s it. No forms. No fuss.

Until next week! 

Let’s win, together!