Testimonials
“When I first spoke to Mike I was struggling to find enough time to run the business. I knew I wasn’t working as efficiently as I could. I needed further financial resource but wasn’t sure of the best way forward. Despite this I still felt I was doing alright and I was a bit sceptical about receiving advice about the business. I decided to speak to Mike anyway because he was coaching a neighbouring business and they were really impressed by the coaching and getting a lot from it.
When I spoke to Mike he offered a short consultation with no obligation from me. Following the consultation I was very interested and he offered a four month coaching package largely funded by the Business Growth Service, so I was very happy to go ahead.
As we started the coaching and began to put a plan together it was clear that I hadn’t realised how much potential I had in the business. I soon saw there was plenty of room for growth. We worked out the key factors which were holding the business back and quickly found a way to financially support the business. We set out how I could work differently and more effectively by concentrating on the factors that would increase sales and margins. As a result, I have been able to double sales in quite a short space of time. Because there was a relatively small increase in costs, my net profit has gone up 250% over the same period. I’m very happy with where the business is at present and I know that if I decide to invest in expansion I could take the business forward much further still.
My mind-set has changed because I now realise how much can be achieved by being clear about your goals and having a sound plan to get there. You then just have to follow through with the actions. My advice to anyone considering getting some help to get more from your business is to have a consultation with Mike. The chances are there’s a big opportunity ahead.”
David Blackwell“I wasn’t in a good place with my business. Sales were declining and I felt I had lost direction. I couldn’t see a way forward and there was no one for me to talk to. I had a problem with my marketing which wasn’t working and I was making no progress. I was beginning to lose interest in the business.
Through the coaching I have learnt so much and I am in a much more positive place now. The changes in myself and my business are enormous. I now monitor the financial and marketing numbers closely. We have tested and measured new marketing strategies, worked out what works and what doesn’t. Sales are now increasing and I’m attracting new customers. I now know exactly what my profits are each week. I am a lot less stressed and very optimistic about the business.
I feel that the changes in my leadership are a remarkable improvement. The quality of my team has improved beyond recognition and whereas I used to think if someone didn’t like what I did they could just leave, I now take time to manage their performance. I have replaced unproductive staff with quality people and I now have a great team. Whereas before I used to try to do everything myself I now delegate. Though there is still work to do my time management is now much better and me and all of the team have a clear working schedule.
We are turning around the auto repair business and we’ve had a change of strategy for me to develop the retail car and bike business. The bike business is now growing well and we’re ready to put a plan in place to completely transform the used car business where I can see there is huge potential.
I’ve still got plenty more to learn. It doesn’t matter where you are, you can always improve in some areas. I now explain to my friends that it’s no good being too stressed by work, you need to think clearly. Mike helps me do this and I recommend him to them. For anyone interested in coaching, based on my experience, I would talk them into it.”
Phil Kay“Through his coaching, Mike has not only helped me transform myself as a business owner, but has also guided me and helped my transform my business to the point where we have expanded and my turnover has nearly doubled.
All aspects of the coaching are covered, but for me it’s the personal attention to detail that is the most important factor that has helped me make the transition from worker to businessman. He cares, he wants to help you make a difference, and it’s not just contact at the session, there’s always phone calls where he comes up with a new idea or new strategy to try.
I could go on all day, but all I will say is, I can’t recommend him highly enough!”
Mark Eldridge“I was finding time management hard and was too thinly spread. I was having staff issues, I wasn’t calculating margins and wasn’t working to a P&L. I didn’t have any real plans made for growth or stability and wasn’t set up to really convert enquiries. That is why I contacted Mike.
Now I am doing a lot more planning, spending time working on the business. I have more desire, someone to answer to and to share ideas together and work out the costs and benefits of our decisions. Within a few months sales are up 50%, profits are up even more and I have taken on additional staff.
I am now confident and happy that the business is going in the right direction. I would recommend to anyone to have a one to one with Mike, make sure you get on with him (and you will) and let him drive you and your business forward!”
Andy Harris“When I began coaching I was struggling with my time, business structure and sales. Within 9 months I increased profits by around 500%. Including contractors my team have doubled.
The key factors have been managing my time a lot better than before and managing the team more effectively. Because of this I can personally concentrate on sales and business development.
I now think more strategically and concentrate on important tasks rather than things that seem urgent. I focus my attention on things that will benefit me, my team and customers continually in the future.
I’m much happier with how my business is doing, I enjoy work a lot more and I make more money. I have a far better work life balance.”
Ed Clayton“My success has been down to self belief and great coaching from Mike. I have found that the methods that Mike has used have helped me to develop into a more confident person and not fearing anything that I want to tackle.
The main objective for Mike was not to lead me in any one direction but for me to find my own path from conversations that both challenge my way of thinking and my ability to achieve my goals. These are not just professional goals but also personal goals.
I would not be able to achieve these highlights if it was not for the skills that Mike used in helping me. Mike helped me to develop and so has our friendship which I class for life.”
Paresh Joshi“I started coaching because although my sales were growing, cash flow always seemed tight, I wasn’t making the money I wanted and I was spending too long working in the business. I wanted to learn how to run the business properly. I hadn’t been shown before and I was working everything out off my own back.
Since the coaching started there’s been a vast improvement in how I run the business and the results. Sales are growing even faster now and we are now in control of margins and profit. Cash flow is now miles better and no longer causes stress. The team organisation is also massively better than it was.
Based on our performance right now the sales over the next 12 months will be three times what they were a couple of years ago. Better still the net profit will be as high as ten times what it was. Not only that, we can also see other ways we can expand to being a multi-million pound business and still improve our margins. I feel really good about the business and the future.
I enjoy the coaching and find Mike easy to talk to. He isn’t intimidating and doesn’t talk down to people. I’m happy investing in coaching because of the results and I recommend Mike to friends who run their own businesses.”
Karl Hurst“MKBC was recommended by a friend who had benefited from Mike’s coaching. He could see that I was drowning running a growing business, I’m so pleased he recommended Mike.
Mike has brought an overview to help give measured results. It’s no exaggeration to say Mike has saved my sanity. We now have simple tools which provide the information about which projects are earning us money and more importantly, which ones aren’t. Our productivity per man has increased with measurable results, whereas before it was “seat of the pants” stuff. Our workforce has not had to increase yet because we are working smarter not harder.
That said we will soon have to increase our labour both office and site, based entirely on the systems that Mike has helped implement. At the moment our monthly turnover has increased and the projection forecast is very good.
Marketing, which was never our forte, has grown and become much more focused, we now have a view of who our clients are and how to reach them cost effectively.
I would thoroughly recommend MKBC, and have done, to forward looking businesses wishing to increase their turnover, profit margins and measurability, whilst keeping a management system in place that redresses the work/life balance. It’s about working smarter not harder.”
Sean Denton
“When I began coaching with Mike I was struggling with working long hours, little profit and low motivation. I considered the possibility of giving up or downsizing. I knew I had to do something different.
Since starting coaching my annual sales have grown from £840k to £2.1m and profits have increased by £200k. I now feel motivated and optimistic. I have better control over finance and managing my business. I am now less hands on, I delegate responsibilities to people I would not have previously and I am understanding all the figures.
I am still working on work and life balance but it’s a lot easier when making a profit. I would say give coaching a try. Even if you think you’re doing okay I’m sure there are improvements that can be made. You have nothing to lose and lots to gain.”
Mark Primett“Through working with Mike as a business coach the results have been incredible. Our profits have more than doubled and we are enjoying running our business better than ever before.
Compared to the numerous other coaches we have worked with, Mike has a unique style in that he has a very selfless, holistic approach to helping people. He genuinely wants to get a deep understanding of not just our business and our goals but also of us as people, what our values are and what our ultimate goal is in life.
With this understanding he has applied his extensive knowledge, experience and wisdom to guide us in the direction we want to go. We are very excited about the future of our business and with Mike’s help we feel confident we will far exceed the expectations we have.
We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with Mike, he is genuine, with a wealth of business knowledge and expertise. We’re looking forward to working with him for many years to come, needless to say we would recommend his services wholeheartedly to anyone looking to take their business to the next level.”
Joe Francis“Mike helped me in organising my work and resolving problems in my team. He gave me the confidence to deal with the problems and the people. At the end of the day the best approach is honesty.
If you are honest and above-board you can deal with any problem. The beauty of Mike is he is a clear thinker and honest in what he gets you to do, encouraging you to be above-board with the people and issues that you are dealing with.
This simply means working out a problem, facing it head on and overcoming it. Mike helped me do that and has improved my business no end. Thanks Mike.”
Tim Clayton“Mike’s coaching has been invaluable to me. I learned to identify the barriers and key performance issues that have been holding me back.
Mike was incredibly skilled at asking the tough questions that helped me see things from different perspectives, and he then held me accountable for achieving my goals. Mike is not only challenging and insightful, but also patient and understanding, with remarkable instincts and knowledge. He brings a rare combination of an experienced senior operator and a coach, with unique perspectives and listening skills. His coaching style is a perfect fit for any business leader who wants to perform at a higher level.
The skills and concepts I learned will be invaluable for the rest of my life. I put much of my results and advancement down to the coaching and development I have received from Mike.”
Mark Witherspoon