Testimonials

Please see below some recent video testimonials from various industry sectors.

(Written testimonials are available further down if you prefer to read)

HOSPITALITY / RECREATIONAL

 RETAIL / SERVICE

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS

WRITTEN TESTIMONIALS:

ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING DESIGN:

Studio Fractal (Architectural Lighting Design and Light Art), literally hit the ground running in June 2010, with two partners, a couple of clients and as many projects. This number very quickly increased as news of the new company filtered through the construction and design industry and within a month we took up occupancy of an office as a rapidly expanding team of four. In the midst of the excitement something began to dawn on us; we had confidence in our business and our future within the industry but were discovering that we wanted to learn more about the structure and development of both our business and the people within it; marketing, PR, HR, time management, recruitment, financial accounting; all crucial components of a healthy, successful business that we knew little about.

In October 2010, our financial accountant invited us to attend a coaching seminar with Tim Rylatt of ActionCOACH. We had not heard of Tim or ActionCOACH before and perhaps naively, thought that ‘this kind of thing’ was for people who had a) lost the will to continue their business and needed motivating or b) got their business into serious financial trouble and needed help! We attended the workshop (ready not to be sold to) thinking that it might perhaps be worth a precious morning out of the office if we just came away with a couple of helpful tips. After three hours listening to Tim’s presentation, amidst proven strategies, innovative ideas, increased figures and percentages, we were interested, very interested. Surprisingly to us, it appeared that there were certain elements of coaching that we could relate to and more importantly, could already see the many possible advantages for our business. By the time we arrived back at the office, we had already made the first appointment with Tim.

Tim has helped us to understand the science behind successful marketing with advice and various resources, such as CD’s and books and has guided us with producing vital client feedback questionnaires.  We very quickly applied the brakes on a blanket marketing campaign that we had planned, realising that our ‘one size fits all’ approach was ill-conceived and ultimately would result in costing us money. Tim has helped us to recognise the importance of understanding the needs and expectations of our clients and how to successfully target them. Testing and measuring the number of leads converted into sales will reveal just how successful our campaign has actually been, we can learn from these results and adapt future campaigns if necessary.

Working through the six steps framework has been a significant milestone in the development of our business. It underpins a stable infrastructure and will allow us to plan for success and future expansion whilst affording us flexibility and resilience during our most challenging times. We are already making measurable progress in achieving the mastery of finance and time management. The introduction of the default diary has been a resounding success, the benefits of which are enjoyed by all members of staff. There is better organisation and operations run much more smoothly than before. Previously, lack of event planning was the cause of a great deal of stress and resulted in many important tasks becoming urgent and important, ultimately compromising our service and the expectations of our clients. Monitoring cashflow has been vital for our expansion and the ability to make capital purchases with no financial borrowing. Tim has provided us with cashflow models and forecasting spread sheets, which have helped us to adopt good financial systems, enabling us to make improvements along the way and to anticipate any unexpected expenditure.

We are currently working with Tim on developing our company identity and in particular our USP, to help us establish a unique presence within the lighting design industry. If we are to succeed in such a competitive niche market, we have to offer a fresh approach to our clients, in the form of a feature or benefit that clearly distinguishes us from our competitors. This has caused us to question every aspect of our business, from client’s perceptions of the business, to our company mission statement, ethics and culture.

We have been lucky enough to meet a number of fellow ActionCOACH clients who have proven most helpful on the occasions we have needed professional advice.  When we one of our projects was recently featured in the national press and as BBC news item, Ann Grain (JAG Press & Publicity) provided us with valuable guidance on how to successfully market the company outside the lighting industry. This resulted in auspicious coverage from the BBC with the opportunity for further articles and coverage. We have also employed the professional services of Jupiter Colour, Website Design and Women Who Count, Bookkeeping Services. ActionCOACH has provided us with the opportunity to form professional associations with fellow business owners from a pool rich in talent, all sharing a genuine interest and desire to help develop and promote your business with you.

We are five months into our coaching programme and approaching the end of our first financial accounting year. There are numerous ways in which coaching has had a positive influence on our business, although at this stage they are largely intangible. DISC profiling has given us the opportunity to increase our levels of self-awareness, revealing where our own strengths and weaknesses lie but also allowing us to understand the effects of these dynamics on the company as a whole. Appreciating the true character, needs and motivation of each individual has enabled us to optimise strengths and improve weaknesses resulting in a strong, united team. As a start-up, we were keen to put in place a clear company structure, particularly with five partners and three employees, as we believe it is important that we have shared goals and individuals understand what is expected of them.  With Tim’s assistance we are putting effective HR systems into practice, ensuring that partners and employees at all levels are clear on what their roles and responsibilities involve and with regular performance appraisals and training, we are demonstrating our commitment to their continued development and support. Subsequently, junior partners will also be encouraged to work with ActionCOACH, preparing them for a greater involvement in the management of the company as it expands and diversifies.

With improved management in areas such as finance, event planning, HR, and a clear marketing direction, we now have strategies in place for building on our initial growth as well as systems to measure and monitor our progress. An important element of the coaching experience for us has been the willingness of Tim to adapt his coaching style and delivery to suit our demanding workload and rapidly expanding business on a session by session basis. With an abundance of knowledge, advice and resources, Tim is providing the tools that will enable us to evolve and grow both as a business and as individuals.

RA Downey, March 2011

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 MOBILE TELEPHONY 

I recently took a day out of my business to attend an ActionCOACH GrowthCLUB day that you ran.

It transpired that this was not actually a day 'out' of my business, but the 'first' day of my new business. The day made me do something that I had for so long been putting off. It made me focus on my business and not just on the next sale, or problem. I was shown ways that would help me set out a plan to grow the business, in a way that is both manageable and achievable.

It is all too often easy to lose your way, and not look too closely at where the business is going.

Your clear, precise and fun presentations and workbooks made it easy for me to reviewwhat I am doing, and how I do it, and has encouraged me to set goals and work to a better plan than I had.

Ihave no hesitation in recommending you and ActionCOACH to anyone in business, as your encouragement and methods will add energy, focus and vision, and thus ultimately move the business forward in a positive way.

I look forward to the next 90 days and to attending the next course.

Steve Bellamy

Mobile5

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 CHARACTER REFERENCE

Dear Tim,

Based on our long association, I have no hesitation in recommending you as an extremely loyal, trustworthy and dedicated professional. You have achieved high educational standards and acquired valuable knowledge enabling you to generate success for yourself and your client base in delivering results in a very challenging economic environment.

Best Regards

Yours Sincerely

Peter Cullum CBE
Executive Chairman
Towergate Underwriting Group Limited

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