Author: Lucy Andrews

If you know you need to change your business for the better, it’s probably time to find a business transformation specialist. Business transformation specialists like Get Ahead can help you identify what changes you need to make and help you put the right processes in place to achieve your goals.

In this blog, we talk to Natasha, one of our busy regional directors, about business transformation and the support you need when you’re driving change forward.

What is business transformation?

Natasha: Business transformation is a very broad term that refers to almost any kind of business change. It might be strategic, operational or to do with expansion. You might change direction and break into a new market, or change culture to attract a more specific type of client. All of these are ways of transforming your business for the better. 

What can a business transformation specialist do?

Natasha: A business transformation specialist can help you in a variety of ways. Perhaps you’re aware that you need to make a change but you don’t know what that change might look like. Or perhaps you know exactly what you need to do but don’t know quite how to do it. 

The first way a business transformation specialist can help is by working with you to identify the change you need to make, and how to make it.

A transformation specialist can also help you access to right support during a time of change. 

What does a business need during the transformation process? 

Natasha: I’ve noticed that, when a business is taking a new direction, they need expert input, flexibility, and an insight into best practice. 

  • Expert input

I love helping business owners unpick their strengths and weaknesses to identify what needs to change – it’s the first step on the journey. Get Ahead also has a network of business coaches who can support you with goal setting. With the strategic overview in place, the next step is to decide how to put it into practice. Expert input can help you pin down where your transformation budget would be best spent, ensuring the best return on investment.

  • Flexibility

If you haven’t done something before, you might not know how much of it you need, what level you need it on or how much it will cost. That’s why it’s important to find a flexible solution that enables you to experiment. Once the experiment is over, you might choose to continue with flexible working, or recruit a permanent team member to take the new process forward. It’ll even give you the option to put it down to experience and try something else. 

  • Best practice

When you’re transforming your business, you might not know how much better it could be. So when you’re choosing business transformation support, look for a solution that will show you what best practice looks like. It’s easy to reject an idea because you don’t know how to deliver it well. But when you bring in someone who is already an expert in that area, they’ll provide high quality work that will help you evaluate whether the idea is worth pursuing. Get Ahead’s team of virtual experts provide outstanding support in a variety of areas, including business administration, finance, HR, marketing and social media.

Get Ahead – business transformation specialists

If it’s time to transform your business, we hope you’ll talk to Get Ahead. We have regional directors like X up and down the country – they can’t wait to talk to you about your business, where it is now and where it could be going. They can link you up with any number of virtual experts to deliver your new priorities and take your business to the next level. What are you waiting for? 

PS – to find out more about what we do, you can follow us on LinkedIn.

Access to Work funding could be the transformation your business needs. Whether you’re increasing the diversity of your team, tapping into a vital skill set or adapting for an existing employee, applying for funding could be the solution.

In this blog, we look at Access to Work funding and how it can transform your business.

What is Access to Work funding?

Access to Work is a government scheme aimed at enabling people with disabilities of all kinds to get more from their working lives. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have to make “reasonable adjustments” to accommodate their team members’ needs. However, some adaptations fall outside this, like specialist equipment. This is where Access to Work funding comes in. It can cover solutions such as coaches, sign language translators and mental health support services. It can also pay for travel support and adaptations for premises. And it also covers the cost of disability awareness training for colleagues of people receiving Access to Work funding.

You can apply for Access to Work funding to support the needs of disabled people you already employ or are about to employ. You can also apply if one of your existing team members becomes disabled and needs extra support to continue in their role. If you’re self-employed and have a disability, you can apply to Access to Work to fund the additional support you need to run your business.

How can Access to Work help transform your business?

Access to Work breaks down the barriers to employing someone with the right skills and experience.  And with exactly the right person in the job, you can take your business to the next level. 

Employ the best person for the job

For example, you might be looking for a new team member. You find a really strong candidate, but they have a disability which means they need specific computer software to do their job. Only your budget can’t cover the cost of the software. This is where Access to Work comes in – it could pay for the software, enabling you to employ a person who could make a tangible difference to your business. 

Gain new perspectives

Everyone has something to bring to the workplace. And when you diversify your workforce, everyone benefits. Employing people who have a different experience of the world is a great way to learn about different perspectives and transform what you offer. 

This could lead to your business offering new products and services. Or it might change your marketing – even your operation – for the better. 

Raise standards in equality, diversity and inclusion

It’s easy to think we’re all the same – and in lots of ways, we are! But when we work with a more diverse group of people, we can all grow as human beings. Becoming more inclusive is a valuable type of business transformation, raising standards in corporate practice and generating business growth. 

How can Get Ahead help with Access to Work

Get Ahead supports businesses with Access to Work in three ways. 

  1. Our team of experts can support businesses to apply for Access to Work funding, freeing up business leaders to concentrate on their core tasks. 
  2. We can also provide the support you might be looking to fund, like business coaching, diary management, note taking and more. 
  3. Our HR team can help employers navigate the Equality Act 2010 so you know you’re complying with UK law. They can also support you in developing inclusive job adverts, policies and handbooks so you can attract and keep the right candidates to transform your business. 
Access to Work with Get Ahead

Get Ahead can help you get the most from Access to Working funding. To find out more, explore our Access to Work pages. Follow us on social media too and find out what we’re up to! 

In an ever-changing world, business resilience is no longer a simple checklist. But when we look beyond our horizons and develop curiosity about future threats, we can build our resilience and protect ourselves against disaster. 

In this blog, we’ll look at what business resilience is and how curiosity can help us prepare. 

What is business resilience and why does it matter?

Business resilience is the process of thinking ahead and preparing for the worst. Many businesses start with a risk register, identifying the seriousness of potential risks and how to mitigate against them. A SWOT analysis is also a good business resilience tool, helping you identify future problems so you’re well prepared. 

Business resilience matters because it will protect you if or when disaster strikes. Resilient businesses weather the storm, continuing to trade and preserving their reputations at the same time. 

It’s easy to think “it won’t happen to us.” But it’s important to remember that it could. Distracted team members sometimes click on a dodgy link; even the best supply chain can break occasionally. 

How does curiosity help us build business resilience?

Curious business owners look beyond the everyday and make their businesses stronger as a consequence. 

Curiosity about solutions

It’s easy to accept problems and just try and live with them. But thinking more curiously can help us identify solutions and put them into practice. If something’s not working very well, look into alternatives and be confident about pursuing them. 

Curiosity about others’ experiences

A curious business owner might see an article on LinkedIn about a crisis that has befallen someone in a different sector. But by taking the time to read the article, they can digest the information and apply it to their own experience. And if that helps them imagine the scenario playing out in their own business, they can plan ahead and be prepared. 

Curiosity about developments in tech

We’ve blogged recently about developments in tech. New tech is always exciting and brings with it loads of opportunities, many of which can make our businesses more resilient. But being curious about it and digging deeper than the marketing spiel can help us prepare against potential threats. AI, for example, has created opportunities to streamline the way we work and reduce the time tasks take us. However, AI is a good servant and a bad master – as an employee, it needs careful management. Keeping this in mind and looking for risks as well as benefits will help us keep our businesses resilient. 

Curiosity about back-office tasks

Some tasks are accidentally left to chance, like website hosting and SEO. When these go wrong, we leave our business with a minimal online presence, undermining our marketing strategy. 

It’s easy to think these marketing tasks are just running themselves, but when direct our curiosity to what’s involved, we see that they need some proactivity from us. Our proactivity might extend to educating ourselves so we can cover these tasks ourselves. Alternatively, it might show us that these are tasks to outsource (Get Ahead can help, by the way!). 

Curiosity about other people

Our curiosity should most definitely extend to other people. Talking to others, communicating online and building our network is a great way to find out what other people have to offer. It’s also valuable to listen to other people’s experiences and learn from them ourselves. 

Curiosity about others within our network helps us build more resilient businesses. It enables us to build a collaborative team we can call on if we need help. And it also broadens our experience and helps us prepare for the future. 

Outsourced back-office support from Get Ahead

If our blog has made you consider how you can make your business more resilient, Get Ahead can help. Our nationwide team of virtual experts can fill in the gaps in your team, share their experience and make your business more resilient. Contact your local regional director today to find a tailor-made solution for your business. 

Curiosity in business – understand the human element
People buy from people. It’s an important pillar of marketing, but also of business. Keeping the human element at the centre of your business is one of the best ways to ensure that you remain relevant, attract new customers and retain great staff to help you grow. 

In this blog, we talk to HR expert Nora about why people matter in business, why we should be curious about them and what to do with what we learn.

Why is the human element important in a business?

Nora: It goes without saying that without people, our businesses cannot exist. We need people to buy our products and services. We need people to work for us to deliver the business offering. And we also need other businesses offering services that compliment ours – I work closely with people who provide payroll services, for example. 

But we need to look deeper. For our businesses to succeed, we need to be curious about these people: our customers, colleagues and collaborators. We need to find out what matters to them and how to cultivate our relationships with them. 

What questions should we ask about our clients? 

Nora: Listening to customers and clients is an important way to build a brand, establish a good reputation and grow a business. Market research will help us find out how our customers see our businesses and understand our strengths. But we can dial up our curiosity and find out more about our community in other ways. Consider what else they buy, and why. Consider their lifestyles and families. What makes them tick? Could we refine our offering to make it even more appealing to them? What do they need that we don’t yet offer, and can we plug that gap? 

If you have face-to-face customers and clients, you can answer these questions by simply having an informal chat. You’ll be amazed at what you find out when you listen! Even if you don’t deal directly with your clients, you can find out quite a lot by keeping an eye on social media and the press. What trends can you spot? What opportunities can you leverage? 

What should we find out about our team?

Nora: Whether you’re in the process of recruiting or you have an established team, it’s important to take an interest in the people who work for you. What matters to them? Why do they like working for your business? What are their priorities? With this information, you can understand how your business decisions affect them. You can also consider how best to manage them and how to address any problems that arise. 

What your curiosity will do is make you a stronger business leader. You might gain more liking and more respect from your team or employees. And with a strong team around you, your business is more likely to thrive and grow. 

HR outsourcing from Get Ahead

If our blog has made you think again about the business relationships you have with other people, Get Ahead can help. HR experts like Nora would love to help you with the processes and conversations you need to strengthen your team and grow your business. Meanwhile, our marketing team can advise on market research and reporting, giving you the information you need to take your next step. 

Explore our site to find out more, or contact your local regional director today. 

AI is changing the way we work and now is a great time to identify AI opportunities. From streamlining processes to refining our business offerings, AI is creating opportunities if we’re wise enough to spot them.

In this blog, we look at why we should keep an open mind about AI, be curious and keep business growth at the heart of every decision. 

How can I use AI to grow my business?

AI is already having a profound impact on businesses. We are all using tools that we don’t even consider artificially intelligent, like predictive text and email attachment reminders. But did you know that programmers have developed AI capabilities to help us use existing tech platforms in a more streamlined way? 

For example, Zoom’s new Companion feature includes the ability to create summaries of meetings, and helps you review what was said without you having to wait for the clerk to finish the minutes. (Why not ask about it next time you outsource online event management?)

And Microsoft Copilot is more than just a writing tool. It can also crystallise email threads – think of the amount of time you spend scrolling and searching to find the relevant point and you’ll realise how useful this can be. 

Of course, these features are just the tip of the iceberg, but what they do save is time. And when you gain more time back, you can plough your energy back into your core business, in turn taking it to the next level.

How can I identify AI opportunities?

So many people are talking about AI these days! It’s on the news, it’s discussed on LinkedIn, it’s in the business press, it’s in the tech press. Channel 4 made a documentary about it. There is a lot to find out, and a lot of ways of finding it out. 

At Get Ahead, we’re constantly learning. The business world evolves and we’ve found that the best way to get ahead (!) is to stay curious. Yes, we do sign up for formal training courses and update our CPD, but above all, we recognise the need to keep an open mind. 

Being curious about AI is a great approach. Here are some ideas to help you shape your thought process:

  1. Find out how your clients see AI and whether it would improve customer experience. You could do a formal survey, or just listen for it coming up in conversation.
  2. Consider how AI could save you time and money, freeing up your resources to grow your business. If you think it could, drill down deeper and find specific solutions. 
  3. If you realise you’re using AI, pause and see whether it’s working for you. Ask yourself if you could be utilising it in a more focused, purposeful way. And if you don’t know how, find out! 
  4. If a website or platform you use regularly offers a new AI capability, take the tour instead of clicking away. 
  5. Next time you see a discussion about AI on LinkedIn, join in and see what others have to say. 

Outsource back-office support

If you need support to find your way with AI, tap into the latest trends and make it work for your business, Get Ahead are here to help. Explore our site to find out more, or contact your local regional director today. 

Get Ahead operates across the country, each area run by its own regional director. The regional director is your central point of contact, connecting you with the right virtual experts, managing their output and tailoring the package to meet your business needs.

This blog looks at the role of regional directors and their part in delivering the right support for your business.

Our expertise

All the regional directors have extensive corporate backgrounds with in-depth experience in key areas of HR, marketing, recruitment, operations and client servicing.  We have the industry knowledge, commercial acumen, best practice experience and hard skills to understand your business challenges and suggest the most suitable solutions.

Business Owners

As business owners ourselves, we also understand what’s really involved in running a business and the pressures, challenges and opportunities that can bring. 

Consultative approach

Regional directors can offer a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ and independent view of your business.  Whether the brief is to solve a problem, widen a bottleneck, meet a challenge or achieve a growth target, we can help you break it down into an action plan and provide an outsourcing solution.

You may be completely clear on what you want to outsource, but a lot of the time our clients know they need help but are not sure where to start. As consultants, we will work with you to understand what you are trying to achieve for your business and how we can help to reach your goals.

A trusted pair of hands

Once we have established what you want to achieve and the best solution to get there, we will carefully match you with an individual or a virtual team based on the skills you need and your working style. 

We become your Success Manager.  We will make sure you have what you need to achieve results and that every element is working together, through team and project management.

A central point of contact

You will receive one monthly invoice and one point of contact, but access to a wealth of skills and expertise you would struggle to find in one person.

An evolving relationship

Things change!  We understand that businesses are always evolving and therefore so do your needs and requirements.  We can adapt your virtual team to match this; pulling in additional resources or skill sets as your business needs change. Our agile approach saves you the time and money that would be associated with managing an in-house team.

An adaptable team

We pride ourselves on our customer service and appreciate any feedback during the working relationship.  We understand that personality is a huge element of working together, so if your needs change or for any reason things don’t work out, we can easily look at alternative options for you to save your time and energy with the ‘recruitment process.’

Our role as regional directors or success managers is to form that all-important layer between your virtual expert team and you – we ensure your expectations are understood and delivered, if not exceeded.

Our branding experts are often asked, “What exactly is a brand?” While it’s easy to think that branding is all about design, there’s a lot more to it than that. To understand branding, it can help to ask yourself if your business were a person, what would they look like, what would they enjoy, how old would they be, what values would they hold? Thinking like this can help you think of branding in a broader way.

If you’re ready to think bigger, read on. In this blog, we share our ideas for what a brand includes, so you can build credibility and connect with a new audience. 

A brand is made up of…

Your logo

A strong logo is a clear representation of your business. Your graphic designer will consider your business story, goals and products to create a visual representation that your audience can engage with.

Your colour palette

Colour can be very powerful – it can communicate emotion, create an atmosphere or build on an existing idea. Remember, these aren’t just colours for your logo – they’ll also appear on your website, social media channels and even uniforms and vehicles. 

Your tone of voice

The way that you talk to your audience does a lot to engage them. Think about the kind of customer or partner you want attract. Ask yourself what sort of language they use, what they want to hear from you and how.

Your values

Many businesses share their values on their websites, which can be a useful way to communicate what they stand for. And when we really embed these values in every area of the business, their power really increases. Your values will help you attract and retain customers and clients, as well as establishing you as the market leader and helping you fill your vacancies with strong candidates. 

The sum total

Remember to measure the strength of your brand against its own success. Is it working? Are you attracting the right customer who want to buy your products and join your community? A strong brand has everything we’ve listed above. Each element works with the others to personify your business, creating a three-dimensional brand your community can engage with.

Outsource branding to Get Ahead

If our blog has made you consider whether to outsource branding, Get Ahead can help. Our experienced marketing team can look at every aspect of your brand, from outward appearance to sincere values, sharpening it up to connect with customers to help your business grow. 

Explore our site to find out more, follow us on LinkedIn or contact your local regional director today. 

Brand credibility is essential for any business – it’s key to establishing trust and growing your business. In this blog, we talk to our branding expert Kim, who explains more about reputation and how to build it, addressing “why is brand credibility important?” 

What is brand credibility?

Kim: Brand credibility is the extent to which your brand is trusted. Your community will naturally include customers and/or clients, but it’s also important to consider how you’re seen by the rest of your industry. 

Why is brand credibility important?

Kim: Brand credibility is important for a number of reasons.

The most obvious one is that it helps you build and retain a strong customer base. Consistency and trustworthiness will always attract customers: they’ll feel reassured, confident and like the business cares about them. 

As well as attracting customers directly, a credible brand will also help you attract opportunities and collaborations. Maybe you’ve established yourself as the most reliable designer of finance software – brand credibility could lead to you speaking at a major conference. Or you might offer something with a niche appeal, but your credibility allows you to branch out into teaching your skill as an additional revenue stream. 

Another a key benefit is that credibility makes your business resilient. For example, you probably saw that big high street brand Marks and Spencer suffered serious cyber attacks earlier this year. You probably also saw that they were able to bounce back because the strength of their brand outweighs any doubts about their online security. 

How do I build brand credibility?

Kim: Brand credibility is one of the ultimate slow burns. While you can invest in brand development, design a new logo or use a fresh advertising campaign, these ideas can’t build credibility by themselves. So in addition to your active branding work, it’s a good idea to think about what you can do to show that you’re a brand to rely on. 

A good starting point is consistency. Make sure that your community has the same kind of experience whether they buy from you in person, visit your website, follow you on social media, or any other touch points. An audit of your marketing will highlight any inconsistencies – note them down then take action! 

Checking for customer focus is also important. Measure every aspect of your brand against the customer experience, because your community will trust you if they feel like you care about them. Check whether your business easy to recognise and contact. Check your tone – are you talking to them, with them or simply at them? “You” is a powerful word – use it. 

You can also look out for opportunities to show leadership. From being an expert in your field to shaping your industry’s response to a new situation, there are more opportunities than you think. Establishing yourself as a leader helps you attract good PR and partnerships, as well as directly driving conversions. 

Outsource branding to Get Ahead

If reading Kim’s insights has got you thinking about increasing your brand credibility, Get Ahead can help. From a marketing audit to a detailed branding exercise, Kim and our other branding experts can help you strengthen what you already have (or even start from scratch!). Explore our site to find out more, follow us on LinkedIn or contact your local regional director today. 

At Get Ahead, we know there are many benefits of networking.  A strong understanding of networking is key for anyone who wants to buy a Get Ahead franchise. We also love supporting our clients with everything from business cards to confidence so they can get themselves out there.

But we know that not everyone likes networking. Some people say it doesn’t work. Others feel it’s not worth the time away from their desk. And some people find the social side difficult. 

If you know you should be networking but you can’t bring yourself to go, this blog is for you. We’ll share our top tips and mindsets to help you break down whatever barrier stands between you and networking. 

  • Do your homework

    Think about what kind of networking group would work for you. Would you like a drop-in, like a Get Connected event, or something more structured? Would you like membership to make sure you go every month, or would you like more flexibility? Breakfast events? Daytime? Evening? Not all networking events are the same.

    See what’s available in your area and sign up for the one that meets your criteria. 

    • Go with a business friend

      If walking into a room full of strangers fills you with horror, take a friend with you. Go with a friend who also runs a business, or someone you know professionally and get on well with. Just remember to talk to other people once you’ve found your feet! 

      • Set expectations

      You probably won’t leave your first networking event with ten new clients, or even one! But that doesn’t mean that networking doesn’t work. You might get a call a few days later, or pick up some work at the next event because people have had a chance to think about it. 

      Don’t underestimate the value of just turning up – every time you say your business name, you reinforce your brand. 

      • Set goals

      Set yourself networking goals, like finding someone who could give you an introduction in another relevant industry. Networking isn’t just about you finding your next client – maybe you’re looking for an accountant to get your books in order, or another service to help your business level up. 

      If you’re a start-up, networking means that you’ve told people about your business who have never heard of it before. You could make it your goal to tell three people about your business.

      Set yourself a goal – see if your networking becomes more focused. 

      • Keep going! 

      It’s easy to think that networking doesn’t work if you’ve only been to one event. But – trust us – keep going. The more people get used to seeing your face over coffee on a Wednesday morning, the more they’ll learn to like and trust you. It’s these deeper connections that make our network work. 

      Benefits of networking

      At Get Ahead, we believe in the benefits of networking. We’re here to help you with networking too and we hope you’ll come along to your local Get Connected event. And if you’re not ready to network yet, we can help you with your brand and marketing collateral, so you can talk about your business with confidence. We can even introduce you to business coaches from our own network.

      See you at networking soon! 

      Networking is a great way of to get your business out there, tell others what you do and take your business to the next level. However, it’s very important to talk to the right people so that every connection is worthwhile. In this blog, we talk to regional director Lisa Middleton about how to be strategic and build a network with people to grow your business.

      Why is it important to be strategic at networking?

      Lisa: When we go to a networking event, it’s really easy to focus on attracting new clients who will book our services directly. There’s nothing wrong with doing that, especially if it turns into regular business. However, it’s also worth making the effort to talk to people who can support us in an ongoing way, rather than pay us for a one-off service. This is how to make these events more worthwhile and more sustainable. 

      When I’m at a business event, I always make myself available to potential clients, in case they want to book a call with me and use Get Ahead’s services to support their business. But I also make sure I connect with others who offer a service – this can often create more opportunities for future work. For example, I might make a point of connecting with an accountant. It’s a great starting point for me – the accountant might have clients who need other outsourced, back-office services like the ones Get Ahead provides. And if the Get Ahead finance experts are at capacity, I have another accountant I can invite to join the team. 

      How could I put strategic networking work in practice?

      Lisa: Think about what conversations you would like to have that would grow your business. For example, talking to others in your sector could give you insights into industry developments so you can adapt your offering accordingly. You can also find the differences and connections between what you both offer. Maybe your services complement each other and you could combine forces to provide an even better service. 

      You can also talk to others outside your sector who might be able to give you an introduction to a wider group. If you have a product that would benefit a particular market, networking could give you a valuable inroad.

      It’s a good idea to think about this before you leave for the event. Networking is time away from your desk and you should use it as efficiently as possible. 

      Networking in your local area

      Get Ahead hosts regular networking events at Metrobank. These events are great ways to meet other local businesses, expand your business family, make connections and find more work. Explore our events page to find out more – we’d love to meet you!