Many founders and leaders find themselves banging their heads against the wall trying to open up, expand (or in some cases, resuscitate) revenue growth. I live in that world alongside you, and I know how frustrating it is. The nuance differs, but the questions are always the same:
The capitalist trifecta.
Simplifying Business: The Key to Success
I tend to believe we overcomplicate business. For whatever reason, it becomes a game of “who can use the longest word.” But the most successful people I know are brilliant at simplifying. They cut through the noise so that everyone in the business can understand the goal, align, and share the vision.
I recently fell into that very trap. In V235 of my business plan, I realised I’d built something that sounded impressive but dull. It was overengineered, overwritten, and not at all me.
When you’re a one-woman consultancy asking someone to spend their hard-earned money and trust in you, your only real USP is you. Your story. Your track record. And I’m learning how hard a sell that is in a cold market.
So I stripped everything back. I focused on learning how to tell the story of what I do, how I do it, and where I bring the most value.
My new mission? Simple: Calm minds. Controlled growth. Problems solved.
I’ve made peace with the fact I won’t have the answer to every problem. But what I do bring is a good dose of common sense, 15+ years of experience, and a possibly unhealthy level of tenacity to the table. That’s my edge.
Story time
I didn’t take maths in high school. My teacher told me I was “stupid.” (Self-employed and broke now, so the joke's on you, Mrs Jury.)
Later, while managing millions in P&L, I could understand the data, make decisions, but didn’t have the maths foundation to build the frameworks myself. It drove me mad. So I hired a tutor, learned the entire high school syllabus in a year, and passed my GCSE with a B. Not understanding something has never sat well with me. That’s part of what makes me good at this.
Oh, and apparently, “customers are more likely to buy from brands with strong personalities.”
I’ll be fine.
Why Consultants Are the Smarter Choice
IR35 has made traditional contracting a headache, for employers and contractors. It’s added complexity and cost where there was once flexibility and efficiency.
Consultants aren’t overhead. We’re an expense and as an expense, we’re also a tax write off.
That means businesses can hire a consultant to bring in strategic firepower without the long-term commitment, and we’re more financially efficient, no NI, no pensions. Just revenue growth support, scoped and delivered.
You’ve probably noticed the rise of ‘Fractional’ roles, Fractional CROs, Growth Leads, Ops, etc. Same principle: bring in targeted expertise, part-time, when and where it’s needed.
In short
If you need extra support but not a full-time hire, this is a golden window to bring in a consultant. If that’s where you’re at, I’d love to hear from you.