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Breton Dobbs: Experienced Business Advisor Committed to SME Success

With over five decades of experience in marketing and business management, I bring a wealth of knowledge to my role as a business advisor. My journey spans diverse industries, including franchising, retail, and corporate roles; equipping me with the skills to address the unique challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Whether it’s strategic planning, branding, B2B/B2C marketing, or customer relationship management, I leverage my expertise to help businesses thrive....

Disorganisation

One of the things that we often encounter in businesses we visit is DISORGANISATION – sometimes it’s the boss, sometimes it’s the team members individually, sometimes (but fortunately, not very often) it’s everyone. Other times it’s the office or workshop environment that creates the opportunity to be disorganised rather than the people themselves, but one way or the other, not being on top of things can be very disruptive.If this is you, or any of your team, then please read on‚ and...

The Power of Conducting a Swot Analysis

Don’t under estimate the power of conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis.When we are working with clients this is usually completed quite early on in the process to get an overview of a company’s potential and is a key component when developing a business strategy.Below is a reminder of how to conduct a SWOT analysis with your team to get the most out of the process.It never ceases to amaze me how powerful this process is when conducted this way. It of...

A cause to reflect

I’ve had cause to reflect lately…I am of an age where people often ask - when are you going to retire? That’s not the reason for my reflection. I love what I do. I’m told - in many different ways, I’m good at it. So why would I want to stop?Like so many, if not all SME business owners, I’ve reflected on the last two years and the challenges SMEs have had keeping their businesses going, never mind growing. The business owners I work with are no different. I am no different as a busine...

What Is Your Hourly Rate?

The question of hourly rates is very relevant now. With costs increasing almost everywhere, business margins are being squeezed at a relentless rate. If you are in a service-based industry where your revenue includes a charge for time, then this may be of some interest to you.One of the topics I often debate with clients is where does the “Hourly Rate” sit in terms of how the business is seen by the customer. Quite often it is “Front and Centre” of the business offering. When a pote...