Keep energy levels high and trust your people

Apr 28 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

PREPARING a business to face challenges and identifying opportunities are among the key issues faced by entrepreneurs.

We asked some of the region’s top business people for their advice:

Preparing my business and people to face challenges

Sir Peter Vardy of Sunderland’s Vardy Group of companies:

“Keep the energy level high. The staff must be motivated and the leader must show confidence in his or her ability in understanding the market conditions and what action to take. Don’t panic in front of the staff; it will unnerve them. When the market is tough and challenging, it is time to stick to the basics extremely well. Work hard on staff and customer satisfaction. In the most challenging and tough times, someone is doing the business. You just need to take a bigger share of the smaller market.”

Lynn Gate, the Storage Company Ltd, a storage business off the A1(M) at Newton Aycliffe:

“By walking tall, chin up and wearing the highest heels you can find. Shoes are very important!”

Maureen Lindberg, from Gosforth-based HR consultancy Professional People Management Ltd:

“Get the right people engaged with the challenge and listen to their views. Equip them with the information and resources they need to deliver and keep them focused. Don’t be afraid to change the plan if need be.”

Identifying opportunities:

Paul Campbell, who runs Newcastle’s the Amazing Group, an educational software company and a website where unsigned musicians can promote their work:

“The best opportunities are the ones that seem so blindingly obvious that there is no option but to go for them and that’s the thing about being true to your instincts. I’m a ski instructor and when you’re teaching people to ski, the thing that guarantees that they will fall over most is if they are rigid with fear or trying terribly hard to do the right thing. The thing that makes them a really good skier is not worrying about what they’re doing and just reacting to the terrain as it changes, so as you go over a bump, your body automatically responds to the change of balance the bump causes. Be ing an entrepreneur is the same, you have to be able to react, not to force something as a reaction and not to be frightened about it, but be instinctively responsive to what happens.”

Kari Owers, of Newcastle PR company O Communications:

“As an entrepreneur, opportunities fly at you from every direction – during a meeting, while you are exercising, over a pint or even when you’re asleep! The most successful entrepreneurs I have met over the years have this radar finely tuned and know which opportunities they can progress, which they can help steer under someone else’s steam and which are simply a distraction.

“Some early advice I was given was to listen to your instincts when an opportunity presents itself, and know when to park an idea. I try to keep a keen ear, an open mind and a clear focus on what my end goal is by being in business.”

For more How I ... tips, go to www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk , which is inspired by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum.