Like it or not, we're all addicts. Each & every one of us!Believe it or not, we all become oxygen addicts at birth, when we become addicted to air with our first breath, with each breath rewarding our brains with the euphoric rush of oxygen. Despite knowing this, I'd never thought of myself as an addict. I've never taken any narcotics, never smoked, & only ever drank alcohol to excess a handful of times, consuming at most one or two units at most in a month. I've never been unfaithful or sought pleasure through meaningless sex. Apart from natural life choices, I've never gambled, seeing the risk of loss as a waste of hard earned money. So it looks like I take the safe route through life, so what could I possibly know about addiction.   Almost by accident, I've learned first hand about an addiction that almost all of us have, with few of us even knowing it.   Until in my early 30's, I was a super-thin, extremely fit individual, with a pretty good quality of life. I never cared much for food, often having to remind myself that it was time to eat, too busy with life. With the arrival of children, my food intake gradually increased, often cooking far too much, in order to avoid not providing them with enough. All too frequently I consumed the leftovers from what I had prepared, to avoid food going to waste, a value that was instilled in me at a young age. But as an active father, always taking my children away on adventures, I soon burned off the food I was taking in. I was not an exercise fanatic. I was just active, always grabbing every experience from life that I could. In 2008, as a keen open water swimmer, I decided to train to swim the English Channel. Interviewing many successful swimmers who had made the 40km distance from England to France, they had all talked about the importance of bulking up to create resistance to prolongued cold temperatures through fat reserves to draw upon. So I began eating pasta, by the bucket load, converting carbohydrates into a layer of fat. Doing so, perhaps enhanced by my naturally slowing metabolism, my fat cells blossomed, waving goodbye to my well toned body and the six pack I had taken for granted for my whole life. But with one change in life circumstance and another, the swim was postponed time and again.   With my increased weight came a surprising feeling I had never had before. Hunger!   Eating 3 meals a day, with portion sizing growing gradually, my weight reached new limits. I soon grew from a low 60kg, to 70, then 80, and then during a difficult divorce, creeped ridiculously close to 90. Suddenly, seeing this value, I felt like half the man I used to be, and yet had seemingly gain half a man when I stood on the scales. Eating the excess from the meals I cooked for my children that lived with me, not exercising as much, & hunched almost frozen still behind a laptop, I found myself using food respites as a way to break up the day. Cooking became a ritual twice or more each day, and determined to always provide for my children, I would regularly over-estimate quantities needed, further leading to my over-eating.   With more life changes, came more dietary changes, and soon I recognised I was riding a sugar rollercoaster, with regular and high volumes of sugary food and drinks to help me concentrate, or to avoid a sugar withdrawal migraine kicking in. I justified these high quantities of sugar, as being an essential aspect of eating for my formerly active lifestyle, yet I was no longer leading it. So in an attempt to course correct for my sugar rich diet, I would sometimes, for weeks at a time, reduce my intake of easily accessed processed sugars, replacing with alternative substitute food sources, often eating several times a day just to distract myself from any signs of a craving. This too became a habit. When I wanted a distraction from my work, I would go to the cupboard or fridge, open it, stare at the contents, and then close it. All too often, however, I would empty something out first, which I would frequently consume without even really noticing. I'd become an unconscious food junkie, cramming in more, and more often, until the point I was snacking 4 or 5 times a day, with 2 full cooked meals at lunch and dinner, often in portions enough to feed 2 or more.   In short, food was beginning to rule my life, and rule my waistline.   As a trained hypnotherapist, even teaching others to become hypnotherapists, I often met prospective clients who wanted to give up smoking. Many asked me if I had ever smoked and understood what they were experiencing. I always admitted that although I could help them, I never had an honest appreciation of their struggle. As I later discovered, they were right.

"Whats your budget?" Is there a more invasive (even rude!) question that someone you don't really know can ever ask you about your business? If you're genuine about caring for your customers, never ask someone for their budget. After all isn't that just like saying “what's in your bank account". I even feel it's equivalent to asking "how much of your money can I get from you", often without saying what is given in return.   It's a very rude question to ask! Once the 'off the cuff' amount is revealed, it's set the scene, & miraculously the price they propose is always around the same or more! The incentive to be transparant is overshadowed by the very real fear of being taken advantage of.   Why should we tell anyone our budget? But why should we reveal our bank balance? After all who is supplying who? Surely the supplier should know their prices, & not make them up based on the figure someone without industry knowledge happens to mention. It's like some very poorly designed game show! As a client, do you want to reveal (often to a relative stranger) your worst case maximum limit of how much you can justify missing your bank balance?   Do you make others feel uneasy? As a supplier, do you want your prospects to feel uneasy & potentially exploited? Is it 'Fair game' to take advantage of others like this? Personally, I think not. For the sake of building a relationship based on honesty & transparency, let's help unearth a better way.   Rooted in Outdated Sales Strategies, it's time to change! “What’s your Budget” is perhaps one of the worst, most invasive business questions that any supplier can ask. It's selfish, and not focused on the customer's best interests. It may not seem like it, but its roots are from a tactic derived in the 1980's on aggressive covert sales strategies, designed to force a prospect into a corner. Sadly, to those that recognise this approach, it also creates an adverse reaction in our minds, especially the vast majority of us that don’t have money to just burn. Make no mistake, I get why some suppliers that don't know any better ask this impolite question. But that doesn't make it alright. You want to make sure that your time isn't being wasted. I get that. But surely there are far more polite ways to do business. Just because there is a maximum pot of money that could be used if necessary to cover a task does not mean that you want to allocate it all. Asking this question, in an attempt to information gather, & hook the listener is a classic tactic to win sales. It helps force a prospect to come up with a figure. It forces them to make a verbal promise which they are then obliged to stick to, or appears as a liar. It forces the prospect to open up & provide potentially sensitive and confidential information, forcing the supplier bare all, thinking they are obliged to do so, without the inquisitor revealing anything. It generally also becomes the quote that the company says it will cost, as if by magic. Surely that's a poor reward for a prospect being honest. Sure, it may help the business to get an idea of whether a prospect is in the right ball park for a product or service, but if the prospect disclose that their budget is twice more than a supplier normally charges, how many suppliers would use this to steer their quote. Why should a supplier minimise their quote when a generous budget appears to be available?   Why should someone guess your price? Asking someone without experience for a budget is like asking them for lottery numbers. Purely random. How would they honestly know what is the right amount to say other than to reveal their private bank balance? Without specialist knowledge or past experience, how would any prospect actually know what is reasonable, or have any idea of what may vary the price between one supplier & another? How would they know how much a company is charging per hour, or whether the prixing is based on the perceived value to a customer in how much it is worth paying to not have that problem. Most prospects don't have a clue, so those that give price indications create trust. Those that ask propsects to guess, take it away. After all, why should any prospect be made to guess a price? I certainly wouldn't expect to go into a supermarket and have to guess the price of my shopping, or to go in with £200 and ask them what the supermarket will give you for it. So why should any prospect be expected to for things that are not necessarily their expertise? Besides, how important is an hourly rate, with no indication of speed and efficiency? Admit it or not, price is a factor for most people, even if it’s not always the most important one. In the Western World, we wouldn’t dream of going into a shop & be happy with being asked how much their products are worth to us, & charged accordingly. It's not some back-street market stall in Morocco, with opportunistic pricing followed by aggressive haggling. The Better Way But how does a business create a trustworthy relationship with a prospect who doesn't understand the supplier's industry? The answer is simple. Results. If I know that a set amount will get me set results, or at least a high probability of this, then I know what I'm playing with. If a supplier has a portfolio of past examples with an indicative price of what it would cost them today, it becomes easy to quantify the results that a certain level of investment can bring. Put this portfolio on your website, or in a brochure, & simply direct people to it. No effort. No loss. Just good practice. The answer, put more simply is for a supplier to ask a prospect "What results do you want". Those results set the bar for expectation, and work can be priced accordingly. If prices are realistic, the results are what they want, and they genuinely have the freedom to select who they wish to work with, then they will choose the ones they can imagine themselves best working with. Simple. Asking what results the prospect wants puts the prospect back in the 'decision making' driving seat, rather than in a defensive one. There is no down-side, & no mention of budget to make people feel vulnerable to abuse. So if someone asks you what is your budget, perhaps it's time for a new response. Ask what results they want. If you can, show them a costed portfolio. Set expectations quickly, for everyone's sake. After all, with so many competitor options, don’t you want to work with thoses who are looking to protect your back, & not try taking the shirt from it?

Business banking exaclt the most stimulating topic, but getting it right can save huge amounts of haste. Experiences between high street banks and internet banks are not only different, but customer experiences are also wide ranging, so my experience here is subjective. It is also worth adding that it is very much up to date with the ones I quote. Every business is different. Everyone has different products, services, skills, time to dedicate, and everyone has different comfort levels with technology too. A good business, in my humble opinion can only truly be uncovered when something goes wrong. When things go right, it's simply business as usual. The lucky thing for readers to benefit from, is that I'm fussy when it comes to making the right decision on something I don't want to be chopping and changing with. This, gave me great exposure to the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of each of the three I am quoting below. Needless to say, this is a reflection of my experience, either of my own business, or of a business I have helped support, and my not be a reflection of the service provided to everyone. I'm also the sort of person that likes to deal with real people for any questions, as opposed to technology, chatbots and automated responses. I'm the one who prefers to queue at a supermarket for longer, to say hello to the cashier, than to do the scanning at an automated till. Not everyone is like that, an I'd like to think I've covered this too. Some businesses need to consider access to money withdrawals, deposits, different currencies, card payment handling, statements, as well as who can access the accounts. I have tried to touch on each of these to provide my view. How do Banks Make Money? Banks make money in two main ways. The first is that they using your money that you deposit, to invest wisely elsewhere to give themselves a good return. They can use it to loan to other customers, or they use it to invest in everything from real estate, stocks, shares, bonds, or any other investment vehicle they choose (within the confines of regulatory restrictions). The second way they make money is by selling services, often as the middle man, charging fees to cover their costs, such as charges for overdrafts, interest on loans, currency exchange fees, reclaiming on defaulted debts, or credit card handling charges. Overall, they make a profit from using your money to make more money. By being on the pulse of the best investments, they can make large quantities if invested wisely, which is then used to cover the overheads. Before we compare, we must realise that the key word in banks is 'Risk'. Every decision a bank makes is carefully weighed up as invest-worthy by analysing risk. Bigger banks may be able to carry more risk, and some banks are even considered too big to fail, able to absorb huge costs if a risk does not end favourably. Large institutional retail banks (like HSBC, Barclays, etc.) also know as the "High street banks", have the biggest physical presence, but also have the bigger overheads where it comes to real estate, and staffing, by comparison to an 'internet' bank, such as Revolut or Starling. Small banks may be more nimble, be designed to be more efficient, an may even be more innovative than the high-street banks that get away with charging for the same or similar service, and their justification is often that of perceived risk. Reality, however is that regulations make it quite hard for a bank to fold unless as a result of an over-powered rogue trader or internal fraud, both of which being increasingly more unlikely. Smaller banks may have lower overheads, but also their smaller presence means they cannot ride the 'risk' wave in the same way as a larger bank. This is why banking licences help offering some protection against a bank that over-exposes itself to risk. Revolut grew surprisingly big without a banking licence, although in the last year or so, has managed to secure one, meaning that HSBC, Revolut, and Starling, all have a licence, and therefore offer varying degrees of consumer protection. So that's a point to both the high-street and internet banks, for providing proof that they won't simply be here today and gone tomorrow. But what has this got to do with choosing a bank? The only reason worthy of the above explanation is for you each to ask yourselves what your view is on risk. Are you comfortable ony with a branch you can walk into, or can what you need be done over the internet?

People recognise that the right technology and the right people can make their lives easier. But if it's so easy, why for many firms, does it now cost so much, and yield so little? The answer is often among the Top 10 biggest mistakes most companies make, often with People and Technology.     Mistake 10. Not investing because 'you're doing alright' Many companies, large and small think they are doing fine. What they often fail to appreciate is the world is turning, and times are changing. Investing wisely is the key. What is alright today, may not be alright tomorrow, and preparing for those times is like a bear preparing to hibernate, only the night before winter sets in, when it is already too late. Make this mistake, and your troubles, and your company, will be over sooner than you think.   Mistake 9. Being sold on someone else's dream Too many companies I have worked with have been sold on someone else's dream. A good salesman has created a need, when none really existed. And to save face, or to pursue this dream, more good money is being thrown after bad. Sometimes it is just right to stop and cut your losses. Learn from these mistakes. Don't compound them.   Mistake 8. Doing it just because the competition do it People don't want to be left behind. As a result, they tend to look at others, and wonder what others are doing that they are not. What they fail to realise is that by cloning the competition they either become a second rate alternative, or they end up having 2 companies, their old one, and a clone of a new one. If they are in business, there is a reason. Look to what the customers want, most, and not focus on trying to copy what your competitors want to give them. Be your own identity.   Mistake 7. Choosing technology that is beyond their understanding If you don't see the benefits, it is because the benefits are not clear enough. This can be because it's either your lack of understanding the value of these benefits, or simply because these benefits don't have the value that they are claiming. Do what is right for your companies best interests. Learn what benefits will help your colleagues and clients, and work out whether what you are going to give them is actually what they need to benefit them, and the best way to bring it to them. If you don't understand something, don't throw money at it. Understand your problems first. They might not turn out to be the problems you expect.   Mistake 6. Bending the business around available technology in use One of the most common problems I have seen over the last 25 years in technology is that of companies jumping on technology capabilities, and building their business around it. If you're not careful, within 5 years, this technology is everywhere, and there is nothing special about what you offer. reliance upon any technology solution is bad. Unless you have infinite funds and infinite people, can you really afford to spread yourself in a new direction that technology, and not strategy, is suggesting? Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.   Mistake 5. Not using the same technology that other departments are using Many companies do not pool resources. Each departments focus on their own needs, and justify why it is the right solution, without an over-arching view that represents the best interests of the company as a whole. That's not to say that one size fits all. It most certainly does not. The human body shares a number of organs, heart, liver, spleen, but is controlled by one brain. Be the brain. Don't have multiple hearts, spleens, and livers. Choose the right tools wisely for your business, and everyone can take advantage of them, but be careful that you're not paying for what you don't need. Technology doesn't have to be like that.   Mistake 4. Retiring equipment because of a manufacturers end of life plan When technology goes end of life, it does not simply pack up. It often goes on and on.  But all technology should be expendable. In this day and age, it is built with a shelf life set by the manufacturer, and limited by a number of other factors. If your business can afford to change at the whim of the manufacturers end of life programme, it should consider itself lucky. Some clients need to change technology according to their vendors changes, especially those with a strong data security bias, but as a generalisation, it's equivalent to a supermarket expecting you to replace all the food you have at home just because they want to sell you more, even though what you have is all still perfectly fine. Think about whose motives, your company or theirs, that you are serving.   Mistake 3. Creating a dependency on one specific technology  The business should never be locked to any specific technology. That's just plain wrong to breed such a dependency.  Always be ready to change technology by making sure that the technology is just a tool to aid the business, and isn't the business itself. My view? Never be reliant upon any one supplier. They are there to serve your companies needs; not to own and dictate your future.   Mistake 2. Know your identity. Understand firmly what you do. Find a niche that separates you If two companies appear the same, potential customers are generally split between them, or awarded to the one people develop a positive relationship with first. If you have a niche, whether it is used or not, this shows added value. Aurora, for example, has the skills to set up Project Offices, create kick-starter campaigns, deliver any projects (using our own people, or those of the client), and helping to define a roadmap. But the niche is that we work to help you do it on your own, so you can be independent of us too if you choose. We live our own values, and work by strong principles. Don't you want to know that the supplier isn't going to integrate themselves so much that you can't operate without them any more. There is little more powerful in a streamlined organisation than having a clear identity, and having products and services which demonstrate this.   Mistake 1. Make sure that your team understand that the value to the organisation of them has to far exceed their income Many people think their income is a reflection of their role. it is not. It is a reflection of the benefits and value that they bring. If Aurora employed a Formula 1 driver, for example, would we really make the most out of them, and be able to pay them what he, or she, is worth and can get elsewhere? No matter where on the pay scale someone is, they need to generate the company more than they receive themselves, and if it can be done in a way that brings the most out of them, you're on for a winner. Take advantage of the skills and knowledge of your staff beyond the scope of their roles. Without getting into the realms of the HR world, you've invested in people to work for your company, they have gained knowledge, and if they do a good job, they become valuable assets. But they are so much more than that. If they had a chance to prove themselves, find out how would they improve the company. Is there a way you can leverage this passion? At Aurora, we have a range of personality profiling tools to help identify what people are best suited to, and what they most want. Give them a chance to grow within your organisation, or the will grow out of the door.   These top 10 problems are often experienced when companies lose sight of their employees, their technology, their direction, and their identity.   2 words, done properly, can often address all of the above problems. "Transparent roadmap".   By creating a transparent roadmap for what each key stakeholder wants, their directions, their wants and needs, the benefits they provide, and their inputs, we can see how information, money, communication, technology, and sales and marketing strategies flow around the business. With this powerful overview, transparent for all key decision makers to see, can then help you collectively decide what projects will benefit the company most, whether cost saving, or cost generating, and make sure that whatever changes are made, are right for the organisation as a whole.   Aurora specialise in setting up highly effective Project Management Offices, focused on efficiency and revenue generation, and this often becomes the heart of the organisation with it's own value, both financially, and strategic, becoming clear. this all starts with understanding the roadmap. And without one, your company can be operating in the dark. Project management done right should not be an overhead, but a cost saver. We specialise in saving you the money you need to invest in what you most need to do to grow your business, in size, product strength, and most importantly, your bottom line.

There was once an old submarine, out to sea for months at a time.   As it approached the remote Polynesian Island, a clunking sound began to echo throughout the vessel.   The engineer had never heard such a sound. “Clunk, clunk, grind” it went, again and again, with the sound echoing throughout the ship, growing in loudness each time the ship went above a particular speed or power setting. The captain, knowing he would not be near land for several more weeks asked to surface, and began heading towards the largest of the nearby islands, Jarvis, to try to make some repairs, and for the crew to also take a brief break.   After 3 days in dock, none of the Captains crew could fix the problem. In fact, they still had no idea what the problem actually was.   The dock hand advised that there was an expert submarine engineer who lived on the island, who was back from one of his many trips, working away on submarines, who also ran a local boat engineering business. The dock hand explained that he wasn’t always cheap, but was good. Frustrated by the many days of hard work getting nowhere, the Captain agreed, and asked the dock hand to arrange for to come down and help him to fix the submarine.   “A lovely Type 43B Class 2 isn’t she", said a tall tanned man walking up to the dock, wearing a flowery shirt, shorts, and sandals, carrying a heavy looking metal toolkit, seeing the stressed captain, scratching his head on the beautiful sun kissed wooden pontoon.   The Captain, nodded, looking surprised at this man. No sooner had the captain described the problem, and answered a few questions about the impact of revs, sound at depth, and what were the exact timings of the clunks and grinds, did he ask permission to go aboard, putting down his metal toolkit on the dock, and grabbing just the rubber mallet to take with him.   Hearing a single loud bang, and with not more than 3 minutes having passed, the man emerged from the submarine, and returned his mallet to the box.   He confirmed that the problem was now properly resolved, and bidded the captain farewell, and went off, promising to send him the invoice by email.   Off into the blue ocean, the captain went once again, pleased that this trouble was firmly behind him.   Upon receipt of the email, the captain opened it to see a bill of $200. Shocked, by such a high bill for only 3 minutes work with a single hit with a rubber mallet, he emailed him to ask him to justify and breakdown the invoice.   The reply was brief, but self explanatory: “Justification - Hitting down-pipe with mallet - $1. Knowing exactly where to hit it $199”   The moral of the story - Never under-estimate the time of others, and the value of the right knowledge at the right time to the right people.