I help professionals and firms become the Go-To-Expert. Unusually for someone with an Engineering Degree, I accidentally became a writer and used my knowledge on social media to write the current best-selling and award-winning book on networking, The FT Guide To Business Networking. (75 five star reviews on Amazon - and read the 1st chapter for free here) People frequently talk about me as someone who really knows her stuff – which may be the reason I have, over the last decade, worked with over 300 partners, coached and trained over 1000 professionals at every level of the UK’s most ambitious professional practices. After nearly 5 years for working for BDO LLP, I realised I loved the intellectual challenge of working with accountants, so made working with accountants (and lawyers as I am a glutton for punishment) my sector specialism.
I was honoured to be a judge at the British Accountancy Awards in 2011 and 2012, plus I am a member of the Accountant's Club Global Advisory Panel.
I’ve always loved a challenge which is why I have solved the problem in my next book, which has perplexed many accountants in practice – ‘How to make partner and still have a life’. Click on the link to read the 1st chapter for free.
The Excedia Group was founded by myself and Jon Baker to bring clarity, perspective and knowledge to help our clients achieve their business goals. Over 75% of our work comes from professional service firms - both large and small, helping them get more clients via referrals utilising networking and social media. Over 30% of the Excedia group’s clients are small professional practices of between 1-50 employees.
My work splits into about 50% Executive & Business Coaching with Partners, Practice Owners & Potential Partners, with the rest split between training, consultancy and writing.
I adore writing, (as well as helping others achieve their business goals without selling their soul) which is why I blog regularly at Partnership Potential, Joined Up Networking, How to make partner and still have a life and venture-Now
I admit to being smug!
Last week I was at an excellent business networking session. 70 small business owners there, 5 solicitors, one or two IFAs and 1 accountant - me!
Unheard of at any other time of the year. So whenever someone asked the organiser if there was an accountant there it was "Have a word with Chris!".
It gets better. I live in the Lake District. Half of my clients are in some way tied into tourism or have very seasonal sales where 30% plus of sales are in December. You can't market to a Lake District hotel in the summer, they are flat out. January and February are the perfect months, not just for business development but for proper discussions without distractions with existing clients on their strategy for 2012 and beyond.
It's a no-brainer! Train your clients to get sorted by 15 November, have a sensible January doing the same quality work you do the rest of the year, and develop your business whilst all the competition are doing 14 hour days.