About

How Can We Help You?

massive disruption is coming, the only question is;  will your company cause it  ~ or fall victim to it? 

 

Think of it this way;  if you started from scratch today, with a clean sheet; no legacy investment, staff, methodologies, technologies, infrastructure….would you do what you do, the way you do it?  Probably not!  Have you changed with the times?

 

The connected economy has transformed many things forever – the way businesses are started, staffed, structured, funded, promoted, managed, in fact……pretty much everything has been the subject of disruption ~ and most of it very recently.

 

So now,  you’re a great architect / accountant / developer / engineer / lawyer / marketeer / scientist……..and because of it, you own or run a business.  Apply some logic, a little common sense and possibly, you’ll do very well.  Or will you…..? 

 

Imagine if we thought that way about flying a plane; read the book, know the theory, we’ll stay airborne somehow, take satnav (itself, a disruptive technology for paper flight charts! ), we can pick it up as we go along….. Doesn’t sound too smart does it?  

 

Why think logic and common sense, trial – hopefully without fatal error, is the right way to run something as complex as a business? 

 

We’ve learned over the years, that when leaders are provided with the right strategic tools and guidance to realise their full aspirations, outstanding results follow. Mentored Leaders are 70% more likely to succeed and typically grow 20% faster than their peers!  We use Mentoring as our “gateway” to other services…..

 

We’ve found traditional strategic advisory models too slow and complicated for today’s dynamic business environment and often too removed. You know;  that consultants report left with you to use as a door stop, rather than help you implement it!

 

Our methodology was born of a passion to make strategic execution clear, concise, rapid and most of all – useful!  We realise its lonely at the top and often hard to find that unbiased person to turn to for advice, guidance or support. Someone with no agenda other than to see you succeed.  Someone you might describe as your “flying instructor”.

 

are you adequately prepared for the journey ahead?

Clients Past & Present

Client Feedback

  • Abigail Harrison - Founder & CEO, DigitalSurrey

    “Martin's track record speaks for itself. His wealth of experience and ability to hone in on the specific issues, allows him to perceptively ask the hard questions and demand thoughtful answers.

    Through a mentoring process of challenge, Martin enables business leaders and senior teams to understand and work on a future strategy that will deliver the required change plus consequent success. Not only that, he remains part of the change-process to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved. „

  • Martin Scott - Partner, Walker Morris Solicitors

    “Martins strategic brainpower and towering insight, backed up by a wealth of experience and ability, make him a massively impressive individual.

    His knowledge and perception results in challenging questions and his gravitas demands suitably considered responses. This is stretching, but working with Martin is immensely pleasurable and rewarding. „

  • Caroline Buckingham - CEO, Caroline Buckinghan Architects

    “Having known Martin for over 30 years I only discovered him as a mentor in the last 3 years. He made me open my eyes and importantly write down my goals, aspirations and see future opportunities.

    He has great insight, is strategic in his approach and is able to ask the right questions to set you thinking. He continually challenges you, yet with Martin as your sounding board you are able to aspire to things you never thought were possible. „

  • Julian Ranger - MD, Lockheed Martin STASYS

    “Martin has built up, bought & sold many companies in his career and has undoubted wide-ranging executive/management skills.

    Martin is now a business mentor/advisor and I would recommend anyone interested in management development who is in a CEO role to speak to Martin. „

  • Natalie Douglas - CEO, IDIS Pharma

    “I'm working with Martin to develop an infrastructure model and strategic plan to support our ambitious & dynamic international growth strategy. His wealth of global business and strategy experience has been invaluable. He is intellectually challenging, supportive and very enthusiastic.

    I'm really enjoying working with him on this project and would be happy to recommend him. „

  • Dale Williams - Partner, KPMG

    “Martin successfully coached and mentored a group of CEO's to deliver excellent results both personally and professionally. The members of his group thought extremely highly of Martin. „

  • Jacqueline Bateson - Univar Europe

    “Martin is highly experienced and easy to talk to. He is professional and has a keen sense of being able to challenge and encourage people; he has an ability to calmly and positively be able to help people rise to any challenge. He makes me feel I have more to discover about myself and develop my talents even further! „

  • Graham Da Costa - Managing Director, Shine Feedback

    “The last two years working with Martin, has transformed the way I not only view myself, but equally, the way I view and run my business. Martin is straight forward, direct, to the point - this style may not fit comfortably with everyone, however, if you want to reconfirm / establish what you want from life, then reflect on the impact this will have upon your business - Martin's the guy you need to see. No question. Be prepared to be challenged, to think and take action on your deliberations and discussions though. If not - don't bother - he's rather busy! „

  • Johann Edward - Group CEO, EIMS

    “Martin is an extremely competent, experienced and knowledgeable business manager who has done it all, and has decided to give a little back. The opportunity to work with such a person is as rare as hen's teeth, because they're usually out there doing it for themselves. If you get the chance - take it! „

  • Steve Radjen - CEO, CDD Design

    “Martin is a focused and detailed advisor who helps you keep watch on all aspects of your business, whether it be strategic or financial. He'll then act as your advisor to ensure that you stick to and meet all your startegic business goals. A knowledgable man with a great depth of experience in all fields. „

  • Ben Marsh - CEO, iMeta Technologies

    “Martin has been an excellent advisor / mentor to me in my role as CEO of iMeta. He brings a huge wealth of experience to his role as our Chairman, not to forget his huge energy and enthusiasm . I find our monthy meetings challenging and rewarding. „

  • Robert Drew - CEO, Vistage International

    “I have found Martin to be an excellent business person with a great track record of managing businesses, many being his own. He fully understands the Chief executive role and makes a great contribution to the group he currently chairs.

    Further Martin is a very pleasant person to be with and has a wide raneg of interests which make him a delight to be with. „

  • Garry Moore - MD, Burnett & Associates plc

    “Martin has been Chairman of my group for almost a year now and brings a huge depth of knowledge and experience in running and growing a business, from both the creative and financial aspects. „

  • Ted Greenwood - CEO, Amsafe Bridport

    “I found Martin to be extremely entrepreneurial and imaginative and, I would suggest, a great advisor to business leaders seeking either to grow through acquisition or extract maximum value through the sale of their business.

    There is also a sensitive side to Martin - people matter as much as numbers. His work with me was based mainly on helping me prepare for retirement.

    If you own and control your business, I would definitely recommend Martin as someone who could easily increase your wealth. „

Get in touch

I'm an advisor and mentor to business leaders from SME Founders, to FTSE100 CEO's / Managing Directors. I also operate as a retained Chairman to various Boards and as a Non-Executive Director on others.

As a speaker, writer and lecturer, I focus on; technology led disruptive innovation, divergent thinking, radical management and agile strategy. Strategies for Leaders preferring to be Pirates not in the Navy!

I offer strategic thought leadership, commercial insights, external objectivity and rapid learning across the business spectrum; backed by 35 years experience developing business leaders, management teams, businesses and brands; in FMCG, consumer durables, b2b's & hi-techs. As a professional CEO Mentor, I've been practicing what I preach for 10 years.

Previously I've been deployed internationally in small, medium & large private & public organisations, some owned by others, many owned personally.

Starting as a management trainee with "blue chip" FMCG's, I was promoted through the ranks to Worldwide Head of Marketing at Diageo.

From there to PwC Management Consultancy Division, specialising in complex strategy formulation, acquisitions & disposals for their plc Clients.

Then self employment; acquiring or founding 40+ businesses, adding value to them, then exiting usually to do it again!

So, give me a shout if you think my background or experience may help turn your good ideas, into great results.....I look forward to hearing from you.

Robert A Rice Jr famously said "An entrepreneur without funding is like a musician without an instrument" and how right he was.

I'm a trainer, consultant, author, coach and Chartered Accountant with over 15 years experience, practicing, training and coaching senior business managers.

This has given me real insight and a depth of practical experience that brings business and finance topics to life, for directors and their senior managers.

I've worked with organisations from both the private and public sectors including many SMEs, BT, Northern Foods, Edexcel, The Learning Skills Network, The Welsh Development Agency, adidas, Next, Vetco Gray, Linpac, The Shareholder Executive and Barclays and others.

I've lectured on the MBA programmes at Aston and Warwick Business Schools, written two books on shareholder value and Value-Based Management (VBM) and regularly present to senior executives around the UK.

What this means is, I understand how to translate finance, P&Ls, Balance Sheets, Ratios etc, into every day language that you can pick up and run with.

Nothing gives me greater pleasure than "seeing the lights go on" as someone without professional training in finance, suddenly "get it", understand how they can harness the numbers to know what's going on in their business ~ and the businesses of their competitors!

Finance is my thing, so, let me know how I can make complex financial management, an every day topic you'll both understand and enjoy?