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Starting your business the right way.
In recent years, there has been rapid growth in the number of people starting their own business.
In the UK, self-employed workers account for 15% of the working population. With countless online platforms, support and franchise opportunities to help people become their own boss, there has never been an easier time to start your own business – but is that all you need?
For Denise Waite, Managing Director of The HR Department Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Halesowen and Birmingham Central & South the answer was NO – she knew she needed more if she was going to turn a self-made job into a successful six-figure turnover business.
The Problem
Having been made redundant from a permanent HR position, Denise decided she’d had enough of corporate life. With a wealth of experience in both HR strategy and operations, Denise felt passionate about continuing a career in the field and, after extensive research, decided to join The HR Dept franchise as their Wolverhampton licensee.
“The HR Dept is brilliant at giving you all the support you need to operate a HR business, but it’s up to you to actually run the business, find clients and promote yourself”
Working in HR as long as she had, Denise understood the benefits of getting the foundations right – and she wanted to start her business the right way.
With a blank canvas and heavy competition, Denise was determined to find an efficient means of promotion, education and gaining contacts. To help achieve this, Denise joined a local business referral and networking chapter. It was at this chapter she met Executive Training and Consultancy Limited (ETC) founder, Doug D’Aubrey.
“At that first networking meeting I booked a 2-hour free business review with ETC, and I instantly saw the benefit to what they were saying. The advice at that first meeting was so good, it was exactly the right start I was looking for, so I signed up – it was the best decision!”
The ETC solution
Denise entered into the Velocity programme: a tailored plan to help the business become more focused, improve efficiency and increase profits. ETC also worked with Denise to understand her personal goals, the driving force behind ensuring the business becomes a success.
Having left full-time employment, Denise’s primary ambition was to keep a roof over her head, live comfortably and have a retirement plan – she didn’t want to work forever!
“Running a business on your own, it’s doable, but you need someone to inspire you on those flat days and hold your feet against the fire when you say you’re going to do things. The team at ETC do this for me.”
To help achieve these goals, Denise first needed to make her business stand out from the competition – what was the USP? Why should someone choose Denise’s business over another HR company?
ETC worked with Denise to identify her USPs and establish these within the very foundations of the business.
Together they formulated the message and agreed how Denise should communicate this to her target audience.
This clarity allowed Denise to completely change the types of conversation she was having with both existing and prospective clients.
As a result, Denise was able to offer clients something no other local company or small internal HR department was providing at the time, and that became a real game changer – for everyone.
Having seen the benefits to the business, Denise renewed her Velocity programme membership, and over the next three-years, with the support and guidance of ETC, continued to build upon this USP. As a result, Denise was able to take on a HR Director to help with the workflow and expand into three more territories: Sandwell, Halesowen and Birmingham Central & South.
“I remember discussing what I thought made me different, and as soon as I said it out loud in that meeting, I realised that’s what my competitors are going to say. And at that moment it just clicked, I needed to think bigger and offer a range of services to potential new clients.”
The outcome
Denise has now transferred on to the Compass programme and continues to invest more, not less time, working with ETC’s expert guidance to develop the business and expand into more territories.
“ETC is very clever at understanding what motivates me. This is exactly what you need in a business coach: someone who doesn’t tell you what to do, but instead guides you and gets the best out of you.”
Denise has more than achieved her goal of keeping the roof over her head, achieving a six-figure
turnover, a five-figure net profit and an asset that more than replaces the monthly employer pension contributions she was receiving in her last employed role.
“In order to achieve my goals, ETC helped me realise that, when I bought into the franchise, I didn’t buy a job, I bought a business. It’s that sort of attitude and direction ETC gives you in spades! ETC don’t come in with an off the shelf model – there aren’t any meaningless charts or reports; they’re pragmatic, understanding and have a genuine desire to see you succeed.”
