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I love to make the path clear, simple and achievable for you, so that you’ll make the most of your vision and the excitement that I truly hope you’ll get when it happens.
On the side, I love to travel, cook and hike (although I’m a fair weather walker!)
How we work best
Typically, we work best when we’re calm, in control, proud and excited.
But too often, business owners are stressed, confused, uncertain and feeling down.
When those times hit, it might not seem like there’s a way back to where you were happy and comfortable.
Discovering challenges, honestly
Combined with my 30 years of business experience – and 20 running my own business – I can support you in moving on from the challenges which are weighting on you.
Together, we can understand what’s led to this, and where you can move to from here.
Let’s truly understand, because the answer is within this.
Taking a step allows you to see more clearly
As we learn more about you, we’ll discover strategies which weren’t effective for you, strengths you didn’t use and weaknesses you focused on.
Let’s take another look and see what’s not quite working for you, and handle the challenges you’re facing.
Young businesses: make the most of your local area, by discovering local customers, business hubs and networking opportunities
Manchester is an ideal hub for business.
And since there’s a huge and very thriving startup scene, knowing your area can ensure you find opportunities to network with local customers.
With a modern and focused business community, access to fantastic graduates and experienced professionals, massive recent growth and moderate rents (at least compared to London!), modern businesses can thrive here.
There’s a particular hive of digital and creative agencies – such as web design and UX – and they tend to exist either in Salford Quays or The Northern Quarter, although Ancoats is adding to the area with more young tech startups due to affordability.
For high-end commercial service companies and banks, Spinningfields is popular, and the affluent clientele are focused here.
Science, research and technology tend to be around the Oxford Road Corridor and Manchester Science Park, and Trafford Park plays host to manufacturing and logistics and similar businesses.
Surely there must be some kind of formula for growing modern business? Well, yes, there are elements which come up time and again.
Even within traditional business models, such as accountancy, creativity and ingenuity can lead to thinking which creates huge business opportunity. But within the modern digital sectors, it’s nothing short of essential.
We’re most creative when we feel confident, powerful and in control. How do you feel?
Today, being able to quickly and effectively change in response to changes in the business environment and market is crucial. With new technologies launching every year, entire business models can change in a short time.
We’re most flexible when we welcome change. How do you approach uncertainty?
With so many potential partners on your doorstep, being willing to see those around you as people with diverse skill sets, new perspectives and solving problems can be transformative.
We’re most open to partnerships when we’re comfortable in ourselves. How do you network?
Founders will oversee challenges which might feel like a step back. In those moments, it’s easy to want to throw in the towel. But by nurturing resilience, we can continue on and learn from what’s happened.
We bounce back best when we welcome learning. How do you feel about mistakes?
Belief in ourselves, and what we’re offering, is heavily correlated with success in business. But when there’s so much noise around us it’s easy to lose focus on that.
We have self-confidence when we’re our best supporter. How kind are you to yourself?
Digital focus
I’m not any one thing, but many of the customers I support are in the modern digital sectors.
My own online business has given me a huge range of skills in this area, from UX and CRO to SEO and social media marketing.
I’ve also been close to many agencies and been a customer of many over the years, so I understand the customer pain-points very well.
Other areas of business
That said, not everyone is.
One of my recent customers is launching a business in high-end home decor, and I’m helping them thrive by taking small steps forward which are just a little outside of the comfort zone.
Their progress has been huge!
Boost growth by being the best version of you
But most of all I love to work with individuals who are somehow holding themselves back.
Freelancers to SMBs
From entrepreneurs to Small to Medium Sized Businesses, I can be a sounding board, help you work through any uncertainty and confusion and challenge the feeling that this is too much for you.
It isn’t. I believe in you totally.
Pressure to excel
If there’s one thing any business doesn’t need, and that’s an owner who is stressed, confused and overwhelmed.
This pressure to keep going can result in holidays where sickness suddenly comes out.
Calm and focused approach
How instead can we find a calm and relaxed attitude to business? Is it possible in amongst all of the desires we have to progress?
The answer lies allowing ourselves time to listen to our minds and bodies, and to handle differently what causes us to feel uncomfortable or resistant.
These are the challenges which will hit our minds and bodies particularly hard.
Changing our focus
Focusing more on what we’ve achieved rather than what we see as mistakes will leave to a more health attitude to business, and a Growth Mindset, where learning is happily received.
When do you find yourself feeling stressed and overwhelmed?
I’ll keep this brief because you can learn more about me here, if you wish.
Working for myself is right for me
My journey in business started when I realised that working for someone else was never going to make me truly happy.
An extensive and diverse set of roles
Throughout my years, I’ve worked in programming, project management, online marketing, web design and photography.
Finding joy and fulfilment was key
My work doesn’t define me, but it does bring me a huge amount of happiness and a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment.
I have to work on what truly brings me joy.
Maybe you’re the same?
I know .. I know .. planning isn’t everyone’s favourite subject, which is why I decided to fix it!
We work on my totally unique MindMap strategy.
If you get one thing from me that you take away, let it be this!
I can’t wait to go through it with you in detail, so we can build effective strategies and clear plans.
We don’t have to suddenly install upgrades in you for every single area of business, because that would be overwhelming, but these are some which we might choose to tackle.
Even if you’re in marketing and sales yourself, it can be tricky to see what you should do for yourself. We can analyse what’s right for you and your ideal customers.
Growing and scaling can be effectively and cheaply done with automation. Awesome funnels tied to Zapier events can make for happier founders!
As your business and team grow, it’ll be important that they’re motivated, clear and understand their part of your overall vision in order to be motivated.
In order to build effective automation and teams, processes must be defined and iteratively improved. Scaling businesses without processes is difficult.
Successful recruitment requires you to understand the holes that people will be plugging, whether that’s something you dislike or aren’t effective at doing.
Your vision deserves to become life, but without the right plans and strategy, businesses tend to wander around. Let’s be clearer on how to achieve this for you.
Which business area is most challenging for you?
Cities are fantastic for scaling businesses.
However, there’s also new competition popping up seemingly daily, so it’s easy to end up looking over your shoulder, instead of focusing on your customer base.
Sure, it’s great to lift your head up from the desk every so often, but when you’re adding more onto your plate without thought or strategy, just to answer new offerings from your competition, fear becomes the motivator for change.
Instead, we can work on calming your emotions.
That will allow you to put your energy into growing your ideal customer base, while not putting energy into what’s around you.
By working within your strengths as a founder, and focusing on the key talents of your team, we’ll ensure that the right customers find you, and are delighted.
And you’ll be delighted, and calmer, too.
It’s essential to discover steps that are comfortable enough for you to take, even if it means taking a slightly longer road to your destination. Longer roads are still quicker than short-cuts that are blocked entirely!
Available online throughout the UK and internationally
➡️ Please note: ⬅️
This is only for people interested in coaching. No sales meetings.
Available online throughout the UK and internationally
➡️ Please note: ⬅️
This is only for people interested in coaching. No sales meetings.
Phil Drinkwater is a successful online business owner. Now a business coach, he supports amazing clients with practical guidance and coaching, focusing on small businesses, entrepreneurs & startups.
He has successfully completed coach training with The Coach House, a course accredited by the Association for Coaching in the UK.
PHIL@PHILDRINKWATER.COACH
83 DUCIE STREET, MANCHESTER, M1 2JQ
