When you dive into a deep conversation with a person who has worked in a village accountancy practice, someone who has also been part of a national firm and who has worked within an organisation to establish a new office, improving the fees by £100k per month, you know you're likely to have a decent podcast discussion. In this conversation with Stuart Hurst of Cloud 10, a business in start-up phase, we start unpacking what a start-up does, not just to grow revenue, but to build capital value by installing good structure and process as well. Stuart’s got a real eye on scaling the business without putting undue stress on him as a business leader. Don't get me wrong – any startup has its own challenges, along with significant opportunities, and Stuart shares some of those on this podcast. When you've got a podcast called Humanise The Numbers, it's great to have a meaningful personal conversation to tie the numbers to the humanity of what's going on in an accounting firm. I hope you enjoy this podcast and find it as valuable, insightful and practical as both Stuart and I tried to make it. Please scroll down the episode page for this podcast for the contact information for Stuart and for the additional, downloadable resources mentioned in the podcast. |
The Solution:
I think the first challenge is not to go too fast and cut corners around processes and documentation around process, because while we're small, some stuff can live in people's heads because they know how to do that, but we are relentlessly filming Loom videos and roadmaps for what we need to record and what it looks like.
But it's still challenging to have the time do this each and every time, and it's slowing us down in the short term, because a ten-minute job becomes a 20-minute job due to the fact you're trying to record it properly and think about it and what it would look like, so I think that's a real challenge.
SHOW NOTES
Connect with Stuart
Connect with Paul
Resources relating to this podcast:
Stuart and Paul talk a great deal throughout this podcast about the importance of personal goals. It is one of, if not the first, discussion point for Stuart with new clients and it shapes all of the decisions and actions taken after that point. That discussion also helps Stuart decide if they are a good fit as a client.
When it comes to your client discussions, how much do you discuss their personal goals? And when it comes to your firm, what part do your personal goals play in the decisions you make?
Use goals to give yourself and others real focus. A goal's focus guides your actions and delivers greater success.
Use ambitious goals to regularly stretch your thinking, stretch your people and stretch your creativity. Stuart does, and this has had a profound effect on the growth he has experienced since he started Cloud 10.
If you want to know more about the science of goal setting, please click the button below to read the Business Breakthrough Report, 'Goal Setting Works'.
Stuart shares his thoughts about a book which has guided a lot of the decisions and actions he has taken in his firm. This book is the reason why he runs a weekly scorecard to track and measure the numbers that matter in his firm.
If you want to access this book, Traction, by Gino Wickman, click the button below.
Stuart calls himself a 'Traction disciple' and it has brought real focus to many of the things he does in his firm.
Stuart and Paul discuss the importance of KPIs during this podcast - measuring the right things, not only in your business, but also with your clients, and knowing what to and what not to measure.
If you want to know more about KPIs and how to ensure that you and your team are measuring what matters most, please click the button to read the Business Breakthrough report, 'Healthy Heartfelt KPIs'.
