As the creator of No More Practice, and also someone who has run their own business for the past 13 years, the No More Practice series has taught me a lot. You can say I have been learning on the job.
Because we started No More Practice with the goal of focusing on the business of running a business – we have had the pleasure of talking to, and learning from, some of the best in the business. And combining these learnings made for a collective business education that I don’t think even an MBA could give – at least not in a practical sense.
If you are reading this you are likely to be a financial adviser or accountant, or someone related to these industries. I am sure it seems you have information thrust upon you from more sources than you care to think about.
While as an industry we have become obsessed with legislation, people movements and corporate takeovers, at times we have lost sight of the biggest challenge anyone who runs their own practice or book of clients faces – to drive and grow a successful business.
While some find the fundamentals easier than others, there is not one business owner out there that can’t run a better business, with access to the right advice, information and experience.
But time is not on our side – we all have lives which keep us running at a rate of knots. I have three young children and I know there have been many times I wished I could spend more time with them, or conversely worrying that I should spend more time at work – so anything that can fast-track my business, or validate its strategy, is most welcome.
This is where No More Practice has really helped me. And yes, I know, I am not supposed to be the one benefitting – I run a media and education business, not a financial advice practice. But one thing I have learned is that the principles are the same.
I worry about the same things you do – staff, cash flow, process, recruitment, succession, financing, business development, capacity … the list goes on, and these are all the topics we have tackled in No More Practice.
Whether you are new to No More Practice, or if you have been watching the show for awhile, our goal for you is to receive one good piece of advice or information every week from us, which you can use today in your business – whether it is from the show, our weekly newsletter or the blogs on the site. And I am personally stress-testing this by applying it to my own business before it goes to yours.
I am going to be contributing weekly to the Reality Check newsletter, reporting back my learnings from our experts, and share how I am applying these lessons to this business. I hope that by being honest in the challenges I face, it will help someone else avoid the same mistakes I have made over the years.
As always, thanks for your support of No More Practice to date – it is great to know we are connecting with so many of you. Please write to me if you have any comments or questions. I will write back as soon as I get the kids to bed.
