Family Business

We have been working with Level Up for almost two years and I can honestly say that the advice and training we have received has been invaluable in turning around a floundering company.

We were struggling to make a profit when we first met Graeme and his light-hearted and non-judgmental approach immediately put us at ease.  He has proved to be an indispensable sounding-board and without his targeted sales plan, we would not be completing our most successful year by far in 30 years of trading

Our monthly meetings with Graeme provide a boost of enthusiasm and a welcome dose of reality.  He has enabled me to make sense of a chaotic set of accounts and has brought order and direction to our sales process.  I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Sally Dunn General Manager, All World Freight Ltd March 18, 2018

We first started working with Level Up over seven years ago, when I was really looking to have dedicated time and help with working on the business as opposed to working in the business.  Since then the company has trebled in size and has transformed from a small team with very little structure to a company with structure, processes and values.

Working with Graeme, the learning and development as individuals and as company is a huge benefit. Equally we always come away from a Level Up session with a nugget that will help us improve.

I would recommend Level Up to any business owner that’s keen to grow and develop their company. Having an experienced coach to challenge and assist you with your company plans is hugely beneficial.

 

Aden Ottewill Managing Director, Prodigy IT Solutions March 18, 2018

We have been working with Graeme now for nearly 8 years and love every minute of his coaching.

We first met Graeme at a business seminar and loved the way he spoke!  The subject matter was interesting and engaging. Also he was the first coach able to cope with both my husband and I at the same time, having worked with coaches that understood only one or the other previously.

Since Graeme has worked with us we have been able to plan more effectively and discuss the business in a more objective manner, which being a husband and wife team can usually be challenging.  We love our business, but there are sometimes hard decisions to make. Graeme helps make the worst day at the office better.

The benefits of working with Level Up? Good honest advice, a listening ear without judgement, but good self-found solutions – having been nudged by just the right amount.

We whole-heartedly recommend Level Up to anyone in business, because our tailor made program enables us to grow at the pace that we want and helps us to achieve what would be much more difficult if we were left alone.

Angela Wittleton Managing Director, Castle Welding & Fabrication Ltd March 18, 2018

When we first started working with Level Up some four years ago, we were looking to implement an internal system that gave greater working relationships between our two main departments, Sales and Service. This was a very useful exercise and allowed us to grow as business without having to increase our staff numbers.

From this starting point we undertook a program that has given structure to all areas of the company and due to a 3 Director structure at SDS an outside influence to bounce our ideas off is invaluable.  As a result, SDS has continually been pushed to achieve realistic but ambitious targets which have improved the stability and profitability of our organisation.

As a business, we were already being successful and doing well.  However, by working with Graeme, we are constantly being challenged to consider how we could do even better.  The company continues to grow without massive overheads and we have learnt to look at all business issues from a more analytical point of view.

I would undoubtedly recommend Level Up for all of these reasons.  I recognise that you should never be afraid question your business decisions\strategies and we wouldn’t always do this without Graeme’s input.

Nigel Gass Director, SDS Ltd March 18, 2018

I have been working with Graeme at Level Up since early 2015. In that time, I have enjoyed focused support taking our business from where it was then, to a more robust business focused strongly on our customers’  changing needs.

I enjoy the regular contact with Graeme, and Leslie (my wife and co director) and I use the quarterly meetings as a good way of keeping me focused on our progression, when it’s all too easy to get drawn into the daily distractions of working at the coal face. Graeme is constructive, and supportive, whilst quite capable of pointing out when he feels that we (I!) am getting sidetracked, or missing something. Our business was too heavily reliant on too few large, dominant customers - Graeme helped us understand that, and identify target markets. We now have a larger volume of customers, and have reduced the reliance on the original customers, whilst retaining their loyalty.

I would not hesitate in recommending the Level Up treatment to any business - large or small, it will be fun!

Mike Dennis Managing Director, Nythe Farm Kitchen April 19, 2018

We started working with Graeme at Level Up way back in 2009.  We were busy running a growing business and were aware we needed help with managing this process along with gaining a work/life balance  Working with Graeme gives us a focused approach to spending time working on the business instead of in it, as well as having a structure to work to ensuring that planning takes place.

For us in particular, Work/Life balance is much improved and has continued to be so over the whole 9 years we have worked together.  Business processes are more efficient in an ever-changing business and technological environment, and the team are able to function independently of us being in the business.  Our regular coaching sessions not only increase our efficiency as a business and as business owners, but also give us peace of mind and confidence that we are moving in the right direction.

I thoroughly recommend Level Up for their flexible approach and support which is tailored to any individual business’s needs

Stephanie d'Albiac-Reay Managing Director, Labyrinth Computers April 19, 2018

After my first meeting with Graeme more than six years ago I realised that although I had run my business for a good many years there were lots of ideas, processes and ways of gathering information about the business that I had not thought of. He was full of ideas.

I now feel that I have much more control over my business. I am much more reactive to trends due to lead generation and conversion figure analysis. As the business has grown and especially the sales team it has become even more important to have processes in place for team members to follow to make the service we offer our customers as consistent as possible. Graeme has been a huge help in helping to put these processes in place.

I have found in the past that running my business was often a lonely affair! Having Graeme at the end of the phone had been an enormous help and very supportive. Graeme is a very kind and genuine guy, always happy to listen and advise. He always delves into how I am feeling about situations and makes sure I’m also being honest with myself. Although there have been tears at times on my part there has been much more laughter!

I have had a whole bunch of things out of working with Level Up over these years;  advice and guidance – if Graeme doesn’t know the answer he will probably know someone else who does!; direction; the value of management information; setting budget targets and monitoring them ;  introduction to best practices ; confidence ;  delivering a compact lean business ; introductions to other business…and so on.

I recommend Level Up for all of these things, as well as providing a great sounding board for me coupled with a professional and personal attitude

Sue Franklin Managing Director, John Franklin Kitchens April 19, 2018