Opening Gates | Innovation Archives

Leading the Way and Developing Your Leadership Skills as a Business...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds September 12

Your leadership abilities play a crucial role in the success and growth of your company. Strong leadership guides your team, shapes your company culture, and drives your business towards its goals. However, leadership is not an innate trait - it's...

Why? The Role of Purpose in Business

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 14

$10,000,000 in revenue. 500 employees. 20% year-on-year growth. Impressive figures, aren't they? But they tell us little about why a business exists or what drives it forward. In boardrooms across the country,...

Crafting a Wealth Plan That Fuels Your Dream Life

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 22

It's easy to become fixated on numbers, percentages, and projections in your business and your life. However, I believe true wealth transcends mere figures in your bank account. It's about creating a life brimming with purpose, joy, and fulfilment....

Cash Flow Mastery: Keeping Your Business Financially Fit

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 24

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying before: “Cash is king”. It's the lifeblood of your enterprise and mastering your cash flow is essential to keeping your business financially fit. Just like maintaining your physical health, achieving cash...

Choose Creativity to Transform Your Small Business

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 20

Injecting fresh creativity into your business operations can be the catalyst for transformative growth and success. But it's not just about your business. It's about you. Embracing innovative thinking empowers you to stay ahead of the curve,...

Scaling Up Strategies for Sustainable Business Growth

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 26

Imagine leading a business on a journey towards lasting success. Each decision made contributes to a sustainable future. You aren’t looking for pure, short-term gain. You are implementing strategies that ensure long-term viability and benefit...

The Power of Accountability in Achieving Your Business Goals

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 11

Have you ever felt that incredible buzz when you cross the finish line at a marathon? That's not just your legs pushing through the last mile; it's about dedication, daily grind, discipline, and commitment to hold yourself accountable to your...

Cultivating a Growth Mindset for Business Success

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 20

Some people just seem to fall into success, don’t they? Always improving and growing in their journey. The reality is that the distinction between success and stagnation often lies in the mindset of the individual. A growth mindset, a term...

Debunking the Myths That Hold You Back from Achieving Your Goals

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 24

In a world where success is often measured by the achievement of goals, it’s crucial to separate fact from fiction. Many of us fall prey to common myths that can impede our progress towards our aspirations, both in personal and professional...

The Essence of Business Planning for a Life by Design in 2024

Posted by: Judy Reynolds November 28

Success is intricately tied to deliberate planning. As we race towards the new year, envisioning a life of your design requires a robust business plan in harmony with your deepest aspirations. How do you ensure your business planning serves as a...

If You’re Struggling with Productivity, You Need to Read This

Posted by: Judy Reynolds November 8

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, being productive is essential for success. We're bombarded with productivity tips and tricks, but conventional advice sometimes falls short. Productivity is the cornerstone of a fulfilling work life. It's...

My Springtime Tips for Leading Teams Through Transformational Change

Posted by: Judy Reynolds October 11

It’s spring, the season of new beginnings and change. Businesses often use these months as an opportunity to start transformation projects in the lead-up to the end of the year. Change and transformation are essential skills for any leader, and...

Transform Your Business and Life with the 12 Week Business Fit...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds September 15

The path to success isn't a straight line; it's a dynamic journey that demands adaptability, resilience, and a clear sense of purpose. That's precisely what the 12 Week Business Fit Challenge (12WBFC) is all about – a comprehensive program...

How Leadership and Purpose Become a Powerful Combination for Your...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 22

In the realm of business and beyond, leadership and purpose stand as the dynamic duo that shapes the destinies of individuals, organisations, and even industries. It's not just about steering the ship; it's about steering it with a compass that is...

The Power of Purpose - Leading a Life of Passion and Success

Unleashing the Power of Purpose: Leading a Life of Passion and...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 14

In the pursuit of a fulfilling life, finding and living with purpose holds immense value. A clear sense of purpose serves as a guiding light, infusing both our work and personal lives with meaning, passion, and direction. Today we will explore the...

Creating a Life by Design: Planning for Life, Wealth, and Business at...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 17

As the end of the financial year approaches, it is the perfect time to reflect on our goals, aspirations, and the path we want to carve out for ourselves. In a world where women are increasingly taking charge of their lives, it is essential to...

How Innovation Drives Business Growth (and Why it Doesn’t Need...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 19

Today, we're diving deep into the realm of innovation in business. As a business consultant, I've witnessed the transformative power of innovation firsthand. It's not just about fancy gadgets or complex strategies; it's a mindset, a way of thinking...

Transform Your Sales Strategy: Prioritise Profitable Growth Over...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 18

I believe most theories to grow sales are way too complicated. I must be very clear upfront that the focus of any sales strategy must be on profitable growth. Growth for growth's sake is neither sensible nor sustainable. You must examine every...

Is Failure to Implement Holding You Back? It’s Time to Just Do It

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 24

FTI - failure to implement – is one of the biggest inhibitors of growth, both personally & professionally. Practice JDI - just do it - instead. The FTI malady is very much alive. An idea or an innovation is worthless if it never sees the...

How Your Energetic State Impacts Your Business Performance

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 24

You're a small business owner. You've been hustling day in and day out to make your business a success. But have you ever stopped to think about how your energetic state impacts your performance? It turns out, the energy you bring to your business...

Embrace Intention in 2023 – Discover the Power of Choosing a...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 1

Embrace Intention in 2023 - Discover the Power of Choosing a Word of the Year Every year, I suggest you set yourself up for success by selecting a word, words or phrase as a trigger for focused intentions throughout a busy year. Choose these...

HERE’S A SURE FIRE GROWTH STRATEGY – BUILD MEANINGFUL...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds December 10

A sure fire way to encourage client loyalty is to invest in your relationships with your clients, to remind them that they are important to you, and, that you strive to consistently add value beyond the sale itself. Keep in mind that “value”...

DIFFERENT PEOPLE REACT DIFFERENTLY TO UNCERTAINTY

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 31

At Opening Gates we design high impact profitable businesses and an integral part of the design process is understanding and leveraging human behaviour. We use DISC ADVANCED as our behavioural profiling platform because it is understandable, and...

Expand your Value Proposition beyond what you currently do

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 26

Me: “How are you feeling?” Almost every person I have spoken to: “I feel lost” Me: Yes, but YOU aren’t lost – lost doesn’t define who you are. You’re still there in all your glory. I see you. You simply have to...

E-BREAKS IN E-SPACES – THE RE-IMAGINED TEA ROOM

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 23

Hanging out in the tea room, taking a brain break to connect and converse with our fellow team members is one of the human elements which must be re-imagined for the remote working space. The tea room is where we share our challenges and our wins,...

3 Brilliant Ideas – How to Reduce Hours and Retain People

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 19

It’s time to think outside the square for a win-win strategy We have had numerous conversations with our business clients across the globe about the challenges they are currently facing. One common concern is the need to reduce the hours that...

What the!! Where am I? What am I doing?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 11

Are you feeling like all is not how it should be... It is just an inkling, a little poke in the ribs, a thought floating by? And then someone asks you the hard questions: What is your purpose in life? Why do you do what you do? ...

And this is why you need a LIFE PLAN

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 11

Many of us have a business plan (well perhaps not as many as should). If you are one of those diligent business owners with a plan, then you would be able to tell us: if your business is where you had planned it to be; how it had gone off...

Creating an Appetite for Broccoli

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 31

(Translation: Ramping up your Business Advisory Sales) A simple 8 step process Bill’s customers have been buying cabbage for years. They don’t really like cabbage but it’s a necessary evil. The government has invested heavily in...

Culture by Design Series – Part 2

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 31

Leading the way Creating an environment conducive to high performance is one part of the puzzle – the other is the commitment of the leaders to promoting and maintaining that environment. In short, publishing the organisation’s intangibles...

Culture by Design Series – Part 1

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 31

Yes, you can design your culture and this is why you should. What is it? Culture is a living dynamic ever evolving notion – an energetic phenomenon. It is influenced by the interaction of human beings, their energy, their mindsets, their life...

Turning Outside-In into Inside-Out

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 8

Living from the outside-in is an endeavour to placate an all-consuming feeling of emptiness with stuff from the outside. Stuff like the accumulation of material possessions. Stuff like compliments, status, and affirmations. Living from the...

A Transcript – Getting Clear on Dual Focus – Why the Numbers...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 20

The following transcript is from an email communication our founder, Judy Reynolds had with one of our amazing business clients. This explanation is super relevant to all business owners and leaders – so here it is as it was written. (Except...

How to be a 100%er? Make every sales meeting a winner.

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 7

Winning in every meeting with a prospect is a great goal – and how would it make you feel – pretty successful right! This level of success generates high energy and the compounding effect is rippled through future meetings. And this is why...

Planning a Price Increase – Know Your Tipping Point

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 23

Why would you increase your sales price? You have been under valuing what you do for too long, and the price no longer covers costs;You want to decrease the number of clients and have a strategy to price buyers out of your market;You have added...

Putting your Current Reality in Context

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 16

This is the final blog in a series on Doing Business in a Downturn. If you missed the previous blogs you can find them here – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. Is it easier to expand or contract? Our experience is that business owners...

Meeting your Customers’ Needs in a Downturn

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 9

This is the fourth in a series of blogs on Doing Business in a Downturn. If you missed the previous blogs you can find them here - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Now that you have created an environment conducive to doing business, let’s take it a...

Why You Need High Energy in a Downturn

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 2

This is the third in a series of blogs on Doing Business in a Downturn. If you missed the previous blogs you can find them here - Part 1 and Part 2. The thing about energy is that it’s contagious, it can go viral. If low energy enters a high...

The Dangers of Discounting in a Downturn

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 26

This is the second part in a series of blogs on Doing Business in a Downturn. If you missed the first one you can find it here. Discounting can eat directly into your profits. Too often the first strategy to maintain market share or to...

Doing Business in a Downturn

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 19

This is the first in a series of blogs that relate to doing business in a changing environment. We have used the term DOWNTURN* in the title to get your attention and because that is the language currently being used in the business community. The...

The Key to a High Performing Team

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 5

GROWING GREAT TEAMS – PART 3 This is the third in a series of blogs on Growing Great Teams. If you missed the previous blogs you can find them here - Part 1 and Part 2. What is the key to having a high performing team? The...

6 Steps to Build and Retain a Great Team

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 28

GROWING GREAT TEAMS – PART 2 This is the second in a series of blogs on Growing Great Teams. If you missed the first one you can find it here. Design a culture that attracts and nurtures the right people. There are 6 key steps...

Why Investing in a Great Team is a Smart Business Decision

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 21

Growing Great Teams – Part 1 This is the first in a series of blogs on Growing Great Teams. There are the often quoted and very legitimate reasons why we should invest in a great team: Better customer relations; Increased...

Harnessing the Power of the Gamers’ Mindset

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 14

Video games are designed so that once the gamer masters one stage they are rewarded with a more difficult level. They are challenged again and again. How might this translate into the reality of life and business? What if we saw a new...

The Powerful Mindset of Successful Entrepreneurs & Leaders

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 17

Who will you give yourself permission to be today? This is a question that successful entrepreneurs and leaders are able to answer in a flash. When working with people in business we find that they often reach a stage in their business and in...

The Know-It-All Syndrome

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 3

Being a Know-It-All puts a lid on your potential It is so very liberating when you grow to know that there is so much you don’t know and you are prepared to admit it. We are sure that the more you know, the more you know you don’t...

Is a Plan a Promise?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 25

Absolutely not! Confusing these two words, plan and promise, can be the reason you may choose not to have a plan. Let’s consider the dictionary meanings: Plan A detailed proposal for doing or achieving something, an intention or decision about...

What Guides You? The Value Proposition

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 10

If you are prepared to compromise a value because of a change of circumstance or an opportunity, then it cannot be an authentic value for you. Values are non-negotiable. They are not for competitive advantage. You don’t see values – you...

The Demise of the Lone Wolf Mentality

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 4

In this fast paced business environment the lone wolf mentality does not cut it. You must be prepared to collaborate in order to expand your intellectual and relationship capital. You must recruit people who have what you need and engage in...

How to get the best ROI on your time

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 28

Check Your State If you want to squeeze the most out of every day – to get the very best ROI (return on investment) for your time, then you must maintain a high state of energy and engagement. How’s your state right now? How are...

Call Out to Emerging Entrepreneurs

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 12

Start-ups can be seriously profitable! I recently heard a renowned business coach tell an audience of entrepreneurs (infants and toddlers in the life cycle of business) that they need to get real and should not expect to be profitable for...

Flexibility in the Workplace

Posted by: Judy Reynolds November 10

A Win-Win Environment INNOVATE OR BE DISRUPTED Innovation is not just about product and process – it is also about attracting and retaining the best people – and flexibility and virtual offices are just part of the story. The Chief...

How to Bring Meaning to Work

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 6

Hi Ho, Hi Ho… it’s off to work I go! With a spring in my step and a sense of purpose! Or not? What's work? How do you bring real meaning to work? When we begin working with people in business – owners and team members – we ask...

Plan NOW for the Retirement you Want!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 30

33% of business owners rely on the sale of their business to fund their retirement.* This is a foreboding statistic and one that we believe is a very conservative number. Our belief is based on what we are seeing in the SME market – many...

Massively Improve Productivity with an EOFY Every Month

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 1

What a difference a deadline makes! Have you found that during the last month of your financial year there is more focused activity towards meeting annual budgets and KPI’s? What is different? The end of financial year is just a line in...

To-Do or Not-To-Do – That is the Question

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 11

We are all very aware of action sheets – some see them as the bain of their lives – the source of angst and frustration. There are many different versions and we have blogged about our version of the action sheet here. In their simplest form...

Start the Day with WHY

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 18

Starting the day with WHY works wonders - it wraps context around your action sheet and the myriad of things you have to do. Simon Sinek author of “Start with Why” talks about the power of being able to articulate why you do what you do in...

Intentional Imbalance – The Truths & Myths

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 9

At Opening Gates we contend that the concept of work-life balance in its purest form is not a sustainable state of being, yet so many people embark on a constant and frenetic search for it. A futile search that will leave you with a sense of...

5 Reasons to Document your Business Systems

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 1

What do we mean by Business Systems? At Opening Gates, when we refer to business systems, we mean information contained in a "How We Do It Here" (HWDIH) Manual. In its simplest form, it is a clear and concise record of how you do what you do...

The Reality of Retirement – A Client Study

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 26

Here is the reality of Retirement, from the perspective of one of our client's. Michael and Jean are in their mid-50’s and have owned their earthmoving business for 25 years. They are and have always been actively involved at both a strategic...

Intentional Imbalance – A Powerful Alternative For...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 19

Google’s CFO, Patrick Pichette, is retiring - “After nearly seven years as CFO, I will be retiring from Google to spend more time with my family”. Yet another example of why we must harness the power of Intentional Imbalance. “Tamar...

What Is Your Theme for 2015?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 26

The power of intentional words - they focus the mind! The first quarter of the year has passed - can you believe it! How focused have you been so far? Each year at Opening Gates, we recommend our clients choose a word, words, or a phrase which...

How to Avoid Being a Perfectionist

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 11

Go before you’re ready – a great mantra for the perfectionist. Have you ever let perfect get in the way of progress? A 20 minute walk is better than the 40 minute run you never do. The first draft proposal that is presented is better than...

Transform Business Strategising

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 9

Turn business strategising on its head – the outcomes are extraordinary It is that time of the year when you might just stop for long enough to reflect and consider what it is you want to achieve over this coming year. Yes, it’s New...

How to Strive for Business Success in 2015

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 2

You can’t change the past but you can look back with the intention of leveraging off the learnings, identifying the gaps and seeing the opportunities for improvement. These 10 questions will enable you to do just that, to strive for business...

REFLECTIONS OF 2014 – 10 POWERFUL QUESTIONS

Posted by: Judy Reynolds December 31

10 questions that MUST be answered BEFORE you set your intentions for 2015 Your life is a reflection of you – everything great and everything not so. Your life is the result of the choices you have made – it is that simple. Make 31st...

How to drive the right behaviour with KPI’s

Posted by: Judy Reynolds October 30

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are more than a number. If your KPI’s are used to measure an individual’s performance and how they are rewarded, they will evoke an emotional response and they will drive behaviour. The KPI’s that the...

Do you have a Life Plan?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds October 2

What Does Your Brand Say?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds September 25

What story does your brand tell? Is it a historic saga or a futuristic adventure? I believe we must take a futuristic approach by designing a brand that draws us forward – that enables better business decisions because we have a clear vision...

Multi-tasking – The Pros and Cons

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 28

I decided to spend a day noticing how often I did more than one thing at a time. Yes, I know women are apparently the multi-tasking champions and I was astounded at how seldom I did focus solely on the task at hand. A quick ring around confirmed...

Why Putting the Heart Back into Business Increases Performance

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 21

“He just doesn’t have his heart in it.” How often have you heard this said – generally as a result of a less than remarkable performance in an endeavour or a project of some kind. There is a presumption that if he did have his “heart...

When the “NOISE” is this loud – What then?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 23

The day following the MH17 tragedy I pondered my book case containing 100’s of books and was drawn to Eckhart Tolle’s “Stillness Speaks”. Now I have a “rule” (better described as a “suggestion to self” perhaps) – that I must...

8 Steps to Making the Big Decisions in Business & Life

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 17

I’m off to Antarctica! And I am taking 116 entrepreneurs with me! I said YES - I’m in! There was no reason I could think of to say NO. There were so many reasons to say YES. These are 8 steps that I use when making big decisions. You can use...

Lessons from a Whale Shark

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 8

Everything you need to grow is just outside your comfort zone… yes, it is my mantra. I believe we must disturb our state of ennui (see my recent blog) and feel uncomfortable from time to time in order to step up and discover untapped potential....

ENNUI – A Debilitating Ailment – way too common in Life and...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 26

Ennui is my new favourite word - and this is why! The symptoms of this ailment are boredom, tedium, lethargy, languor, weariness, sluggishness and enervation. Definition of ENNUI: a French word meaning - a feeling of listlessness and...

Hooks and Fences – What the!!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 13

We have heard talk of "building fences" around your clients, and introducing "another hook" – and it makes us shudder! We ask you – what does this language say to you? It suggests that the only way you can keep a client is to fence them in...

What’s the cost of editing?? Be original – hit undo!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 30

I recently sent an article I had written to an editor friend and asked for his critique, feedback and thoughts from an editor’s perspective. I was proud of this piece – it felt raw, insightful, honest, challenging, disturbing… it came from...

How to Earn the Right to Ask for a Sale

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 5

Too often we ask for a sale before we have earned that right. Timing is everything - interact first - establish a relationship - articulate and agree the value - then ask for the sale. And here is a really simple, yet effective process to do...

Being Yourself – The Best Strategy for Success

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 20

Our LIFE by DESIGN Retreat is booked out at BYRON BAY - our designers will discover what "Being Yourself" really means. The most common question I was asked after speaking at a recent International Women's Day function was “What should women...

Enhance your Leadership Skills – 2 Powerful Concepts

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 13

Here are two powerful concepts which will enable you to play your bigger game. Not only will you learn how to enhance what is possible for you personally, these strategies are proven team leadership tools. 1. Transform Your Thinking...

Parallel Leadership Journeys – Double the Value

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 6

Leadership involves 2 parallel journeys – leading your “self” and leading your team. Being a great leader of “self” is an absolute pre-requisite to being an effective team leader. I believe that our ability to reach our potential, to...

From Seller to Enabler – Change the word, change the meaning!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 13

I work with business owners and their teams in many sectors including the service industry, retail, manufacturing, and not for profit – to design more profitable, relevant and vibrant businesses. One of the biggest blocks people (whose job...

How to be a 100%er? Make every sales meeting a winner

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 6

When is finished, finished? Avoid confusion – Decide up front!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 30

I was enjoying a mentoring conversation with a client (let’s call her Mary) recently – Mary told me that her partner thought it was important that I know (as her mentor) that she never finishes anything. Some words yell at me – words like...

Preparation Begets Opportunity – the best advisors don’t wing...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 24

A case study, an insight and an opportunity to brainstorm with your team to be better advisors. I have been working with advisors assisting their transition from a reactive transactional mindset to one that has a proactive, relationship building...

The Doing More with Less Challenge

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 16

Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change! Often business strategy sessions are focused on doing more with more – more people, more customers, more products, more systems, more equipment… and it goes on. We...

Did you answer the 10 Questions?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 9

How did you go? Did you answer the 10 questions? On 31st December 2013 I posted my blog 10 questions that must be answered before you set your intentions for 2014. I developed these 10 questions as a constructive way to reflect on 2013 –...

Reflections of 2013 – 10 Powerful Questions

Posted by: Judy Reynolds December 31

10 questions that MUST be answered BEFORE you set your intentions for 2014 31st December, 2013... a day for reflection - not simply for reflection's sake but for an invaluable insight into who you have become and who you are being, now - one...

Getting the right people – Take a different view!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds December 19

Effective recruitment is one of the biggest challenges business owners say they face – they tell me it is impossible to get the right people. And as a consequence they, themselves, must work harder and longer hours. And business growth is...

With Doors Open 24/7 – Dodge the Fallout!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds December 6

A 24 hour business cannot mean a 24 hour commitment from the owner, can it? Being accessible to your customers 24/7 may be the new reality of business with on-line shopping, extended opening hours and e-commerce... but what does it mean to the...

Desperately Seeking: Work-Life Balance

Posted by: Judy Reynolds November 14

If you had to prioritise in life, what would you put emphasis on? The largest worldwide study of Millennials* (or Gen Y's - those born in early 80’s or 90’s) has found that Millennials strive for "Work-Life Balance" – where there is enough...

Leverage off your intellectual capital – ask for ideas!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds October 8

How many ideas never make the light of day because of the fear of feeling or being vulnerable? Too many! Too many lost opportunities and the opportunity cost is significant. Have you had an idea that you didn’t share or implement just to...

How to increase job satisfaction & retain your stars

Posted by: Judy Reynolds October 1

Surveys suggest that the number one reason people leave their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated. So if we want to retain our people we simply show our appreciation – right! Yes and no... yes, we must show our appreciation for our...

What Does Your Culture Say About You and Your Business?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds September 23

Are your non-negotiable published values driving behaviours in your business? Or not? What does your culture and your underlying values say about you and your business? That is... the everyday, what is actually going on, behaviours – the ones...

6 Marathon Success Principles – Yes They Work!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds September 16

I completed my first half marathon (21.1 kms!) a few weekends ago at the picturesque Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Very exciting! Some time ago I blogged about “Doing what it Takes” to reach your goals using my marathon training...

Transform your thinking & vision – from impossible to certain!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds September 9

We believe you have everything you need to play your bigger game! We work with people every day helping them to transform their thinking and vision, to breakthrough their comfort zones, to live their potential daily. So, what is your bigger...

Hindsight is a wonderful thing…

Posted by: Judy Reynolds September 3

Hindsight is a wonderful thing... unless you are dead or it is too late to do anything about it! I know... that sounds really morbid and rather sensational - however, it is so real for so many. Too often I hear – “I wish I had taken the time...

Social Media – Your Client Nurturing Program

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 26

Ignorance is no defence – Connect with your Customers on Social Media What happens in your business when a client emails or calls you and compliments you and your team on a job well done or refers you? Do you call or email and acknowledge the...

What is success? Do you feel successful?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 19

SUCCESS – Means different things for different people – what’s your definition? Do you want to be successful? Yes? So what does “being successful” mean, what does it look like, feel like? And how will you know when you are...

Massively improve your productivity with an EOFY every 3 months

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 16

What a difference an EOFY deadline makes – Periodisation at its best! Have you found that during the last month of your financial year there is more focused activity towards meeting annual budgets and KPI’s? What is different? The end of...

YOU INC

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 5

Consider this... you are the CEO of YOU INC – you are leading you, the corporation. YOU INC will have a vision, which will provide clarity and direction for you, the CEO who is leading the way. You will be clear on where you want YOU INC to be...

20+ Insights to Upgrade the Digital Strategy for your Business

Posted by: Judy Reynolds August 2

I recently attended the Interactive Minds Digital Summit and took away some serious value – here are some of the insights I gained from the brilliant presenters on the day (this is my take on what was presented, with my own additional personal...

The Marathon Success Principles

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 29

Doing What it Takes (WIT) – Practical Success Principles I have signed up for the Sunshine Coast Half Marathon and I am implementing these super success principles: 1. Set goals and tell others about them – yes, I announce that I am doing...

Who on Earth Are You?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 26

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain Do you know why you were born? What your life’s purpose is? How well do you know you? Whose definition of you do you...

Your Ideal Client Criteria

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 22

Can you identify your Ideal Client in the sea of prospects? How often have you heard that “Any client is a good client”? This is a myth of massive proportion and the cause of many a headache, of reduced profits, and a serious decrease in the...

Disempowering the Disempowering Belief…

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 18

Do you know how to disempower a Disempowering Belief? It's simple! Just ask the right questions. A conversation... Son “I can’t do anything right at work” Mum “Is that true? How do you know...

Buttons Galore!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 15

Does your product or service scream – Pick me! Pick me! I couldn’t help myself... I had to go into the Button Bar in Adelaide and take this photo – and this is only a small section of the walls of buttons. It made me think how choice has...

Judy’s Musings – When Stuff Happens… Take the High...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 11

Sometimes stuff happens – stuff that wasn’t in the plan and which doesn’t appear to be supporting our journey towards our goals. We could take a woe is me approach – take the low road and blame, excuse, deny our way through this less than...

Focus, Effective Strategies, Empowering Beliefs

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 8

So you know what you want to achieve this year? You are clear on what your goals are and why it is important to you that they are reached. This knowing is so powerful – clarity around goals means that you are more likely to make decisions and...

Judy’s Musings – I Believe in Feeding my Intelligence

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 4

I believe in feeding my intelligence – in lifetime learning – it enables me to grow and to thrive in this ever changing environment. I prefer to disrupt than be disrupted. New learnings are the impetus for innovative thought – for...

The Power of Journaling

Posted by: Judy Reynolds July 1

Do you keep a journal? Robin Sharma, the author of “The Leader who had no Title” recommends that in order to maximise daily effectiveness we should write in our journal every morning - as an entree to the day. I have been journaling for...

“Burnt Out” is not who you are…

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 27

We work with many people who describe themselves as “burnt out” – what does that mean? In order to be burnt out you must have been on fire at some point? Were you? “I am burnt out”... Burnt out is not who you are –...

The Dangers of Discounting

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 24

Discounting eats directly into your profits. Consider this… A retailer who has a gross profit margin of 30% must increase sales by 50% if they discount prices by 10%. This is massive. If sales do not increase by 50% or more the business will...

When did you learn you weren’t Superman?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 20

When did you stop believing you were superman? Who told you that you didn’t have super human powers? When did you learn that you could only pretend to be a super hero? That you could not actually be one? As children, we have no boundaries...

Getting Better Results

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 17

Decisions X Actions = Results A simple equation relevant in both business and life. Everyday we make hundreds of decisions – in a business the number of decisions are increased as the number of employees increase – in a business with 50...

Judy’s Musings – Focus On Those Who Turn Up

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 13

Is not turning up valid feedback? Those who didn’t turn up are not nearly as important as those who did, who are here. Yet why do we invest so much emotional energy on those who weren’t there – second guessing why they chose not to come,...

Anticipate Change – The Ultimate Competitive Advantage

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 10

Great leaders anticipate… They are visionary and pre-empt the changing market place. Businesses which enjoy enduring success have visionary leaders. Consider Kodak – 20 odd years ago Kodak was a dominant player in the field of photography...

Judy’s Musings – Embrace these Choice Points

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 6

Keep opening gates and live into your best life Opening Gates – the gates are analogies for choice points. How often do we come to a gate on our life’s journey – a choice point and ponder? Should we open the gate and walk on through, do...

Daily Huddles – Create Rhythm & Routine in your Business

Posted by: Judy Reynolds June 3

Daily meetings are important - everyone in the business should be in some kind of 5 to 15 minute meeting daily. Not in the same meeting necessarily, but in a meeting. These daily huddles promote team performance by engaging peer pressure via...

Judy’s Musings – Change the rating … change the...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 30

So you have rated your leadership as 10 out of 10 – what does that mean? That you couldn’t be any better? How did you get to be so awesome? Was it continual improvement? Stop doing what made you awesome and you will become less so. A...

7 Reasons Why You Should Engage an External Facilitator

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 27

At this time of the year business owners and their teams are making plans for the next financial year. This planning process can take many forms – it can be anything from a full strategic session incorporating life, growth, profit, people,...

Judy’s Musings – Building Passion Purpose and...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 24

One of my favourite roles is facilitating strategic sessions with my business clients. It’s wonderful to witness the increase in positive energy, to feel the enthusiasm building. We reconnect with WHY we do what we do – the purpose, the...

Judy’s Musings – You are not your ART – You are the...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 16

You are not what you do or what you make – so if you are selling your products or services and someone rejects you or says No – it is easy to think that you are being rejected. You are the artist not the art. It is your art that they...

Get the most out of your Strategy Day…

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 13

Simply get started on your Strategy AND follow through TO reap the rewards... We are currently in the process of facilitating annual strategy days and making plans for the new financial year. There is lots of excitement and anticipation...

Judy’s Musings – Let’s Mix it Up

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 9

It is time to mix it up... decision making should be a blend of rationale and spirituality, logic and intuition, theory and gut instinct, head and heart. How often do you “decide” based on gut instinct and then do your due diligence using...

Getting Stuff Done – The Action Sheet that Works

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 6

Does your action sheet resemble a shopping list – and because you are too busy to make it to the shops it just gets longer and longer... A “TO DO” list is not an action sheet – it is a wish list. I have seen some action sheets with just 2...

Judy’s Musings – The Ultimate Value Transfer

Posted by: Judy Reynolds May 2

I love it when the vision for your business aligns with the vision for your life – one feeds the other – the ultimate value transfer! What I have found is... the best businesses have owners and leaders who are passionate about what they do...

Your Missing Piece of the Productivity Puzzle

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 29

What if I told you there was a way to significantly increase your productivity and what you achieved in a day – a method that was based on working smarter, not harder – would you be interested? Would you like to see even more output for the...

Don’t Play the Waiting Game!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 25

Life is a journey not a destination. Do you find yourself waiting, playing the WHEN>THEN game? It goes something like this... "WHEN I find the CEO", or "WHEN I get the right people", or "WHEN I sell the business > THEN I will slow down,...

Beware – Culture is Caught not Taught…

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 22

One of the biggest challenges for an organisation is to maintain a strong consistent culture especially if you are experiencing high turnover of employees or when high growth is occurring. Owners of successful businesses really understand why...

Judy’s Musings – What the!… Where am I? What am I...

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 18

You feel like all is not how it should be... It is just an inkling, a little poke in the ribs, a thought floating by – and then someone asks the question... what is your purpose in life, why do you do what you do, is this how you thought being...

Creativity and Innovation are must haves for businesses

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 15

Do you need a Chief Innovation Officer (CIO)? Traditional business thinking which typically focuses on 3 to 5 year strategies created with sophisticated analytical processes and logical reasoning, may now be a little too “clunky” and take too...

Judy’s Musings – You are so much more than your

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 11

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]How often, when you first meet someone and by way of starting conversation, you ask, “ What do you do?” And how often, is the reply a story about their business and their role in it? The thing is... many...

Business as Usual? No Way! Embrace your Entrepreneurial Spirit

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 8

Now more than ever, we need to be innovative, energetic and ready and willing to adopt change - to have the entrepreneurial spirit. This quote by Charles Darwin is so very relevant: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor...

Judy’s Musings – A Big Dose of Passion

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 4

Traditionally, what business owners are looking for from their consultants, coaches, mentors – is how to increase sales, increase profit, improve cashflow, build and protect business value, and to exit out of the business. All very...

Judy’s Musings – Never Settle

Posted by: Judy Reynolds April 2

So you have a life plan – right... you know what a life well lived would look like to you, you know what contribution you want to make – you know what your core genius is – you know what it feels like to be joyful, to have your heart sing –...

Radically Increase the Impact of Training

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 28

BY BUILDING ON THE NATURAL TALENTS OF YOUR TEAM Millions have been spent by companies on training and developing their employees to increase skill levels, improve effectiveness and encourage innovation. In order to achieve the very best return on...

Judy’s Musings – What is profit?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 25

What is profit? So often when encouraged to aim for even higher profits, business owners (in a state of discomfort) tell me that profit is not the be all and end all – to focus on profit is quite vulgar, commercial and we should be promoting...

The Pricing Dilemma – What’s your Approach?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 18

Time? Commission? Schedule of Costs? Or Value Pricing? Which one? Professional service businesses who have embraced value pricing have seen impressive increases in productivity and profit. So why is the take up so slow? Here is some...

The Art of Delegation – 7 Key Steps

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 11

Delegation is a process that adds value at all levels - it is all about doing more by doing less! Don’t wait and abrogate when tasks become super urgent and deadlines critical – it is incredibly counter productive. In our "Delegate For...

Delegate for Success!

Posted by: Judy Reynolds March 4

Want more success for your team, your business, for you? Then learn to delegate. Effectively! The Pareto Principle suggests that 20% of your activities generate 80% of your results… so it makes sense that you should spend 80% of...

The Referral Goldmine

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 25

Imagine a business where every new customer who comes through the door comes by way of a referral from an existing customers. Because they want what the referrer gets, those referred customers arrive with a positive preconception and a willingness...

Building relationships – What’s your strategy?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 18

Strong relationships are the cornerstone of every growing and successful business. If we neglect to build relationships with our customers or our potential customers (our prospects) then we will become a transaction and commodities based...

Employing Project Thinking

Posted by: Judy Reynolds February 5

How often have you decided to embark on a project and then you don’t get started, or you start too late, or maybe you start but you don’t follow it through to the end? Why does this happen? At the time the project was important, wasn’t...

Two Keys to Profitable Growth

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 27

Less is often more 1. Fewer Focused Strategies In a difficult market it is very tempting to embrace all of the sales opportunities – to have lots of options – to cover all bases. There is a wise saying - “If you chase two rabbits,...

Is your team a little below par?

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 27

How does your team stack up? Are they a little below par? Is morale a little low, some not performing, some just not happy or some stirring the pot? Or do you have some amazing people who just do it... well at least that is what it looks like from...

Opening Gates Launches 4 February

Posted by: Judy Reynolds January 21

Opening Gates is excited to announce its official launch on 4 February. Stay tuned for more updates!

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