Get to know me a little better

Why I think we might get on - I’ve been there

After a successful 10-year career in market research, an MBA, and then another 10 years working in customer experience with brands like Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Nike, Starbucks, Waitrose, Sony Playstation and VW, I finally cracked the code to understand what it was that helped great brands succeed.

I found what set successful organisations apart from the rest was that they were clear about what they stood for and proved it every day in how they ran their businesses. They deliberately built their culture to deliver their Purpose.

And that was it, I was hooked, I became obsessed with measuring and defining what they were doing well, so I could help others do the same.

This was a very exciting time for me as I got a unique insight into the inner workings of these brands but also a time of struggle personally because the business I worked for did not have the culture of these leading organisations. We were driven to maximise the value of the business at a fixed date - and nothing else - and I was compromised every day.

I spent so much time firefighting, refereeing arguments between teams, keeping secrets, and hiring replacements for the good people that kept leaving... that I spent almost no time doing the things I loved or the things that helped our clients (and therefore our business). And the people working for me were unproductive, difficult to manage, and often stressed and miserable.

To fix this, I put in place a programme of work to rebuild our culture from the bottom up. Team turnover dropped, absences dropped, client satisfaction went up, and the team started succeeding.

But a fundamental problem remained regarding culture. Our ultimate motivation was to maximise sales - nothing else. This came through in every strategic decision taken. It undermined much of the work I had been doing. It showed the team how much they meant to the business - less than the next prospect. I was fighting a losing battle . But I had loved my experience rebuilding culture so much that I decided to take it to other businesses and help people like me: people who were growing a team or business but where the culture was getting in the way of success, rather than enabling it.

Business owners now pay me to help build their cultures so that their teams are happier, more productive, loyal, engaged and motivated, and their businesses succeed as a result. They have to work less and it's more fun to run their businesses. And their teams feel more fulfilled. Everyone wins.

Purpose

I talk a lot about Purpose, so it’s only fair that I share mine with you.

My Purpose is to turn on the light so others can find their way. This is what has driven me and has given me joy from my earliest days.

I became The Culture Builder to shine a light on work. I want people to love work so they can lead more fulfilling lives. This means helping every small business in the UK build an amazing culture that supports its people to achieve more.

So what?

Purpose is the foundation on which your culture is built. It’s simple to discover it and lay the foundations for success if you have the right tools. I have the tools and I’ve spent years honing them.

So let’s do something we’ll both love: let me turn on the light for you, and help you build a culture where everyone loves work and leads happier, more fulfilling lives (and as a result you’ll earn more and have to work less - your business won’t just function, it will be fun.)