Whilst I do appreciate some people are still mentally scared from the last crash, it does feel like an ideal time to put the past behind us and move forward
Mark Graves is director of Pink
We have seen unprecedented growth of individuals and partners moving their businesses into firms and limited companies, which is a great credit to their self belief and confidence. These firms are great examples of what can be achieved and are trail-blazers.
Whilst I do appreciate some people are still mentally scared from the last crash, it does feel like an ideal time to put the past behind us and move forward.
With the growing expectation that the mortgage market will now exceed £200billion, there has never been a better time to take this step; therefore it is in the interests even of those who have fears about this leap of faith to put aside what has happened in the past and look forward positively, in order to build up a legacy for the future. If you do not you may regret it forever.
Of course the success of this strategy can depend a lot on the support that you are given, especially if you are growing for the first time. However, a good network will support its members to grow in a way that firms are comfortable with in the knowledge that they have a secure backdrop of help and support. They should include help with recruiting, sitting in on your interviews if required. Your network should also help you with ongoing people management, health & safety, cash flow and managing your brand. The latter, of course, because once your business becomes more than just you the other people you recruit can make or break your brand so it is all about recruiting the right people and then managing them in the right way so that they enhance your clients’ experience with your company and don’t detract from it.
The priority should be to find and recruit the right person for your business and its culture. In my opinion, having your core values is paramount. Developing new skill sets required to do the job is always easier than eradicating bad habits and poor sales skills
If you’re part of a network it should be possible for you to grow if it is what you want to do - if the philosophy of that network is around coaching, mentoring and support. The Pink network is growing, not because it is recruiting a lot of advisers from other networks, but purely on the back of our members’ businesses expanding because they are taking on more people; as a result Pink has just had the most successful month in its history.
Remember if it’s just you in your company, you have a job not a business, but it should be in a network’s best interests to help you to grow your business in a way that is sustainable while giving you the support that you need.
The ultimate goal has to be succession planning and an exit strategy. Build your business on solid foundations and reap the rewards you deserve.
