Our Voice

When you’re just starting out in a garage or a kitchen or a single laptop on your couch, you might think you’re too small to bother with something like insurance. Maybe you’ll get it when you need it, right?

Young people today lived through the 2008 recession and its aftershocks. I can tell you now, the words ‘global financial crisis’ do not tend to build financial confidence. The numerous disparaging avocado toast editorials in the national press also tend to make young people collectively want to switch off.

When you do something right, you want it to happen again.

“This is the way it’s always been.”

“That’s not how we do that.”

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

These are the core tenets of corporate inertia.

It’s exciting and scary to say goodbye to being an employee and strike out on your own. When you finally commit your ideas to paper – and these days, to the digital space – and announce to the world that you are starting your own business, you know you will now be your own boss. You will make the rules, and you will reap the rewards of your own hard work and creativity.

Having a great idea for a business, the financial backing to see it through and the passion to drive it is brilliant – but a successful operation needs constant planning and revision.

Don’t panic – while planning may take a little effort in the short term, in the long run it’s an invaluable tool to help your business grow.

A plan that sets clear targets and goals, but one which is revisited and adjusted if necessary at regular times, is essential for success, according to business coach and strategist Belle Lockerby.

Here, she gives us the lowdown on how to start your business planning and top tips on when and how to review it.

“Do I have one?” you ask. Yes!

We girls definitely have special-issue mojo, but the intelligence I’m talking about is less about any Einstein quotient and more about our ‘nature of being’- the side of us that is innately nurturing, supportive, engaging, emotionally intelligent, compassionate, gracefully assertive, sensitive, and aware.

Research on the topic of ‘What makes great leaders great?’ points specifically to emotional intelligence (EQ) as being the superstar of all of these traits. By definition, EQ is the ability to recognise, understand, and tactically manage emotions in self and others to create a desired outcome. Flowing with this process can be challenging, however, when a conversation triggers our defensive ego causing us to knee-jerk into a regrettable reaction.

Can we grow and develop our EQ to avoid this common scenario? Absolutely. Try following this 5-step process:

Women often undermine their own credibility and power by making small mistakes in their communication. I love working with women, because I find they can focus on these details without losing sight of the big picture. It is all about changing small speaking habits you probably use everyday. Some habits are good and serve you well, some are poor and need to be 'deleted'.

Here's a list of my top pet peeves. Now these apply to men and women, but I have noticed women display these habits more than men.

These speaking habits will make you look weaker than you are in any situation, from a one-on-one conversation with a colleague, to a boardroom presentation to the C-Suite.

From real estate to entrepreneurship, one of the constant discussions since women have entered the workplace in large numbers has been how women can achieve a work-life balance. From tech giants encouraging women to Lean In to the number of women who opt out of the workforce entirely, the concept of balance is a highly divisive and heavily debated topic.

As you move up the career ladder, senior positions get fewer and the competition gets fiercer. To make it to the CEO chair takes a lot more than an impressive track record and ability.

Traditionally, many CEOs are selected from finance positions, like a CFO. But more and more CEOs are being appointed with backgrounds in other areas like operations, and marketing and sales. Regardless of your background, it can still be a difficult jump to go from executive to CEO. Going for a CEO role is highly competitive and recruiters and boards are usually looking for specific characteristics for individual roles. So it’s important to know how to present yourself and your track record.

Whether you want to move to the next level of your career, or you’re aiming for the CEO seat, here are some tips on preparing yourself for the challenge.