The journey forward for any entrepreneurial company begins with a shared vision between the owners of what the future looks like. Many businesses plan with reference to the past e.g. “We did £X last year, so let’s look to add 5% this year”. It is more productive to look to the future in goal setting, not the past. Taking, for example, a five years’ timeline (there may be other timelines), a key question is “Where do we want/need to be in 5 years’ time?”. A vision and a milestones plan will emerge from this process, and a future-oriented perspective will be created.

This future-oriented perspective is:

• External – business focused;
• Allowing for multiple options; and
• Open to new roles and players.

Unlike a past-oriented perspective that is:

• Incremental – seeking to extrapolate growth increments based on past performance;
• Internally focused;
• Focused on avoiding mistakes; and
• Focused on existing players and roles.

Business planning adopting this approach envisions a future for growth that should be ambitious but realistic. Working back from that future point presents visions of what milestones have to be achieved along the way. Detailed planning is carried out in the first year, with detailed planning for the subsequent year as that year closes and so on. It might graphically be shown as:

Here, a five years’ strategy plan would include:

• Clearly stated quantified Five Year Goals
• Key strategic milestones for Y2, Y3 and Y4
• A highly detailed 12 month plan for Year 1

Typically (although no one business is ‘typical’) Ampios starts its help with data analysis in terms of Transactions and Sales analysis to understand the key drivers underpinning performance, and an initial measure of the Return On Capital Employed. After several workshops with the management team to identify key issues, Ampios work with management in developing strategy.

John Boydell, director of Ampios, with his valuable mix of being a business strategy consultant and highly experienced corporate lawyer, recently interviewed Lancashire businesses for the second stage of the prestigious North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce BIBAs Be Inspired Business Awards ‘Family Business of the Year’. The BIBAs are a much coveted award as Lancashire’s largest and longest running business awards programme and John, a former Chair of the Chamber, has been a judge since they began.

The rigorous judging consists of companies presenting an extensive written business application and an interview with the panel, followed by the judges visiting the companies in action. The purpose of the award is to drive growth, cultivate excellence and fuel innovation whilst nurturing the next generation of business leaders. All winners are automatically enrolled on the BIBA’s Academy of Excellence, a programme designed to boost skills, minds and bottom lines. John was joined by fellow judges Suzanne Carr from Age Concern, Michael Green from Lancashire County Council and Chris Moss of Jackson Stephen.

Executives of leading companies gathered from all over the UK to hear John Boydell, director and chairman of Ampios, deliver a keynote speech on BREXIT at the recently held Shared Services Forum UK Leaders event. The SSF UK is a national, not-for-profit membership organisation, ran by its members, which supports and inspires leaders and teams of leading companies through knowledge sharing, thought leadership and benchmarking. The event was held at the Concord Conference Centre at Manchester Airport and after the talk, members were taken on a tour of Concord itself.

John, who delivered the wide ranging keynote talk with colleague Stephen Gregson, corporate finance director at MHA Moore & Smalley, looked afresh at many economic truths, the view on BREXIT and how Scenario Planning is a valuable exercise that can help businesses mitigate risk even in times of ‘unknown unknowns’.