Knowledge Centre
Straight answers to the questions business owners ask me most.
- 25 October 2026Growth stages
Is business coaching worth it? When it isn't
An honest answer from a business coach: when coaching pays for itself, when it doesn't, and how to tell which one you are before you spend a penny.
Read article - 25 October 2026Planning
Signature Coaching or the 90-Day Plan: which should you choose?
The 90-Day Plan is a one-off £750 sprint. Signature Coaching is ongoing support at £2,900 per 90 days. How they differ, and how to pick the right one.
Read article - 16 October 2026Planning
How to write a 90-day business plan that actually gets done
Step back, set clear targets, break them into weekly steps, track a few numbers on a scorecard and review every week. A simple 90-day plan for owners.
Read article - 16 October 2026AI
Where AI actually helps a small service business (and where it doesn't)
Two questions to ask before using any AI tool, a five-step way to test it, and the easiest places to start: cutting admin and automating follow-up.
Read article - 16 October 2026Peers and mindset
The business books I recommend most
Three short, practical books that changed how I think about sales, marketing and sticking at it, and one thing you can take from each this week.
Read article - 16 October 2026Growth stages
Business coach, consultant or mentor: which do you need?
A consultant tells you what to do or does it for you. A coach helps you make the changes yourself. A mentor shares experience. How to tell which you need.
Read article - 16 October 2026Owner time
How much is procrastination costing your business?
"I'll deal with that next week" costs more than you think. Why owners put things off, how to stop, and what happened when one client finally acted.
Read article - 16 October 2026Profit and pricing
What would it take to double your profit? Five levers to pull
You don't need to double your sales to double your profit. Five levers to pull, from pricing to upselling, and why monthly management accounts come first.
Read article - 16 October 2026Profit and pricing
The five numbers every business owner should know
Most owners can't say their break-even point or last month's profit. The five numbers to track, which to check weekly or monthly, and how to start.
Read article - 16 October 2026Sales
How to follow up with leads (without being pushy)
Most leads don't buy the first time. A simple follow-up rhythm, the three-line email for old leads, and how one client won back leads that had gone cold.
Read article - 16 October 2026Growth stages
Growing a service business in Hampshire and the Solent
What holds Hampshire service businesses back, where to find local support from Southampton to the New Forest, and how to get growth moving again.
Read article - 16 October 2026Profit and pricing
Where the hidden profit sits in a service business
For most service businesses, unused capacity is the fastest route to more profit. Where to look, the one number you need, and how to fill the gaps.
Read article - 16 October 2026Customers
How to get more Google reviews (and what to do with them)
A simple system for getting more Google reviews: who to ask, when, the email to send and how to reply. Plus the one thing Google doesn't allow.
Read article - 16 October 2026Marketing
How to raise your profile by showing what makes you special
Most businesses do something special but never mention it. What a Dragons' Den-style pitch taught me, and how to show off your community work and awards.
Read article - 16 October 2026Marketing
How to stand out when everyone in your industry sounds the same
Most businesses in any industry are just getting by, so copying them keeps you average. Three steps to stand out, and how to make sure people notice.
Read article - 16 October 2026Sales
The 10-minute rule: why speed wins sales leads
Reply to new enquiries within 10 minutes and you win more of them. Why speed matters, and four simple ways to respond fast even when you're busy.
Read article - 16 October 2026Profit and pricing
Why discounting costs more than you think
A 50% discount can wipe out over 80% of your profit. The simple maths, and two better ways to win sales without cutting your price: add value and stand out.
Read article - 16 October 2026Growth stages
The 3 stages of business growth (and how to move between them)
Your first £100k is about hustle, your first £500k about systems and your first £1m about marketing and numbers. How to tell which stage you're in.
Read article - 16 October 2026Customers
How to turn customers into fans who come back and refer you
Football fans keep coming back even when their team is rubbish. How to build that loyalty: listen, make every contact count, surprise people, then show it off.
Read article - 16 October 2026Website
Would your website pass the logo-swap test?
Swap your logo for a competitor's. If your website still works, it isn't doing its job. How to fix it, plus a quick checklist for service businesses.
Read article - 16 October 2026Growth stages
Why so few business owners become millionaires
Most owners never build a £1m business. Some don't want to, and that's fine. The rest trip up in four places: the business, money, failure and their website.
Read article - 16 October 2026Peers and mindset
Why every business owner needs a peer group
The people around you shape how far your business goes. Why you need challengers as well as supporters, and why your competitors could be your best allies.
Read article - 16 October 2026Marketing
Why your marketing isn't working, and what to fix first
Marketing usually fails for want of a system: no clear goal, no tracking, too many channels and only talking to people ready to buy today. What to fix first.
Read article - 16 October 2026Owner time
Working in or on your business: how to find 90 minutes a day
Most owners are busy working in the business, not on it. How to find 90 minutes a day, see where your time goes, and 20 things to do with that time.
Read article - 15 October 2026Profit and pricing
How much does a business coach cost in the UK?
UK business coaching costs from about £200 a month for groups to £3,000+ a month one-to-one. What drives the price, and what working with Dan Sagar costs.
Read article - 15 October 2026Growth stages
Why service businesses stall (and how to break through the growth plateau)
Growth has stopped even though you're doing what worked before. The three usual causes of a growth plateau, and how to find and fix the one holding you back.
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