Are you tired of throwing money at marketing campaigns that just don’t deliver? You aren't alone. In this episode of Leaders in Strategy, we tackle the real fears, industry distrust, and overwhelm that business owners face when trying to scale online. We are joined by Jess Williams, Director of Design in the Shires, a website and digital marketing expert who handles our very own website.

We dive deep into why humanising your brand ("people buy from people") beats a rigid sales pitch every time, why traditional print marketing still holds value, and how building a workplace culture centred on mental health and happiness directly fuels business success.

Stick around until the end, where Jess lays out three actionable "homework" steps you can use to audit your website traffic and social media strategy today!

#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #workplacewellness #LeadersInStrategy

---------

You can find out more about Jess and Design in the Shires here: https://www.designintheshires.co.uk/

---------

Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast

---------

Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.

---------

Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.

To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.

---------

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/

Most leaders think strategy is about working harder, selling more, or outperforming the competition. But what if the best leaders don't win because they do more, but because they think differently before they ever act?

Welcome to the first episode of our exclusive mini-series diving deep into Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and translating its ancient wisdom into modern business realities.

In this episode, we break down the biggest misconception in business today: the myth that strategy is about fighting better. Instead, we explore how to create conditions where fighting is completely unnecessary.

If you are relying on pure execution and effort to win, you’re already too late.

Strategic Mindshift of the Day: Stop asking, "How do we win this?" and start asking, "Why are we in this position in the first place?"

---------

#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #businesscasestudy #customerretention #LeadersInStrategy

---------

Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast

---------

Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.

---------

Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies. To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.

Unlock the secrets to effective strategy, goal setting, and business growth. Today, we dive deep into our recent guests, showcasing their range of knowledge on how to transform your vision into reality, navigate the complexities of digital marketing, and leverage cutting-edge tools like AI to drive their success.

Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting out, this episode provides bite-sized actionable frameworks and expert advice to sharpen your strategic thinking and achieve your most ambitious goals.

In this episode, our leaders cover:

• Mastering Goal Setting: Learn how to set clear, actionable goals with specific timelines to ensure your dreams become achievable realities.

•The Art of Strategy: Discover diverse perspectives on strategy, from defining your "why" and "how" to its crucial role in scaling your business and digital marketing efforts.

• Navigating Digital Marketing: Understand the challenges and opportunities in digital marketing, including identifying your target audience and choosing the right investment channels.

•AI as a Strategic Partner: Explore how Artificial Intelligence can be a powerful tool for problem-solving, strategising, and enhancing decision-making processes.

• Actionable Frameworks for Growth: Gain practical insights from the "5 Question Framework" and learn how to build a robust strategy that drives clarity, reduces mistakes, and ensures consistent progress.

---------

#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #businesscasestudy #customerretention #LeadersInStrategy

---------

Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast

---------

Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.

To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.

---------

Follow me and my guests on LinkedIn:

Mike Harris - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/

Gus Bhandal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mguruuk/

Jess Williams - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-williams-bab292147/

Oli Wood - https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodoli/

Dave Stubberfield - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davestubberfield/

Sian Brennan-Todd - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sian-brennan-todd/

Yemi Oluseun - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yemioluseun/

Jeanette Linfoot - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannettelinfoot/

Most business leaders know they need to adopt AI to stay competitive, but very few understand how to integrate it without getting generic, cheap results.

In this episode, Mike Harris is joined by Oli Wood, an AI and automation expert and entrepreneur, to tackle the massive challenges and opportunities that AI brings to business leadership. They discuss why off-the-shelf software often falls short and how tailored AI strategies can transform how your company operates daily.

Oli shares practical insights from a decade in the tech industry, moving from data engineering to building advanced AI automation systems. He explains why you should never use AI to fix a broken process, how to avoid the trap of poorly generated marketing images, and why breaking your business challenges into digestible chunks is the key to scaling efficiently.

Mike and Oli also dive into the reality of AI as a leadership sounding board, debunking the common myth of using AI as a basic search engine, and exploring how AI could completely revolutionise the education and training sectors.

If your business wants to grow its turnover, work more efficiently, master the art of prompt engineering, or successfully deploy AI agents that actually move the needle, this episode is packed with actionable advice you can use right away.

---

#ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessAutomation #AIInBusiness #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #PromptEngineering #BusinessGrowth #TechInnovation #BusinessPodcast #entrepreneurshippk

---

Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: https://www.patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast

---

To find out more about Oli and automating processes with AI, you can follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodoli/

---

Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.

---

Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.

To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.

---

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775

What are the biggest challenges business leaders are facing right now?

In this special Patreon insight episode, Mike Harris answers 10 real questions submitted by business owners, professionals, and leaders from the Leaders in Strategy community.

The discussion covers leadership, AI, customer retention, LinkedIn strategy, business planning, and how to make better decisions in uncertain markets.

Mike shares practical advice on how to avoid sounding generic online, how to adapt when technology changes faster than your business strategy, and how to reduce risk when too much revenue depends on a small number of customers. The episode also explores why company values often fail, how leaders should redefine success over time, and how to understand what customers truly want by analysing behaviour instead of just listening to opinions.

If you are leading a business, managing growth, or navigating constant change, this episode is packed with actionable insights that can help strengthen your strategy and leadership approach.

------- Referenced Videos

Q1 - 5 Leadership Lessons Business Owners Usually Pay Thousands For https://youtu.be/7jTdNuSZBBc?si=M8jHgBHkNZJbszOR

Q2 - How To Make Money On LinkedIn https://youtu.be/ii6mosQAcP4?si=LtQutGPgJJr0MdHK

Q3 - AI Predicts the Biggest Business Challenges of 2026 https://youtu.be/r4TRdm1jGKc?si=4uZdN_sG-5etFuFB

Q4 - No Customers, No Business: Why Customer Management Really Drives Growth https://youtu.be/XxGtmtnujec?si=53MJOfTYlyy3i2t2

Q5 - The Business Plan Review Every Leader Should Do This Year https://youtu.be/6dahuAoTbLo?si=xIEcFBv2h0JgTUzm

Q6 - Christmas Special: Why Values Matter More Than Ever in Leadership https://youtu.be/Xym10OPHip8?si=0MvBVfbmKdlKdu4Q

Q7 - New Year Special: What Does Success Look Like for Business Leaders in 2026 https://youtu.be/dXCDFC_WvTo?si=Pws7wRoLBIWgmgDJ

Q8 - 5 Leadership Lessons Most Business Owners Learn Too Late https://youtu.be/9BuYhJLTxxc?si=2RY5fA7P8n3vYc1i

Q9 - The Business Plan Review Every Leader Should Do This Year https://youtu.be/6dahuAoTbLo?si=xIEcFBv2h0JgTUzm

Q9 - AI Predicts the Biggest Business Challenges of 2026 https://youtu.be/r4TRdm1jGKc?si=4uZdN_sG-5etFuFB

Q 10 - No Customers, No Business: Why Customer Management Really Drives Growth https://youtu.be/XxGtmtnujec?si=53MJOfTYlyy3i2t2

Q 10 - How To Make Money On LinkedIn https://youtu.be/ii6mosQAcP4?si=LtQutGPgJJr0MdHK

---------

#businessgrowth #leadership #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadershipdevelopment #businesscasestudy #customerretention #LeadersInStrategy

---------

Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast

---------

Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.

--------- Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business?

I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.

To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.

---------

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775/

Most businesses say they want to upgrade their operations, but few know how to make improvement a regular part of their daily work.

In this episode, Mike Harris is joined by Dave Stubberfield, an award-winning expert in customer experience and continuous improvement, to talk about why they should be an inbuilt part of your business and become part of how your company operates every day. They discuss the strong link between giving good customer service, running smoothly, and growing the business in the long run.

Dave shares practical tips from over 14 years of experience helping organisations change for the better. He explains how companies can improve their ways of working without adding unnecessary complications, why leaders often don’t realise what’s really happening beneath the surface, and how small, steady improvements can lead to a big competitive edge over time.

Mike and Dave also talk about why involving staff in the process is important, how the word “change” can put people on edge, and how listening carefully to both employees and customers can help businesses perform better.

If your business wants to grow, keep customers happy, work more efficiently, make use of AI, or simply find smarter ways to do things, this episode is full of useful ideas you can start using right away.

---------

#BusinessGrowth #ContinuousImprovement #CustomerExperience #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #OperationalExcellence #BusinessPodcast #GrowthMindset #ProcessImprovement #CustomerJourney

---------

Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast

---------

To find out more about Dave and implementing continuing improvement in your business, you can follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davestubberfield/

or visit his website at https://carter-consultancy.com/

---------

Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.

To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.

---------

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775

When businesses become overwhelmed, reactive or uncertain, the problem is not always productivity. Often, it’s a lack of strategic clarity.

In this episode, Mike Harris explores the moments when strategy stops being something businesses can put off and becomes essential for sustainable growth.

From slowing sales and shrinking profit margins, to overwhelmed teams, increased competition and uncertainty in decision-making, we discuss the common warning signs that often appear long before businesses realise they have a strategy problem.

Mike explains why many organisations mistake strategic issues for productivity or operational problems, and why reacting to challenges without clear direction can leave businesses stuck firefighting, instead of leading confidently. T

he conversation explores the dangers of trying to scale without structure, the importance of aligning teams around a clear direction, and why strategy should act as a decision-making filter for leaders navigating growth.

We also discuss the difference between businesses that wait for a crisis before planning their next move, and those that proactively build strategic foundations while things are still going well.

If you’re a business owner, director or leader feeling overwhelmed by too many priorities, struggling with direction or questioning what the next stage of growth should look like, there’s lots here you can take away and apply to your own business.

Stay until the end for a practical exercise where Mike helps you assess the current state of your business, identify strategic warning signs and define your direction for the next 12–18 months.

---------

#Leader #Strategy #BusinessStrategy #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #StrategicPlanning #ScalingUp #BusinessAdvice #GrowthStrategy #CEO #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessTransformation #Management #StrategicThinking

---------

Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content, downloadable resources, business planning tools and access to our growing Leaders in Strategy community: patreon.com/c/leadersinstrategypodcast

---------

Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business?

I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies. To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775

Most businesses are marketing constantly. Few stop to ask whether their marketing strategy actually supports the wider goals of the business.

In this episode, we sit down with marketing strategist, presenter and LinkedIn expert Gus Bhandal, founder of The M Guru, to explore how businesses can use digital marketing more effectively to build relationships, strengthen their brand and attract more customers.

We discuss the challenge of navigating a broad spectrum of marketing channels, and how understanding the link between your business plan and digital marketing strategy is key to successful implementation.

Gus also breaks down the Digital Marketing Ecosystem and explains how businesses develop and build relationships over time through their digital content. From initially discovering a business on Google, right through to purchase or enquiry, the customer journey is what allows people to build trust in a brand.

The conversation also explores LinkedIn, content creation, audience building and the reality behind social media algorithms. Gus shares his thoughts on what actually matters when creating content online, and why authenticity is still one of the most valuable tools businesses have.

We will also explore the importance of brand identity and reinforcement by discovering the story behind The M Guru’s distinctive black and orange.

If you’re a business owner, marketer or leader looking to improve your digital presence and create more meaningful engagement with your audience, there’s plenty here you can apply straight away.

Stay until the end for Gus’ practical top tips on improving your marketing strategy, strengthening your LinkedIn presence and creating better content online.

---------

#Leader #Strategy #digitalmarketingstrategy #digitalmarketing #socialmedia #LinkedInmarketing #businessstrategy #Leadership #GrowthHacking #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #StrategyTips #Branding #Storytelling #Collaboration #BusinessTransformation #GrowYourBusiness #BusinessAdvice #Business #Leaders #CEO

---------

To find out more about today’s guest, Gus Bhandal give him a follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mguruuk/

& visit the M Guru website: https://www.themguru.co.uk/ Want More? Watch more episodes on scaling and business strategy: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4j23J_5BCTMWQtXPEDDMCbOEHpQbjld1.

----------

Like, comment, and subscribe for more expert advice on business strategy, leadership, and scaling your business.

----------

Want to learn how to produce a winning business strategy and profitably grow your business? I teach, coach and mentor Directors, Leaders and Managers on how to run successful companies.

To learn more, please visit my website at https://www.strategusconsulting.co.uk/.

Follow me on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775.