Business Problems Solved Podcast

With more people out there searching for work right now, it’s important to make sure we give ourselves the best chance possible. With this in mind, Lee talks this week about how you can optimise your LinkedIn profile, in order to stand out in a crowded marketplace.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Endeavour to tailor your LinkedIn profile to the job for which you’re applying. Consider the type of job you’re looking for, and then adjust your profile accordingly. The sentence below your name is your opportunity to tell the world what is you do, and who you do it for. Don’t waste the opportunity to sell yourself. Create engaging content, specifically designed to appeal the people you want to work for, and make your About section keyword heavy, and useful for recruiters. How can you solve their problems? BEST MOMENTS ‘Your LinkedIn profile is your electronic CV’ ‘How can you talk to the ideal client, to make it more about them than you?’ ‘It’s not a numbers game. It’s not a vanity game' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast  ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

When was the last time you read something, or learned something, about marketing? Marketing is something that we all need to know more about, and yet many of us don’t spend the time developing this vital business skill. In this week’s show, Lee talks about why it matters so much, and how you can follow the advice of an ancient philosopher in order to make your marketing strategy more dynamic. KEY TAKEAWAYS The principles of Aristotle’s Pyramid Of Persuasion is still being used by marketers today: Logos - Appealing to logic Pathos - Appealing to emotions Ethos - Appealing to a sense of trust In marketing, we must try to get people to feel something whenever we can. We are trying to appeal to the universal in humanity.  In order to get to where we want to be, we need to create allies, communicate effectively, and overcome the objections that people have in what you are trying to achieve. BEST MOMENTS ‘We’re trying to market a way of making today better than yesterday’ ‘I thought these sounded like the Three Musketeers!’ ‘The difference between being good and being great is getting people to feel something’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

One of the more fascinating concepts being discussed today is that of “humble curiosity”, the act of learning with humility, in order to directly benefit another. In this week’s episode, Lee discusses this invaluable concept, and talks about the ways in which it can instantly enrich your life. KEY TAKEAWAYS The definition of being humble is showing a moderate or low estimate of one’s importance. Curiosity’s definition is a strong desire to know or learn something. Humble curiosity is the art of learning something for other people’s benefit. Great leaders and change agents are the ones who unselfishly recognise that by strengthening others, we strengthen ourselves. We should sometimes feel the courage to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. We can empower others by encouraging them to seek answers without us. BEST MOMENTS ‘Humility is not thinking less of one’s self. It is thinking about one’s self less’ ’The method you should use depends upon your desired outcome’ ‘Is your level of curiosity for yourself, or for other people?' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Jazmine Wolf is a business and life coach who’s gained an incredibly empowering viewpoint upon life and success through a series of setbacks that may well have derailed the ambitions of a less resilient spirit. Jazmine joins Lee today to talk about the power of trust, empowerment, positivity and the force of will that has led her to founding a highly successful business that seeks to embolden others. KEY TAKEAWAYS Empowerment comes from surrounding ourselves with the people who can vitalise the areas in which we hope to gain strength. Empowering our teams empowers ourselves. Authenticity is very attractive to people, and provides an extra level of engagement in business. People love a story, and they engage with honesty In business, in tends not to be the processes and systems that need improvement, but the mind-set, beliefs, and self-imposed limitations that people put upon themselves. An effective technique in empowering people, is to show them the potential future version of themselves and their plans, in order to help them visualise a successful outcome. BEST MOMENTS ‘I’m a natural nurturer of people’ ’There’s nothing like being authentic’ ‘Most people get in their own way in business’ ‘You can always find positives when working with people' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast   Jazmine Wolf - https://www.jazminewolf.com/about Jazmine Wolf LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jazmine-wolf/?originalSubdomain=uk ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Today’s special guest is a specialist side-splitter, and pioneer of the revolutionary idea that laughter can help to turn your workplace into a far less stressful environment. Lee is joined by Laughing Yoga expert and founder of Canned Laughter, Mr Pete Cann, who talks about why laughter is the best medicine, not just for individuals, but for businesses! KEY TAKEAWAYS By practising laughter yoga, we effectively trick our bodies into thinking that we are laughing authentically, and trigger the same release of endorphins and dopamine. One of the greatest benefits of laughter yoga is that it can be practised remotely. It was founded as a collective exercise, but can be just as effective through networking technology. Laughter is a proven method of combating lack of sleep, rising stress levels, anxiety and mental discomfort. Especially during lockdown, it has proven remarkably effective. People are becoming far more accepting of laughter as a way of treating mental health, and more and more people are losing their inhibitions in order to give laughter yoga a try. BEST MOMENTS ‘You release stress, anxiety, and connect with other people!’ ’This is my gold’ ‘I wasn’t expecting such a lengthy ha!’ ‘If I can crack chefs then I can crack most people!' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast   Canned Laughter - https://www.petecann.com Pete Cann LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cannedlaughter/?originalSubdomain=uk Laughter And Positivity Podcast - https://www.petecann.com/podcast/ ABOUT THE HOST For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

As we begin the transition from lockdown back to the workplace, Lee takes this opportunity to answer a vital question: how can we hope to work as a close-knit team without being able to huddle and get together regularly in the same way? KEY TAKEAWAYS The first step in developing new ways of working is to ask ourselves why the old practices were in place in the first place. If you do plan to take action, consider what you’d like people to know, how and what do you want them to do, and how you want them to feel. Connection, conversation, collaboration and celebration will always exist in whatever workplace we return to. We simply need to redesign the way we think about them. BEST MOMENTS ‘We talk about things to engage people!’ ‘We should engage people to make today better than yesterday’ ’Think creatively about solving the problem at hand' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast   ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

One of the main reasons for employees leaving their positions within companies, is that they’re not enjoying their job. With that in mind, Sunny Sandwell, the Managing Director of Fun At Work, is on a mission to bring the culture you need in your workplace, in order to retain and inspire the people you worked hard to assemble. In this week’s show, Sunny talks through her philosophy around keeping fun as a central part of any business, and what companies can gain from keeping their workforces happy and engaged! KEY TAKEAWAYS People often misconstrue fun in the workplace as silly, or a distraction. But Fun At Work is living proof that fun can be constructive and purposeful. This in turn benefits the business by strengthening teams and helping to dismantle divides. There is a preconception among some companies, that their workforce should act as robots, who do nothing but sit still and produce results. But human beings are conditioned not act as worker ants. Breaks are essential. Fun events such as team building exercises, tend to be held annually. By the time the next event arrives, the positive effects have begun to wane. The key is to have fun incrementally, and more often. People are often reluctant to engage with activities outside of work, if they feel they are being forced to do so. It is incumbent upon us to market these events in such a way that makes it appealing and valuable. Fun is far easier to incorporate into your working life if it's done sooner rather than later. Treat it as a core principle upon which your company is founded. BEST MOMENTS ‘My business is evidence that fun isn’t distracting’ ‘Fun is a good thing for us, and for mental health and wellbeing’ ‘I’d like fun to be part of our core values’ ‘Fun is the thing that will hold your business together' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast   Sunny Sandwell LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunny-sandwell-fun-at-work/?originalSubdomain=uk Fun At Work - https://funatwork.co.uk/about-us/ ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Your story is incredibly important.  No matter where you’re from in life, you’ve overcome far more than you may even remember to get to where you are today. As Lee discusses in today’s show, the sum total of your life experiences may be the key to building successful relationships, and to overcoming the hurdles of the future. KEY TAKEAWAYS Recognising that you are already the veteran of many challenges in life, can help people buy into your story. We build relationships by connecting our stories to those around us. It is the bringing together of shared or aspirational experiences. By focusing on the moments of elation in our livers, we can take from them the lessons that matter most to us. BEST MOMENTS ‘Everybody’s stood on a mountain of value’ ‘What is it that gives you that feeling of scoring a goal?’ ’Don’t be afraid, because these are the things that have shaped you as a person' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast   ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

As a change agent, it’s crucial to develop and nurture your personal brand, and your approach in bringing people along with you on the journey towards change. Peter Brodie, known as THE Sales Coach, is a man who specialises in coaching the best of the coaches and consultants, and joins Lee today to talk about the ways in which change agents can evolve and expand to become true innovators. KEY TAKEAWAYS Work carefully to build credibility and brand. Provide clarity in who you are, who you serve, and what the benefits are of working with you. By engendering trust, we become the go-to voice when help is needed. Positioning ourselves as someone to be trusted will mean that they will come to you at the right time.  VITL = Valuable, Individualised, Timely, and Legitimate. If your message follows these four parameters, then people will welcome your input. Clients will always gravitate towards a specialist in the area they need help with. It’s best to emphasise your talent for specific niches than try to appeal to many bases. It’s crucial to find your own individual style, stick to it, and enhance it. You’ll attract the set of clients who want to work with your specific style. If you’re trying to be something you’re not, the clients you attract will be the wrong ones. BEST MOMENTS ‘I’m the only sales coach that guarantees their outcomes’ ‘It’s all about trust and timing’ ‘You attract the right clients for you by being yourself’ ‘If you try to please everyone all the time, you can kiss your ass goodbye'   VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast   Peter Brodie LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-brodie-bys/?originalSubdomain=uk BYS Coaching - https://www.byscoaching.group ABOUT THE HOST For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

For change agents or leaders working in business, one of the greatest challenges can be in how to differentiate yourself. How do we make ourselves stand out? As Lee discusses in this week’s show, the best way of standing out can be in the way we communicate, and by maximising the significance of each interaction, through using a simple formula. KEY TAKEAWAYS Impact means many things, but most importantly, it represents the outcome we aspire to receiving after any communication. Lee’s formula for maximising impact through communication is: Intent - why are you communicating in the first place? Memorable - how can you make sure you stand out among the other communications? Passion - are we communicating emotion in the message? Actionable - have we included a call to action with a timeframe involved? Clarity - can you communication be understood by everyone? Targeted - is your message directed to the relevant person or team? BEST MOMENTS ‘If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll make the impact you always have’ ‘What do you want somebody to know, to feel, and to do?’ ‘Clarity reduces the chance of misinterpretation' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast   ABOUT THE HOST For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/