Business Problems Solved Podcast

Welcome to the new year—to the new decade!  Where do you want your life to go now? It’s always the same question, same habit of doing a new year’s resolution every start of the year. It’s a cycle you need to keep doing (since it will benefit you so much) even though some say it’s useless. Let it be emphasised: getting clear on your vision will never be useless.  In the first episode of the Business Problem Solved Podcast this year, we talk about how we can plan better and deliver so much more. Lee, our host, shares DUSC (Desire, Understanding, Skills, Confidence) and Jab, Jab, Move, templates you could follow when setting and achieving goals this 2020. Jab, jab, move is Lee’s most effective way when he’s trying to influence more people.  KEY TAKEAWAYS  The first day on the calendar are great indicators for you to set clear of your goals and visions of your future. Where do you want your life to head? When do you want IT done? When do you do the following tasks? Knowing your skillset, resources, and timeline lets you aim for a more attainable goal.  Jab, Jab, Move – This is Lee’s technique when he’s mentoring and coaching. According to him, it’s vital to know at least two things that you want to consider BEFORE moving forward. What two things do you want to improve? What two can you do to get started? And so forth.  For Lee, it’s about helping more people this year and to influence them to do the same. In all honesty, Lee wasn’t expecting the BPS podcast to reach this far. So, as long as there are people who get inspired and educated, he’ll continue producing valuable content.  BEST MOMENTS  “Jab, jab, move as many times as you possibly can to as many different people.”  “For the Business Problem Solved Podcast, I’ve got a big plan this year.”  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   Website: Lee@leehoughton.com  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/  Facebook: www.facebook.com/THEBusinessProblemSolver/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusiProbsSolved   Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_business_problem_solver/?hl=en  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsf0YC2_ZBuhtC_s-AbHaDw 

In this episode of Business Problems Solved Lee explains what DUSC is and how you can implement it into your life to reach your goals and destinations that you want to reach. KEY TAKEAWAYS D = Desire: Having a clear vision and destination that you want to get to, that you have an emotional attachment to. Ensure everyone is moving in the same direction as you and shares the same desire. U = Understanding: Ensure everyone understands what role they have to play in getting to the destination. S = Skills: Do the team you have have the required skills to get you where you want to get to? Know what good looks like. C = Confidence: Ensure your team have the confidence in you and themselves to do what is necessary to get you to your destination. Score yourself and see whether you have all 4 of these things and ask your team to score themselves too. These can all be delivered through training if any of your team who feel they're missing any of these points other than confidence which usually takes more coaching rather than training. By gaining skills you will gain confidence though. BEST MOMENTS ‘DUSC can generally help you' 'Is it an environment of trust?' 'Practice the required skills' 'Understand what 'goog' looks like' 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/

Lee has recently taken learnings from a visit to Toyota and from the film ‘The Karate Kid’. He explains what he learned and how you can take his learning and apply them into your business to encourage a better environment.   KEY TAKEAWAYS In the training room there was equipment, such as rope, that encouraged people to move in certain ways and do particular movements. The equipment in the training rooms were teaching the fundamental movements that people will need to use. Break down the process of a something and make it easy to repeat the behaviour in the easiest way possible. Think about the habits you’re trying to create and break down what it is you need to do in order to make these habits happen. How can you break things down into the smallest form and get people to do these things continuously? Once you get people to do the first thing you can get stack these habits up. BEST MOMENTS ‘wax on wax off’ ‘Break down the process’ ‘re-programme the mind’ 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/

This week it’s “Seconds Out!" as Lee is in conversation with former world boxing champion, personal performance coach, author and professional speaker, Billy Schwer! Since retiring from boxing, Billy has been working with business leaders, showing them how to empower, achieve and score huge wins in business and life. Billy joins Lee on today’s show to discuss his incredible journey from sportsman to the business world, the effect upon his mental health, discovering his true life’s purpose, his fascinating ‘Man Up’ success model, and the importance of self-development and transformation. KEY TAKEAWAYS Billy’s whole life has been founded upon the drive to prove his worth, and to show the world that he is strong enough to take anything on. This is a belief that he tries to instil now into those he coaches. Transitioning from professional sportsman to life in the real world was something that Billy struggled with a great deal, as he was forced to analyse himself all over again. Billy likens the process to mourning the death of a friend. Billy The Boxer was someone who suddenly did not exist anymore, and the effect upon himself was devastating. Time and perspective have allowed Billy to realise that although he spent the first part of his life fighting and pushing himself in order to achieve his goals, when he reached them, he suddenly came to the understanding that the journey itself was the important part. The things that caused Billy to be a champion inside the ring, also caused him to fail outside of it. Always be conscious of every outcome of the decisions we make in life. By stepping back and analysing himself in detail, he realised that and was able to make valuable adjustments. Billy found it necessary to rewire his mental attitude in order to adjust to life in the real world. It involved getting in touch with his feminine side.  Trust in yourself and keep pushing yourself. Failure is the courage to pursue what it is you really want. Every setback is a learning experience. Energy is vital. Billy meditates and works on his energy levels each day. Take the right supplements, eat well and sleep well. These are the basics of becoming the best person you can be. Think, reflect and create. BEST MOMENTS ‘I’ve finally caught the chicken!’ ‘I remember standing outside the MGM Grand and my name was in flashing lights’ ‘I realised how much I love people’ ’The best is yet to come. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet’ ’Trust in yourself. You are it. You are the one you’ve been waiting for’ ‘Fail your way to the top’ ‘Why not cut the middle man out and eat the grass?'   VALUABLE RESOURCES   Business Problems Solved Podcast Billy’s Website: https://mentalboxing.com Billy Schwer Online - www.billyschwer.com Billy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-schwer Billy on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/billyschwer/?hl=en Billy on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/billyschwer1 Man Up by Billy Schwer - https://amzn.to/2JsksaY ABOUT THE GUEST Billy Schwer spent twenty years at the top of his field in arguably the most gruelling and demanding sport there is – Boxing.  During his professional career he won British, Commonwealth, European and IBO World Boxing Titles. One of the most consistently brilliant fighters Britain has ever seen, Billy’s sharp skills, courage, determination and grace in the ring attracted a huge fan base.  His engaging personality and ready wit made him a favourite amongst other boxers, promoters and the media. Billy is a reflective and engaging speaker who demonstrates honesty and intelligence.  These qualities have led to him being sought out by various journalists to contribute to radio discussions, feature articles and opinion pieces on a breadth of subjects. Through sharing his own amazing story, Billy regularly shows audiences how to take their performance to the next level and encourages them to push their own boundaries to produce extraordinary results. 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/  

You may have seen our guest’s content once (or maybe a lot of times) online. It might be through his YT videos, through his book (which is available for free on his website!), or through his seminars. Whatever it is, surely, James Sinclair has established himself as the go-to expert in building a business. And today I the Business Problem Solved Podcast, he’s ready to help more people by sharing his experiences and some business secrets. Listen to his insights on how to grow an empire, what problems are small to medium enterprises (SME) facing at the beginning, how to make a business profitable quick, what two things to focus on, and many more. He also lets us in about some marketing tips from his book, so tune in.  KEY TAKEAWAYS  Entrepreneurs differ greatly from each other. If borrowing a million pounds seem absurd for some, James is ready to jump into if he gets a chance, especially if he sees a business that he can grow into an empire. Of course, it has to be a venture that you fully understand before anything else.  When you’re building a business, focus on two things: innovation and marketing. Let your team handle logistics management, acquisitions and other operations. It’s important also to invest on the talents you hire—no worries about small things and an unmatched attention on the sales and marketing aspect, which primarily grows your figures.  What makes a profitable business? Improve your customer service will not just get you more customers but also maintain the growth in the incoming years.  Utilise the Internet and the free social media platforms. It’s the web where people mostly are—they have their e-mail addresses, their socmed accounts, their own websites, etc. Know your market first before choosing what marketing approach to do.  BEST MOMENTS  “I want to grow into the size in which my team loves being part of.”  “The more you focused on sales and marketing, the faster you going to grow.”  “You need to make customers to make money.”  VALUABLE RESOURCES  James Sinclair YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTm2gK928YuBSEU0lvdFJoA   Get your copy of ‘Millionaire Clown’ for FREE (https://jamessinclair.net/millionaire-clown)!  ABOUT THE GUEST  James Sinclair  James is the Founder and CEO of the Partyman Group of Companies.  James started his career entertaining as ‘Jimbo the Partyman’ aged 15, built up an entertainment agency, then moved into acquiring his first soft play venue, laser arenas, day nursery and outdoor venues.  Today, James operates a £12 million business which includes leisure, childcare, outdoor attractions, a web-based soft toy business as well as a training business.  (Source: https://jamessinclair.net/)   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   Website: Lee@leehoughton.com  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/  Facebook: www.facebook.com/THEBusinessProblemSolver/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusiProbsSolved   Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_business_problem_solver/?hl=en  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsf0YC2_ZBuhtC_s-AbHaDw 

‘You can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink, you need to make it thirsty.’ In this episode of Business Problems solved, Lee explains the importance of finding problems rather than starting with a solution. He also discusses how you can do this with your team to improve their thirst for getting to where they want to be.   KEY TAKEAWAYS The secret to successful change is finding the problem rather than starting with a solution. If you can understand the problem, you want to solve without a solution already in mind then you have a better chance of success. This is because you may lead the problem down the wrong path. Engage with the people you’re working with on the problems that they have today. Approach the problems by saying the problem without giving any solution. The easiest ways to make people thirsty is to find problems with them. Forward framing is truly understanding what it looks like after you’ve achieved your goal. When you understand where you want to get to, look at how you’re going to get there by finding the problems and see how far away you are. BEST MOMENTS ‘You have to start with the problem’ ‘The thirstier you can make them, the easier it will be’ ‘It’s not about solving problems; it’s about finding them.’ 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/  

‘Have a look in the mirror and ask yourself how much of an impact you have on the team you lead.’ In this episode Lee explains the importance of not pointing the necessarily at your team but looking at what you can do yourself. This is to help develop them so you can all work towards the same end vision. KEY TAKEAWAYS Irrelevant of the amount of time you’ve been in your position for, be aware that all of your actions have an impact on the team you lead. It’s a lot easier for people to point their finger at someone else at what they’re not doing right. But it’s easier to point that finger back at yourself when there’s a mirror in front of you. You need to consider whether you all have the same clarity of the vision you all should have. Consider the impact you’re having on other people before you try to point your finger at anyone or you say anything. You have to work with what you’ve got in majority of situations and you don’t get a choice. So it’s important to have a look at yourself before anyone in your team. It’s about making people and developing them so that you’re all working towards the same end goal. Understand where your focus is, ensure it’s on making people not pointing your finger at them or things that don’t work. BEST MOMENTS ‘How often do you look in the mirror?’ ‘People have a different interpretation of impact’ ‘Are you staying true to the direction you’re going in’. ‘They make products by making 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/    

Today Lee talks to Richard McCann, one of business, and life’s great survivors, who’s overcome horrifying personal tragedy to raise himself up to the top. In the wake of tragedy, Richard discovered a resilience he never knew possible, and recognises his path back as the making of himself. In this very special episode, Richard discusses his incredible story, his outlook, his vision, how to overcome your fears, and his top presentation tips! KEY TAKEAWAYS In the wake of his mother’s death, who was killed at the hands of the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, Richard found himself falling into a spiral of depression and self-abuse.  Pulling himself out of this dark beginning began in earnest when he emerged from prison in 1997 and fought past suicidal feelings in order to write his story so far. This started him on the road to prosperity and success. Repetition is the best tutor. Your brain learns through experience. The more you do anything, the more you learn that it’s nothing to be scared of. This is how Richard became such a successful speaker. A motivational speaker is someone who can tell a story in such a way that it inspires the listener to apply the key lessons to their own lives, and to feel improvement in some way. If you knew your time was limited, what would you do with it? We only have so much time here, and yet we waste days so often. We should treat each day with care. The key areas of public speaking are:  Eye Contact - Make your audience feel as though you are speaking to them personally. Meet their eyes for a few seconds. Vocal Variety - Raise your voice, slow it down, add speed and variety. It keeps the passion alive in the content. Storytelling – People need stories in order to remain engaged. It ensures that the listener uses their imagination. BEST MOMENTS ‘I love Mondays!’ ‘When you join all those turning points together, it makes a massive difference in your life’ ‘If you’re scared of spiders then keep holding them. You soon learn that there’s nothing to be scared of’ ‘Everyone has a story’ ’So what!’ ‘He got comfortable with being uncomfortable’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Business Problems Solved Podcast   ABOUT THE GUEST Richard McCann is one of the UK’s leading inspirational speakers, having now delivered over 2500 presentations globally. He’s a multi-award-winning speaker as well as a Times no.1 bestselling author. His ‘You Can Do It’ keynote presentation centres on the fact that no matter how difficult life gets, there is a way through it, and no matter how serious the challenge becomes, anything is possible with the right mindset. It’s a talk that everyone can take something from, whether or not they are experiencing change, adversity or just the pressures of living day to day. Richard was born into poverty, listed on the "At Risk" register and then lost his mother when he was just five years old. That led to a brief placement in a children's home until he went to live with his estranged and often violent father. After leaving school with no qualifications, low self-esteem and little confidence, he joined the army. When that didn't turn out well and he was kicked out, he turned to drugs before finally reaching rock bottom, a failed suicide pact with his sister. Richard’s turnaround has been remarkable, but whilst sharing his story, Richard inspires audience members to look at their own lives in a different way. He allows them to put their own challenges into perspective and understand their own potential inside. Richards websites: http://www.icanlive.co.uk http://www.richardmccann.co.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/

It doesn’t mean that ALL rules will work out fine every time in the long run. You need to acknowledge the fact that even though they’re placed in the environment or situation you’re in, they can be flawed too. There are times that you got to break them rules! In this episode of the Business Problem Solved Podcast, Lee shares some stories of successful individuals who needed to question the existing rules and devise a new plan just to get to their destination. He tells the stories of Cliff Young who broke the rules, but broke a record, Arnold Schwarzenegger who lives by this motto, and the book he’s read recently. KEY TAKEAWAYS Rules help a home, a workplace, an event, a game, a meetup, or whatever, to make things more orderly. Sometimes, rules can be the very reason why you’re not moving forward. Yes, it is there to help you make plans and decisions easily, but what if the situation changes due to some factors? There’s no reason to stay on a path that isn’t working of you anymore. Cliff Young is a great example of how breaking rules absolutely helped him in his life. He was known for being an ultramarathon winner at 61, but before that, he was a potato farmer. He broke so many rules. He ran through the night, and during the marathon, he didn’t wear the usual sportswear—he wore dungarees. BEST MOMENTS “Rules are not truce. They’re convenient shorthand for the truth.” “What rules can you break? What rules can you overcome?” VALUABLE RESOURCES Free Content from the 50th episode! ly/BPSP50 How to Think Like Einstein: Simple Ways to Break the Rules and Discover Your Hidden Genius by Scott D. Thorpe 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 Website: Lee@leehoughton.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/THEBusinessProblemSolver/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusiProbsSolved Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_business_problem_solver/?hl=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsf0YC2_ZBuhtC_s-AbHaDw    

Welcome to Business Problem Solved Podcast! In this episode, Lee talks to Angela Cox, an award-winning Life & Business Coach. Angela has also published books that have inspire other people to take care of their physical and mental health. Aside from this, Angela is known for having an unconventional (and yet very effective) approach when helping businesses thrive and grow. She lets us in how empathy and balance in each individual can help the business in the long run. She also shares her personal stories and some insights about self-talk, reframing negative thoughts, and preventing self-sabotage. You also get to meet Miss Meddler, her inner critic, so tune in. KEY TAKEAWAYS Angela was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2017 caused by childhood trauma. When she was building her career, having such mental health disorder was trickier compared to other people. And to add, she was also a known mentor in her organisation. So, she had to put in the effort and fight every day. After recognising how difficult it was to keep up with life under such diagnosis, she wants to help others are on the same journey as she is. That’s why she prefers mentoring over coaching—some people need the guidance while they traverse their journey. People who self-sabotage consume things excessively and hurt others. They hate to intimacy and are afraid to mess things up. Angela believes in the power of self-talk. She actually has an alter ego/the voice in her head who helps her understand and balance things, so she can act mindfully. STARS – Angela’s trick on how to reframe negative thoughts in the moment. Step back. Train your lungs. Acknowledge how you feel. Reframe it. Say it out loud. What’s the #1 business problem that need to be solved? According to Angela, it’s the lack of authenticity. Many are subservient, which is not a forward-looking trait at all. How does one become authentic? Lean on to who you are. Get comfortable in making mistakes. BEST MOMENTS                  “Happiness comes from inside of us.” “Nobody can make you feel small.” “Self-talk is where it all starts.” “You’ll know at your deepest core level that you’re not showing as yourself.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Free Content from the 50th episode! ly/BPSP50 Enough: This book proves you can achieve anything if you believe you are Enough by Angela Cox | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Enough-proves-achieve-anything-believe-ebook/dp/B07D3RZH8J ABOUT THE GUEST Angela Cox is an award-winning behavioural change Life & Business Coach and a best-selling self-help author. She’s got clients around the globe who she offers her expertise in personal coaching, stress & burnout management, business coaching, mindset developing, and many more. Official Website - https://angela-cox.co.uk/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/coxange78/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mindsetmentorangelacox/ 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 Website: Lee@leehoughton.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/THEBusinessProblemSolver/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusiProbsSolved Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_business_problem_solver/?hl=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsf0YC2_ZBuhtC_s-AbHaDw