Seven years ago, I invited 34 people to join me for lunch at an Italian restaurant in Manchester to announce the launch of My TrueNORTH.
Three hours later, after great food, great conversation and an outline of what I was offering, 29 agreed to become clients, and My TrueNORTH was open for business!
Seven years later, I’ve just returned from hosting a VIP Luncheon to celebrate My TrueNORTH’s 7th Business Birthday.
So, I thought I’d share some reflections and acknowledgements over the past seven years:
Seven years ago, my mission was to help Business Owners discover their true potential and achieve their dreams.
And whilst we still aim to assist Business leaders to achieve this. It has evolved to become:
Our mission is to eradicate unemployment in the UK by supporting 1,000,000 Conscientious professional service-based business leaders to scale up their businesses significantly and sustainably and generate more new roles than those actively seeking employment.
I feel blessed to have and continue to do just that for so many business leaders.
Seven Years – Seven Lessons
- The Impact of Mindset
Mindset plays a critical role in achieving success, and I have learnt only too well that helping clients develop a growth mindset is essential in unlocking both their and their business’s full potential. By assisting clients in shifting their minds from fixed to growth, I can help them overcome limiting beliefs and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. - The Power of Active Listening
One of my most significant learnings at My TrueNORTH is the power of active listening. Listening is a critical component of effective communication. I remain a student, continually learning that truly active listening to clients is essential in providing them with the necessary support. By listening actively, we gain a deeper understanding of our client’s needs, which helps tailor our services to their circumstances. - The Importance of Clarity
Just like active listening, clarity is crucial when it comes to setting goals and achieving them. I have learnt that helping clients clarify their real goals and objectives is critical in helping them succeed. By defining clear and specific goals, clients are better equipped to create actionable plans and stay motivated throughout the journey. - The Value of Accountability
Accountability is essential in achieving success, and I have remained committed to holding clients accountable to ensure they stay on track. Setting clear expectations and holding clients accountable for their actions helps them stay motivated and focused on achieving their goals. - The Benefits of Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is a powerful motivator, and over the last seven years, I’ve learnt that celebrating clients’ successes and milestones is essential in keeping them motivated. By recognising and celebrating clients’ achievements, builds confidence and maintains momentum on their journey towards success. - The Power of Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is crucial in personal and professional growth. I remain a student of learning here but remain committed to helping clients develop their own self-awareness. By understanding strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, clients are better equipped to make informed decisions and take meaningful action. - The Importance of Continuous Learning
Finally (And much to the delight of many of my schoolteachers!) I finally acknowledge that continuous learning is essential in staying relevant and providing the best possible service. Not seeing courses, masterclasses/workshops, seminars, or my own coaching as a cost but as an investment. Staying current with the latest research and trends in coaching and business development, I am better equipped to help clients tackle the many hurdles and challenges they face to stay ahead of the curve and achieve their goals.
Seven Years – Seven Highlights
- Impacting Lives
I feel blessed to have the opportunity to impact the lives of the people we work with positively. I am committed to providing bespoke training and personalised mentoring that help our clients overcome their challenges, improve their performance (both personal and professional), and transform their outcomes. Whether it’s leadership or business development, I strive to empower clients to make bigger, better, bolder decisions that create business for good outcomes aligned with their vision, values and goals. Seeing the transformation clients achieve is the most rewarding part of my work. - Positive Feedback
There is no failure, only feedback. And whilst I remain open to all feedback, I remain most grateful for the regular positive feedback I receive from clients, suppliers, partners, and the community. I continually strive to provide the highest level of service and am pleased to know that our clients recognise the value of our services. Hearing positive feedback motivates me to continue to improve and provide the best possible service to all. - Learning Opportunities
Likewise, every day at My TrueNORTH is a learning opportunity. I am committed to continual learning and development, as I encourage clients to do the same. I also learn from our clients, partners, and community and use these learnings to improve the services. I fully subscribe to the belief that learning is a lifelong journey and remain committed to continually implementing incremental improvements. - Client Success Stories
I feel honoured to have played a part in my clients’ success stories. Whether it’s a successful launch, hitting a milestone, or successfully exiting to either retire or ‘do it all again’. There is nothing greater than celebrating every success with a client. I am incredibly proud to have helped clients overcome challenges, reveal hidden opportunities, and accelerate the speed and level of their success. Your success is testament to the effectiveness of our coaching and mentoring services. - Charitable Commitment
At My TrueNORTH, I have always believed in giving back. Be that through knowledge sharing, time, or finance. We are proud to be members of the B1G1 Global Giving Community and have aligned all our business with giving to others, creating Win \ Win \ Win outcomes.
I remain involved and committed to initiatives supporting worldwide education, mental health, and other global social causes. I firmly believe that true success is not measured by what you have – but by what you give. And that by supporting our community, we can positively impact the world. Through our big and bold mission, I remain committed to continuing our B1G1 giving, pro-bono mental health support work, which continues to make a lasting difference in the lives of others. (use reference BM14841 if you chose to join, and 50 days of education shall be donated on your behalf) - Growth
Over the past seven years, My TrueNORTH has continued to grow in revenue, services and impact. Through the early adoption of digital delivery, we have impacted more businesses more succinctly and enabled more Business Leaders to access our #ADDAZERO Methodology. Leading to more enquiries, conversions, clients, and revenue. More staff, more premises, and sometimes even more businesses!
We have also continually reviewed and adapted the delivery of services to align with our client’s current needs, including management/leadership training, executive mentoring, and both online and in-person Mastermind. Our reach has also expanded as digital delivery has served clients from all over the world. This growth has allowed us to impact even more lives and help more business leaders discover how to #ADDAZERO. - Awards and Recognition
But beyond all, I remain incredibly grateful and most humbled to witness no less than 10 of our clients reaching National Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalists (4 winners within their category). And countless others winning regional and industry-specific awards for growth, turnaround, employer of the year etc. In return, for My TrueNORTH to have received such prestigious awards and recognitions for my work in coaching/mentoring.- 2 x Global ‘Big Impact to Business’ Awards
- UK ‘Clear Business Thinking’ Power 100
- Global Ethical Coaching Company of the Year
- and Fellow of the Association for Professional Coaching.
My TrueNORTH has been recognised for our holistic scaleup methodology, the impact this has on our client’s businesses, and our contribution to the community. I remain forever grateful for the recognition we have received. And will continually strive to do more, be more, and achieve more in everything I do.
Conclusion
Like every small business, the first seven years of My TrueNORTH have been filled with highs and lows, surprises and regularity, challenge and reward – Brexit, A European War, and the Cost-of-Living crisis are but a few examples.
But through it all, I have embraced it as invaluable lessons that have helped me grow and serve clients better. I have celebrated working with clients from all walks of life, all types and sizes of businesses, and all sorts of hurdles and challenges. It has spurred me to continually create/improve innovative programs and services, culminating in our holistic scaleup methodology – #ADDAZERO.
Perhaps most importantly, I remain a student. I am learning the power of active listening, clarity, accountability, positive reinforcement, self-awareness, a growth mindset, and continuous learning. These lessons have become the pillars of my business, guiding me as I endeavour to provide clients with the best possible support and guidance.
Looking to the future, I am incredibly excited to continue growing, serving, and evolving as a company. I commit to listening to clients’ needs, refining our services, and staying updated with the latest research and trends. The mission is now set in stone, and everything I do is fully aligned with this outcome, to which I have never been more determined or focussed.
One comment I received yesterday said,
“Thank you, Jay. Your zest for life and all it has to offer is infectious”.
I remain forever grateful for the trust and faith placed within me by clients and partners and look forward to many more years of making a positive and lasting impact in the world. So again, thank you for being a part of our journey. I can’t wait to share with you the ongoing successes still to unfold in the next Seven years as the UK’s leading Ethical Coaching Company – My TrueNORTH, home of the #ADDAZERO Business Challenge.