FAQs

Over the last few years, we’ve been asked HUNDREDS of questions regarding the significant and sustainable growth of both business and business owner.

Here, we’ve tried to catalogue as many of those questions as possible, as we believe that for everyone that has asked, there must be at least a dozen more than have thought, but not asked, and many more who haven’t even yet stopped to think!


Questions about My TrueNORTH (13)

No, quite the contrary.

The whole concept of Mastermind from its first evolution is around the diversity of businesses, business owners, abilities, capabilities, backgrounds, qualifications, experiences, ambitions.  All of this creates an exceptional experience not quite like any other.  To limit or restrict applicants by making it industry-specific would dampen and quash the magic that is the mastermind.

However, what we do ensure, we only invite one leader from each sector, and once this has been filled, should we receive applicants from others within that industry, we either determine with the existing member if they see this as a direct competition or we simply invite them to join one of our other Mastermind groups. We don’t say no but we do believe in democracy, fairness to all and diversity!

To get started, simply click here to book a discovery call

In short, #ADDAZERO is a proven ScaleUp Methodology we can support you to implement into your business.

Devised over 7 years, of research, testing and trials. We’ve now worked with over 8,000 Business Owners and consistently seen them ScaleUp as a direct result of implementing the model. We’ve seen TWO clients recognised by the PALACE for service to their community/profession after implementing our ScaleUp programme, and no less than TEN others as NATIONAL finalists in the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (4 Winners in their category). Along with countless others that have won both industry and regional awards for growth.

But beyond this, we see ALL our clients growing the business WITHOUT it sacrificing them, their time, their family and friends.  They ‘fall back in love’ with their businesses, for how it operates and what it enables them to do.

It doesn’t matter whether you are yet to set up in business, at the beginning of your business growth journey or already well into that journey but still seeking that special ingredient to help transform it into a super successful legacy. The #ADDAZERO Business Challenge is about ensuring you have everything in place at the right time and quantity to make MAGIC happen!

Along time ago when I was first starting out in Business I took on an ActionCOACH as my first-ever business coach and have been through their coaching program and peer-to-peer groups. I remain friends with my first ever coach and have friends and colleagues who have bought into this international franchise of business coaching and peer-to-peer learning groups.

Their format is more akin to our SASPathfinder groups, in that they meet for either short interactions or one day (no stay over) and that the session is predominantly taken up by the ActionCOACH franchisee providing some shared learning on a chosen subject rather than a full day locked in peer-to-peer support.

Their structure of the peer-to-peer groups is more akin to our Pathfinder groups choosing which problems to look at based on a democratic vote by those present in the time available. Both groups offer 1:1 coaching aside from the time in Mastermind although within ActionCOACH there is an additional charge for this.

UNLIKE ActionCOACH, My TrueNORTH is a privately owned Limited Company and does not Franchise out their business model. And, whilst we do have our award-winning #ADDAZERO Methodology, we ensure the delivery of this is bespoke to each and every client, rather than an ‘off the shelf’ delivery style.

Furthermore, the level of investment required to join ActionCOACH. is more comparable with our Explorer Mastermind, and approx 35% more than that our SASPathfinder So, for those who are seeking an ‘off the shelf’ solution, delivered by a franchisee, to a very rigid format then perhaps ActionCOACH is the right way forward.  Whereas, for those seeking a more bespoke approach, delivered by either the person who devised the methodology or a directly employed staff member, with a methodology that is tailored to your needs and desired outcomes? Then click here to book a call!

I’m fortunate enough to have attended a number of T.A.B. peer-to-peer groups and have friends and colleagues who have bought into this national franchise of peer-to-peer learning groups. Their format is more akin to our Pathfinder group in that they meet for one day (no stay over) and that the morning is taken up by the facilitator providing some shared learning on a chosen subject rather than a full day locked in peer-to-peer support. Their structure of the mastermind is similar to that of Explorer although perhaps more rigidly stuck to in that for each clients mastermind hour, there is a set amount of time to deliver the problem, a set amount of time to ask questions and a set amount of time to offer thoughts and potential solutions. Whereas Explorer Mastermind is a lot more governed by the facilitator and the business owner whose business we are working on to determine HOW best to utilise their time. Both groups offer 1:1 coaching aside of the time in Mastermind although within T.A.B. their is an additional charge for this. UNLIKE T.A.B., My TrueNORTH is a privately owned Limited Company and does not Franchise out their Mastermind model. The level of investment required to join T.A.B. is very comparable with that of Explorer Mastermind.

I’m fortunate enough to have attended one or two A.C.E. meetings and have friends and colleagues who have bought into this international franchise of mastermind groups. They tend to be for larger businesses than we work with (Typically £3M+) and run their groups at a larger size to ours (12-18 people) The emphasis of these is often about the Business LEader and THEIR development both personal and professional, in the knowledge that shaping better leaders, subsequently shapes better business. Their format is more akin to our Pathfinder group in that they meet for one day (rarely do they stay over) and that the morning is taken up by a speaker masterclass rather than a full day locked in peer-to-peer support. As there are more people per group and less time spent together, everyone tends to get asked WHO has a problem they’d like to discuss, and then time is allocated to those who volunteer something, as opposed to Explorer Mastermind where EVERY member gets an equal amount of time working on THEIR business. Both groups offer 1:1 coaching aside of the time in Mastermind although within A.C.E. I understand there are additional charges for this. UNLIKE A.C.E., My TrueNORTH is a privately owned Limited Company and does not Franchise out their Mastermind model. The level of investment required to join the Academy of Chief Executives is approx 30% more than that of Explorer.

I’m fortunate enough to have attended a number of Vistage peer-to-peer groups and have friends and colleagues who have purchased a franchise within this international chain of mastermind groups. They tend to be for larger businesses than we work with (Typically £3M+) and run their groups at a larger size to ours (10-15 people) Their format is more akin to our Pathfinder group in that they meet for one day (no stay over) and that the morning is taken up by a speaker masterclass rather than a full day locked in peer-to-peer support. As there are more people per group and less time spent together, everyone tends to get asked WHO has a problem they’d like to discuss, and then time is allocated to those who volunteer something, as opposed to Explorer Mastermind where EVERY member gets an equal amount of time working on THEIR business. Both groups offer 1:1 coaching aside of the time in Mastermind although within Vistage there is an additional charge for this. UNLIKE Vistage, My TrueNORTH is a privately owned Limited Company and does not Franchise out their Mastermind model. The level of investment required to join Vistage is approx 30% more than that of Explorer.

Mmmmm, that’s a tough one.

We invite clients to commit to us supporting them over a 12 month period.  I’m sure you’ll appreciate, this is not a ‘Get rich quick‘ scheme with fancy promises of billions before breakfast, only for you to be woefully disappointed.  Our clients recognise the need to review, revise, and amend aspects of their business that are not performing as well as they could, in order to accelerate the growth of both them and their business.

Furthermore, we are not in the business of ‘cutting corners’. At My TrueNORTH, we pride ourselves in not having to continually go back and correct, amend, change things, repair broken systems and patchwork quilting your business as you go.  We do things ONCE because we do it properly, we believe in BUILT TO LAST and enables you as an owner to know with certainty that what you put in place through #ADDAZERO will stand the test of time.

That said, we also pride ourselves on maintaining more than a 95% retention rate.  As the vast majority of our clients recognise the ongoing value our help, support, guidance and accountability provide them, as they continue to ScaleUp their businesses.  In fact more than 70% of our clients who start in SASPathfinder, progress to Explorer Mastermind, and around 40% progress further to our 1:1 Summit package.

And, to remain open and transparent – I’ve been with my coach for nearly 9 years now and have no plans to either stop or change either. They are an integral part of my decision-making process because I KNOW that they will ALWAYS help me ask better questions and make better decisions!

Yes, and No!

Yes, in as much as we will have an agenda laid out by what it is you ultimately want to achieve and the parameters within which we will work.

No, in as much as, there is not a ‘one size that fits all’ magic formula to Business. There is no such thing as a holy grail of business success and no business blueprint which is simply dragged and dropped into every business. (And for all those who claim to have a Business Success Blueprint, rest assured they are all missing one vital ingredient – How THEIR model fits into YOUR business!)

Through our proven and Global Award-Winning #ADDAZERO scaleUp Methodology, we support you to review, revise and refresh the systems, processes and people that we know will add massive value to our clients.  How we apply these, when we apply these, who applies these are all determined by the client, their journey so far, what they are aiming to achieve and their ability to implement change.

We’ve done ALL the heavy lifting in trials and tests to ensure it works and will pass this to you based on what you have in place already, and what you need to accelerate.  All that is required from you, is the commitment to do the work, in implementing what we share and agreed upon. (Can’t say fairer than that right?)

Our Explorer Mastermind is specifically for established business owners (£250K+) looking to SCALE. We meet every 8 weeks as we form a notional Non-Exec Board for each others business, and by doing so provide the highest level of strategic support and direction whilst supporting you as you SCALE your business.

This group is not for the faint-hearted or those wanting to dip their toe in the water. We are committed and serious about the Significant and Sustainable growth of us and our businesses. Aside from the boardroom, every client receives 1:1 coaching from a 2 x Global Entrepreneur ‘Big Impact to Business’ Award Winner listed on the ‘Clear Business Thinking’ POWER 100.

You can read more about our #ADDAZERO Explorer Mastermind by clicking here: https://www.mytruenorth.biz/business-coaching/explorer/

Alternatively, why not book a complimentary call to discuss it with one of our Global Award Winning Business SCALE coaches?

CLICK HERE to book a time thats suits YOU.

SASPathfinder is the perfect blend of Masterclass and Mastermind.

Twice a month we meet online to work on building proven ScaleUp foundations within YOUR business.

The first meeting of the month is a Masterclass. Complete with a workbook and resources, we teach all you need to know on how to attract, convert and service clients/customers. Every client begins by completing our ScaleUp Scorecard, enabling us to tailor the training and support to both you and your business.

The second meeting of the month is an ‘unscripted’ Q&A.  I’ll pose one question:

What is the biggest hurdle you are currently facing, which once resolved, will make the biggest impact to both you and your business?

Then it’s over to you.  There is nothing that is out of bounds, either personal or professional and your ability to benefit from coaching from a Global Award Winning Coach (Our 1:1 clients spend thousands a month to gain 1:1 coaching), making this a no brainer for anyone serious about accelerating both them and their businesses.

We do because we want to support business owners in a variety of ways depending on their needs and circumstance.

We offer ALL business owners a complimentary call, to determine a little more about you, your business, where you are and where you want you and your business to be, so we can best advise on the right method of achieving this.

Our programs have all been designed with YOU in mind, therefore we may well recommend a particular programme if we think this is likely to be the best fit for you. However, ALL our programs are interchangeable and based around helping and supporting YOU to achieve YOUR success Summit™.

If you are uncertain as to which one might best suit you, simply click below and book a COMPLIMENTARY 30min coaching call with one of our award-winning Business Scale Coaches:

CLICK HERE to book an appointment when it best suits YOU!


GREAT Question. Let me briefly explain:

I believe EVERY great business starts with a story, MacDonald’s, Apple, Tesla they all have a great story, so here’s the shortened version of ours… Let’s assume your goal in life was to have trekked to the North Pole! (I know, that’s rather ambitious, but hey, what’s life for if not to have ambitious goals).

We know you can’t simply fly out there for the weekend, you’re going to have to trek, and for that you’ll need a team, some training and equipment. You’ve got the team, done the training and bought the right equipment (including a good compass) and todays the day you wait for the needle to settle on the N, and then call out “Right team, follow me!” Follow the N from the UK and you’ll find yourself somewhere in Scandinavia! because your following MAGNETIC NORTH!

The same goes in business.

You’ve got a team, you’ve all been trained, and you’ve got all the right equipment. You’ve started out and religiously followed what you thought was the right path but been so busy ‘doing the doing’ working IN the business, you haven’t noticed you’ve deviated one degree off course.

That one degree is preventing you from ever achieving what you set out to achieve, and more than 95% of business owners NEVER achieve their initial goals!

My TrueNORTH are more like Sherpa’s than coaches!

We get to know you, and your business, what your goals and aspirations are, and help to ensure you have not deviated from the course, or how to quickly re-find the right course, so that you may continue in the knowledge your heading in the right direction to achieve everything you ever set out to achieve.

We provide the TRUENORTH compass, the map and the guide to help you TRULY achieve YOUR SUCCESS SUMMIT!

With social media awash with people turning to coaching, you are right to ask. After all, it’s not like I’m either a world leader or a politician or pop star!

Well, I’m Jay Allen.

From leaving school I studied Psychology and Sociology with a particular interest in communication and behaviour patterns. Quickly deciding I didn’t want to work as a Social Worker, I joined the British Army, training to be an Advanced Trauma Medic. Over the 14 years within the Armed Services, I progressed through the ranks, qualifying in Pre-Hospital Advanced Trauma Life Support as well as studying to become a Teacher.

In my later years in the service, I worked Tri-service in both Training & Development and Strategic Thinking. Visiting the States to complete a Blue Ocen Strategy course, before returning to support the British Military write and test exercise contingency plans for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Leaving the service (through injury) in 2003, I turned my attention to the world of business, and over the next 12 years have worked at Boardroom level with 2 of the largest brands on the high street, and at a regional level within the public sector (in Training Development and Change Management) prior to either buying, acquiring or setting up from scratch 4 of my own businesses.

Alongside my role as Chief ScaleUp Sherpa within My TrueNORTH, I am also an international keynote speaker, published business author and find time to sit on the board for 3 registered charities.

In 2012 I won a Global Entrepreneur ‘Big Impact to Business’ Award (Kauffman Institute for Entrepreneurship) only to win it again in 2013! And, in 2017 was added to Smith & Williamson’s Clear Business Thinking’ Power 100 as one of the top business influencers in the UK. Finally, early in 2022, I was invited to accept the role of Fellow for the Association of Coaching Professionals in recognition of my ongoing work promoting ethics in business and across the coaching fraternity.

Outside of work, I’m a married father of one, residing in Cheshire, United Kingdom.  I Swim and run three times a week, and spend most of my weekends either on my motorcycle cruiser or with a pair of walking boots and a daysack on the side of a hill!


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