Looking Ahead: Planning for Tomorrow

[00:00:18] Well, hello again. I'm Andy coming to you from the United Kingdom.

[00:00:22] And I'm Scott in Canada.

[00:00:25] And this is the Tea and Timbits podcast, Global Perspectives on Business Development to Help You Prosper.

[00:00:32] And just before we started recording, Scott reminded me of something very significant about this episode.

[00:00:39] Go ahead, Andy. You can tell them.

[00:00:41] Okay. This is the first episode in our second year of doing the podcast.

[00:00:48] We've been doing this for a whole year. Amazing.

[00:00:49] Yeah, we kept showing up and we turned up every single Wednesday to deliver the Tea and Timbits podcast

[00:00:54] through holidays and through many, many travels and challenges we made it work.

[00:00:59] And we're very proud to continue into our second year.

[00:01:03] And we're going to be committing to appearing on YouTube for those who like to look at us for some strange reason.

[00:01:11] Absolutely. I think it'll be just good to have the archive there as well.

[00:01:15] So if you're interested in seeing what these voices look like,

[00:01:19] you can go over and find us by searching for Tea and Timbits on YouTube.

[00:01:24] I don't know that I'm going to be able to get the whole back catalog up there at the same time

[00:01:28] as I incrementally add the new episodes. But maybe if I sort of do, you know, one one archive

[00:01:34] every time we have a new episode, you know, a year from now, we'll get there.

[00:01:37] But maybe I can go at a faster pace. We'll see. But yes, Andy, can I just say congratulations?

[00:01:44] Thanks for doing this for a whole year.

[00:01:46] I think the reason that we got here is that I have a lot of fun doing this.

[00:01:52] I just enjoy it.

[00:01:53] Yeah, no, it's really good. It's really good.

[00:01:54] It's the same. And it's the motivation to keep showing up and to keep doing this is that

[00:01:58] it is interesting to keep having these discussions together.

[00:02:00] So, yeah, you know, hopefully there are other people who enjoy listening to the conversations

[00:02:06] as well. Some of the themes that we talk about are repetitive and we've covered some more concepts

[00:02:11] and we will do that again. But there's just little nuances and evolution in some of these perspectives

[00:02:18] that I still get a lot of satisfaction out of sharing. And if it's only for myself, then that's

[00:02:26] good enough for me.

[00:02:27] Exactly. Exactly. Well, I get an equal amount of pleasure out of it as well. And also hearing

[00:02:32] your stories are always a highlight.

[00:02:34] Oh, well, I'm glad somebody's getting enjoyment out of that.

[00:02:40] And do you have one for us this week?

[00:02:42] There you go. Thanks for teed it up.

[00:02:44] I thought I had teed it up sufficiently, but never mind. I'll give you that extra push over the edge.

[00:02:49] So I was chatting and actually doing another piece of video content with another sales coach in my network.

[00:03:01] And we talked about mindset specifically. He referred to it as the mental model.

[00:03:09] So Simon Gagin, if you're listening, thanks for the inspiration.

[00:03:14] And you can find the chat on LinkedIn. But he was talking about just in and he does sales coaching

[00:03:22] and he was talking about as a sales leader and about being very conscious and mindful of whether or not

[00:03:31] where your energy is for any conversation, any engagement, any real moment. And this isn't just

[00:03:38] professionally, but personally as well. Are you above the line or below the line? And it's that simple.

[00:03:45] Right. And so above the line means to be very present and take ownership for your decisions and actions

[00:03:52] and very conscious and intentional. And and and but I liked the label sort of ownership for the moment.

[00:04:00] Right. Like so I I exist within the context of what else is going on around me.

[00:04:06] Um, but I also have a capacity and some accountability to to for the outcome. So I can't just sort of and then being below the line in contrast is to sort of be be, be, um, uh, resigned to the circumstances that you're that you're in and and and not in control of them.

[00:04:26] Um, and and and not even but you don't have to take control of time. It's not, you know, things happen to you, not sort of around you and and and you don't have as much influence over their direction.

[00:04:37] And so you're operating more from scarcity and defensiveness and whatnot. And you might not be in an ideal situation, but if you can still have, um, an approach and a mindset that is above the line, um, it'll be a more positive outcome for everybody.

[00:04:54] Mm hmm. And I said, boy, I wish I wish I wish I wish I'd sort of had that reminder a few times in the past few weeks.

[00:05:01] And so I thought I would I would share that we all know it.

[00:05:05] I know it, try to practice it. But, um, I think particularly when when you're really busy or stressed or or or whatnot, you can happen to you.

[00:05:17] Um, sort of unconsciously subconsciously, you know, and you and you and some of our very basic sort of human instincts, um, might might might betray us when, you know, we all have the capacity to be above the line.

[00:05:32] So thought I thought I'd share that, uh, insight that I found helpful for myself in case anybody else here is finding it helpful.

[00:05:40] I think, um, that's a very good story and it's very valid.

[00:05:43] And, uh, especially as we're moving towards the, you know, the holiday season towards the end of the year, I know it's strange to talk about that at the beginning of November, but, uh, it is, uh, very quickly creeping upon us.

[00:05:56] And to remember, um, all of the things that are going to keep you focused on doing the right things is even more important now.

[00:06:03] And, uh, and I think in many ways that leads us nicely into our topic, which is focused on the future of business.

[00:06:10] And, um, I wanted to double check with you though, what you wanted to, um, address in that, uh, topic, uh, because we'd, um, looked at it in two different ways.

[00:06:21] We'd looked at it and I think we should cover both topics, but in separate episodes, as we have discussed as well, that, uh, we've got.

[00:06:29] A lot of, um, a lot of.

[00:06:33] People forget that as we come towards the end of the year, you're not supposed to be focusing on the new year in the new year.

[00:06:41] You should be focusing on the new year now and planning for that now and thinking about what's happening with the businesses in the future now.

[00:06:48] And, uh, we're already, you know, this month is halfway through quarter four.

[00:06:53] Right.

[00:06:53] There's not much, there's not much happening in the second half of December.

[00:06:56] So, you know, we've got a few weeks left of this year really to do, uh, active sales and business development and planning for the new year.

[00:07:05] And you don't want to be going into the new year trying to start all this then because then you're not going to be effective.

[00:07:09] So what are your perspectives on what we should be talking about today?

[00:07:14] Um, I think it is being conscious of the fact that the landscape changes as you go, that you can't stay in a state of complacency or expectation that even the quote unquote rules of the game don't change.

[00:07:32] And I don't think they change by leaps and bounds every year, but I think part of this needs to be a reflection on what, what is changing and what is, what is staying the same.

[00:07:44] Um, in addition to what you just said.

[00:07:46] So I agree that, um, I mean, from a business development perspective, boy, isn't it hard to get people's attention in the, in the, in the new year?

[00:07:56] Um, and if you can, um, plan yourself, um, properly, you can be more productive.

[00:08:04] So this is about sort of individual and business productivity, but it is also in my mind just about, um, some mindset for, um, you know, what's, what's a healthy way to do some of this future planning.

[00:08:19] And, and, and just, just to extend on the topic here, right?

[00:08:22] Like, I think that's what we're going to be talking about over the course of our episodes in, in November is planning, strategic planning, um, considerations for growth and giving yourself, uh, what to do in those moments when you do get some time to be, um, thinking more broadly.

[00:08:39] And what is your desired outcome from that discussion?

[00:08:43] That people continue to be, um, um, appropriately ambitious and, and find prosperity and growth that I want people to.

[00:08:52] Use this time to think more, um, holistically less tactically.

[00:08:58] So do you agree with what we're saying?

[00:09:01] I think.

[00:09:01] Oh, absolutely.

[00:09:01] Absolutely.

[00:09:02] No, it's, uh, like, like I say, I mean, the whole topic is, it is a big discussion topic and it is something that we will need to keep revisiting if we want to, uh, you know, be helping and adding value.

[00:09:12] Uh, and also for ourselves as well, it's a good reminder of what we need to be doing.

[00:09:17] Um, and, and, and that's really the case right the way through until the end of the year, you know,

[00:09:22] that we mustn't take our finger off the pulse and we must keep active, but we must also be, you know, proactive in what's going on in the new year and, uh, working towards the start of the year already now.

[00:09:33] Yeah.

[00:09:35] What are your tips on how we can do that in the best way?

[00:09:39] Or at least a couple of them.

[00:09:40] And I'll, I'll throw in some of as well.

[00:09:41] I'm not putting it all on you, of course.

[00:09:43] So I, I, this does, um, kind of have two, two sides to the coin in, in my perspective.

[00:09:53] Um, I think you, you very much need to be constantly surveying the market.

[00:10:02] I think you need to, um, have an understanding of, uh, what is changing and meh.

[00:10:12] I'm in my, in my head, as I'm saying this, I'm wondering if there's a third side to this coin.

[00:10:15] Um, but that is seeing yourself as a change maker in your market.

[00:10:22] So one, it is anticipating how you can stay current.

[00:10:29] Mm-hmm.

[00:10:31] But I think related to that is what you can do to, to advance and innovate and push your own market forward.

[00:10:39] And the other side of that coin, which I think is very distinct from those two, two similar sides is, um, what, what has worked in the past?

[00:10:50] Um, um, not abandoning the, the, the proven, um, elements unnecessarily.

[00:11:03] What do you think?

[00:11:05] So are we, you know, I, I like, I like the three-sided coin.

[00:11:11] The visual image of that is, uh, is still, still hanging there in my head.

[00:11:15] Um, are we saying?

[00:11:19] Um, so I understand.

[00:11:20] I'm stuck on what that shape looks like.

[00:11:22] I don't think it exists.

[00:11:23] No, I know.

[00:11:25] So are we, are we saying that, um, that, uh, we need to not only be aware of the developments in our market and in our customers markets, but.

[00:11:37] That we also need to embrace that change.

[00:11:40] And then kind of lead by example, by going, this is what's happening.

[00:11:44] This is how we are dealing with it.

[00:11:47] This is how we recommend you deal with it.

[00:11:49] Um, and this is how to continue to be effective as a business in this new business landscape, which is coming.

[00:11:56] Are you saying that we should do that?

[00:11:58] Or should we wait and sort of see how the market develops before we start putting our hand up and going, we're already experts in this?

[00:12:07] Yes.

[00:12:09] Cool.

[00:12:09] I mean, I, I, I'm reflecting on my own experiences here and, um, been victim many times of just kind of assuming the status quo because it's working and it's prosperous.

[00:12:22] And that's the moment is something that we can continue to use as our model for future advancement.

[00:12:29] Um, and some businesses are better at staying current with their planning and they revise strategic plans and whatnot on a quarterly basis or more frequently, or at least more than once a year.

[00:12:40] Um, but I think, I think most, um, well, I was about to say most do it on an annual basis, but I'm willing to bet that most don't do it at all.

[00:12:51] Um, so if you, if, if you do it, my, you know, with any sort of regularity, my guess is the most common frequency is annually.

[00:12:59] Um, and it's very easy to just kind of pull up last year's spreadsheet and start changing the numbers without evaluating whether the model that you put in that spreadsheet, it's still valid.

[00:13:13] And also whether your target customers are still your target customer.

[00:13:17] Yeah.

[00:13:18] Because you may know, you know, with the way that the market is developing and the way that the industry is developing and the way that the customers industry is developing, your customers of today may not be your customers of tomorrow.

[00:13:28] Yeah.

[00:13:28] And being aware of that and reevaluating that at this time of year is very important because you don't want to be launching off in 2025, chasing after customers who are no longer relevant.

[00:13:38] And, um, you know, trying to provide value to someone who cannot gain value from what you do.

[00:13:44] Yeah.

[00:13:45] Yeah.

[00:13:46] Um, so I, so, um, it's, it's very hard to, and I think this is probably the reason why I've been guilty of it in the past and, and, and others is it's, it's much easier to tweak your existing model.

[00:14:30] Mm-hmm.

[00:14:35] Yeah.

[00:14:36] It's, it's, it's a really hard to, you know, to think that, you know, if we haven't got a grasp on AI, we're, we're going to be out of business in, in, in 12 months.

[00:14:47] and um and i guess the the back to the three-sided coin you know you you you have to do a little bit

[00:14:54] of everything in this um in this effort yeah that's right but i i'm not necessarily advocating

[00:15:02] for restarting or starting all over uh from scratch i think i think it's just important to

[00:15:08] to go through that evaluation process and to consider what needs to be done and why it needs

[00:15:14] to be done if you don't have a sales process then yes do start from scratch and put one in place if

[00:15:19] you don't have a defined customer profile then define one and put it in place if you don't have

[00:15:25] a pipeline development strategy then put one in place um but if you have those things then review

[00:15:32] them expand on them develop them and analyze them based on the developments in the market that you're

[00:15:38] aware of the things that you anticipate are likely to happen in the market and also make sure that

[00:15:44] you're communicating these things with your customers uh don't just keep it to yourself i

[00:15:49] mean if you've got an observation that your market is changing and developing if you've got an observation

[00:15:54] that you're no longer going to be able to provide value to your existing customer base then tell them

[00:16:00] talk to them about it don't keep trying to you know hold on to something that's not going to work because

[00:16:04] then you're going to end up with non-referenceable unhappy clients that uh that aren't going to be

[00:16:08] very good for your future in the long run anyway you want to maintain those relationships you want to

[00:16:13] develop those relationships and add value and if you can no longer add value then you need to address

[00:16:18] that andy i think that is one of the most the smartest most helpful things i've heard you say in a

[00:16:23] long time um yeah like as soon as you started saying i'm like oh like if you're doing all this work

[00:16:33] don't don't keep it locked in a box put it put it on paper write a blog post get just something about

[00:16:41] that insight absolutely um out there for your ecosystem share it with your clients um and um you know

[00:16:49] i've been it's the fall season i've been doing a few conferences and trade shows and and whatnot and

[00:16:55] i am um i've come away kind of a um with a bit of disappointment which i it was hard to put my

[00:17:05] finger on um until the other day when i was like man i wish that some of those other businesses and

[00:17:11] partners could give me their perspective on the market and what they're seeing and where this is going and

[00:17:18] and and it only sort of dawned on me that i i how valuable that is because we got into a bit more

[00:17:25] of an ad hoc conversation with a with a group of um uh sort of partners in the same ecosystem

[00:17:32] and and started sharing that that information um you know but you know what where where do where do we

[00:17:42] see things going do we see it staying the same do we see it advancing are there things that we are

[00:17:48] embracing are there things that we are keeping an eye on and and we're not doing anything about but

[00:17:54] we're paying attention to um and you know boy if you can articulate that and just share that with

[00:18:00] with your clients as a state of the market um statement it does not have to be exhaustively

[00:18:08] researched it can just be your opinion your perspective on what you understand um and just

[00:18:14] the awareness that you're thinking this way i think elevates um the trust that you have with uh your

[00:18:22] existing clients with your prospect with the market in general so absolutely yeah spot on i am going to

[00:18:28] commit to doing that andy yeah very good i then on on that point i think it's very important that we uh

[00:18:34] that we also mentioned that formalize this process don't just have it as something oh yeah i need to

[00:18:39] do that i'll set five minutes aside to do it block some time get the team together and if you don't

[00:18:45] have a team you know block some time for yourself um and focus on this and you know write this stuff

[00:18:50] down and uh and analyze it in a in a structured way and um make sure that you have that plan for

[00:18:56] 2024 sorry 2025 lined up um and uh and in place and if you didn't have a plan for 2024 then

[00:19:03] um you know do that as well no time like the present yeah exactly exactly um yeah no i think

[00:19:10] that was uh that was very valuable do you think we addressed your desired outcome there in this

[00:19:15] discussion i i definitely think that through what we were talking about there's a few people listening

[00:19:20] who kind of you know started to look a little bit more forward on the horizon than they were

[00:19:25] uh 19 minutes ago i should certainly hope so um well thank you very much and if anyone has any

[00:19:31] questions and wants to find out more or has uh any desire to um learn more about this whole planning

[00:19:39] and future structure process please do get in touch by going to t and timbits.com and finding different

[00:19:45] ways to get in touch with us there thank you very much scott happy birthday andy happy first birthday

[00:19:52] you

[00:19:52] Bye.