He told me: “I wanted to get my business in shape to grow it successfully. The process forced me to look in the mirror at my self and my business with brutal honesty. 

 

“It was painful, but it enabled me to focus on what we really needed to address to deliver my ambition of growing our business.” 

 

Rob also told me some of the key points that he took away from our input: “I learned to break down problems into bite-sized chunks which usually makes them solvable. 

 

“We gave more focus to understanding and acting on our numbers. That discipline continues to this day and has been a key component in our successful growth. 

“I also made sure I had the right people in the key roles doing the right things, this was probably the most difficult change for me. Having got good people around me has enabled me to let go to grow – one of David’s favourite maxims! And that in turn enabled me to focus on the strategic development of the business.” 

 

I asked Rob what he’s been doing since he made the changes which were inspired by the Step Change programme. 

 

He said: “Our culture has changed. We keep it simple now and focus on the things that drive our business success – looking after our customers, engaging our people and being all over our numbers. We have successfully made the transition from a small business to a bigger and much more professional one.” 

And then the big question: has it worked? 

 

Rob said: “In 2021 our turnover will be around £80m and profits are very healthy. David’s passion, his tons of experience and his straight-talking approach were invaluable in helping me to deliver my ambition for my business.”