Welcome to August’s Smart News! What a month it’s been! Just as we begin to wind down from the Commonwealth Games, it’s all go again for the Edinburgh Festival. Our focus this month, however, has been on the launch of the SmartPA Training Academy’s E-Learning. With all our hard work paying off, we are excited for the big reveal! Keep an eye on your inbox and social media for the official launch da…

Welcome to August’s Smart News!

What a month it’s been! Just as we begin to wind down from the Commonwealth Games, it’s all go again for the Edinburgh Festival. Our focus this month, however, has been on the launch of the SmartPA Training Academy’s E-Learning. With all our hard work paying off, we are excited for the big reveal! Keep an eye on your inbox and social media for the official launch date!

5 minutes with…

Tell us about yourself…?

34, married 5 years, Man Utd Fan (not a lot to shout about after last season though), keen gym goer, patron of the Tim Parry & Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace Charity. Did 64km race to raise money (never again), motivational speaker, started own business in Feb 14 – NWC Consultancy. Love sales training, Non Executive Director at Tem-po.co.uk & My Travel Pal. ALWAYS busy!

What has life been like after BBC’s The Apprentice?

Without sounding cliché… it’s changed my life – for the better of course. I loved the competiveness of the show and the way it takes you out of your comfort zone. The experience helped me realise that sales, which has always been my strong point, should be the main focus for my own business, especially after breaking the show’s record for the most sales ever made on a task. So since the show, I have set up NWC Consultancy which specialises in sales, offering consultancy and sales training programmes aimed at helping start-ups and SME’s grow. I have also been really fortunate to take up Non Executive Director positions at both Tem-po.co.uk and My Travel Pal as well as becoming a regular motivational speaker at many events and companies across the country. I am so thankful that I got the opportunity.

What do you love most about your job?

I love helping start-ups and SME’s because as a consultant you’re an outsider looking in and can really make a difference helping the businesses grow. I also love delivering Sales Training which I’m really passionate about and motivational speaking – it’s an amazing feeling to help others believe in themselves and inspire them to reach their goals.

Who is your hero?

Three people, Richard Branson, Lord Sugar (even though he fired me) & David Beckham – who doesn’t love Becks?

What’s next?

I’m in the process of expanding NWC Consultancy so the plan (I think I have a good plan this time) is to drive further growth over the coming years. I am also busy with motivational speaking which I’m keen to continue with – so if you’re looking for anyone for your next sales meeting/conference then keep me in mind.

Top business tip?

Network with like-minded business people. Test your ideas on the closest people to you as they are the only ones that will tell you when something is rubbish (most people will tell you it’s a good idea even when it’s not). Most importantly to me is to always be honest and believe in yourself. Sometimes the fear of failure stops people trying and I always ask myself, what have I got to lose even if I fail?

No time for training? Not anymore…

Meet the team

Meet Sophie, the newest addition to the SmartPA team!

What do you love most about being a SmartPA?

“I love having a varied workload; no two days are the same. I arrive at work unsure of how my day will pan out and this makes it even more interesting…”

What have you learnt since starting at SmartPA?
“I have definitely learnt how to respond to tasks and requests more efficiently. Being a SmartPA is about making it easier for your clients to offload their to do list and being efficient is key!”

Who is your hero?

“It would have to be Oprah Winfrey. I recently came across her 2013 Harvard Commencement speech and it is by far the best talk I have ever listened to. What makes her my hero is the way in which she has dealt with failure and disappointment. When her Oprah Winfrey Network was proclaimed a flop by the press (a period in her life she describes as the worst in her professional career) she chose to “Turn this thing around” and she did just that”.

Bitesize Benefits

We live in a world of instant updates and short attention spans, where we struggle to spend seconds away from our phones or inbox. A whole day out of the office for training is often out of the question but that doesn’t mean it has to sit on the back burner.

Bite size learning

• Improves engagement
• Works with our energy’s natural ebb and flow
• Proven to maximise memory​

Bite size time management

Excellent for achieving daily and weekly results, planning your day in 15, 30 or 60 minute chunks can improve your productivity. Be specific about what you want to deliver and achieve in each segment. Don’t simply write ‘monthly board meeting’ or ‘London flight’. Instead, be specific – ‘draft the executive summary for board presentation’ and ‘research options for London weekend trip’

This will reduce any procrastination and you will be amazed at what you achieve. Go on, try it! We dare you…