Originally trained as a primary school teacher but realised three years into a four year course that I really didn’t. Joined UK’s largest insurance company worked my way up from lowest level of staff to coaching and supporting ‘Heads of' and executives. In my ten years there I had 10 different jobs learning various aspects of the business. Soaked up every bit of development that I could get my hands on. All of which brought me to the conclusion that I should leave. Started my own consulting business in 2010 called Allsorts Consulting. Worked with small businesses to help them develop and grow using a number of traditional business methodologies. After a few years actually applied my skills and talents to my own business and completely changed my branding and focus and created The Business Conversationalist. Now work with people on their conversational skills and by examining the three main groups of conversations in their business help them to develop the kind of business that they really want. Conversations are the ones in their own head, the ones inside their business and the ones outside their business.

KEY EPISODE INFO

1. Simon's Key PointsFind the sales style that suits you.
2. Find 2 or 3 people within your life who your trust to give an honest opinion
3. Shutout most of people's opinions

• Guest linksWebsite - www.thebusinessconversationalist.com
• LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/whitbreadsimon
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebusinessconversationalist/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/TBCSimon
• Top quotes"At 16, I’m not sure anyone really knows what they’re capable of."
• "In the 10 years I was there, I went through 9 or 10 different jobs."
• "When you work for a big company, there are always exciting opportunities."
• "There was a sense of insecurity around my job."
• "Survivors syndrome."
• "I was frustrated with the lack of control."
• "If I left, I could make a bigger longer lasting difference."
• "Small business is really exciting."
• "The sales thing was the hardest thing for me to grasp."
• "It’s taken a lot of time to build up a sales style."
• "You can get a bit desperate to get a sale."
• "Things go wrong when we stop being ourselves."
• "Not everybody will like your style or approach and that’s fine."
• "Know the type of work you want to do."
• "The jack of all trades problem."
• "We’re struggling to have conversations with people."
• "The greatest strength of small business is they’re not like corporate."
• "We believe we have to work 14 hours a day."
• "In the time that I’m working, I have to be focussed."
• "People love to give their opinion."
• "2 or 3 people to be a sounding board."
• Timestamps1:15 - Talk at school
• 3:43 - New opportunities
• 5:50 - Actually this isn’t right
• 7:20 - What if?
• 8:10 - Triggers
• 9:18 - Redundancies
• 10:00 - Exploring self-employment
• 13:43 - No sense of why
• 14:20 - New skills
• 15:40 - I needed to convince people
• 16:50 - Some things I did wrong
• 17:40 - Finding my style
• 19:40 - The sales balance
• 21:28 - Choosing the right work
• 23:15 - Applying your skills
• 25:57 - Times are good
• 29:39 - Small business
• 30:48 - A 4 day working week.
• 31:40 - Overcoming challenges
• 33:40 - Guest links