BigChange | The butterfly effect

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The butterfly effect

Every time you give someone a chance, create an opportunity, or share advice, you could be doing something extraordinary. A relatively small action can have a massive effect down the

The lifestyle business is dead

Once upon a time, you could start a business, scale it till it was profitable, and then keep it running at that size for years. Those days are gone. As

A brand’s true strength lies in how it makes customers feel

Travelling by train from Edinburgh to Dundee, I had a profound revelation. Breaking the morning’s silence aboard the 50-year-old, lovingly refurbished ScotRail train, the conductor’s voice announced, “Good morning!” He

Are you buying British?

We all understand the need to support Britain’s economy. According to financial services giant KPMG, the UK economy is experiencing “renewed signs of stress”, owing to a cocktail of pressures, from high

Is your legacy tech gathering dust?

Digital devices are vital in modern society. If you want to apply for a job, book a GP appointment, or take a training course, you need a computer to do

Chairman’s spotlight: from “man and van” to £7m turnover

“It was just me in a van in the beginning,” Antony Grace tells me. “I’d gone bankrupt during the recession, and I was starting again from scratch.” Antony says that

Don’t neglect customers: 8 ways to ramp up your service

Ever get the feeling that customer service is just not what it used to be? Turns out you are right. Whether it’s poorly trained customer service execs, long-winded and inefficient

Scaling New Heights: Celebrating Growth with Our Exciting Office Expansion!

There are many ways to tell the story of business growth. You can look at revenues, people, geographic expansion… you can also look at office moves. Every successful business eventually

Pot of gold awaits BigChange customers

Just when you thought we couldn’t possibly do any more to help our customers… I’m delighted to announce the launch of a new partnership between BigChange and Rated People, the UK’s number one online

I want to help the doers do more

In business, we are often asked our “why”. What is the mission or problem that drives us? Throughout my life, I have been passionate about helping enterprising individuals and organisations

Chairman’s Spotlight: the couple helping protect our access to clean water

The best businesses are born out of necessity. Perhaps there’s a customer need that cannot be ignored, or it could be a personal imperative. The latter was true for Kirsty and Neil Scott, the

Leaders: Don’t be taken in by the sunk cost fallacy

There have been times in my life when I have spent a chunk of change on a project, only to realise that I’ve bought the wrong technology or gone down

Here’s how UK business can fight rising costs

As petrol prices hit 150p a litre, mortgage repossessions shoot up 15%, and economists warn that the UK is heading towards a contraction in the current quarter, business owners are

Humans, not chatbots, should deal with points of friction in your business

I’m passionate about technology. Automation and machine learning are amazing at taking care of the grunt work in every business, creating leaner, more streamlined organisations. But technology will never replace

What the Boston Red Sox can teach us about football (and business)

The Boston Red Sox are one of the giants of US baseball. Around since the early 1900s, these guys have won nine World Series. I’m in Boston this week and

Entrepreneurs: the sun is out but this is your time to shine

I visited a school as part of a prize-giving ceremony this week, and at the end the headmaster told the children to enjoy their summer break – but warned that

Decision-maker. Gatekeeper. Office junior. Persuade them all

Last week, we held a party to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. It was a fantastic event, bringing together everyone from the company to thank them for their dedication and hard

The Man Championing Britain’s Gardens

One of the reasons I so enjoy meeting BigChange customers is that the conversations we have always expand my mind and show me new perspectives. This week, I had the privilege of

Record-breaking six months for BigChange

As entrepreneurs, it is vital to take the time to reflect on the performance of your business. Well, we have just finished our analysis of the first half of 2023

Time for a cuppa sustainabili-tea?

How much do you know about Bettys & Taylors? If you have never been to Yorkshire and sat in a Bettys tea room or sipped a piping hot cup of

Ignore the Tech and Your Early-Stage Business Will Fail

In 2023, the survival of most businesses depends on technology. If you aren’t making the most of the platforms, software, and tools out there, your rivals certainly will – and

How I finally learned to sleep

In my twenties and thirties, I survived on 4 hours sleep a night. In my forties I would get five hours. During the pandemic, when I was working from home

Chairman’s Spotlight on Andy Patterson, founder of Automotive Group

Why Kindness is an Entrepreneur’s Greatest Asset

I’ve been in business for a long time. Long enough to remember the bad old days. Entrepreneurs were seen as ruthless, money-crazed workaholics, who used the language of warfare to

Your Company is a Premier League Side, and Your Salespeople Are Your Strikers

I like to think of BigChange as a football team. We are top of the league, bringing new talent to the pitch, delighting the fans, and scoring more goals than any other

Attention! Je viens à Paris

Four years ago, we established an outpost of BigChange in France. My ambitions for BigChange have always been global, and 2019 was the year that we began expanding across France,

Chairman’s spotlight on: Jamie Sanders, Director of Barwick Facilities Maintenance

“Just 14 years ago I was an electrician on the tools. Now, here I am, running a company and employing 30 people.” This week, I’d like to talk about Jamie Sanders.

Be passionate. Be honest. But don’t be a bully

Bullying. It’s a word that’s rarely out of the headlines these days. From Whitehall to the racetrack to our emergency services, it seems that many leaders have a problem with

Are you trying to destroy your business?

Sometimes, I speak to founders and leaders about their businesses, and I’m left wondering: do you really want to succeed? “I don’t like getting up early.” “We lost the contract

Strong start to 2023 for BigChange

It’s a tough trading environment out there for many business leaders. The UK has successfully dodged recession. There’s a lot of uncertainty out there, which is having an impact on

It takes 10 years to build an overnight success

This quote has been attributed to many people over the years, from the novelist Tom Clancy to Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos. Whoever said it first, it remains an undeniable truth.

Our future is net zero

When I think about my long-term goals for BigChange, sustainability plays a big part. I want us to be as green as we can be, helping customers around the world

2022: a year of growth, energy, and customer obsession

As another year draws to a close, I’d like to reflect on all we have achieved here at BigChange. This year has surpassed all our forecasts – like many business leaders;

Deactivate to reactivate

Want to know how to be a more effective entrepreneur and leader? Take some time off. It may sound counterintuitive, but it’s true: ensuring that you have enough downtime each

Leaders, it’s time to get back into start-up mode

The coming recession is likely to be deeper and more severe than we originally thought. Forecasts suggest that the economy will continue to shrink until the summer of 2023 and that

Rewarding our exceptional team

Human beings are social creatures. We need to spend time with one another to feel well – human. BigChange may be a technology company, but we pride ourselves on our humanity –

Deaf and Proud

I have lived with acute hearing loss for most of my life. Over the past year, my hearing has deteriorated – I am now profoundly deaf to high-frequency sounds. Amazing

The past is a distraction: focus on the future

Elon Musk’s attitude to innovation is brilliantly controversial. Anything he’s already invented, he sees as ancient history. At Tesla, all his patents are available to analyse – he’s a fundamental

BigChange Chairman's Blog - Nathan Wood, MD Farmwood

Chairman’s spotlight on: Nathan Wood, Managing Director of Farmwood

One of the advantages of doing the right thing in business is that, even if it takes a while for the market to catch up, you know that one day

No more empty desks

Nothing beats the buzz of a lively office. The chatter of colleagues. The dynamic presentations in meeting rooms. The tea rounds and sharing of treats. It all contributes to the

Supercharging sales for BigChange customers

BigChange was created with a single vision: to help our customers grow and become more successful than they could on their own. It’s been humbling to see that vision become reality

In search of innovation

As an entrepreneur and investor, I’m always keen to find out about new technologies and new inventions that will shape the industries of the future. These days, innovation moves so

Chairman’s spotlight on… Michael Taylor, founder and CEO of Contego

Sometimes, I think the character trait that has helped me most in my life is my single-mindedness. I refuse to give up, even when times are tough. I never listen

Leaders need a laser focus to succeed today

You know what I really admire about Richard Warley, our CEO? From the moment he joined BigChange, he has stayed absolutely true to the company’s vision. He’s never been distracted by easy

New business wins up 40% in 2022

Take a break from the Tory party tax tussles, and let me tell you what’s really happening out there in the economy. I’m talking about the story on the ground,

Get out there and see for yourself

A lot can change in just three short years. Here we are in the autumn of 2022, and our country is a very different place to 2019. A new Prime

Can your business handle whatever life throws at it?

Be honest. When you hear the phrase “business continuity”, do you zone out? Yes, it’s a dry, well-worn topic, but it’s imperative to business survival. Behind the jargon is a

King Charles: the new monarch and entrepreneurship

Last week, Queen Elizabeth II died, ending an illustrious 70-year reign. The whole nation is now in mourning – as am I. I posted just recently about how I viewed the

“Running a business that’s growing 75% a year is like trying to hold onto a kite on a windy day.”

“BigChange removes all the noise and hassle so we can focus on the growth.” I’m always impressed by how quickly and effectively entrepreneurs find solutions to all sorts of problems

You can’t run a successful company without this

In a fast-growing, international business, communication is vital. You need to talk to your teams, your teams need to check in with each other, and you need to keep communicating

Here’s why you need a Chief Customer Officer

Customer service. That’s been my number one focus throughout my career. My ability to listen to customers and help them overcome challenges is the ultimate secret to my success. If