Beermat articles. Short reads on starting, selling and growing.
Mike and Chris West on cash, cornerstones, networking, leadership and the myths that trip up people starting out. Each one takes about four minutes.
Longer reads from Mike
- Starting a business →The Apprentice Entrepreneur's first steps: the Elevator Pitch, a mentor and your first customer.
- Growing a business →From Seedling to Sapling to Mighty Oak, and the team you'll need on the way.
- Mike's life story →Jazz bands, a mobile disco, The Instruction Set, Mike Fab-Gere and the Beermat books.
The articles
- Selling and networking
The Sales Cornerstone
Two revelations: entrepreneurs aren't necessarily great salespeople; and salespeople don't necessarily wear fat ties and shout a lot. At the heart of a great business is a great sales cornerstone, and here Mike explains what to look for.
Read it → - Selling and networking
The Networking Myth
Networking has become a bit of a science (instead of fun!). And worse still, especially with LinkedIn, many people just try to grow their networks in size. Mike says that's bonkers: there's an ideal network for you, your contacts, and your business.
Read it → - Selling and networking
Working a Room
Plenty of people find networking scary. It doesn't have to be; and that's partly because we can all fall back on a little civility. Here's Mike's tips for working a room full of people without annoying anyone!
Read it → - Selling and networking
Turning “Yes But…” into “Yes And…” – Neil Mullarkey
How to supercharge office communication through improvisation
Read it → - Selling and networking
Customer Case Studies
How to get your clients to add credibility to your business
Read it → - Selling and networking
Adding Consultancy
We live in a service economy. People want solutions, not widgets - and Mike says it can be very profitable to sell the all-in answer to people's problems…
Read it → - Selling and networking
Alliances
It takes time to get bigger, so smart start-ups leverage the strength of like-minded partners. Here Mike explores the characteristics that make a great partnership, even when they're much bigger than you!
Read it → - Selling and networking
Let Battle Commence?
Some folks quote Sun Tzu's 'Art of War' as the template for business. It's not the Beermat way (although it's a good read!). Mike says smart businesses - especially smaller ones - are born to collaborate.
Read it →