Do you know that saying, help yourself before you help others? Cut to an image of the safety message before a flight when they say “always fit your own safety jacket before helping those around you.” That concept should, and can be applied in business.
How can you mentor and coach other businesses unless you’ve had to inflate a safety jacket to your own? This is exactly the situation B Consultancy Director, Janice Beckles found herself in and how she built a company that does just that.
Over the past few blogs, we’ve been giving you tips on how to make it in business…
But who are we are what’s our story?
We spoke to the boss lady herself Janice Beckles to get the gossip on the story behind the company; what issues she had along the way and how she successfully applied her business life jacket to help other new starters face the choppy waters of the business world.
Watch our video with the lovely lady here.
More about B Consultancy and the female boss behind it all:
Janice Beckles is a business consultant with a mission to help people live after redundancy and grow their business from the ground up.
How Did B Consultancy come to be?
After being made redundant herself and being shaken by the whole experience, Janice didn’t give up the fight to succeed. However, after a second redundancy shortly followed, Janice decided to take action and joined a programme for female entrepreneurs designed at helping new businesses. This became a catalyst to starting her own and gave her the skills and drive necessary to continue down the self-employed path.
Janice decided she needed to fight back harder against redundancy as a whole and help people in her situation in the process.
These were the roots that grew and B Consultancy from the ground up in May 2004.
The many layers of B Consultancy…
With vital commercial experience under her belt from her previous roles, Janice knew it was her destiny to be a business owner and pass this wisdom on. She has since set up and run many worthwhile projects under the B Consultancy umbrella.
One of which is a programme called Getting Started, which helps people who have been unemployed for a while, to well, get started and build their own businesses.
The programme gives the tools and confidence required for self-starters and gives essential training to help transition their mind-set, from unemployment, to being a boss. This isn’t easy and takes a lot of mental adjustment, which is where Janice flourishes as she is able to draw on her own experience to help others in the programmes succeed and #learnhelpgrow.
Janice also takes pride in being a personal mentor and development coach to individuals and new starters wanting to grow a business from the ground up like she did. Helping people nurture their idea and helping them turn it into a successful venture, one that they can be proud of.
What’s next for us? (#watchthisspace)
Having achieved personal success, and helped so many businesses and individuals along the way, Janice wants to continue this in the future.
She has many plans for growth and expansion in 2016.
B Consultancy aims to open a business incubator, with a difference, where start-ups can receive business support over afternoon tea (I think we can agree that all the best ideas are brewed from a nice cup of tea!)
She also aims to provide affordable workspace so that business owners do not need to work in isolation (social environments make for more successful and creative spaces!)
The main mission of B Consultancy is that there is life after redundancy and Janice is a living example of that and we want to help as many people who need our help as we can!
Our final tips:
Whatever stage your business is at, whatever situation you are in, anything is achievable when you have the drive and determination to turn things around, and create your own destiny.
- As your business grows, bring in people who add value to your team.
- Take an impartial view/assessment of your business, step into the shoes of all areas of your business, ie. marketing, finance and operations director. Ensure you have 360 degree view of your business.
- Be vigilant especially when you are growing, make decisions based business needs and not wants.
- Develop your leadership skills, it is your role to motivate, inspire and empower.
- Embrace diversity – A team comprising of individuals with different backgrounds, experience and working styles can make a significant impact to the success of your business.
- Collaborate and innovate, partner with organisation who compliment your business and ensure you keep up to date with innovation techniques.
- Review, review, review, keep an eye on your business plan, pay close attention to your goals and business development.
- Don’t have all your golden eggs in one basket, multiple clients, revenue streams will help to ensure business growth.
Are you a new starter that could benefit from help and personalised tips from someone who has been in your position?
Why not Contact BConsultancy and speak to Janice?
Not convinced? Don’t take our word for it! Here’s what some of the business Janice has helped succeed say about B Consultancy…
“Fantastic professional service. The staff are very helpful. They help you every step of the business planning process.” –
Erica Dodzo Managing Director, House of Mimi
” I found Janice very knowledgeable and extremely encouraging.” –
Veronica R
“Janice and the B Consultancy set up, is very informative and highly motivating. The staff are extremely supportive.” –
Anon
“I find Janice and B Consultancy very professional and approachable. I really like the service.” –
Zack Gabriel
“The service provided was very good and the constant help has been great. It all helped me open up a new company after three years off work!” –
Giorgio Lusso
“BConsultancy as a team, have helped me to start a business and have given me the confidence to be successful with it! Opportunities given by the team have helped me also work towards my dream of helping others achieve their goals, Thank you.” –
Ray Koshy (Koshy&Co)
Written by: Charly Phillips
Charly is a degree educated, published, freelance writer, (author, poet, screen writer and music journalist for Bring The Noise UK) and all round female boss herself. Her company, Ink Explosion, specialises in helping you add value to your social media, develop your online content and assists in all creative and media needs.