The Alternative Board Thames Valley East

Over the years, I have received lots of practical advice on ways to improve my business from my TAB colleagues. Especially during these difficult times for small businesses - knowing you’re not alone and sharing concerns with others who understand has been invaluable and has helped me see the positives in an otherwise bleak time for business. Even though the businesses on my Board are very diverse, we all experience the same fundamental issues and bring different perspectives to tackling them. Board Members may suggest a way forward that I hadn’t previously considered or they may simply validate my own thought process – either way I come away from my TAB meetings feeling re-energised and full of ideas for my business.

I realise that when times are hard, I need to be at my best and my TAB Board have helped me get my ‘mojo’ back. They show empathy, understanding and importantly hold me accountable to things I say I’ll do! TAB made a great difference to me when I needed to make some tough decisions for our office structure. I’m pleased that we have implemented changes and have a new streamlined and dynamic environment which I’d have struggled to achieve on my own.

When Jo Croft first suggested that I join one of her TAB Boards, peer ‘accountability’ was the primary motivation for me. A year on, I’ve discovered that the benefits are much more, both for professional and personal development. Monthly Board meetings with structured agendas and takeaway commitments, backed-up by monthly 121s with Jo, have helped me create renewed purpose, direction and a process leading to better business decision-making. The Board meetings are a collegiate space for giving and receiving advice, and the intuitive tools in the Business Builder’s Blueprint are fun to use and support the whole regime very effectively.