Axios Business Lifeline

Businesses change dramatically during their lifetime and so do their needs!

From cradle to grave every business follows the same basic phases, the fundamental difference is how each phase is managed and in particular how the business transitions (changes) from one phase to the next. Of course, many fall by the wayside during the process.

The majority of managers and employees dislike change and this dislike is largely driven by fear. The good news is that the fear and the resistance can be significantly reduced by the use of good process methods and good communication. During the lifetime of a business different skills and resources are essential, e.g. it takes a completely different type of management and planning in a mature business than in a seedling enterprise.

Added to all this, in our (western) work environment there is this mistaken belief that the manager (or owner) needs to understand all parts of their business and needs to control every part of it. Of course this is totally untrue and in fact adoption of either or both of these principles is a recipe for disaster.

At all stages of a business lifecycle it is much easier for the manager/owner to get engrossed in the day to day activity and fire fighting rather than building the foundations of the business. Whilst a company may feel it is doing well at any given time, if it is not investing in the future of the business and building the foundations for the smooth and stable development of the business, it will inevitably fail and the path for development will be halted or the business will collapse completely.

The areas detailed below are areas where dedicated time, resource and knowledge are essential if a company is to successfully move though that stage and build the foundations for the next.

At Axios we have a unique partnership relationship with our clients, we totally respect them, their business and their products and our role is to add to that business in an empathetic and pragmatic way (rather than seek to “fix” it). Our only objective is to help our clients be more successful and we can do this by adding experience, expertise and tools at the right level, at the right time and in the most effective way.

Where are you on the Axios lifeline, are you working well at this point, have you invested in moving to the next stage, will you move to the next stage?

Business Concept - Product profitability, financial planning, Business models

Market Testing - Practical and impartial information dissemination

Setup - Strategy, finance plans, business structure, operating model, supply chain, logistics

Entrepaneurial Business - Ongoing strategic and operational improvement, introduction of baseline processes and procedures, sales and marketing methodology, support mechanisms (HR, IT, Finance etc), business

Stability and Continued Growth - Team formation and responsibility delegation, business structures, communication and culture, renewed and detailed business strategy and plans, renewed and detailed processes and procedures, brand awareness - purpose - internal and external, support mechanisms (HR. IT, Finance etc)

Long Term Sustainability and Growth - Improved processes and procedures, introduction of formal business tools, improved planning, inter-departmental co-operation, devel0pment of sustainable structure, removing dependence on company owners

Sale - 2 - 5 year plan to achieve optimum sale