Vistage Blog

What is innovation? While its definition has always remained the same, what it means in terms of business success has changed significantly over the past decade. 

Jack Welch once said: “If you don’t have competitive advantage…don’t compete.” This might sound harsh, but the famously successful former General Electric president and CEO’s opinion has stood the test of time.

Going into business with family members can be tough. Switching gears between personal and professional life is challenging, non-family employees may accuse others of nepotism and family relationships can strain under the pressure of running a business.

David Marquet is a celebrated author, management consultant and speaker. 

Kenny Blair describes himself as a “failed university student turned entrepreneur.”

Selling your business can be a major decision. When you have spent years or even decades building up your initial idea to a business of substance, value and further potential, it can be a real wrench when you finally decide to sell up.

Vistage speaker Balaji Krishnamurthy sometimes describes growing a business as a task that requires ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ work. 

So what does this mean? Hard tasks are those you generally associated with growing a business – managing finances, setting the right organisational structure and introducing the right processes or systems. 

The soft tasks are the more human, intuitive challenges – creating a strong brand, defining the company culture and looking after the wellbeing of your people.

Vistage Chairs often have an interesting story to tell – perhaps none more so than Charles Llewellyn.

Harry Marsland is no stranger to business challenges. After a successful career in marketing and advertising, when the opportunity arose to become a Vistage chair, he said yes. Eighteen months on, Harry chairs not one but two dynamic groups in the North East, and has been awarded New Chair of the Year - but the path didn’t always run smooth. 

Marie Owen is the CEO of LS Productions, a photo and film production company with offices in Edinburgh, Manchester, London and Bangkok. From humble beginnings working at her kitchen table in Edinburgh, Marie has grown the business into an award-winning, international outfit with a sterling reputation in the industry and a showreel to match.