Step 6 of Building a Better Business

Anna Stubbs • August 2, 2023

Be a better leader; build a strong workplace culture

Being a better leader and building a strong workplace culture is crucial to having a better business.



Have you ever considered whether your workplace is toxic? With the average person spending more than 40,000 hours of their life at work, a workplace should be an enjoyable place to be.

We all have bad days, but if the following bells ring… your workplace may be toxic.

1. A lack of trust between owners and the team.
Is there a sense of ‘us’ and ‘them’? Everyone should feel part of the team.

2. No Core Values.
Or, worse still, Core Values which aren’t being lived into.

3. After meeting meetings.
Those chats after a meeting where team members go on to discuss the meeting or criticise decisions made.

4. Highly stressful interactions.
Disagreements will happen from time to time, but these should be the exception, not the norm.

5. Team members and owners mistreating each other.
They may be working in self-serving ways rather than benefiting the team and business.

6. No team buy-in to the core purpose or the business's goals.
Or, an absence of purpose or goals completely.

To create a stronger and happier workplace culture, consider the following points:

  1. Develop your Core Values, with help from your team.
  2. Define your purpose; why you exist for your customers - and make it clear to your team how their roles deliver on your purpose.
  3. Make your Core Values and purpose highly visible so your team know them and hold each other accountable to living into them.
  4. Set annual and 90 day goals for each team member so that the sum of the individuals’ goals can deliver on your overall Business Plan.
  5. Celebrate success and recognise team members for great performance.
  6. Meet regularly with the team and give everyone the chance to be heard.
  7. Avoid being held ransom by toxic employees by showing them the ‘door of opportunity’.


A toxic culture will inhibit the success of your business. Take an honest look at your culture and make changes to help build a strong workplace culture.


Need help developing your Core Values or your purpose? We can help!


“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” - Peter Drucker

By Anna Stubbs January 29, 2026
Having adequate access to adequate funding is fundamental for any startup. In the early stages of getting your enterprise off the ground, you need working capital to reach the all-important minimum viable product (MVP) stage, rent premises and hire staff. But where does this initial funding come from? Let’s look at the UK Government's Start Up Loan scheme and the funding options it offers.
By Anna Stubbs January 29, 2026
Question: “Can cost-saving measures in the business truly be a key driver of profits?” Running a profitable business is one of your key goals as an owner. Without profits, there’s no capital to reinvest in the business, no funds to grow the company and no money for your own dividend payment at the end of the financial year. So, is cost-saving the answer in these challenging economic times? Answer: “Careful management of costs is a fundamental way to improve your profit margins and profitability as an enterprise” Cost-saving measures will have a direct and measurable impact on your profits. This is usually achieved via two main mechanisms. Firstly, reducing your variable costs (like raw materials or direct labour) increases your gross profit margin. This retains more revenue from each sale you make as a business. Secondly, lowering fixed overheads (such as rent or software licenses) directly reduces the total expenses on your profit and loss statement, leading to a higher net profit. This immediate bottom-line improvement makes you a more financially healthy prospect to investors and lenders – which, in turn, can often make it easier to access funding and grow the business. Want to know more about cost-saving measures?  Talk to the team about your profit goals and we’ll advise you on the key ways you can reduce your overheads and expenses to drive improved profits.
By Anna Stubbs January 29, 2026
We all hope that our pathway along the business journey will be smooth and uncomplicated. But the reality is that accidents can happen, along with unplanned injuries, damaging weather events and legal suits from disgruntled clients. So, what can you do to protect your business from these potential negative consequences? The answer is to take out the relevant business insurance for your company.