Shebang Design & Marketing

In 2010, Shebang Design & Marketing was born out of Emma Anderson’s desire to support clients with innovative full-service design and marketing. Emma was like many who begin their own business – armed with a plethora of knowledge and previous experience in their sector, but with little expertise in how to manage and grow a business.

 

Background

“Before starting Shebang, I was the Marketing Manager for an international property development company. I had been with the same boss, although not the same company, for 19 years and during that time I had worked with a variety of clients. Unfortunately, in 2010 I was made redundant and all I had was an old company laptop. Although my previous employers helped to get me on my way by providing me with a couple of small projects to work on, I felt lost. I knew I wanted to support clients with their marketing needs, but I didn’t know where to start.

“During my first few years of establishing Shebang, I visited my accountant for a strategy meeting. It was expensive, but the advice I received during that session was invaluable – and that’s when I realised I needed someone to support me every step of the way. I had recently been to a business expo and had collected a whole range of business cards, one being from ActionCOACH. So, I made the call and soon after Kevin and Kath visited me to discuss my future. I was looking for an encouraging coach who could motivate me whilst still pushing me beyond my comfort zone – that person was Kath Cleary.

“Our initial meeting consisted of me offloading to Kath, including all my worries and stresses about the business. We concentrated on me reclaiming my excitement for Shebang, and how this would motivate me to develop the business. Just this first session put me at ease and gave me a clear vision of what the future of Shebang could look like.”

In November 2020, Emma invested in fortnightly one-to-one coaching, leaving enough time in between the sessions for her to process Kath’s advice and put it into action. Ahead of tasks that Emma may find a little daunting at first, the pair also meet to help build Emma’s confidence. Despite starting her coaching amidst the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Emma, with Kath’s guidance and support, made progress in creating a brighter and better future for her business.

 

The initial improvements

“One of the first things we did was hire a bookkeeper to work alongside Grineaux accountants who could take the majority of the financial workload off me. I’m a creative and so arithmetic doesn’t come naturally to me – having someone on board who could share simplified profit comparisons to check we are reaching our target was, and still is, so helpful. We also formulated a plan to improve the balance between my work and personal lives which ensured I was refreshed when I came into work each morning. This improved dynamic gave me a new lease of life when it came to Shebang.

“I was seeing the benefits of these changes almost immediately. With members of the team leaving due to the pandemic, Kath’s coaching helped me form a team I knew I could rely on, and who had a similar vision to me. Although the stability of our profits wasn’t apparent straight away, the difference Kath made to the morale of the whole team was priceless. So much so that whilst we allow our employees to work from home, none of them do as Shebang has become such a stimulating and supportive place to work. With a motivated team then came the stability in our profits, signifying to me the growth of my business.

“I know I can rely on Kath to motivate me during stressful times. She reminds me of how far Shebang has come and pushes me to do things I’m not comfortable with due to my lack of experience in those areas. Recently we have taken on a significant project for an existing client based in London which involves pitching and presenting to large groups. Despite me finding this challenging, Kath reminds me I’m capable of succeeding in all areas of my business, which gives me the motivation I need to help Shebang grow.”

 

The results so far

“In the past year, we have seen a 100% profit margin growth. This has not fluctuated, signifying our stable positive trajectory for Shebang Marketing. With an increase in profits comes an increased level of responsibility, but I know with the team Kath has helped me to curate, it is possible to manage these figures. Now we’ve achieved 100% growth, I would love to achieve it again and, with ActionCOACH’s help and guidance, I’m certain it is possible.

“The difference Kath has also made to my personal life is amazing. Not only has my work-life balance improved, allowing me to spend more time with my family, but I also have the confidence to volunteer in my local community through being the Chair of the sports club amongst other contributions.”

As her self-efficacy continues to flourish, Emma’s next goal is to become even better at networking – something that was new to her when ActionCOACH came on board. She now recognises the importance of speaking with other business owners through networking meetings and is hoping to put her business up for award recognition in the future.

“ActionCOACH has been incredibly valuable, helping me grow in confidence and expertise. It has opened my eyes to a world of business strategy I never knew existed, helping me to positively shift my mental attitude. As my Action Coach, Kath drives me to make Shebang the best it can be. I’m working hard to further increase the profit ratio and to expand our client database to include those outside of property development.”

 

The coach’s perspective

Kath has been a business growth coach with ActionCOACH Warwick since 2020, helping numerous business owners to increase their profits, implement powerful systems and build a strong team.

“Emma has gone from strength to strength over the last year, doubling her turnover and improving her communication skills with every business interaction. Having the opportunity to meet Emma in person once the pandemic restrictions were lifted escalated our sessions and has allowed me to teach her valuable techniques such as positive body language which will take her even further. Emma is learning to face challenges head-on and soon, there will be nothing standing in her way!”

 

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