Quiddity Case Studies

Michelle Mills – Serviced Offices International

Can you tell me a little bit about your business?

Serviced Offices International (SOI) is a boutique business offering serviced office facilities with a full support team backup in Sydney CBD, as well as a Virtual Office solution which offers outsourced reception services, CBD office address, meeting room usage and secretarial / administration support. Our uniqueness comes in the flexibility we offer our clients and the very high quality of staff we employ.

What was going on that made you want to take on a business mentor?

I had identified that I needed to revitalise my business, get energy back into it and change the way I was managing my staff, otherwise we would have continued to go backwards.  I also realised that I was totally burnt out; I had been working in the business for 10 years and had lost the passion for it. I could see that to revitalise the business I needed to change my position from a manager to a leader but did not know how I could do this and what systems and procedures I needed to put in place to enable me to make this change.

Why did you choose David?

I choose David as he had taken the time to really understand me, so that he was aware of my strengths and weakness before we even started and he took the time to get to the core of the problem, once again before even starting the coaching. 

What specific results have you seen in your business?

I am now leading instead of managing.  We have developed a new team that is being totally trained to the SOI standards and are now positioned for the growth of our revitalised business and excited about this change.  We have our set goals and vision which totally align to our company values, for the first time.  The company has now started to move forward.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about working with a coach?

It is invaluable to have this additional input from someone with expertise that can also see the business in a very objective manner, and to have the ability to brainstorm and get access to someone with valuable knowledge and experience.  However, it is also important to select the right coach for your specific needs and ensure that they take the time to really understand you, your business and what your purpose is.

What is working with David doing for you?

In working with David for 12 months now, the biggest thing that it is doing for me is to find my passion again. As well, I am really enjoying the learning and growth that I am getting from him.  As a business owner it is a real challenge to received effective feedback, support and assistance to grow.

What has that meant for you personally?

On a personal level David has assisted me to develop enough courage to move forward and step out to embrace a new life after a personal tragedy, both through the business and on a personal level.

What has that meant for your business?

For the business we have new energy, new goals, confidence in expressing the company’s values and real conviction in the service and product that we provide to our clients.  In essence we have successfully revitalised the business.  The ground work is all in place and we are excited with our new journey.

Andrew Ward – 3 Minute Angels

Can you tell me a little bit about your business?

I have a number of businesses ranging from international staff hosting, to software development and sales, and of course my principal business - 3 Minute Angels - a mobile massage company.

What was going on that made you want to take on a business mentor?

I was commercially on the knife’s edge and personally distraught.

Why did you choose David?

Someone I respected introduced me to David. By the end of that first meeting, we had established a level of knowledge where we could actually have conversations of a material nature.  That impressed me as I was not interested in being purely philosophical or conceptual (as some ‘coaches’ are prone to be when they try and help).

What specific results have you seen in your business?

When David was helping me with 3 Minute Angels we chose the level of involvement he would have. Sometimes it was best for him to be a ‘sounding board’ to me as I worked through things. Sometimes we needed ‘all hands on deck’ and David was elbow deep until crisis was averted. Some 7 years later we are profitable and have delivered over 1 million massages since our inception.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about working with a coach?

You must find someone like David who can really understand the complex business inter-relationships at a basic operational level, that then translate to the ‘pay off’ in long-term strategy. 

It’s been 7 years now…What is working with David doing for you?

Since that initial meeting in 2003, David and I have worked closely, and now years later I consider him a business partner, not merely a mentor or a good bloke.

What has that meant for you personally?

David’s key skill is being able to listen, understand, think and then relatively quickly supply a model for communicating what it is I’m actually trying to say.  This skill means my messages reach my varying audiences (from bankers, to customers or staff) in such a way that they get it. I believe that David is unique in this respect.  I am now relaxed, much more in control and enjoying life.

What has that meant for your business?

Since that first meeting, David has assisted me in many ventures. Depending on what has been needed, David has helped create business plans, actively recruited the right team members, raised capital and debt finance and assisted with introductions wherever possible.  As I said, I see him more as a partner in my business than anything else.