An Interview with Alison Edgar MBE
Alison Edgar MBE is an expert in improving performance inside organisations. Throughout Alison’s years advising entrepreneurial businesses, she has discovered important factors that make them successful. Alison takes these lessons on enhancing motivation, communication, and agility and shares them with enterprising businesses. So we’re delighted to have had the chance to sit down with Alison and lean on her expertise.
approx 5 minute read
How influential is having a ‘growth mindset’ in regard to the success of a business?
A growth mindset is absolutely imperative to the success of a business. When you believe you can achieve something, you are already that one step closer to actually getting there. Having a growth mindset also means that you will take setbacks in your stride and use these as lessons.
This mindset fosters resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to continuously change and improve, all of which are essential for navigating the challenges and uncertainties that lie in the business world.
What steps can a business take to better understand its potential customers and their needs?
It sounds like a simple answer, but so many people do not ask open-ended questions.
This is something you learn as a toddler that often gets forgotten as we get older. As we progress through formal education, the dynamic around questioning shifts. In the classroom, students are often taught to follow rules, respect authority, and adhere to established norms of behaviour, which can sometimes discourage questioning or challenge.
By asking questions that start with “who, what, when, where, why and how” you are opening up a whole new dialogue between your business and potential customers, that encourages respondents to provide detailed and thoughtful responses, rather than simple “yes” or “no” answers. This means you can gain valuable insights into the motivations, preferences, and pain points of your potential customers.
“When delivered correctly, Sales and Customer Service are exactly the same thing”. Can you give one of your favourite examples to demonstrate this?
Imagine a company organising a conference or corporate event with the objective of energising and inspiring its employees. As a motivational speaker, my role is not merely to sell a speaking engagement, but rather to provide a service that meets the specific needs and objectives of the client, and ensuring a smooth and enjoyable process while we work together. Rather than viewing my speaking engagement as a transaction, I approach it as an opportunity to provide a tailored service that aligns with the specific needs and objectives of the client. We ensure our clients are supported every step of the way, with two in-depth calls and a constant point of contact, which obviously uses a lot more of our time but means we are providing great customer service.
I know that my session will leave a lasting impact on the organisation, not just on the day, but every day, meaning it’s not just simply a sale; it is a service – a commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of people in the organisation.
What would you say to people ‘holding back’ on sales because they’re not 100% happy with their offering / website / brand?
It’s understandable to want everything to be perfect before diving into sales conversations, but it’s important to remember that perfection is often an unrealistic standard. While it’s crucial to have a strong offering, website, and brand, waiting until everything is 100% perfect can hinder your business growth.
At the end of the day, If you don’t sell, you don’t have a business, so you can’t use this as an excuse to not have these conversations. Instead, focus on communicating the unique value of your product or service, and how it addresses the needs and pain points of your target audience.
How might the ‘Ah, but…’ phase prevent people gaining traction?
The ‘ah, but’ phase is what I use to describe the point when people start coming up with excuses as to why they can’t hit their goals.
To me, this is the fixed mindset trying to come back out, which hinders progress and prevents people from gaining traction towards their goals. Instead of focusing on solutions and possibilities, they become preoccupied with obstacles and hurdles, ultimately slowing down their journey towards success.
Remaining in a growth mindset all of the time can be hard, but by trying to treat yourself with the same comparison and empathy as you would offer to a friend, you can build a habit of being kind and understanding to yourself.
You relate most of your achievements back to visualisation, why is this?
Growing up neurodiverse, words on a page struggled to resonate with me. Visualisation became my lifeline. It enabled me to paint vivid mental pictures of my goals and dreams. This technique really helped me stay on track when things got hard as it adds that extra layer of
By creating vision boards, I can envision the destination, which I find really keeps me motivated and accountable for taking the necessary steps to reach my goals.
You believe that everyone needs to be working towards a goal? Why is this?
How do you know when you are doing well at football? You score a goal. And honestly, the same applies to life. Setting and achieving goals gives you a sense of measurement and control over your life, and allows you to keep track of if you are heading in the right direction. It’s that unmistakable feeling of progress and success.
But it’s not just about the destination, it’s about the journey too. Each step you take towards your goals builds confidence and resilience, and working towards and achieving a goal provides a sense of satisfaction that is second to none, which will keep you motivated when things get tough.
You mentioned the importance of changing on the way up, what does this mean?
Essentially, “changing on the way up” means continuously evolving and improving your business practices, products, and strategies, even as you grow and achieve milestones.
Many businesses become complacent when they achieve success, sticking to what has worked in the past and resisting change. However, in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, standing still is NEVER an option. Competitors are constantly innovating and improving, and if you don’t adapt and evolve along with them, you risk falling behind.
By embracing change and being proactive about innovation, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and maintain their competitive edge.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to start their own business or take their existing venture to the next level?
According to Forbes Magazine, only 10% of startup businesses succeed, and a lot of the time this can be attributed to a lack of a solid plan, so first and foremost I would recommend aspiring entrepreneurs to invest time and effort in crafting a business plan. I don’t just mean a brief overview of what the business is. This plan should outline your business goals, target market, competitive analysis, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operational processes. It serves as a blueprint for your business, guiding your actions and providing a framework for measuring progress and success.
I would also highly encourage entrepreneurs to remain resilient and adaptable in the face of challenges and change. Building a business isn’t easy, and it will require a lot of perseverance, determination, and the ability to pivot as needed, but it is so worth it. Remember, entrepreneurship is a journey, and success often comes to those who are willing to put in the hard work, stay resilient, and continuously learn and adapt along the way. Good luck!
To work with Alison or to book her for your next event,
please head to www.alisonedgar.com
Alison covers most of this and more in ‘SMASH IT!
The Art of Getting What YOU Want’ – grab your copy on Amazon