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Kiki Maurey - business coach and Inspirational keynote speaker

 

Who are you?

My name is Kiki Maurey, but more importantly, who I really am is someone who is passionate about our capacity as human beings to create our own future! I meet so many people who feel trapped in their jobs, trapped in their lives, and trapped by what others think of them. They rarely see that they have an innate capacity to break out of the mundane and aspire to create something more positive. That’s why I love enterprise and the entrepreneurial spirit, as, if properly harnessed and structured, it can really be an interesting, productive and profitable ride!

In a more formal sense, I’m a Senior Associate with The Directors’ Centre and have known Robert Craven for 17 years since we first met on the WBS full-time MBA programme. I liked him as he was a bit off-the-wall, a natural sceptic but also a natural entrepreneur and quite unlike 90% of our fellow students.

What do you do?

I work with small business owners who suspect that ‘something’s up’ but can’t quite put their finger on what that ‘something’ is. Very often this is about getting back to some basics like having an appropriate business plan (most often not!), or having an understanding about how (as we talk about it at The Directors’ Centre) operations, marketing and finance work together.

On the one hand running a small, profitable business is very functional, ie being aware of ‘externalities’, knowing what levers to press and in what ways, and the need to develop certain core skills. On the other hand, many people I meet lack some of the softer skills required, skills like the confidence to shape their own destiny, or the empathy to see things from a consumer perspective, or the leadership skills to lead a team effectively.

To put a technical term on it, I suppose I function as a combination of Coach, Consultant and sometimes even a Mentor.

..and your style?

This is a hard question. I guess I’m very tough emotionally and mentally but I also have a great empathy for people and can sense their strengths and weaknesses very fast. It’s fascinating to sit down with a potential client and within 10 minutes be able to identify at least three or four things that can be done immediately to improve what they’re doing in the business.

I also don’t suffer fools much but I guess I’m saved from being too acerbic by a robust sense of humour. People say I’m inspirational but also very challenging: so maybe I’m a perfect mix between Left and Right Brain thinking?

What have you done?

In a nutshell, everything from cleaning lady to working with the erstwhile DTI/SBS on women’s enterprise policy development, to being a social and enterprise researcher, to running my own management consultancy, as well as working with Robert to deliver the ‘Kick-Start’ and then ‘Bright Marketing’ seminars for Barclays. I also have considerable Board experience both as a non-executive director, Director of Strategy, and public appointee.

Why should I care?

You shouldn’t. What you should be is ‘interested’, and maybe say to yourself “Mmmmm, could someone with such a down-to-earth beginning, great adaptability and strength of character be able to see things in me and my business that I cannot see, and could that insight help me be more successful personally and professionally? I don’t know, let’s find out!”

What can you do for me that I can’t do for myself?

As we in The Directors’ Centre say, we provide the objectivity, toughness and discipline you need as a business owner. We also help clients really stand back from the hurly-burly of everyday business life so that they can work strategically on the business, rather than being constantly immersed in running the business. I like to think of myself as ‘the poke in the ear’ when my clients aren’t keeping to plan, or get side-tracked by exciting but often irrelevant activities.

What mistakes would you stop me making?

We are all very human, and one thing humans do innately is avoid the difficult stuff and concentrate on the stuff we really find easy or that we like doing. What I do is help you identify and stop doing stuff that patently doesn’t work, and help you start doing the stuff that will work.

How else would you save me money (or make me money)?

Running a profitable business is tough going, especially now. Being really clear about what combinations of buttons to push will pay dividends, eg utilising The Directors’ Centre ‘bunch of fives’ to increase profits, to motivate staff, to motivate yourself and to make customers love you, longer and harder!

Give me an example of one business you worked with recently

The Totally Insured Group Ltd is a fab little company who have innovated a fantastic new product called Security Delay Insurance (SDI). I have been mentoring the Board to support them in bringing this new product to market. Ron Moonsinghe, CEO says of me “… she is now considered to be a valuable member of the team for her experience, insight and enthusiasm … When you have trouble seeing the wood for the trees, Kiki is the best guide I know to get you where you want to go.”

Why should I trust you?

I’m not just a pretty face (well, OK not that pretty) but I am committed, very professional and absolutely abhor sloppy thinking. Trust is about … honesty combined with the sensitivity to be able to communicate important messages in a way which is both palatable but direct. I do both.

How much will it cost me?

About the equivalent of two Indian head massages an hour, plus VAT. As the saying goes ‘you pays your money and you takes your choice’. A couple of head massages or increase the profitability of your business, you choose.

Anything else you would like to tell me?

Standing still just isn’t an option in business. You are the master or mistress of your own destiny. The Directors’ Centre and I are only a few clicks away, so contact us NOW and make the decision to create the right business future for you!

Contact Kiki

Email
Tele: 07760 270 392