Top Three Takeaways From BizX 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a whole host of challenges for business owners across almost every industry; the unforeseeable circumstances have truly tested entrepreneurs’ ability to adapt and remain competitive in an ever-increasing technological world — which has only expedited as a result of quarantine and lockdown periods across the globe.


This, to me, became all the more apparent after I attended ActionCOACH’s virtual BizX 2021 conference. Boasting a star-studded line-up of guest speakers and packed with value, the two-day event disclosed a number of useful learning points and techniques from which the attendees could significantly prosper, as well as explored three key themes that I will be exploring in this blog. So in no particular order, here are my top three takeaways from BizX 2021.

1. The Power Of Resilience

It’s hard to find a better example than the previous year for a 12-month period in the twenty-first century where resilience has been fundamentally pivotal. And this sentiment was conspicuous in the Thursday speeches of six-time World Championship gold medalist Anna Hemmings MBE, marketing guru Seth Godin and bestselling business author Marcus Buckingham. During her speech, Anna shared her incredible story of her chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis in 2003, from which — after being told by medical experts that she might never race again — she battled back to claim World Championship gold a further three times between 2005 and 2007. How’s that for resilience? This sentiment was later echoed by both Seth and Marcus in a business context who supplemented this by highlighting the importance of consistency in an inevitably ever-changing environment. Just when you think you’ve got everything figured out, another hurdle enters your lane. But what’s crucial to remember is that it’s not the size of the challenge ahead that’s important, but the actions you take to overcome it. Remaining resilient during a global pandemic is a lot easier said than done, but it has also been the reason for a lot of incredible success stories not just over the course of the last 14 months, but across individuals’ careers. And that was evident from the speeches of Anna, Seth and Marcus.

2. The Importance Of “Me Time”

Time spent away from screens and socialising with others has almost become an afterthought due to the rapid increase in working from home and the seemingly endless virtual meetings. But it’s so, so important. Prioritising “me time” and giving yourself periods throughout the week to just relax can have incredibly beneficial effects upon individuals’ mental health and wellbeing, and this was clearly expressed in two of Friday’s speeches: Xenia Tchoumit’s and Jeffrey Gitomer’s. As a digital ambassador of high-end fashion and lifestyle brands such as Vogue and Elle, a lot of Xenia’s entrepreneurial life is spent on social media (further elucidated by her platforms boasting a combined eight million followers). But even as an individual with such a successful online presence, she still makes time to switch off and disconnect from the digital world by taking an early morning walk each and every day. Jeffrey re-emphasised this too and noted it as being key towards his achievements throughout his career as a professional speaker and business trainer. And notice the use of the phrase ‘make time’ rather than simply to ‘find’ it; “me time” should be a priority in all of our lives no matter what form it takes. Switch off, chill out and reap the benefits psychologically.

3. Why You Should Always Go The Extra Mile

Convenience for clients and customers is — and always will be — key to success in the world of business. If you go the extra mile when providing a product or service, not only does it result in the short-term benefit of securing a sale but it also has a long-term effect on both your brand strength and gaining repeat/further custom down the line. This sentiment was shared by almost every speaker throughout BizX 2021’s duration: Paul McKenna described how everything you achieve in life is a result of your behaviours; Alan Miltz talked about the ‘Power of 1’ and how 1%, incremental gains can be made to improve cash and value; Philip Hesketh stressed the importance of the moment that matters and the pursuit of excellence in sales; and Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes highlighted how the famous 110% mentality in a sporting context was crucial to the success of legends such as Sir Alex Ferguson, just to name a few. Going the extra mile not only signifies the ethos and environment of a particular organisation but also deposits a degree of quality upon your brand that is otherwise unattainable without putting in the extra work. Whether it be through the need to; due to the presence of more financially comfortable competitors or simply through wanting to remain one step ahead, going the extra mile is a simple yet sure-fire way to succeed in any business environment (it may just mean you have to roll up your sleeves a little).

Summary

BizX 2021 taught me a number of incredibly insightful things that have already proven useful to both my professional and personal life. Adversity in the form of the ongoing pandemic has made life harder for a lot of people across the world, and this two-day event disclosed three key things to remember as we all battle to return to some sort of normality: remain resilient, prioritise “me time,” and always go the extra mile — the benefits to both yourself and your company will be enormous.

And if you’d like to know how we can help benefit your business, head over to our ‘request a quote’ page and let us know your plans. We’d be excited to talk through your options and would love to work with you.

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