Our Approach
Hands-on, Director level experts, who drive growth
I thought I knew what CEOs and MDs needed
For over a decade I thought I knew what CEOs and MDs needed in terms of support. How did I know, because I was told by experts and those who had done it for years and made a successful living? Everyone said, “a coach or advisor is what CEOs and MDs need” – right?
It made perfect sense, helping business owners to set goals, hold them accountable, help them develop a winning mindset, and drop in a plethora of business tools and tips to accelerate growth.
It had to be right because I was having success, or should I say my clients were having success – or were they? Yes they were, their company was growing, that’s a success, isn’t it?
Reflecting on it now, I can see they were still hustling long hours, juggling more projects, and struggling with complex tasks.
What was wrong with this approach?
It was a case of the wrong tool for the job. Those “experts” had ever really taken the time to understand what their clients really needed. Instead, they had a product, and with some clever marketing and hard-selling, they sold it to CEOs and MDs looking for a solution. Consider this:
Does a busy CEO/MD really need someone to give them more work to do?
Do they want someone to coach them on how to complete tasks an expert should be doing?
And why would they pay £1,500 for a half-day of this, when they could get a consultant for a whole day, for much less, to do work for them?
Don’t get me wrong, coaching has its place, but it is not the main need successful CEOs and MDs have.
What CEOs and MDs really need
Hindsight is a great thing. It is so obvious now as I reflect on the last 15 years. These business leaders want an expert to work alongside them. They need someone who can operate at Director level, a trusted third party who is immersed in their company, and they can speak to about anything.
They want someone who has skills they do not have, to complete the tasks they struggle with and get them done in a fraction of the time. An expert working side by side with their team, integrating everything they do with business as usual.
They want a part-time resource because they do not need, nor can they afford, a full-time resource. And, they need flexibility so they can increase or decrease this resource as demands change in their business.
A step-change in success for CEOs and MDs
As I started this new approach the impact was instant. It was like a light switch going on. I could see the relief on the MDs face as he thought, I don’t need to do that now, I don’t need to worry about this, and I have time to catch my breath and look at what is happening.
Stepping in as Commercial Director and Business Strategist I was providing an extra pair of hands (and brain) to do a whole host of tasks the MD could not get to. I was also able to focus on things that were not their area of expertise and offer invaluable insights.
Change and results happened fast. I was joining up the dots across departments, easing growing pains and driving new revenues. This delivered what the MD needed, but just never knew how to make it happen, until now.
What’s next…
We are now building a team of part-time Directors and Consultants, across the UK. Their role, to support successful, but overworked and stressed, CEOs and MDs drive new growth and ease pressures. These are highly experienced Commercial Directors, Business Strategists and Specialist Consultants, ready to roll up their sleeves and do the tasks that you either, do not have the time to do or need an expert for.
Our Senior Team
Ewan A Menzies
Managing Director
Ewan Menzies is Managing Director at Castle Strategy. He has supported CEOs and MDs across private, public and third sectors with strategic planning for nearly 2 decades.
Ewan’s roots are in education and he has led on the development of training and accreditation courses across a range of business topics. He has spoken and numerous local and national events and featured in many publications.
Ewan is a qualified teacher, coach, trainer and strategist who loves working with people, delivering results and going the extra mile.
Ian R Hogg
Business Consultant
Ian is an independent business transformation consultant supporting Ewan and Castle Strategy.
He specialises in merger integration, operational change and financial modelling. As a strategy consultant in IBM Global Business Services, he has led change initiatives in global companies including Aviva, Pfizer, MetLife and Europcar.
Ian is an MBA graduate from Henley Management College, ACCA part-qualified and a self-confessed excel geek. His values are attention to detail, wisdom and curiosity.
Our Vision and Values
Vision
To help every business we work with to realise the positive impact of effective strategic planning.
Values
Our values are a set of beliefs, a way of working, and act as our ethical compass.
They support our team to make the right decisions, improve communication and adopt the correct behaviours.
They let our clients see what we stand for and attract clients who believe what we believe. They direct all our external communications so that our clients, communities, and others can see what we stand for.