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Or How To Take On The World And Win By Sam Conniff Allende The Be More Pirate book cover. Credit: Penguin. The book in three words? Refreshing - Exciting - Rebellious What is it about? Modern pirate and public speaker, Sam Conniff Allende, takes you through the history of the Golden age pirates and presents what you can learn from their mischief and principles. Allende makes you challenge everything you thought you knew about pirates and by the end of the book, you will be equipped with your own changemaker values. Be More Pirate is a rebel-rousing call to action. The book discusses a diverse range of Golden age and modern ‘pirates’ and their principles. Through this and the opportunities for development and reflection provided, Allende aids you in becoming a better individual and encourages you to make the world a nicer, fairer place by embracing your inner pirate. How can you be more pirate? Allende lays out that breaking the status quo, rewriting the rules, collaborating and aiming for scale, fighting for fairness, and weaponizing your stories are the key ways to becoming your best pirate self. Reading the book allows you to understand these principles and build a plan to do them in your own way. Who is this book for? The book teaches that pirate principles can be anchors for any part of your life, so no matter where you are in your career, who you are, or what your job is, this book is for you. Due to some of the topics covered, Be More Pirate is especially good for team leaders or ‘captains’ and aspiring changemakers. What do members of The Camelot Network think? “Coming out of a Corporate world into Independent Consultancy can be daunting, this is a book that can help you thrive. The author takes you on a journey into how pirates were true innovators and pioneers, how you can use these approaches and tactics in your own journey to independence. Part history, part manifesto Sam shares his passion and knowledge of Pirates and his experience of building the highly regarded Livity agency. As Steve Jobs said, ‘I’d rather be a pirate than join the Navy.’” - James Downes, Founder and CEO of House of Insurtech To sum it up: Be More Pirate does exactly what it says in the title, it helps you create positive change by enabling you to, well, be more pirate! This book encourages you to learn from the past and use it to build a fantastic future. By the end of this, you’ll be ready to take on exploitation and unfairness in your own way and declare yourself a pirate! Want to know more? Go to https://www.bemorepirate.com/ Or Contact me at chloecopywriting@gmail.com Written by Chloe Allison

How Great Companies Create Dynamic Innovation, Fearless Leadership And Passionate People By Elvin Turner The Be Less Zombie book cover. Credit: Wiley. The book in three words? Practical - Direct - Punchy What is it about? Written by innovation expert, Elvin Turner, Be Less Zombie should be a welcome addition to the bookshelves of business leaders. Focusing on the why’s, what’s, when’s, and how’s of innovation, the book is an incredibly useful helping hand to company success. Be Less Zombie teaches you the innovation strategy to employ to be ‘more unicorn’. The book is jammed with clear tips as well as occasional diagrams and illustrations that allow you to gain a deep understanding of what’s being said, meaning you can then put the tips and strategies into practice. To put it simply, Turner knows his stuff and when you finish this book, you’ll have the footing to become a super innovator. How can you be less zombie? Turner teaches you that you can become less zombie by turning on your innovation strategy and then turning it up. Be Less Zombie shows you exactly how to put that guidance into action. Who is this book for? Due to its focus on innovation strategy for companies, this book is ideal for business leaders. The detailed but uncluttered approach means that Be Less Zombie will be useful to you no matter where you are in your business career. What do members of The Camelot Network think? “Be Less Zombie answers that key question: how do you actually make innovation happen in an organisation! Elvin has written an immensely practical playbook with short chapters that is full of useful tools and tips to make innovation a success. Well written, succinct, useful stories, I highly recommend it..” - Harvey Wade, Founder and Managing Director of Innovate21 To sum it up: Be Less Zombie offers invaluable advice and tips on how to turn on and then turn up your innovation strategy. With innovation being such a key part of company survival, reading this book is essential as it will help you bring your innovation a-game to the table and ensure that your company thrives. Want to know more? Go to https://www.elvinturner.com/be-less-zombie Or Contact me at chloecopywriting@gmail.com Written by Chloe Allison

“My latest client is a UK/US business with thousands of employees (and a specialist unit dedicated to producing RFI/RFP responses) but who, quite honestly, is producing poor materials that fail to convince the reader. This is not unusual and reflects a general malaise and lack of skill in this arena." Having written bids for clients for over two decades, Eddie explained that not a lot has changed in terms of the quality of outputs. Whilst some things may have changed slightly over the years, the way in which bids are written, presented and sold has remained very much the same. RFI/RFP invites tend to be a little more complicated. However there are a few key principles which can be used to write these. These principles can be applied to anything from a one page proposal to a much larger one. Creating a winning tender What is the purpose of an RFI? To rule people in or out To enrich the requesting companies understanding of the marketplace To provide a fair method of assessment (for the procurer) To sell yourself To provide an overview of capabilities To build trust To prove that you can do what is asked To get on the RFP list The purpose of an RFI from the first step that you take is to win A Lot of time and effort goes into these things, and there is a lot of competition, so you need to be in it to win it. Being requested for an RFI gets you to the starting line, but the purpose of an RFI from your point of view is to win. Examples Eddie illustrated his point through a few examples. During this exercise, we looked at various examples to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each. Looking at the first example, attendees identified that: It was too long It had not answered the question It was not value led There was too much business jargon This was the winning submission! We identified weaknesses within the answer, however this was the winning answer from the company for a two million pound contract. This shows that the stuff which is currently out there in the marketplace isn't very good. Looking at the second example, we identified that it was: Shorter Answered the question However: Was okay but not brilliant They needed to understand who they were selling to. There are some people who will read the bid who you will never meet and these people may not understand technical language. Some elements the client has not asked for, so why offer it? It was very wordy They do not directly answer parts of the question There was too much waffle It missed the basics Looking at the final example, we identified that: There were a lot of key facts and justifications It felt less like a marketing document and more like a proper response There was a clear format/answer You don't need a technical understanding to understand the content It was data driven Psychologically it's good to answer questions in three bullets and a list format The plot twist - it was never written! Eddie had written this in the morning, to illustrate his point about what can happen if you follow the basic rules. First impressions are incredibly important, therefore you need to present yourself properly. Not all questions are weighted equally, so it’s vital to answer the most important questions first. Many fall short on scoring mechanisms and by not answering the questions clearly enough. The number one differentiating factor between bids is price. The reason the buyer has to use price, is because there's often nothing else for them to go on. There's no other reason for them to choose you. It's not their job to read through nonsense, it's a sellers job to sell to the reader. So make it easy! A few rules of the game Answer the question within the first line or paragraph. The first thing you should write is what the reader most wants to see. So get the big answers right at the beginning. Simply describing what you do does not convey a benefit or what something means to the reader. Most audiences don't go looking for benefits, they have to be told. Evidence the benefits wherever you can. Differentiate yourself. There are only certain ways in which you can do this. Address the real issues. Are there hidden fears which are worth addressing? What can you be doing to help them fulfill lots of different things? Have a key message! If you've got something to say, get it in as many answers as possible. A lot of people just skim read, so you need to make sure that you are getting your key message across. Who exactly are you trying to satisfy? Who are the customers? Who are the stakeholders? What are the different interests you need to satisfy? Whatever you write, delete 50% of the words and write it again. Aim for 14-20 words per sentence. Not everyone will comprehend long sentences. Bonus rule: The front page of the bid needs to be imaginative and tell you something about the bidder. On the cover alone, it needs to show the reader why they should go with you. Useful Resource: What makes a good Vendor response to an RFI/P? https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IAQGGZLM1F1cklvRJuuC5aoIH-goeVOd/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109260747758151099999&rtpof=true&sd=true

Learning how to listen well may sound like such a simple idea, maybe even a little bit too simple. But sometimes, it’s the little things that can help you to make the biggest strides forward. What is the benefit of learning how to listen, and how can you fine-tune this underestimated skill? A few months back, in two of our Digital Drinks sessions, we heard from Mark Simpson and Kevin Cunningham , who shared their expertise on building a better rapport with clients by taking an empathetic approach. We have compiled some of the key takeaways from these sessions to fill you in with the how, the what and the why of listening. How can I listen more effectively? Listening, like anything, is a skill. As independent consultants, naturally, you are likely to be good communicators. But this is not to say that you are utilising this skill to its full potential. Kevin explained that often when having a discussion, we are already thinking about what we are going to say next. Research shows that people typically only retain 25% of what they hear after listening. Luckily, there are a few simple solutions to supercharge your listening skills. Be present . One of the key components of better listening is to take a step back and try to be present during the conversation. Slowing down and diverting our focus to what is being said will help us to digest it fully. Have clear objectives . This will help you to concentrate during conversations with clients and appreciate the value of the interaction. If you understand what objectives you wish to achieve, this will resonate both in how you speak and how you listen. Ask open-ended questions. Another way you can enhance clarity and get more out of a conversation is through asking questions. Open-ended questions allow people to elaborate in ways they wouldn’t if not prompted. As Voltaire once said… Judge a man by his questions, not by his answers. Understand Mirroring. A word that came up consistently from both our speakers and attendees was mirroring. So, what exactly is it? Mirroring in business means replicating the gestures and body language of the person you are speaking to. Mirroring typically works best in one-on-one conversations. The act of mirroring someone’s mannerisms shows that you are in tune with them, listening and observing closely. The reason it’s such a helpful tool for moving conversations forward in a positive direction is because it establishes a deeper connection and helps people to relate to you. For more on mirroring, read here. The art (and science) of listening. Our speaker Mark Simpson enlightened us on the link between listening and neuroscience. Intelligence is something we largely associate with just the brain. While a lot of the action happens up there, there are several different points in our body where neurons are concentrated. Essentially, we have different ‘brains’ all over. The Head Brain - how we make sense of the world around us. The Heart Brain - how we deal with our emotions, compassion and values. . The Gut Brain - where we develop our intuition and physical sensations in response to situations. These three different forms of intelligence sometimes may not work so well together. To prevent this conflict, it’s important to identify the source of our different sensations. Ask yourself: is this a gut feeling? Or is this the Heart Brain talking? When considering these different ‘brains’, a few things may come to mind. Some people may play with their hair when nervous, or cross their arms. Everyone’s body language manifests their emotions, so it is crucial to be able to observe this in ourselves and in others. If you recognise that your gut brain is formulating a response, you can then divert this to the head brain for a more logical analysis. Or, if a situation needs to be considered with a bit more empathy, you might consider using the heart brain. While the way others express themselves physically will vary from person to person, we can learn to pick up on subtle cues of how a person might be feeling. Truly listening to someone is more than taking in their words, it’s paying attention to how they say them. Research shows that 70-93% of communication is non-verbal. Having a grasp on the theory of multiple brain integration is a solid step towards better listening, both to our own selves and towards others. Why is listening such an important skill? Being a better listener leads to a more fulfilling life, both personally and professionally. Not only will improved listening help to strengthen your existing client relationships, but it is a valuable sales tool. Boosting your chances of getting referrals, enhancing your brand image, and uncovering exciting new opportunities are just a few of the potential benefits. An article by Forbes outlines empathy is the most important business skill. Building more meaningful relationships begins at the listening level. If you are able to engage in a more genuine way, this will put the other person at ease and make them more inclined to listen to you. When people feel heard, they trust you. In turn, they will reveal more. This open line of communication forms stronger interpersonal relationships and more constructive conversations. As you can better understand their needs, you are one step closer to achieving your goals. Thank you to Kevin Cunningham, Mark Simpson, and the Camelot members for sharing your valuable insights during these sessions.

From Disruption To Evolution A New Generation Of Insurers For Changing Customer Expectations By Bryan Falchuk The Future Of Insurance book cover. Credit: Insurance Evolution Press. The book in three words? Invaluable - Rich - Honest What is it about? Written by Camelot’s own best selling author, Bryan Falchuk, The Future Of Insurance: From Disruption To Evolution is a treat for those working in the insurance industry. Bryan is not only an author but is also a Founder and Managing Partner of Insurance and Evolution Partners, so he offers an invaluable perspective. The book follows the true stories of eight insurance start-ups and provides many important lessons to help you on your insurance journey. The book is written in a logical way, and the ‘Foundations For The Future’ sections at the end of each story gives you a moment to summarise and reflect on the key lessons. Due to the tactful use of start-up stories you get to learn in a concise and relevant way. Clear, relevant, and reality-driven, The Future Of Insurance is a useful tool to navigate the insurance industry with. This would be a great one to pair with attending our Big Round Table event Deliberately Digital by Design - How Incumbent and Startup Insurers can thrive in the Digital Marathon. Register for the event on the 30th of September here: https: //www.thecamelotnetwork.com/camelot-events/big-round-table-deliberately-digital-by-d esign/ What is the future of insurance? The stories and summary sections offer great tips such as making sure you stay focused on what customers truly need or just because something is difficult it doesn't make it wrong. These tips and lessons across the book, help you develop the right attitude towards your role in the insurance industry, making success more probable. As explained in the chapter, ‘Moving Forward’, the overarching foundations for the future are: to think diversely, make capital strategic and create real advantage. Simply hearing these foundations are not enough though, you need to read the book to fully understand what these definitions mean and see them at play in the stories, in order to employ them yourself. Who is this book for? This book is good for you no matter where you are in your insurance industry career. Full of clear explanations and various lessons, The Future Of Insurance is a great read for beginners and experts alike . It will teach you how to make positive changes in the insurance industry whether you are the business leader of a start-up or incumbent. A moment with the author: “After living on the carrier and startup side, seeing how much opportunity we as an industry have for change, but how often various challenges and barriers get in our way, I wanted to help us move forward. In my book series, The Future of Insurance: From Disruption to Evolution, I share direct case studies, written from first-hand research I’ve done by getting in deep with the people at the companies who lived the stories, to try to inspire anyone in Insurance to see a path ahead.” “The latest installment, Volume II. The Startups, shares very real stories of the ups and down, challenges and wins of eight startup insurers so that we can all take lessons, regardless of whether we’re at a startup, incumbent or something else entirely. I hope anyone reading these books takes the lessons in, looks at their particular situation, and sees how they might break through and make meaningful change themselves through the inspiration they take from the stories of others doing just that.” - Bryan Falchuk, Author of The Future Of Insurance series and Managing Partner at Insurance Evolution Partners To sum it up: By providing invaluable lessons through the telling of other people’s experiences, The Future Of Insurance provides you with a clearer sense of how you can make a positive change in the insurance industry no matter where you are within it. Want to know more? Go to http://future-of-insurance.com/ Or contact Bryan at [insert email] Written by Chloe Allison chloecopywriting@gmail.com

Zuhlke recently held a workshop around digital twins which Camelot helped with, here's the output based on what they learnt and what they know. Worth a read to find out more about their use in insurance. https://www.zuehlke.com/en/insights/know-thy-risk-the-emergence-of-digital-twins-and-the-re-imagination-of-insurance

As recently announced by one of our Corporate Partners, Zuhlke, they have officially launched their new podcast: Data Today with Dan Klein. In each episode, Dan Klein will speak to guests who are innovating outside the box and pushing boundaries with data. For more information, check out Dan's LinkedIn post on the podcast. If you'd like to check out the two episodes they've released so far, feel free to visit Zuhlke's internal podcast page and drop a follow, you'll be able to catch it on all your favourite podcast streaming platforms.

Genasys has recently announced the opening of its new Product and Innovation Campus in South Africa, as well as the creation of two new business units. For more information, and to hear the thoughts of Andre (Group CEO) and Craig (Co-founder and Group CTO), have a read of the press release below. Genasys Technologies announces new business units and ‘innovation hub’ reflecting its trajectory as a global insurtech Fast-growing insurance administration platform provider Genasys Technologies has announced two new business units and opened its new global technology innovation headquarters reflecting its trajectory as a global insurtech company. André Symes, Group CEO, will continue to head up Genasys and lead its commercial growth strategy from London while Craig Olivier, co-founder and Group CTO, will be based at its new South African HQ in Cape Town - the Product and Innovation Campus. From here, Olivier will lead the new Genasys Software Solutions division to pilot the business’s ongoing product development and technology innovation. Genasys retains its existing office in Johannesburg, from which Eugene Wessels, formerly head of global operations, will lead delivery and operations through the newly-created Professional Services division. Wessels will report directly to Olivier. Having started life from a garage in Cape Town over 25 years ago, Genasys’ expansion into the four-storey space at the city’s Techno Park Stellenbosch signals its commitment to the province’s booming innovation ecosystem and its status as a leading core tech player in insurance. Genasys now supports clients across Africa, North America, Oceania, LatAm and the UK to manage a gross written premium of over £1.5 billion. André Symes, Group CEO of Genasys Technologies, explains: “We are serious about investing in our product development, and most importantly, in our people, who have always been what sets Genasys apart. Through our Product and Innovation Campus , we’re creating a new work space that will support our team to drive our technology expansion. As we continue to grow our client list - from ahead-of-the-curve start-ups to industry heritage brands - our ‘innovation hub’ will help to attract insurtech talent and outstanding university graduates. “Through the creation of these two new business units we are in an exceptional position to propel our company forwards with real focus on our core strengths – our excellent cloud-based insurance software and our brilliant customer servicing. This is an exciting moment in our Genasys story as these developments reflect our trajectory as a global insurtech company and our continued commitment to using technology to positively change the consumer view of insurance.” Craig Olivier, Group CTO and co-founder of Genasys Technologies, adds: “As we take on more clients, across more territories, in a highly competitive market, there’s never been a more crucial time for us to invest in our product development and focus on staying ahead of the market. Our approach is simple: we want to make insurance policies accessible to everyone and we are here to enable our partners to innovate and evolve their technology.”

The Let My People Go Surfing book cover. Credit: Penguin Books. The book in three words? Honest - Relevant - Pioneering What is it about? Let My People Go Surfing is a powerful call to action and a love letter to breaking the rules. We are in a climate crisis that is at war with our tendency for high consumption. Let My People Go Surfing explores this battle and shows a love for the natural world, featuring a charming autobiography of Patagonia ’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, the story of an unconventional company, and practices you can apply to the business world. Alongside breathtaking images of nature, Chouinard takes you on a journey through the peaks and lows of his own life and the groundbreaking clothing business, Patagonia . Refreshing honesty and lessons of learning from mistakes seep through the pages and inspires. Let My People Go Surfing provides an example of business done differently - business that enriches lives and implements solutions to the environmental crisis. As set out in the book, the ongoing vision of Patagonia is to make business a thing of good, where profit is made but it isn't the highest priority. Chouinard explains that often when they have made the right decision for the planet though - profit often has come as a result of it. Patagonia wants to lead corporate America by example. A reluctant businessman, Chouinard invented his own game and made it work. A clear takeaway from Let My People Go Surfing is that just like Patagonia , a business should have clear values that are communicated and taught to everyone in the business. Highlights of Patagonia ’s values include: making the best product, causing no unnecessary harm, and using the business to put solutions for the environmental crisis into action. Springing off these values, helpful detail is provided on the guidelines used by the company for different areas of the business such as marketing, production, environmental policy, and product design. As Chouinard explains, these guidelines are mouldable; therefore, you can use them for your own business or workplace. How do you let your people go surfing? Patagonia aims for work to be enjoyable every day for every employee. The company focuses on employing people with values that align with the beliefs of Patagonia , such as a love for the natural world over being driven by the sole purpose of profit. Ultimately Patagonia embraces freedom by allowing people to wear what they want, providing child care, and having a flextime policy. The Let My People Go Surfing policy gives people the opportunity to work flextime - meaning that if the waves are looking perfect for surfing - they can go and do just that! As shown in the book and the success of Patagonia , implementing employee benefits like this is a sure way to get valuable and happy employees. Who is this book for? This book is ideal for business owners, as it is rich with lessons and philosophies that can be applied to the workplace and across a company. It is also a great read for those that want to resist profit being the primary goal that overshadows making positive changes to lives and the environment. If you are into outdoor activities and adventures, it is likely you’ll enjoy and learns something from Let My People Go Surfing too. Ultimately, we are all in this climate crisis and could definitely learn a thing or two and be inspired by this book. What do members of The Camelot Network think? “Whilst the book is almost 17 years old, it feels very much of the time. A book that operates on many levels, be that as a non-traditional leadership guide, as a primer for organisations that want to consider their impact and responsibilities from an environmental, social, and governance perspective, and, probably most significantly as being a connected human being, that understands how they not only shape today but also influence tomorrow. Reading this book, it’s no coincidence that Patagonia as a brand, as an organisation, and as a collective of people behaves in the way that it does. An organisation that is fuelled by purpose, that is as much action orientated as it is intentional, one that has great humility, is prepared to look outside itself as well as within itself to improve what it does and the way it does it. For sure it is not a perfect organisation (who is), but it is well worth reading this book to get a glimpse of what leads it to behave in the ways that it does. This is an authentic organisation, if you have ever met an employee, you will know what I mean.” Mark Simpson, Founder and Director of Resilient Changing To sum it up: Let My People Go Surfing teaches through example that in business we should, always question how we can do better, own up and take responsibility for our mistakes, and create positive change. This book, through humour, honesty and humility teaches you to break the rules and the norm. Let My People Go Surfing offers knowledgeable guidelines and values that you can use to shape your own business, while not only being mindful of the earth but putting actions in place to protect it. Want to know more? Learn more abou t Let My People Go Surfing here . Written by Chloe Allison chloecopywriting@gmail.com

How Big Data Increases Inequality And Threatens Democracy By Cathy O’Neil Weapons Of Math Destruction book cover. Credit: Penguin Books. The book in three words? Gripping - Wise - Necessary What is it about? With a title like Weapons Of Math Destruction , it’s easy to conclude that this book will be filled with complex, hard-to-navigate, intimidating language and equations. However, it cannot be stressed enough that you don’t need to be a number genius or data scientist for this book to be more than worthwhile. Data scientist Cathy O’Neil takes the complex and its effect on society and makes it captivatingly digestible. O’Neil paints a picture of the ‘Big Data’ era, that we live in today. An era where our data and what is done with it affects our life experiences. O’Neil explains how ‘weapons of math destruction’ referred to as WMDs for short, are terrifying mathematical tools that widen the financial gap, fuel injustice, and feast on inequality. In the book, WMDs are identified as mathematical models that are opaque, have a large scale, inflict damage, and often have a feedback loop. O’Neil carefully includes a variety of examples of these monstrous models and algorithms, using them as building blocks for the reader's understanding. Some of these WMDs include predatory ads that target the vulnerable and governmental policies that use crude data analysis to punish good teachers. You are taken on a journey through the WMDs that lie in marketing, the criminal justice system, employment, finances, elections, insurance pricing, and more. What can be done to stop weapons of math destruction? O’Neil makes it clear that data models are not always bad, but when not dealt with correctly they can all too easily become dangerous WMDs that feed into each other. In Weapons Of Math Destruction, powerful ideas for demolishing these weapons are put forward. Some of these include: placing fairness over profit, changing laws, shifting what is viewed as a success, demanding transparency from mathematical models, and conducting thorough audits of them too. Who is this book for? Weapons Of Math Destruction holds important teachings for us all. It is an essential read for those whose work uses mathematical models and algorithms - whether it's creating them, relying on them, or both. What do members of The Camelot Network think? “This book very clearly articulates the significant dangers of blindly applying Big Data and AI techniques to solve our business and societal challenges. It unearths the inherent risks of applying the outputs of a computer model without really thinking things through and importantly having very effective feedback loops to ensure algorithms learn and continue learning. Highly applicable to the insurance industry as we lean more and more on models to underwrite, price, evaluate claims and renew policies. This eye-opening, example-filled book is a must for anyone wanting to automate what we humans currently do. ‘The computer says.....don't read this book.’” David Clamp, Founder and Managing Director of Merlin Digital Consulting and The Camelot Network To sum it up: Weapons Of Math Destruction is an essential read coming at a critical time. It acts as a teacher, investigator, protestor, and solution provider. The wide variety of examples, focusing on individual and mass stories prove that we are heading down a dangerous path. However, O’Neil’s hard work, awareness raising, and proposals for change show a glimmer of hope if those harnessing data and algorithms behave responsibly. Want to know more? Learn more abou t Weapons Of Math Destruction here . Written by Chloe Allison chloecopywriting@gmail.com

From Crew To Captain: Commander of the Fleet Taking Your Business To The Next Level By David Mellor The From Crew To Captain: Commander of the Fleet book cover. Credit: Filament Publishing. The book in three words? Knowledgeable - Friendly - Valuable What is it about? From the first two books in the From Crew to Captain trilogy, you will learn how to transition into self-employment and sell yourself as a consultant. So, what’s next? Well, in the third installment in the series, Commander of the Fleet , friend of The Camelot Network, David Mellor, provides insightful and valuable advice on how to take your business to the next level and build a consultancy practice. Due to Mellor’s informative, but friendly tone and his ability to present detailed information with clarity, the book reads like a chat with an excellent mentor. Something that makes this book so special and useful, is the inclusion of reflective tasks that you can do to benefit yourself and your business. These self-diagnostics, such as a business health check, are presented alongside relevant advice, giving you the tools to put your learnings into action effectively. Commander of the Fleet is positively filled to the brim with tips, such as the ‘top three banana skins’ to avoid, for growing your business and getting through the growing pains. Well-informed advice is accompanied by findings from business-based surveys, giving you extra insight from others' experiences. In Commander of the Fleet, you are pointed towards effective strategies for success in taking your business to new levels. How do you become a ‘Commander of the Fleet’? Commander of the Fleet is a fantastic toolkit to use when thinking about transitioning from sole practitioner to having a consultancy practice of your own. Some lessons in the book include conducting a reality check, having your eyes wide open, having a strategic plan, seeking advice from those in your network, and going through the transition in a controlled manner. Throughout the book you are provided with many key questions to ask yourself, showing that reflection is a key part of becoming a ‘Commander of the Fleet’. An important teaching from the book is that there are disastrous strategies to avoid such as losing sight of your core values. There are many lessons in the book that are important to learn such as the habits of good leaders. By using the advice and exercises in the book you will be ready to take your business to the next level and become a commander! Who is this book for? This book is ideal for you if you are a sole practitioner looking to create a consultancy practice, as key aspects of early business growth are explained and a whole section is dedicated to building a business. Even if you already have a multi-consultant practice or if you are self-employed and going down a different route, there are tips and guiding points of reflection that can be used to make your business stronger and you happier as a founder. A moment with the author: What inspired you to write the book? “I think what inspired me to write the book was seeing quite a few of the folk I had mentored when they set up their businesses proving to themselves and the market that they had a business model that worked, but then struggling with the “growing pains” that followed as they tried to scale up.” What would you like people to gain from reading the book? “The main ‘takeaways’ from the book for the reader are probably threefold: 1. Having a clearer picture of how to transition successfully, and the benefits that a successful transition brings e.g. … Achieving financial strength and stability Having choices in terms of selling the business, acquiring other businesses, raising business finance for further growth, entering into strategic partnerships from a position of relative strength Having choices in terms of selling the business, acquiring other businesses, raising business finance for further growth, entering into strategic partnerships from a position of relative strength 2. Gathering some practical tips on what will contribute to their success, and also possible disastrous strategies that they should avoid 3. Appreciating how their role as leader will change, and how to cope with that” David Mellor, Author of From Crew To Captain: Commander of the Fleet and Director of David Mellor Mentoring To sum it up: In Commander of the Fleet , David Mellor provides a helping hand through expert advice and self-diagnostic tools. Reading this book is a sure way to better equip yourself for a transition in your business and professional role. Get 10% off when buying Mellor’s books here , with this exclusive deal for Camelot members! Want to know more? Learn more abou t From Crew To Captain: Commander Of The Fleet here . Written by Chloe Allison chloecopywriting@gmail.com

As promised, here is a summary of the answers to Camelot questions shared by our speaker, James Potter (aka The Linked In Man) at our recent workshop. James promised to send over some further information/resources that we may find useful. He offers open training courses - there is a discount for anyone from Camelot valid until 14th December 2023. Go here for further information and quote CAM10 on checkout. Enjoy!