YEARS, BASED IN Rosedale.

Business Consultant

To Think Differently, first we need to Think

In this world of technological progress things change faster than we can keep track of and there are an ever-increasing amount of competitors for our attention. Unfortunately, these factors have caused our collective cognitive abilities to be undermined, challenged by incessant electronic activity of all kinds.

When you look for a Business Consultant, you want one who is cognisant of this modern world, as well as the trials & tribulations that it brings to both business in a general sense, and your company specifically.

What is Management Consulting?

Do you smell the flowers? Do you even enjoy smelling the flowers? If not, do you have the opportunity to enjoy the next time you are not working? Why not?

Management consulting is all about helping businesses improve and optimise their performance. By finding solutions that make the most of what your company can offer, you can spend less time stressing and more time enjoying the leaps and bounds your business is taking. At Think Differently, we believe in stopping to smell the flowers and reflecting on success and achievement.

What to look for

The internet is full of consultants, coaches, advisors and mentors, all of whom constantly advertise their dubious wares to an already overwhelmed market. We understand that not everyone is genuine. We know there are some gung-ho operators out there in the field that have neither the experience nor the necessary management and leadership background reinforced with chunks of academic rigour. But how do you tell the difference?

Download our free eBook on “Questions to ask before hiring a business consultant” for a toolkit to help you find the quality consultants you deserve. Client feedback is also a valuable resource; view our testimonials either here or in the book for confirmation of what you may already suspect. At Think Differently, we take our work seriously, and that results in immense success for our clients.

How we can help you

Are you happy with your revenue? Are you happy with your profits? Are your people performing to their potential every day? Are you happy with your strategy? Are you executing it relentlessly? Are you comfortable as a leader? Do you sleep well?

If your answer to all of those questions is yes, congratulations. You seem to have everything under control. If your answer to even one question is no, get in touch today and let the Think Differently team change those answers to a strong, resounding YES!

Teaching Business Strategy

Some of us may believe that business strategy is a talent unlockable by the gifted few and untransferable to the rest. That is a bald-faced lie.

Like an infant who does not yet know the rules of chess, yet is destined to become a future Grandmaster, you and the other potential strategists within your business can be schooled on effective techniques and strategies that will take you to the top of your chosen arena. Not only that but you will also be empowered to continue schooling yourselves, moving from strength to strength.

We’ve all heard the cliche regarding fish as a gift versus fishing as a skill. Well, at Think Differently, we don’t give gifts. We are here to teach you and your company how to fish.

Our Benefits

Why Choose Us?

Crafting Strategy

To craft an effective strategy, you will need to enhance your skills in the following:

Foresight – thinking ahead and planning for the future will always work in your favour
Analysis – always being able to understand why your business is at the stage it is now, and how to get it where you want it to be
Thinking outside the box

Every staff member of Think Differently enjoys copious amounts of these qualities and is ready to bring them to your business project.We will also help you find a structure that you can follow, outlined by a knowledgeable and experienced business consultant that ensures the discipline required to implement your strategy is consistent and successful. From optimising your revenue to your business succession planning, we have the skills to get you covered. At Think Differently, we provide you with that structure and discipline. With over 35 years of experience in crafting successful strategies, we can’t wait to help your business soar. Give us a call right now if you want to start your business journey.

Execution is the Key

At Think Differently, we believe in the idea that no matter how good your strategy is, if you don’t execute it effectively, it will be completely and utterly worthless. Successful strategy is 5% vision and 95% hard work. Think Differently will provide the discipline and rigour that is essential for successful execution.

Leadership Development

There is now no doubt in my mind or the minds of my team that the best way to positively affect business performance is to improve leadership effectiveness. Contact us now to begin your journey to be the most effective leader you can be.

Our Latest Blogs

A Message To Santa

So I thought it would be timely to give Santa some advice I know he avidly reads my posts as I am

Being More Strategic

What are we doing today This might seem a silly question But do you know everything that is

Teams Shouldn’t Agree

Full Alignment (we can only expect a measure of alignment - no more) In Sync (in other

Motivation at Work – an Update

Today I want to give you a number of recent articles and views on motivation at work - a topic that

Are You Really Busy? Read This!

So you can imagine my interest in an article titled "The Busier You Are, the More You Need Quiet

Easter Insights

The timing of Jesus's resurrection, though, is a complicated business Why is the date of Easter

Successful Leadership. What Really Works

In this months Harvard Business Review there is a great article on what sets successful leaders

Some Thoughts for 2017

I have just read a response to the French law, that came into force on 1st January, that gives

Leadership Lessons From Team New Zealand and The All Blacks

1 Expectation Our expectation of the All Blacks was totally different to our expectation of Team

7 Reasons Sales People Don’t Close The Deal

They are not trusted or respected Customers can think of a salesperson as someone who is trying

Things to consider

Outlined below are some of what any business owner should be considering when planning for the transformation of their business – this list is not extensive, but is a good start to get you thinking, so that when you come to us your thoughts are productive and clear. Therefore, some things you should keep in mind are –

Timeframe - when do you want your plan to be complete by, and when do you want it implemented
Keeping on top of your accounting - if your books are in order, it is far easier for us to know exactly where you are at, and this of course assists us in assisting you
Know inside and out the extent to which your assets and liabilities balance or outweigh each other - this will provide invaluable data with which to value your business, and give us a good starting point for strategy implementation

What our client says

We have been working with Phil since 2012. During this time we have grown from a staff of 10 to well over 30 and quadrupled our turnover. Working with Phil has enabled us to develop strategies and implement plans that we didn’t even know we needed before meeting him. At the beginning of our journey together we were not working on our business at all and, to be honest, we were floundering. Now our leadership is strong, our strategy is clear and we have exceeded most of the goals we have set for ourselves.

Clare McCall

J C McCall Plumbing Contractors Ltd

Phil Pickford has provided considerable support to our business since we began working together in 2008. Over the years he has counseled, advised, mentored and coached me (and my team) on a vast array of subjects! The focus of our meetings has always been on business strategy but he has provided enormous support in other areas as well (management, HR, new business, and organisational structure to name a few). Phil is always very prepared, the meetings are well structured, and his follow up is timely and concise.

Natasha Bourke

Managing Director Skin Health Experts (S.H.E)

We have been using Think Differently for over 2 years and have seen remarkable gains in our business, over 50% growth each year. We have consistently broken sales records and have become a leading force in our field. Phil is an outstanding mentor with an invaluable wealth of knowledge and I couldn’t recommend him enough.

Warwick Shearer

Director, The Maintenance Guys Ltd.

Our company executive have worked with Phil Pickford at Think Differently for over 10 years. Over time Phil has gained an intricate knowledge of the workings of our company and understands our thinking and our personnel. He then uses this knowledge, together with his own experience and wisdom to challenge the executive to set our own goals and business plans. He offers sound advice, and we have used him for guidance and direction when focusing on particular issues that we may be facing.

Tony Fairfield

Managing Director/Chairman,Youngman Richardson & Co. Ltd.

Phil created the defining moment for me when I was attempting to change the course of our company through a more strategic approach. His knowledge and experience in helping create the right strategy for the right time changed my perception of how we needed to move forward. Phil wasn’t about providing the strategic direction; he was about creating the right environment to enable my leadership team to evolve a strategy as a result of creative thinking, challenging the norm and asking the right questions.

Mike Wardlaw

Managing Director, Babcock (NZ) Ltd