Features of successful businesses
All successful businesses have, over the years, developed many outstanding advantages, such as:
- In-depth expertise;
- The right technologies, products, services;
- Understanding of the market;
- Customer loyalty;
- Staff skills and loyalty;
- Considerable installed base.
Do you need help with…?
- Identifying target markets, and product/service offerings for each;
- Helping take them through the TRL levels to proof, first commercial installation and roll-out;
- Supporting through the fund raising process;
- Refining strategies for the business, technologies, products / services, markets, IP;
- Validating, developing and problem solving technologies and services;
- Identifying appropriate markets and ways to address each;
- Extending the range / adapting the product or service to expand the market and win additional markets;
- Addressing issues such as approvals, accreditation, standards and IP before sufficient money is available to spare for fhem;
- Vetting investees (technologies, markets, business, IP) to increase investment success rates, then working with investees to increase returns;
- Operational efficiency, effectiveness, systems etc.
Does your business need to change?
There comes a time in the life of any business when substantial change is needed. Examples of triggers for such change include:
- The market wants new technologies or services;
- Competitors enter the field and take increasing market share (technology, service, price, leveraging from other business etc.);
- Your customer base consists of good, loyal customers: not winning enough new ones;
- Deterioration in performance, profitability etc.;
- Realisation that things will deteriorate shortly if things don’t change;
- Realisation of over-dependence on a few markets / customers / products / services, which leaves the business vulnerable to changes outside its control;
- Desire to expand.
Business Lift
Business Lift can help with this. With over 35 years’ experience catalysing and implementing change in manufacturing and service industries, we can support companies looking both internally and externally to transform their business.
Call for support and guidance.
© 2025-26 Mark Howitt
Endorsement
My advice and input has been endorsed resoundingly by my on-going client Pavilion, “for helping us taking it [the business] to the next level or even higher. You keep on surprising me pleasantly with your high-quality input on almost any subject that we discuss, whether it is our mission strategy, ethics, structure, organisation, marketing, public profile, geopolitics or the issues to be addressed in every country of operation. … [in] every field”, listing many different industries. And it goes on… The full letter is here. I have other endorsements, summarised in my LinkedIn profile.
AI’s Supporting Role in Strategy
When AI is seen by many as the silver bullet for most business challenges, and by others as the ultimate threat to jobs, security and so much else, it is worthwhile to reflect on its nature and best uses. Because it is likely to be neither of those extremes. In this article Mark Howitt reflects on the uses and limitations of AI in developing and implementing all kinds of strategies.
Founders Entrepreneurial Excellence Award
"The final score attained by Mark Howitt reflects exceptional performance and is an indicator of him achieving outstanding results across all evaluated areas. Mark Howitt’s contributions demonstrate a high level of expertise, strategic insight, and the ability to consistently achieve impactful outcomes. This score highlights Mark Howitt's capacity to make significant, lasting contributions and underscores his excellence within the field.".
