Do you gather loads of ideas to help your business grow... but not quite get round to applying them?
I recently spent two days in Birmingham at The Implementor, a hands-on event organised by Entrepreneurs Circle and designed around a simple idea: stop collecting information and start implementing it.
As business owners, we’re all guilty of it. We buy books, attend webinars, listen to podcasts, watch YouTube videos and fill notebooks with ideas. We leave feeling inspired, motivated and ready to take on the world.
Then real life gets in the way.
The emails arrive. Clients need attention. Deadlines loom. The phone rings. Before you know it, another great idea has been added to a growing pile of things you'll get round to "one day". The Implementor turns that idea on its head. Rather than spending two days being talked at, hundreds of business owners gathered together with one objective: to work on their businesses and actually get things done.
A Room Full Of Experts
One of the things I particularly enjoyed was the Expert Roundtable format. Around the room were specialists covering everything from AI and automation to sales, marketing, websites, customer journeys, Google Business Profiles, business strategy and much more. Whenever you hit a sticking point, needed a second opinion or wanted to explore a new idea, there was an EC expert available who had already solved that problem many times before for EC clients.
Working ON The Business
One of the biggest lessons I've learned through Entrepreneurs Circle over the years is the difference between working IN your business and working ON your business. Most small business owners spend their days delivering the work, solving problems and keeping everything moving. Necessary? Absolutely. But growth rarely happens there. Growth happens when you step back, review what's working, improve systems, strengthen your marketing, refine your customer journey and make better strategic decisions.
That's exactly what these two days created space for. No distractions. No interruptions. Just focused time with like-minded business owners who all want to move their businesses forward. It's amazing how much progress can be made when you give yourself permission to stop firefighting for a couple of days.
The Value Of Being Around The Right People
The content is always useful. The ideas are always valuable. But if I'm honest, one of the biggest reasons I keep attending events like this is the people. Entrepreneurship can sometimes feel quite lonely. Most of your friends and family don't face the same challenges, pressures or decisions that come with running a business. At events like this, you're surrounded by people who get it. People who understand the highs, the lows, the frustrations and the excitement. The conversations over coffee, lunch and between sessions often prove just as valuable as anything written on a flipchart. You leave not only with new ideas, but with fresh energy and renewed confidence.
So What's The Takeaway?
For me, the biggest reminder was a simple one. Most businesses don't have an information problem. They have an implementation problem. The answer to moving forward is rarely another book, another course or another podcast. It's taking action on what you already know.
And if you're looking for a supportive community of ambitious business owners who genuinely want to help each other grow, Entrepreneurs Circle is well worth exploring. I've been involved with EC for many years now, both as a member and as Co-Ambassador of the Portsmouth Local Meeting, and it continues to be one of the best investments I've made in my business.
If you'd like to know more about Entrepreneurs Circle, the local meetings, or whether it might be a good fit for your business, feel free to get in touch. I'd be happy to share my experiences and point you in the right direction.
