In the latest episode of the podcast Real Talk With Outperformers, Ian Markram, CEO of Loading Growth and a successful entrepreneur and business coach, shares his insights and experiences on building and selling his own IT services business. Lessons from his journey will be of great value to aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals in the professional services industry.
Ian shares key points of his background and his path of growing up in South Africa, moving to the UK, and starting a consulting career. He then migrated to Australia, where he began his own IT services consultancy firm that he eventually sold to a large Japanese company. The experience laid the foundation for his current coaching business.
Key Traits of a Successful Consultant:
- Cultural fit: Ability to work well with colleagues and clients, quickly understanding their strengths and weaknesses.
- Deep understanding of their field.
- Ability to communicate effectively with clients.
- Trust-building and educating clients about the value of their services.
Challenges in Scaling a Business:
- Finding the right team and delegating responsibilities.
- Transitioning from being the sole salesperson to scaling a team.
- Letting go and handing over responsibilities to others.
After his first business venture, Ian emphasized the importance of continuous learning and personal development. Many more valuable lessons and insights from Ian’s entrepreneurial journey are available to listeners, providing a deeper understanding of what’s needed for building and growing a successful business.