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Simple,
smart,
scalable
business growth.

Simple,
smart,
scalable
business growth.

We work with established business owners to accelerate revenue growth and build value. 

Our approach has helped over 3,000 companies achieve average annual increases in revenue of 28.9% and profit of 32.4%.


Our clients rate us based on our impact at 97.4%, which we work hard to maintain since 70% of our fees link to revenue growth.


The Aurik difference

We don’t consult, advise or coach, we partner with you and work with your team, using smart tools and proven processes to build your business into your greatest wealth generating asset. Our partnership is unique & impactful for 6 key reasons:

ALIGNED
We are growth partners and link 70% of our fees to a client’s growth. Their growth is our growth!

VALUE
Beyond one or two experts, we bring 13 accredited growth system facilitators, each expert in their domain, offering “horses for courses.”

IMPACT
Because client growth is our growth and time is money, we get quick results by working with owners and their teams to implement and delegate fast.

TANGIBLE
Our smart digital dashboard visually represents a company’s growth system to optimize, integrate, and delegate functions, while data helps visualise business risk, performance, scale, and value.

COMPLETE
Our growth system works in two stages: generating reliable, consistent organic growth and then next-level growth to embed 5 levers of valuation to deepen profit and turn a business into an asset.

ECOSYSTEM
If a client’s growth needs support in funding, company sales or acquisitions, market access, international expansion, IP, and the like, we access a vetted collection of partners to make it happen.

ALIGNED

70% or more of our fees are linked to growth, we are invested in your success and will hold you accountable, it is not a “bill you then leave you” engagement.

VALUE

With Aurik you get access to up to 13 subject matter specialists who will work with you & your team across all your business functions.

IMPACT

We work with you AND your team to ensure their buy-in and easy delegation which flows from that. This ensures quick adoption, and fast results. 

TANGIBLE

Access to a smart dashboard visualises the evolution of your System of Delivery, which fosters team accountability and guides your goal attainment

COMPLETE

A single, simple, Asset of Value™ Growth System anchors the 5 levers of valuation, which ensure your business can, one day, be sold.

ECOSYSTEM

Aurik has both the internal competency and world-class partners to support your growth and/or exit ambitions through growth capital, M&A or transaction advice.


    Our Impact

    We’ve worked with

    3 059

    Businesses

    Clients achieved

    28.9%

    Average
    Annual Compound
    Revenue Growth

    Clients achieved

    32.4%

    Average
    EBITDA Growth

    We’ve worked on

    3

    Continents

    We work across

    32

    Industries

    We’ve scored

    97.4%

    Client Satisfaction


    Testimonials

    “When we joined Aurik we were making a loss, now we’re making profits! Things have changed so much since joining Aurik that it’s not the same business, there is a lot more structure, and even our customers can even tell that it’s being run differently. We are much more efficient, we can make quick decisions, and allow the team to resolve issues. There’s a lot less wasted time.” – Anton Die Makers

    “We came to Aurik with 9 staff. 2 years later we have 48 staff on book.” – African Shopping Network

    “The sessions were insightful and helped identify areas of weakness that we could turn into growth.” – Fastener Agencies


      Insights

      September 30, 2024
      Elite Business: Beefing up the meat in Britain’s sandwich economy

      In this article, originally featured in Elite Business: Think of the economy like a sandwich, with the mid-tier businesses making up the meaty centre.


      The highest nutritional value of a meat sandwich is the meat. Its high protein and minerals outweigh the high-carb content of its neighbours.

      Most economies are like meat sandwiches. The UK’s economy is a sizable one, with 5.59 million businesses employing 27 million people and generating a hefty £ 4.5 trillion annual revenue.

      The bottom slice of bread makes up the largest segment of business: the 5.3m sole proprietors and micro-enterprises who employ, on average, 1.6 people each. In effect, these businesses are self-created “jobs” for their owners. They also make up a significant voting population. Let’s make a tentative assumption that most of these entrepreneurs have a partner with everything to gain and lose from their economy. That means the voting power of this segment approaches a meaningful 10.6m ballot wins. Keeping them happy is a vital priority of any adept politician with eyes on Downing Street.

      The top side of the sandwich sees dramatically smaller 8,000-odd companies that carry significant punch in their employment and tax contributions. With their extensive boards, NEDs, advisors, investors, c-suite executives, and deep establishment, sometimes centuries old, they carry weight in the corridors of Whitehall and feed a thriving public relations and media industry. A ‘lobbying’ budget to access the biggest customer in the land is not uncommon, nor is the understanding that your government representative today will likely be your board member tomorrow as the revolving door of politics and business swivel on the axis of shared interest.

      The middle of this sandwich makes up the remaining 246,000 companies that carry the unfortunate moniker SME. Mostly privately held by growth-minded, self-funded entrepreneurs, they employ an average of 58.5 people. They don’t have the numbers to impact voting significantly, nor the budgets to invest in lobbying the government for access to opportunities or to influence policy. They also are considered by many to be “doing just fine”, implying that they are better off than the many who are not and, therefore, no resources or support should be directed their way. Yet society should pay closer attention to them.

      Building a business that matures from micro to established and growing requires a growth mindset. That mindset sees the business owner continuously investing their money and time, committing to the 50 to 80-hour week commonly needed to fill the multiple roles their business demands, making them some of the most committed investors in our country. Their limited access to funding also increases their investment horizon. Building a business into a wealth-generating asset typically requires a 20 to 30-year investment horizon. It takes time and money to anchor the business within its locations, communities, suppliers, customers and employees. SMEs also face high levels of competition, given the maturity of our economy and the vested interests in this segment. Competition drives innovation, which attracts talent and funding. Focusing on SMEs across the UK is vital to levelling up and creating a fairer, more inclusive economy, which is the cornerstone of sustaining a democracy.

      As an aside, my objection to SME as a descriptor of this segment is manifold. I’ve yet to meet a business owner who is joyously risking everything they have, griding out 80-hour weeks, contending with the relentless challenges posed by suppliers, customers, employees and increasingly government red tape with the intent of building a ‘small’ business. Reducing the dreams and ambitions of front-footed entrepreneurs is offensive and condescending. Governments and corporations that refer to this segment ought to think about changing their language to change their behaviour and find resonance and relevance to this segment, whether they be clients or a voting segment of society.

      Building, amplifying and accelerating the nutritional value of the meat in the sandwich to deliver these outcomes is critical to unlocking a thriving economy that puts Britain back in a leading position in the global economy. Let’s back these businesses with fervour and enlightened self-interest.

      September 3, 2024
      Elite Business: What does being a ‘leading business’ in your industry mean?

      In this article, originally featured in Elite Business: Like a health-check for humans, a business health check aligns you and your team to drive towards a common destination.


      Achieving industry leadership is not trivial in the business world. Yet, when asked about their future ambitions, many state they want to be ‘a leading business in the industry’ or ‘the industry leader in XYZ’. Given this propensity and to not trivialise this achievement, let’s dig into what it truly means to be a leader in your industry and outline practical steps to move from a vague vision statement to a measurable and achievable business objective.

      What does it mean to be a leading business?

      When pressed to explain what “leading” means, business owners often struggle to provide a clear definition. Without a precise and measurable definition of leadership, this goal can become an empty claim, communicating that your commitment to growth is thoughtless and relies on hope and prayer rather than a clearly defined intent and action plan.

      The importance of clarity

      A business must define leadership in its specific context to become a true industry leader. Is it about market share? If so, who constitutes the market? For example, if you manufacture luxury furniture, you need to break down what “luxury furniture” includes. Is it dining room tables, sofas, chairs, or lounges? Understanding your market and product specifics is crucial.

      Setting realistic and measurable goals

      Let’s say your focus is on luxury dining room tables. The first step is determining how many such tables are bought annually in your target market. If you identify that 500,000 dining room tables are sold each year in your defined geographic region, you then need to ascertain how many of these qualify as high-quality luxury items. Suppose 5,000 of these meet the high-quality standard. This gives you a tangible target to aim for.

      Understanding market share

      You must know your competitors and their market shares to claim industry leadership. If you have ten competitors and the market is evenly split, each would sell about 500 tables annually. If your goal is to be the leading supplier, you must sell more than 500 tables annually. By consistently increasing your sales figures—say from 500 to 600 to 1,000 to 1,500—you can objectively measure your progress towards market leadership.

      Enhancing business operations

      Achieving and maintaining a leading position requires continuous improvement in various aspects of your business. This includes enhancing your products’ quality, price, service, delivery, durability, and brand reputation. By systematically improving these areas, you can increase your market share and solidify your status as an industry leader.

      Claiming to be the leading business in your industry is more than just a statement—it requires a clear, measurable, and achievable plan. By defining what leadership means in your specific context, understanding your market, setting realistic goals, and continually improving your business operations, you can become a true leader in your industry.

      I give a quick overview of this idea in a 2m 23s video.

      July 30, 2024
      What does it mean to be a ‘leading business’ in your industry?

      In the world of small businesses, defining and achieving industry leadership can be a complex but rewarding goal. This article discusses what it truly means to be a leader in your industry and outlines practical steps to move from a vague vision statement to a measurable and achievable business objective.

      What Does It Mean to Be a Leading Business?

      Many companies state in their vision or mission that they aim to be the leading business in their industry. However, when pressed to explain what “leading” actually means, business owners often struggle to provide a clear definition. Without a precise and measurable definition of leadership, this goal can become an empty claim.

      The Importance of Clarity

      To become a true industry leader, a business must first define what leadership means in its specific context. Is it about market share? If so, who constitutes the market? For example, if you are in the business of manufacturing luxury furniture, you need to break down what “luxury furniture” includes. Is it dining room tables, sofas, chairs, or lounges? Understanding your market and product specifics is crucial.

      Setting Realistic and Measurable Goals

      Let’s say your focus is on luxury dining room tables. The first step is to determine how many such tables are bought annually in your target market. If you identify that 500,000 dining room tables are sold each year in your defined geographic region, you then need to ascertain how many of these qualify as high-quality luxury items. Suppose 5,000 of these meet the high-quality standard. This gives you a tangible target to aim for.

      Understanding Market Share

      To claim industry leadership, you must know your competitors and their market shares. If you have ten competitors and the market is evenly split, each would sell about 500 tables annually. If your goal is to be the leading supplier, you need to sell more than 500 tables per year. By consistently increasing your sales figures—say from 500 to 600 to 1,000 to 1,500—you can objectively measure your progress towards market leadership.

      Enhancing Business Operations

      Achieving and maintaining a leading position requires continuous improvement in various aspects of your business. This includes enhancing the quality, price, service, delivery, durability, and brand reputation of your products. By systematically improving these areas, you can increase your market share and solidify your status as an industry leader.

      Claiming to be the leading business in your industry is more than just a statement—it requires a clear, measurable, and achievable plan. By defining what leadership means in your specific context, understanding your market, setting realistic goals, and continually improving your business operations, you can move towards becoming a true leader in your industry.

      July 30, 2024
      Lessons from Boring Businesses

      “Boring businesses” often go unnoticed but hold valuable lessons in sustainability and success. Despite their lack of media attention and glamour, these businesses demonstrate critical principles that can benefit any industry.

      Understanding Boring Businesses

      Boring businesses are rarely in the spotlight. Examples include recycling operations or foam fabrication. Foam fabrication, for instance, involves purchasing large bales of foam, cutting and shaping them, and then supplying them to furniture and mattress manufacturers. While these industries may lack excitement, they are essential and well-established, often attracting little new investment or media coverage.

      Key Lessons in Longevity

      The primary advantage of boring businesses lies in their maturity and stability. These industries are typically entrenched with established suppliers and customers, creating a steady, if unremarkable, ecosystem. For instance, the foam fabrication industry relies on a few large suppliers, leaving little room for new entrants. Similarly, customers in these industries treat the products as commodities, focusing on price and convenience.

      The Competitive Edge

      In such markets, the key to success lies in efficiency and reliability. Using the foam fabricator example, companies that excelled were those that could deliver quickly and reliably. Initially, the ability to fabricate and deliver foam within a six-hour window was a significant competitive edge. However, as this became standard, the focus shifted to cost control and efficiency.

      Embracing Innovation in Boring Industries

      Despite their mundane nature, boring businesses present unique opportunities for innovation. While these businesses might be reluctant to invest in modernization, those that do can significantly distinguish themselves. By introducing efficient processes and modernizing their operations, these businesses can attract new talent and investment.

      Take Away

      Boring businesses, though often overlooked, provide critical insights into business longevity and success. They thrive on stability, efficiency, and cost control. For entrepreneurs, the key takeaway is that success doesn’t always come from exciting industries. Sometimes, the greatest opportunities lie in the most mundane sectors. By focusing on efficiency and embracing innovation, even the dullest business can become a beacon of success.

      July 26, 2024
      Elite Business: Lead in uncertainty by setting and selling your business destination!

      In this article, originally featured in Elite Business: Like a health-check for humans, a business health check aligns you and your team to drive towards a common destination.


      In the face of uncertainty, the key to maintaining sanity and effectiveness as well as securing a meaningful return on your time and attention is to anchor on something within your control; that is measurable, and communicable. But what should this anchor be?

      As a business owner and leader, you are a servant to your business. Serving it means catering to what it needs to thrive. Consider this: when you go for a medical check-up, after a few prods, plugs, needles, and readings, a physician qualifies you as healthy. A health check-up assesses overall health, identifies potential issues early, and allows for discussion of health concerns with a doctor.

      This comprehensive assessment includes a review of personal and family medical history, lifestyle, and symptoms to identify risk factors; a physical examination checking vital signs and various body parts; blood tests to measure important biomarkers; recommended screening tests based on age, sex, and risk factors; and imaging tests if needed. The check-up concludes with lifestyle and wellness counselling on diet, exercise, and other health factors.

      To conduct a health check on your business, you need an ideal “state of health” measure – something simple, accessible, and clean that considers the holistic well-being of the business. For instance, having a good heart rate but a poor liver does not equate to good health.

      Company valuation is a comprehensive health check for your business. It considers the business and its context and is driven by five primary levers:

      Positioning

      What makes your business stand out in a competitive, noisy industry?

      System of delivery 

      How do you find new customers, engage them, onboard them, fulfil your promises, and retain them using business systems, processes, and activities?

      Purposeful team

      How do you get the right people to do the right thing at the right time?

      Growth 

      How do you grow revenue, profit, and profitability?

      Value

      How do you navigate your business and direct your team toward a clearly defined destination using your positioning as a blueprint to design and institute your system of delivery to guide and empower your team’s performance that generates growth?

      These levers span your entire business and industry. They are all equally measurable, making your company valuation the most comprehensive yet straightforward health indicator.

      How you communicate this idea to your team is crucial. Revenues are driven by the quantity and value of products and services you sell and deliver. Connecting the quantity of products or services to your company valuation offers a more accessible and inclusive understanding of your company’s health check. Instead of using a £50 million company valuation as a destination, use the language of the business that everyone understands – make 500 cars, deliver 150 projects, or sell 3,000 subscriptions in the year of measure.

      This inclusive language gets everyone on board and helps them understand where you are heading. Next, confirm why it matters. If your business purpose is well-defined and your business’s impact on the lives of customers, suppliers, the environment, and society is clear, doing more becomes almost a responsibility.

      Finally, relate it to “what’s in it for me” for your team. A growing business secures work, employment, and advancement for those willing to earn it. Everybody wins.

      Be bold. Be brave. Pick a sizeable number. Set a timeline. Lead.

      July 25, 2024
      Growth is not a straight line.

      When starting a business, many people envision a smooth, uninterrupted path to success. The expectation is often that after acquiring a few customers, the company will naturally grow, eventually reaching the heights of financial success and market dominance. However, this idealized view of growth doesn’t match the reality for most businesses.

      The Misconception of Linear Growth

      Business growth is often portrayed as a simple, linear process in presentations and business plans. These charts typically show a smooth, rising line, implying that growth is steady and predictable. However, this perception is fraught with problems:

      1. Unsustainable Growth: Rapid growth without proper planning can be unsustainable due to limited time and resources. Businesses can quickly become overwhelmed, leading to burnout and operational inefficiencies.
      2. Increased Complexity: As a business grows, the complexity of managing resources, coordinating activities, and ensuring smooth operations increases. This can lead to challenges in maintaining quality and consistency.
      3. Unprofitable Expansion: Constantly pushing for growth without considering profitability can result in a scenario where the business is always “burning to earn.” This approach can lead to financial instability and, in extreme cases, bankruptcy.

      Sustainable Growth: A Structured Approach

      Sustainable growth requires careful planning, adequate resourcing, and consistent measurement. Here are some key strategies for achieving this:

      1. Grow in Steps: Just like a staircase, business growth should involve periods of consolidation (the tread) followed by periods of expansion (the rise). This allows for the business to strengthen its foundation before taking on more significant challenges.
      2. Grow Like a Body: Think of business growth as similar to physical growth. There are periods where energy is focused on increasing height (revenue and customer base), followed by periods where energy is directed into strengthening the structure (operations, systems, and processes). This cycle repeats, ensuring that the business is not only growing but also becoming more robust and resilient.

      The Importance of a Strong Foundation

      One common mistake among business owners is to focus solely on scaling and revenue growth without first ensuring that the underlying foundation is solid. This foundation includes:

      • Processes and Systems: Developing efficient processes and systems that can handle increased workloads without compromising quality.
      • Resource Management: Ensuring that there are enough resources, including time, money, and personnel, to support growth.
      • Capacity Building: Building the capacity to handle growth, which includes both physical resources (like machinery and infrastructure) and human resources (training and developing employees).

      Measuring and Managing Capacity

      To manage growth effectively, it’s crucial to measure the capacity of your business accurately. This involves understanding the limits of your equipment, the capabilities of your team, and the overall operational capacity. For instance, if a machine can produce 10,000 units a day, pushing it beyond this limit without additional resources will lead to inefficiencies and potential breakdowns. Similarly, understanding the workload of your employees and ensuring they are not overburdened is essential to prevent burnout and turnover.

      Creating Systems for Independence

      For a business to thrive, especially as it scales, it must be able to operate independently of its owner. This means creating robust systems that can function effectively even when the owner is not present. Small business owners often focus on growth and revenue without developing these systems, leading to operational challenges and inefficiencies.

      Growing a business is more than just acquiring customers and increasing revenue. It involves building a strong foundation, planning for sustainable growth, and managing resources effectively. By understanding that growth is not a linear process and requires careful planning and measurement, business owners can avoid common pitfalls and build a business that is both profitable and resilient.
      https://omny.fm/shows/the-money-show/small-business-focus-growth-is-not-a-straight-line

      July 3, 2024
      Understanding your business purpose and why it matters

      In today’s rapidly changing business environment, understanding your business purpose is crucial. Many businesses fail not due to lack of effort, but because they lose sight of why they exist. Here’s why having a clear purpose is essential and how it can drive your business towards sustainable success.

      The Importance of Business Purpose

      A clear business purpose is vital for making informed decisions and leading effectively. In an increasingly complex world, having a defined purpose helps in navigating the numerous variables that affect business choices. Research suggests that the human brain can effectively manage about five variables at a time, which underscores the need for clarity in decision-making. Knowing your business’s purpose simplifies this process by providing a single, consistent reference point.

      Consequences of Losing Focus

      Many business owners lose focus and fail to maintain the passion that initially drove them. This often leads to stagnation and declining motivation. A business solely driven by profit will eventually hit a plateau, leading to questions about its future direction. Without a compelling purpose, it’s easy to become cynical, negative, and lose control over the business’s trajectory.

      The Cycle of Needs and Wants

      In the early stages of a business, the drive to meet basic needs, such as generating cash flow, is a powerful motivator. As the business grows and these needs are met, attention shifts to fulfilling personal wants. However, once both needs and wants are satisfied, a lack of purpose can lead to a decline in business value and a loss of inspiration among team members.

      Defining and Reinventing Your Purpose

      To avoid this decline, it’s essential to define and continuously revisit your business purpose. Some frameworks, like the B Corporation model, suggest balancing profit with serving the planet and people. However, a simpler approach involves identifying the specific problems your business solves for its customers.

      Practical Steps to Define Your Purpose

      1. Identify Your Customers: Understand who your customers are and avoid trying to be everything to everyone.
      2. Define the Problem You Solve: Clearly articulate the problem your products or services address for your target market.
      3. Connect to a Broader Impact: Show how solving this problem benefits society at large.

      For example, a company that manufactures thermal blankets for transporting pharmaceuticals can frame its purpose around saving lives and maintaining public health, rather than just producing a product.

      Maintaining Passion and Focus

      Business owners often start with passion and brilliant ideas but can lose motivation over time. To maintain focus, regularly revisit your purpose and ensure it still excites you. Aligning your business with a meaningful cause can reignite your passion and provide a strong foundation for sustained success.

      Understanding your business purpose is not just about staying motivated; it’s about creating a sustainable path for growth. By clearly defining the problems you solve and the value you provide, you can maintain focus and drive, ensuring your business remains relevant and impactful in the long run.


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