by John F Kettley | Apr 14, 2026 | Construction Business UK
Every few months someone says the same thing: The construction sector is dying. It usually comes from frustration, not analysis. There’s no getting away from it, the market is difficult at the moment. Output has been uneven to say the least. Confidence still moves...
by John F Kettley | Apr 6, 2026 | Leadership, SMEs
Culture isn’t posters. It’s the founder’s behaviour under pressure. If you really want to see a company’s culture, ‘don’t’ read the values slide, instead, watch what happens when something goes wrong. Culture isn’t posters. It’s behaviour under pressure. It’s how the...
by John F Kettley | Mar 30, 2026 | SMEs
Debt should buy appreciation, never depreciation Debt isn’t good or bad. It’s a tool. Like any tool, it depends who’s holding it and why. My simplest rule is this: debt should buy appreciation, never depreciation. If you borrow to fund something that creates durable...
by John F Kettley | Mar 4, 2026 | Exit Strategy
OWNER DEPENDENCEY IS THE BIGGEST HIDDEN VALUE HAIRCUT If the business can’t run without the founder, it isn’t really a business in the eyes of a buyer. It’s a job, with payroll and liabilities attached. This is one of the biggest gaps between how owners see value and...
by John F Kettley | Mar 2, 2026 | SMEs
TURNOVER IS VANITY. PROFIT IS PROOF. Turnover is a loud number. It’s easy to celebrate, easy to post and easy to hide behind. Profit is quieter. Profit is where the truth lives. I see the same pattern in businesses that come across my desk. Revenue is growing,...
