Business Adviser

Jon Corns

Address IconNorthamptonshire

Phone Icon07568 978021

Jonathan supports the business community in the East Midlands and Bedfordshire. Having grown up in Northamptonshire he moved away to study his degree in Engineering, before his career brought him back to the region in 2001 with his own family. With over 20 years’ experience working for large international corporates Jon is passionate about helping local manufacturing and wholesale businesses thrive. Jon is a skilled trouble-shooter and business turnaround specialist, who helps medium sized businesses with a turnover of £5m and 20+ employees achieve step change in performance.

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How Jon can help you

Jon is able to transfer the systems and processes of global market leaders into appropriate tools and techniques for local business owners without any of that corporate jargon. Jon is a great facilitator and uses a pragmatic approach to help:

  • Create a winning strategy to achieve your visions and aspirations

  • Translate strategy into actions

  • Realise your growth objectives

  • Turn your business around

  • Address structural and people challenges

  • Maximise the value of your business

  • Develop a succession plan and exit strategy

  • Sell your business

About

About Jon

From Professional Golf Coach, through B2B sales, into sales leadership, commercial leadership, business unit leadership and Managing Director roles, Jon has sat on global leadership teams for British, American and Danish organisations.

He has a wealth of knowledge and understands how and when to apply the rights tools and techniques based on a business’s maturity.

Jon has worked across multiple sectors including but not limited to; automotive, fluid power, industrial automation, process packaging & machinery equipment, catering equipment, industrial machinery, industrial components and commodity, semiconductor, electronics, oil, gas & petrochemical, playground equipment.

Examples of his work include helping a client losing £100k per month return to profit, building capital and liquidity back into a business suffering from poor cashflow and heading towards insolvency, helping a business achieve 26% growth with 426% increased profitability from the previous year.

Visit Jon’s LinkedIn profile for more details.

To find out more about how we work with our clients, visit our library of case studies.

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What our clients say

Testimonials

'Jon is very knowledgable, and has a great variety of tools and techniques to help uncover inneficiences and issues that are holding a business back. A great person to have on your management team, doing great things to break through glass ceilings and uncover what real opportunities and growth can be achieved. Enjoyed working with him for over a year, go for it - you won't regret it.'

Russell Pollard, iVo Group

'I want to express my thanks for your invaluable support during our business turnaround. Your efforts were highly acknowledged in today's Board Meeting, creating a positive and upbeat atmosphere. We covered a lot of detail, and its great witness the emergence of some impressive numbers. Many thanks for contributing to our success!'

Chairman on behalf of the Board of Directors, RS Machinery Group Ltd

'We would like to thank you for all the work you have done. Your dedicated efforts have played a pivotal role in facilitating remarkable successes for our clients' businesses. Thank you for your outstanding work and commitment, your expertise has truly made a significant impact.'

Tim Lynes, UBT

'Jon played a key role in helping us build our business. Not only did he guide us from a strategy perspective to develop an effective and measurable business plan, he also helped us navigate many business challenges. These included cashflow management, forecasting, delivery of project work, as well as the creation of a franchise model and supporting materials. As a result we achieved 15% sales growth, margin improvement to 46% and a 15% operating profit.'

Jeff Stocking, Founder, Playground Projects

‘Ridiculously knowledgeable and talented’ is the phrase that comes to mind when I think about Jon. I had the pleasure of working with Jon for several years. His ability to shift businesses from rags to profitability is what separates Jon from most individuals and truly makes him an asset to any company. I highly recommend him if you are wanting to take your business to the next level.’

Eros Vellucci, Founder, Marketing Media Plus

Articles

Latest Insights

30 Dec, 2024

Is Your Mindset Holding Back Business Growth?

By Jon Corns

Is your business stuck in neutral, with low profits and stagnant growth? Have you pinpointed the cause? It’s easy to blame external factors like the economy, market conditions, or underperforming staff. But what if the real barrier to growth is closer to home – your mindset?  As an experienced business adviser, I’ve worked with countless […]

25 Apr, 2024

The Value of Long-Term Partnerships 

By Jon Corns

Lately, I’ve been taking some time to reflect on the incredible journey I’ve had working alongside numerous businesses. My career as a business consultant has been a rollercoaster of challenges and triumphs, and I’ve learned so much along the way. It’s been immensely rewarding to witness businesses find their footing again and embark on a journey towards stability and success.

10 Apr, 2024

Secrets to Navigating Business Integration 

By Jon Corns

As someone who specialises in supporting businesses in the manufacturing industry, I’ve had the privilege of guiding numerous owners and leadership teams through the complex process of acquiring and integrating new businesses. Here, I’ll share insights into the planning and execution process for successful business integrations, covering key aspects that need consideration from the outset if you are going to get it right.

28 Mar, 2024

Methods for Effectively Navigating Leadership  

By Jon Corns

Having worked extensively as a business consultant within SME businesses, I’ve experienced the transformative power of leadership in building trust, motivation and sustainable growth.

28 Feb, 2024

Two SME Strategies for Navigating Recession 

By Jon Corns

As a business consultant who has had the privilege of closely collaborating with many SME owners over the years, I understand the concerns and challenges that come with navigating a recession. With the recent confirmation of an economic downturn, albeit a relatively modest one, it’s crucial for business owners to proactively address the implications and adapt their strategies accordingly. The pressing question to ask yourself is: How will I navigate this economic slowdown?

29 Jan, 2024

Why Board Meetings are Important

By Jon Corns

As a forward-thinking entrepreneur dedicated to the success of my own business and those of my clients’, I strongly emphasise the crucial role board meetings play in shaping the direction and success of a company. In this article, I discuss why board meetings are indispensable for company growth, covering various factors including the significance of setting the tone, encouraging collaborative dialogue, reviewing performance metrics, allocating resources, identifying emerging trends and engaging external perspectives. Have a read as you may find a few nuggets of advice that can really help boost growth within your company.

9 Jan, 2024

Are You Playing at Business or Running a Business?  

By Jon Corns

As a business consultant working predominantly with small and medium-sized businesses, I’ve encountered a recurring theme that can either catapult a business to success or keep it stagnant – the fine line between “playing at business” and actually “running a business” with purpose and strategy.

2 Jan, 2024

Safeguarding Your Brand Reputation  

By Jon Corns

As a business consultant with a passion for guiding SMEs towards success, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of a strong brand reputation. The way your brand is perceived can make or break your success. Yet many business owners still underestimate the impact that internal processes, staff interactions and other business elements can have on shaping this reputation. Let me give you an example of what I mean… 

25 Oct, 2023

A Guide to Optimising Workflow Processes

By Jon Corns

The journey of growth in a business is both exhilarating and challenging. In the pursuit of success, optimising workflow processes becomes paramount to enhance efficiency and ultimately boost profitability. To help you understand exactly what this means and what’s involved, I will be exploring key areas where businesses can streamline their workflow processes and the significance of process mapping as a powerful tool for understanding and improving operations – something I regularly work on with my clients.

5 Jul, 2023

The Power of Goal Setting

By Jon Corns

Goal setting, is it one of your top priorities? If not, it should be as it’s a vital component to running a successful SME business. By setting clear and achievable goals, it allows you to effectively navigate the dynamic and competitive landscape, maximising your growth opportunities, and ensuring long-term success. Let me explain….

5 Jun, 2023

Contingency Planning: A Vital Tool for Addressing Supply Chain Disruptions

By Jon Corns

If you are a business owner, I’m sure you are only too aware of the significant impact supply chain disruptions can have on the operations and profitability of your business. Whether it’s a natural disaster, geopolitical tensions, or unforeseen market fluctuations, disruptions can lead to delays, increased costs, and customer dissatisfaction.

25 Nov, 2022

Managing your business through inflationary times

By Jon Corns

As a business owner you will be only too aware of the level of inflation we are currently all experiencing. So, with this in mind, I thought it would be helpful to provide some useful pointers to help you manage your business through inflationary times. Here are 7 key areas you should focus on:

21 Apr, 2022

Why Accountability Matters

By Jon Corns

The benefits of working with a Business Adviser or Coach are varied and very personal to each business and its leadership. It can be to fill a knowledge gap, to help with a skills gap, to bounce ideas and decision making off, to provide strategic input or to be a confident for example. But there is one crucial thing they do bring, accountability!

25 Oct, 2021

5 common business problems – Employee Engagement

By Jon Corns

Is employee engagement a concern for your business? In part 3 of this unique series of articles addressing 5 common problems SMEs face, Jon Corns takes a closer look at the people dimension, focusing on key ingredients for business success, warning signs and remedies.

22 Sep, 2021

The 5 common business problems – Sales

By Jon Corns

Would you like to gain more sales for your business? In part 2 of this unique series of articles addressing 5 common business problems SMEs face, Jon Corns walks you through a 6-step framework that could help.

3 Aug, 2021

The 5 common business problems – Growing and scaling a business

By Jon Corns

Are you a business owner looking to grow and scale your business? If so, this article which is part 1 in a series of 5, explores the ins and outs of exactly what growing and scaling a business means. Have a read.

15 Mar, 2021

Ready for a new supply chain opportunity?

By Jon Corns

With the pandemic and Brexit impacting our supply chains, here we take a closer look and what it means for businesses in general and why it brings a unique opportunity for SMEs.

24 Feb, 2021

Succession Planning!

By Jon Corns

What does succession planning mean to you? Unsure? This blog takes a closer from a small business owners’ perspective, explaining why it’s never too early to start planning. It also includes a process and key questions to help guide your thinking.

16 Feb, 2021

What business growth strategy to employ?

By Jon Corns

As we wait for lockdown to end, are you planning ahead to ensure successful business growth strategy? If not, maybe it’s worth identifying NOW which slice of the pie you’re going to focus on so you stay ahead of the game. Here’s how.

14 Jan, 2021

How ready are you for recovery?

By Jon Corns

As we enter a third lockdown, how are you going to ensure your business is ready when restrictions are lifted again? Here are 5 obstacles to watch out for that will help you stay ahead of the game.

4 Jan, 2021

Practice with Purpose

By Jon Corns

Do you know what your business purpose is? A well-defined, communicated purpose ensures people gravitate towards you. You’ll gain an engaged workforce with shared values and loyal customers. Here’s why…

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Clients

Success Stories

How we've helped our clients over the years

Whilst maintaining steady growth, the business owners successful achieved a smooth generational transition and company buy-out.

Steering them calmly through every aspect of the business sale, the company directors achieved what they wanted and so did their buyers – everyone ended up happy.

Through seeking external help, this company doubled the size of the company portfolio to expand into new markets and build a wider client base.

By embracing CMC’s advice, PI-KEM, who supply equipment for scientific research, had the confidence and direction to double the size of their sales and marketing team, resulting in fast growth.

After winning a large contract, this digital marketing agency needed to scale fast. Enlisting the help of their local business adviser, a recruitment plan was created and the team grew fourfold.

To achieve a successful business succession, this IT services company worked with CMC to develop a management structure and growth plan which truly delivered.

“My local business adviser is an invaluable member of our team. Going that extra mile, he is by far a trusted confidant who supports me and my business to help achieve my goals.” CEO, You HR Consultancy

Within 18 months, this IT solutions provider experienced a substantial increase in profitability and is now destined on a path of rapid growth.

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