9 Questions to Success!
Your friendly and humorous guide to building a meaningful and relevant strategy for your business. In just 9 questions you can get clear on your business, your direction, how to get there and keep going!
How do you know if you are working on the right stuff?
If you are starting, building or running a business it can feel like you are going round in circles! You can find yourself flat-out busy, but how do you know you are busy doing the right things? How do you know if those things are taking you in the right direction? Do you even know what that direction is??
Even if you have a team, you can find yourself clashing on the tiniest of details or heading in different directions. At the same time, the whole world and its dog has an opinion on what you should be doing! Your social media floods with people peddling the secrets to make millions in a month. It makes you doubt yourself, and feel like you are missing out on a big secret.
There is no secret to success but a clear strategy will make a massive difference.
There is no secret formula to success. There is not even one shared view of what success means. Every business is different and every business owner is different.
So I can’t tell you what to want or what to do, but I do recommend you have a strategy. I don’t mean a dusty, dull set of complicated documents that you will never read again. Nor do I mean a spreadsheet that maps out your to-do list for the next 17 years. A strategy is just a set of meaningful choices about your intent, that you keep refreshed and top of mind. Make decisions on these big things, and the little choices every day will be so much easier. Everything you do will line up to what you want and you will be able to stop the things that don’t.
If you have a team, a clear strategy means you can all head in the same direction, rather than bash heads in opposing directions. Sweat the big stuff now, to avoid arguments on the little stuff later.
Make time to work ON your business rather than just IN your business
It’s hard to step away from the day-to-day running of your business to make time to THINK and work ON your business. Even if you are just starting out, you may be impatient to get going. But taking a little time now is worth it. Five years of hard graft is a long time to wait to find out you were going in the wrong direction!
But where do you start? Building a strategy can feel like a daunting task. There are thousands of books and strategy models out there. You can lose weeks of your life to filling in templates - but feel no more confident about the direction you are taking your business in. You are still wrestling priorities and/or colleagues!
What if, I just gave you some easy to understand questions? Questions to make you think?
Could you be nine questions away from success?
I’ve created a really practical and straightforward approach to help you build a meaningful strategy for your business.
I created the 9 Questions model over three years ago and have since tested it and refined it with over 100 businesses. I haven’t yet met a business that couldn’t use this approach. These questions will make you really think about the business you are building, where you want to take it and how you will get there. The choices aren't always easy to make, so I have put together an online strategy buddy that you can work through at your own pace. This buddy will cover everything from defining your customers through to working out your pricing.
What will I get at the end of this course?
If you answer every question I put to you, fully and honestly, you will leave this course with a super clear strategy for your business. You will define your business in the context of your environment, work out what you really want for it and how you will get there...and keep going!
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That strategy will be meaningful, relevant and specific to YOU and YOUR BUSINESS.
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It will challenge you to be honest with yourself as to what success means for you – not what you think it should mean.
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It will guide what you work on next Tuesday, what you will be working on next year. It will tell you what you can stop doing.
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It will be so clear that you will be able to share it easily with employees, investors or any other person with a vested interest in your business.
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It will be flexible and equip you to deal with surprises, challenges and opportunities.
What makes this course different?
This course is all about you and your business! The serious, business content is balanced with comedy and humour to make it come to life.
If you are looking for academic training and qualifications in business strategy, then this programme is not for you. There are some excellent courses online or in person from credible instutions. You can invest anything from £1500 to £15,000. You can study weekly over the course of a year or do an intensive course.
But if you don’t have that kind of money, or time, and you’d rather become an expert in your own business than an expert in strategy, this is for you.
I am here to help YOU achieve what YOU want. It’s all about YOU and YOUR business. You will build your strategy as we go through. There will be no sitting back and relaxing!
What we will cover
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Introduction
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Question 1: Who are you?
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Question 2: What do you want?
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Question 3: What's going on?
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Question 4: What is your breakthrough issue?
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Question 5: What do you need to do?
About this course
- £349.00
- 41 lessons
- 3.5 hours of video content
About me
Natasha Bye
I'm a strategist, communicator and comedian. The magic happens when I get to combine all three!
I am a scientist by background, with a PhD in Biology and Biochemistry. But I soon found out that talking about science was more interesting than doing it! I spent 20 years in senior roles in the healthcare, pharma and nutrition industry, prior to moving into consultancy. Since starting Strategy Doctor, I’ve had the pleasure of helping a broad spectrum of businesses from construction, IT and pharmaceuticals through to sausage makers, dog groomers and wool shops! I am a consultant and business advisor, trainer and conference host. I still keep a foot in the corporate world as the Non-Exec Chair of a Trade Association.
I believe in the power of comedy to make topics accessible. I teach improvised comedy and am a public speaker and occasional stand-up comedian.
Email
Reviews from Trust Pilot
Hear what people said about 9 Questions from prelaunch
Natasha's Nine
Natasha the Strategy Doctor is one of those rare people who expertly combine knowledge, humour and creative intelligence, alchemically transforming them into practical steps that have positive, real world impact. Her Nine Steps model brilliantly structures the often scattered thoughts and ideas of a founder into a coherent map that helps the innovator navigate the delicate early stages of their venture. Put simply: it's brilliant.
Brilliant and to the point questions to help formulate business strategy
Very interesting and meaty session from Natasha that has helped me to fine tune my thinking for the business I’m creating. Would be beneficial to anyone setting up a business or intending to take their game to the next level. Thank you Natasha!!
Engaging and thought provoking
Natasha delivered a short, focussed, fast paced and insightful session on developing your strategy. Down to earth language and delivery made this very engaging and the content really challenged my thinking. A great session to help build your strategy or to put your existing strategy to the test!
9 Questions to create a business strategy
Natasha Bye, Strategydoctor, provides a simple framework to help create your business strategy. I found its simplicity enabled focus on answering the questions asked and has sufficient flex to allow for adaption and re-focus. Not only did the webinar provide useful insights, it was also enjoyable, as Natasha keeps listeners engaged with her many anecdotes which are often funny too.
Really worthwhile whatever size your business is and whatever stage you are at
She has some great questions to help you get clearer on your business, explains it in a very accessible way and I particularly appreciated that she gives examples to illustrate what she is saying. If you have ever felt unclear about what to look at to create a good strategy or want to review what you have in place, Natasha is the go-to person.
A genuine joy to work with!
Natasha is a caring, genuine, smart cookie working to bring clarity and focus to the businesses she helps. She is not a peddler of magic recipes that will instantly bring you millions, but a direct, honest guide to help you move in a direction that will bring you closer to fulfilling your own ambitions. Fabulous!
Great webinar
Natasha has the talent and skill of distilling complex notions into simple, easy-to-remember content, while at the same time transmitting it in a highly engaging way.
The “9 Questions to Build Your Strategy” was a great webinar and I highly recommend it to whoever would like to re-think/re-set their strategy.
9 Questions to Build Your Strategy
This was an excellent session for busting through all the business jargon and building a step-by-step strategic plan, with thought-provoking questions, valuable tools and tangible examples. Natasha is energetic, engaging and entertaining in her presentation of the subject. The hour-long session is clear and easily understandable, yet the content is rich. I highly recommend The Strategy Doctor for inspiration and guidance on building your strategy.
Breath of fresh air
Natasha is a breath of fresh air in strategy. Her practical approach. Her practical jargon-free approach combines with a warm, easy-to-work with personality and a depth of experience to make her an ideal partner whatever your experience with strategy and size of business.
FAQ
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I’m serious about my business – if you are not using the right business language and making silly jokes, will I get a proper strategy at the end of this?
Yes you will get a strong strategy, a clear view of your intent in a way that is meaningful and actionable. All the key elements you need for a business strategy are in there, with examples and tips to help you. I use various tools from the business world but make them as clear and easy to follow as possible. Whilst I have tried to avoid jargon, I do reference it in case you want to present your strategy in that way. They key thing is that this is designed to make you think, rather than write things down to sound good. And yes, whilst I am a comedian, I am an experienced business professional. I have held commercial Director positions in the multinational corporate world and continue to act as a Non-Executive Chair. I act as a consultant and business advisor to a multitude of different companies from solo traders to big organisations. The occasional humour I throw into the course is to help bring topics to life, rather than for entertainment!
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If it’s just nine questions, why have I got to pay for a course with 41 lessons in it? Why can’t you just give me a free PDF of the questions?
At a glance, the 9 questions to success model is easy to understand. However answering those questions in a way that will give you a proper strategy takes some thinking. Each question has many components to it, and through this course I break down those elements for you in depth. I give you examples, common pitfalls and will challenge your thinking beyond your gut reaction. It is important that this works in a way that is really meaningful for you and your business.
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Who is this course for?
I have built this course, primarily for business owners of small to medium companies. That includes tiny one-person businesses through to those with their own board and employees. It will help you if you are just starting out, building a company from scratch or if you have an established business you’ve been running a long time. As a small business owner myself, I believe I have a lot of empathy for fellow business owners that means I can make the content more relatable. That said, much of the content is very relatable to larger, more complex businesses who would do well to step away from the corporate speak and go back to basics. There is even a bonus lesson in there on prioritisation. You can also find this course helpful if you are working in a much larger company or want to follow the programme through for a brand or product. From the original pilot programme 3 years ago, I have tested and refined the model on over 100 businesses, and haven’t yet met a business that it did not work for.
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What if I have questions or get stuck?
This is an evergreen course i.e. it is all pre-recorded and so you can watch it as many times as you want, whenever you want. You can go back and forth in anyway that helps you. However, if you get stuck you can email me or post any question. I will come back to you as soon as possible. If it’s easier, we can hop on a quick call.
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Can you work on my strategy with me?
No problem at all! It helps to talk it through with someone and get a fresh pair of eyes on your business. Once you have gone through the course lessons we can book some time together. I offer a starter package where I will review any prep work you have done, give you three hours of 1:1 online workshop time, and build two documents – your business profile on a page and your strategy on a page. This is normally £540 (£449+VAT) but for everyone who purchases the course, I will take off 20% - so £449 incl VAT. If you need more time after that or would like me to facilitate a workshop with you and your team in person, just let me know.
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Can I get my money back if I am not successful?
Your success matters to me, whatever it looks like. However, I would be an idiot to guarantee you success just from following an online course! Nobody can do that. Your success is in your hands and it won’t happen overnight. However, I am confident that if you answer the questions honestly and test yourself, you will be clearer on the direction to take your business in. If you are none the wiser after all 41 lessons, let me know what help you feel is missing and I will either give you your money back or jump on a meeting with you to fill in the gaps.