Andy Knowles, Assetiam Business Consultancy Services

Assetiam Business Consultancy Services Business Management Consultant
58 Vyner Street
Haxby Road
York
YO318HS
Seeking to support SMEs across York, Yorkshire with a typical turnover of £0.5m+ and circa 10-50 people looking to scale (organic or acquisitive),
Deputy Chairperson

Business Description

Andy’s Approach

I offer unique, tailored business support aligned to achieving Your goals. In order to do this, I have developed three core values which act as the foundation for creating a truly successful business, they are:

People

I define this as your employees, Customers, partners, clients supply chain and any other stakeholders.

Passion

Make all the ‘People’ passionate about You, Your business or organisation, why you exist and what you can deliver to them.

Profit

Really we mean sustainable profit, this is ultimately what every business owner, shareholder, stakeholders, and employee needs plus what the ‘right’ clients should want for your business.

My ethos is making sure the first two ‘Ps;’ People and Passion are well developed and aligned, as the third…’Profit,’ will then come a little easier as the result along with other biproducts of getting this equation right.

Profit is not a dirty word; we all need it in order to be sustainable and your customers need you to be sustainable, hence why it is one of my core values.

“I have always had a passion for ‘People,’ meeting, engaging with and helping them develop along with their business and organisation” Andy Knowles.

So how can I help your business?

Over the years I have worked within a wide variety of sectors and across a range of business sizes. I thoroughly enjoy the different business challenges they all bring, and I love the opportunity to get a glimpse into new industries.

Defining what help your business needs can sometimes be a challenge for any business owner, as an example these are just a few of the previous challenges we have supported clients with:  

  • Are you early on in your business journey and looking for some help with the basic business fundamentals?
  • Not sure on how to develop Your Forward Plan (Strategy)
  • You are looking for someone to challenge your plans and ideas, and give an outsider’s perspective to set you on a course for success?
  • Or you might be at a fork in the road or hit a glass ceiling, in need of some fresh thinking within your business to take things to the next level?
  • Does your business need to get in shape for growth or change? Have you landed a big contract but do not have a plan in place to manage it? Or are you looking towards an exit?
  • Do you need to access funding but do not know where to start?
  • Is your business at break point and you urgently need a critical review with some honest feedback?
  • Do you have ‘accidental’ Supervisors, Managers and/or Leaders who need some real development? Or other team members such as what we call ‘shining stars’
  • Are you not hitting Sales target? Pipeline not strong enough?
  • Is your marketing hitting the spot?
  • You are not winning bids & tenders and are not sure why? Or do you need someone with an external eye and interpretation to review and critique before submission?
  • Not sure what your customers think of your service?

Whatever the reason that has led you to this point, I would like to invite you to have an informal chat to see if we are a good fit for each other and see if I can help you define the tools that you need to succeed. Get in touch to see how I might be able to help lift the lid on your business potential.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is it worth getting a business consultant?

  • Do you have any of the challenges listed above?

If your answer is yes to any of the above a business consultant might be the answer for you. I have always had a passion for ‘People,’ meeting, engaging with, and helping them develop along with their business and their people.

Get in touch for an informal chat to see how I can help your business, I would love to meet you.

How will I know what business consultancy services I need?

At Assetiam we are passionate about giving honest, open feedback. Our first step before agreeing to work with or suggest any services to a client is to meet up and chew the fat, and discuss your business challenges and where you are trying to get to. It is especially important to me that it feels like a good business fit, and that we are like-minded business owners with shared values, it needs to be in order to get the best from your investment in working with me.

Once I understand what you are trying to achieve I will prepare and present a tailored solution that I feel will be an optimum fit for your business needs. Our approach is not to offer a ‘Bronze, Silver, Gold’ approach.

What services does Assetiam Business Consultancy offer?

In our opinion and experience there is not a one size fits all to business consultancy, so once I have established what it is you are trying to achieve I will present back a bespoke plan of action for you to consider. Here are a few examples of some of the services on offer:

  • Forward Journey (Strategy)
    • Strategic business planning
      • Working out Your Why
      • BHAG – Goal setting
      • Mission, Vision, Values
      • Business Planning
  • Progress and People
    • Business transformation
      • People strategy aligned to Your future growth
      • Coaching / Mentoring / Team building
      • Supervisor, Manager & Leadership Development
      • Succession planning 
      • Restructuring 
      • Integration post-acquisition 
  • Tactical development
    • Operational efficiency
    • Marketing Reviews
    • RADIO Logs - A Deep Dive into the balanced scorecard of Your Business - Workshop format 
      • What is Critical, Vital, and Important
  • Success
    • Work Winning
      • Sales coaching
      • Direct Business Development support
      • Bids & Tenders Support on winning and learning (including training workshop)
      • Customer Service Excellence

Many of the above services can be delivered in a single or series of tailored workshops to a group, or 1:1, more long term within your business, or simple day and hourly rate, it is really up to you, your desire to grow, Your needs and Your budget.

How can Assetiam Business Consultancy Services help my business succeed?

With over 35+ years, experience I have a rather good idea of what makes a business tick! My own journey of ‘tools to boardroom’ has given me the opportunity to learn on the job, failing fast, recovering quickly and always learning from my mistakes. I developed practical experience of ‘doing’ at several levels in business. When I finally hit the boardroom, I truly knew how every cog ticked within the business.

What types of business and industries does Assetiam Business Consultancy Services specialise in?

At Assetiam we are proud to work on a sector agnostic basis with businesses across a range of sectors across Yorkshire and the Humber. Take a closer look at our case studies on our website for a flavour of the types of business that we have worked with previously and importantly the outcomes and success achieved.

I have worked with small, micro businesses with a turnover up to £250,000 to larger, multinational businesses with £100 million + turnover as well as within the public sector.

I am keen to support businesses across Yorkshire so if you think we might be a good fit please get in touch and let’s see if we can help.

What is the typical duration and cost of a business consulting engagement with Assetiam?

This will depend on your business goals and the type of support that your business needs. Once we have established a bespoke business consultancy plan for you I can guide you on timings and budgets required.

How do I request a consultation with Assetiam Business Consultancy Services?

Schedule a face-to-face meeting! Give me a call or drop me a line to arrange an in person initial meeting, nothing beats a personal connection to ignite transformative ideas! 

The Vision for Assetiam

At Assetiam Business Consultancy Services, our vision is to be the catalyst for sustained success and growth within the vibrant York and Yorkshire business community. Over the next ten years, we aspire to forge enduring partnerships with local micro and SME businesses, becoming an integral part of their development journey.

We envision a legacy built on empowering businesses to reach new heights of excellence. By providing strategic guidance, tactical planning, and unwavering support, we aim to be the trusted ally that propels our clients toward long-term success. Our commitment is not just to consultancy; it is to the enduring prosperity of every business we touch. As we navigate the next decade, our goal is clear: to contribute significantly to the local business landscape, fostering a culture of innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth.

Assetiam Business Consultancy Services aims to be synonymous with the success stories that define York and Yorkshire, leaving an indelible mark on the business landscape and creating a legacy of shared achievement.

Accreditations & Qualifications

Where it all started...

Leaving Grammar School at 16, with an average set of O-Levels, I was a cheeky, bit of a jack the lad, with a passion for playing rugby, motorcycles, beer, and girls. I had no real clue about a career and then sadly my late teens were marred by the sudden death of my father, this did not help my career focus.

I tried various college courses, and local jobs before through a chance meeting I somehow fell into the dynamic world of ‘Intelligent Transport Systems’ (ITS), who even knew this ‘invisible sector existed?. Starting in 1986 in my first role as a cable puller/trainee signals installer at the side of the highway, I had found something I really enjoyed and very quickly I got the right attitude on, I was lucky having a great manager within the company (GEC Marconi) who recognised my potential. He provided the foundation for my future career, sending me on a range of internal technical and commercial courses. In the early 1990s I was asked to attend a ‘Supervisory Management Development programme’. It is fair to say that completing this learning really lit my flame for commercial and people management, and eventually into leadership, I learnt at every opportunity.

In the mid-late 1990s I left the sector and experienced five years working in both the Security and FM sectors in Regional Manager roles with P&L and Business Development responsibility, reflecting back I would say this is where the strategic side of Andy started, another invaluable learning phase in my career.

In 2001 I returned to the ITS sector, taking on a large P&L business covering the North and Scotland, 2005 promotion to a national role and in 2006 a UK & Ireland Director role (that was a learning curve! Circa 500 people/£50m P&L)). Later in 2010, I was proud to be selected by my company Imtech B.V as the UK delegate joining 19 others from across the globe for a global Senior Leadership Programme covering 18 months and traversing major cities across the EU and Scandinavia. This senior leader role with Imtech continued through until December 2014 when I decide to leave the industry for a second time, investing in and joining a rapid paced private equity backed security business as a UK Director, another key learning milestone for me.

Through my career to date, I have been a member of several industry-specific organisations and in the early 2000s I worked extensively with Transport for London and the Mayor (at that time was a certain Boris Johnson) on keeping London Streets moving. This culminated in one of the proudest moments of my career when in 2012 my London Highways Technology maintenance team were named as ‘Best Performing Contractor’ in our sector throughout the 2012 London Olympics – no mean feat and I was very proud of every one of them!

My ‘tools to boardroom’ experience has enabled me to learn on the job, failing fast and recovering quickly, always learning from my mistakes. I developed practical experience of ‘doing’ at several levels in the business. In 2006 when I finally hit the boardroom, I truly knew how every cog ticked within a business, and have never forgot where I started, now making me relatable to all levels in my client’s businesses.