About Sam Lindley
Hey, I am Sam, mother of 2 boys Ted, Finn and 2 bouncy cockapoos Buzz & Woody! My other child and passion is my business of 12 years, Cloud9 Business Coaching.
How it all started…
From a young age, my greatest goal was to work at Barclays Bank, no other financial institution would do it had to be Barclays! You could say I was a driven character even then, and there my career was born. As an Associate MD for a Mortgage Packaging company which spanned 10 years I worked by motivating business owners of small to medium sized business, here I developed a real understanding and love of small businesses and their challenge. So it seems obvious now as I sit in my office within my business coaching practice that this would be my destiny.
About Cloud9…
Cloud9 Business Coaching works with the owner of the business rather than the business itself, we believe that a motivated business can only grow as far as its owner’s knowledge and skills.
In the last 9 years of building our practice I am often asked the same questions:-
What Is The Magic Ingredient To A Successful Partnership?
Values, Roles, and Communication.
Like any relationship, business or personal, it will only thrive or and survive if your values are aligned.
By keeping your business motivated and having clear defined roles you create the perfect environment for a successful partnership, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and identifying these and playing to your strengths will help achieve your goals.
Regular structured communication, as well as honesty, transparency, and accountability, will ensure you build a solid partnership and will encourage a great culture within your business.
How Do You Achieve A Healthy Work/Life Balance?
It’s simple, it’s all about teamwork and support, I am incredibly lucky to have a great support network and the best family and friends which makes my working days so much easier, like any great team you need to identify the role you play to achieve the winning formula and stay in position.
Clarify what makes you happy and feel balanced, find your support network.
How Do You Motivate Yourself?
The answer is simple; I have a coach. I practice exactly what I preach to the best of my ability, I also surround myself with clever and curious people, have you heard the quote “if you are the cleverest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.”
I adopt this thinking all of the time, I highlight which books and authors are the best to read and learn from. The motivation for business owners varies from challenge to challenge and I plan continuous self-development a year in advance, in order to improve knowledge and understanding therefore increasing my skills and staying ahead.
What Is The Biggest Challenge Business Owner’s Face?
The Most common challenges I hear business owner’s face are one or more of the following three:-
1. Time
2. Team
3. Money
The truth is that we can all find more hours in the day, if we stay in position and hold ourselves accountable with discipline and focus, giving us time to improve our leadership skills which would improve your team’s performance and therefore increase sales and profits.
I would encourage any business owner at any level to read, The Seven Habits of High Effective People by Stephen Covey who details very well how we need to work on ourselves before we can lead others.
What Is Business Coaching?
The purpose of business coaching is to encourage, support, challenge, stretch and motivate business owners / leaders to be more successful.
In the same way, that world-class sports professionals have a coach to encourage, motivate and inspire them, the most successful business owners have a coach to push them, support them, help, advice and most importantly, be there for them, whenever they need someone to lean on.
A coach will help you to create strategies that get you where you want to be, push you when you need it, ask you the questions you would not ask yourself, and listen when you need time and space to hear yourself think.
If There Was One Top Tip You Would Give Business Owners What Would It Be?
Continuously learn and take action, ok that might be two but I make no apologies for that, there is no point having the best idea or product/service if you’re not going to take action and sell it!
Mix with like-minded people, successful people, accept that you do not know everything, partner with experts who can deliver and help you achieve your goals. Stay in position and get a coach!
Contact Sam Tel: 07793079767
APC Solutions Testimonial
APC Solutions Testimonial
“I think many small business owners find it difficult to have the focus on what really makes your business grow, I have found achieving sustainable growth is gained through having a laser like focus on what is really important. What I thought was important 5 years ago is not the same now. Working with Sam has made me realise for myself the difference it can make if you allow different points of view or perspectives into your decision making, without Sam I simply wouldn’t have a sounding board that I can trust 100%, Sam will occasionally hold up a mirror to the one person who is ultimately responsible and accountable for my business and while sometimes uncomfortable it makes a huge difference. Regular sessions with Sam have become an essential part of my development which in turn helps my company grow.”
R&D Consulting Ltd Testimonial
R&D Consulting Ltd Testimonial
“We have been working with Cloud 9 since 2013 and they have provided 1-1 coaching for our senior staff.
The knowledge and experience gained from this coaching has enabled us to keep focus on our business goals and to ensure we grow in such a way that all staff buy into our vision and values.
Since 2013 our turnover has doubled and is on track to double again in the next 2 years, which simple wouldn’t have been possible without the coaching and support offered by Cloud 9.
To anyone who is looking to build their business, or who has forgotten how great it can be to run your own company and is prepared to put the work in, I would highly recommend you speak to Cloud 9.”
Doree Wealth Management
Doree Wealth Management
“I first met with Sam with the aim to find all the answers I needed about running a business, to fast forward the process. She did help simplify some of those things with practical, day to day changes that made me more efficient.
Her real skill, I think, is allowing me to think and dream bigger, helping me to grow both personally and as a business. I always worked IN my business, I now work ON my business and there is a huge difference. My business has gone from strength to strength as a result.”
