Author: EDsamuel

Many businesses have been deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic over the past 18 months. Samuel Kahn, from Manchester, has experienced first-hand the impact that has occurred within many businesses. Some have been affected by extended lockdowns and having to move their whole office to remote working, some have had to pivot their business in a whole new direction, and others have had to close down their business completely. 

Samuel Kahn has been one of the lucky ones to have only had a minimum impact and has been able to continue to operate remotely with his team. Many industries have been greatly affected but Mr Kahn is grateful that his industry, regulated claims management, has been able to continue operating and being able to support his clients. This is also with thanks to many of the regulating bodies he works with. 

Unfortunately, others have not been as lucky. Sam Kahn has personally seen many businesses having to close down as their industry was considered a non-essential service therefore their cash flow reduced significantly or ceased altogether. 

Other businesses had to lay off a large amount of their staff which resulted in a higher workload for those that remained or had to completely pivot their business strategy, product or direction in order to stay afloat and generate income.

Sam Kahn believes that now is the most important time to ensure that all businesses have an online presence through digital marketing, in order to be prepared and ahead of the game.

Samuel Kahn, Manchester Businessman’s Parting Words On Thriving Through The Pandemic

The Covid-19 crisis not only threw the public health system into chaos but also impacted so many businesses and lives across the world. The world has experienced a digital revolution which came about as one of the many impacts of Covid-19. The focus and shift to digital means and platforms have been objectively good for many businesses globally. Samuel Kahn understands the importance of being adaptable and making the necessary changes within your business, especially if it’s been affected by Covid-19.

Being open to change and increasing flexibility within businesses is the best chance a business has to thrive through the pandemic. This shows the ability to adapt in unprecedented times. Just like many companies across the world Covid-19 has affected Sam Kahn’s but he has used all the avenues available to him so that the virus has had a minimal impact. 

Managing your finances in a small business is key to ensuring you have adequate cash flow throughout the business and can afford to invest and pay yourself and your staff, says Samuel Nathan Kahn. The most important step for any business owner is to educate themselves and ensure you have the right support to stay on top of your expenses and cash flow. 

Samuel Nathan Kahn shares his top tips for managing your finances in business:

Manage your accounting

In the beginning, it may seem like a cheaper and more viable option to manage your own business finances and accounting, and it will save you time and money in the short term. But one of the best investments you can make initially is ensuring your accounting and bookkeeping is set up properly as it will save you a lot of stress when it comes to the end of the financial year. It will also make it a lot easier for you when it comes to managing cash flow, expenses and financial goalsetting. 

Review expenses regularly

Having your accounting set up properly from the beginning will also help you to see where your money is going and allow you to revise your spending habits regularly. By reviewing your expenses regularly you are also allowing your business additional opportunities for growth or investment in other areas, as existing expenses may not be relevant as you go along. 

Invest in growth

It’s important to set aside money and look into growth opportunities. This sets your business up to thrive and move into a healthy financial direction. If your business values innovation and growth, then seeking out new training or opportunities for expansion is vital for you and your business. 

Pay yourself

When running a small business, it can be easy to try and put everything that you earn into the day-to-day operations. But it is important to not overlook your own role in the company and ensure that you are being compensated accordingly. This is an important element to address with your accountant in your cash flow strategy. 

Review financial goals 

Ensure that you and your team are always working towards a goal or target. Be clear about what your short-term and long-term business visions are, and ensure you are checking in to see how you are tracking towards them every now and then. Re-examining where you are desiring to go also allows you to identify key priorities and obstacles that you may come up against. 

Understand your cash flow cycles

By being on top of your businesses cash flow and ensuring you have a proper strategy implemented, you can measure the effectiveness of your management as well as the overall health of your business. Having a simple strategy allows you to know where your money is being spent and where you have extra capital to invest in while ensuring you’re staying on top of expenses. 

For more business tips and advice, please visit Sam Kahn’s Website.

Motivation is the force behind what drives us to achieve our goals. In order to be successful in all aspects of life, it is important that we are motivated to do what we need to do. However, there are many factors that can disrupt the way in which we are motivated, says Sam Kahn. 

What is Success?

Success is different for everyone. Success is different for every day, and even every hour! There are no universal rules to know what success means to everyone else because there are so many factors that go into it – like personal goals, hobbies, lifestyle, values. But ultimately, success is the accomplishment of an aim or a purpose. 

Why you Do what you Do

The most important part is to define what this means to you, and find what motivates you to continue to work towards this. Your why is what will allow you to continue moving towards your goal, regardless of whatever challenges come your way.  

In order to define success for yourself, you will have to identify your purpose and focus on achieving that purpose for a long time. You will have to set your goals and work towards them with the understanding that you may never reach them, but it will be worth the journey.

Staying Focussed

Having a clear vision and purpose will be the first step in allowing yourself to stay motivated and focus on your desired outcome. But another key element is having patience and an understanding that things don’t happen straight away. It’s all about taking consistent action daily towards your intended outcome, but being patient and having compassion for yourself as you move through the journey. 

Steps for Staying Motivated

Make sure you are able to feel good about yourself by taking care of your mental health and happiness. Surrounding yourself with supportive people who can help you when you need it is key. Ensure you take ready social breaks throughout your week or month. Making lists or creating visual representations of life goals is also another way to stay motivated. This can also ensure that you keep on track and focus on your goal.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start Again

Success is an ever-evolving process that requires constant self-reflection and revision. In order to achieve success, we need to know where we’re going and how our expectations align with the realities of life. Success isn’t achieved overnight and it’s not easy to maintain. Success requires work, but it also requires patience and determination because the journey never ends.

There Is No Set Formula for Success 

Having a set definition of success is like saying that there is one right way to do anything. Success, by its very definition, is generally different for everyone because it’s not defined by how someone looks on the outside or what they have in their bank account.

The formula for success might vary from person to person but it does not stop people from trying. Those who try are often the ones with the most opportunities available to them and find themselves at better places in life.

Success can be defined as a journey rather than a destination. What matters most is that you are happy and satisfied with your accomplishments and know what you want out of life.

To read more business tips and advice, visit Sam Kahn’s Website.

Managing people can be quite challenging at times but it is an important skill that everyone should have, regardless of title or position in the company hierarchy, says Sam Kahn. If you hire a team of people who are not driven to work together, it will be difficult for you to maintain their productivity. By implementing different strategies into your management, you will begin to learn to be more efficient and how to support your team best. 

Sam Kahn’s leadership style is based on four principles: 

1) Employees are valued, without good staff, you have no business.

2) There’s no such thing as a bad idea, only misguided. It’s great to have your employees giving input, whether you believe it’s right or wrong, make sure you promote it.  

3) Management is communication and problem solving. Good management brings the best out of your employees.

4) Being open and honest, not always the easiest of tasks, but it brings its own rewards, and earns you the respect of the employees.

Sam Kahn shares the ways in which he best manages his team for efficiency, morale and increased productivity:

Understanding employees

Be aware of the type of person you want to be as a leader. Many leaders identify themselves as being task-oriented, which means that they focus on what needs to get done and do not spend time thinking about how they should be doing it, or why they should be doing it that way in the first place. Others identify with being process-oriented, which means that they are concerned with how things should be done and will spend time looking for the best way to make something work.

Having an action plan for meeting objectives

Meeting objectives is an on-going task and there is no specific strategy that can be used to meet them. It always involves a lot of trial and error and requires creativity in order to maintain a clear focus. The best thing that you can do in this situation is have an action plan for meeting your objectives. This will help you make decisions on what to do when you need to put forward a new idea or course of action.

Achievable goals are not the same as difficult to achieve goals. Achievable goals are achievable with a plan and consistency. We should keep our goals consistent and realistic. Goals that are too difficult or unrealistic should be avoided in order to avoid disappointment and frustration.

Setting up a system, where every week you are setting new manageable weekly goals will help you stick to your plans and provide motivation on achieving them.

Hold meetings with the people who are relevant to the objective

A meeting is usually an informal gathering of people where the objective is to share information or make decisions. However, these meetings can also be formal in nature like a board meeting or a performance review. This ensures that everyone involved is on the same page and understands what is required of them in order to meet the objective.

Make sure employees know how they are contributing to the company’s success

Some companies offer a variety of benefits to help employees get excited about their work. They can offer flexible work schedules, job rotation, and on-site healthcare. These benefits make it easier for employees to feel like they are contributing to the company’s success and keep them engaged in their jobs.

Ensure each individual staff member has a performance review

In order to ensure that your staff members are growing with your business, it is important to hold regular meetings or performance reviews so that you can openly discuss any matters with them and give them a space to be heard. This is an opportunity to give feedback on how they are doing, to become clearer on any new areas of development that could be created to learn and grow, and to gauge the individual’s personal goals and how you could support them to meet them.

For more business tips and advice, visit Sam’s website. 

 

Sam Kahn believes that bringing a brand new idea into the world can be an equally exciting and stressful process, especially when it comes to starting a new business venture. Sometimes the hardest part can be coming up with the initial concept, but once you are clear on the direction you are taking then you can begin to plan and implement how to bring it to life. 

In a world where business innovation and setting yourself up for success ahead of the game from the beginning is vital, Sam Kahn has come up with eight ways to support those that are wanting to gain clarity and begin to implement their new business.

Be Proactive

The biggest issue that stops people from achieving their dreams of becoming business owners is procrastinating or being too scared to take the first step. It can be daunting, to begin with, especially if it is your first business or the first time you have brought one of your big ideas into fruition. The key is to put one foot in front of the other as you embark on the journey.

Be Discerning

Ensure your idea is a viable business idea and not just a basic idea that isn’t really a need for people. The best way to determine this is to begin sharing it with your close family and friends, as well as a respected business mentor, in order to gain proper feedback and advice. This will also get the ball rolling with different strategies or may help you improve certain aspects of the implementation stage. 

Current Market

The most important next step is conducting market research on your chosen industry. You can conduct your own research on this or you can purchase an industry report which will save you time. This will allow you to determine whether your business and idea have potential, or whether you will be wasting your time. 

Be Prepared

New business concepts or new strategies and ideas will come to you in random moments. Sam Kahn says that some of his best ideas have come to him when he has been laying in bed at night or when he is making breakfast for his family. The best advice he has is always to have a notepad with you, or a recording device to record your thoughts. This can be a great way to form a starting point to expand on at a later date when you have the time to elaborate and explore. 

Audience

Getting clear on who exactly you are serving and what this specific client actually needs from you. This will help you in the later stages when it comes to marketing and implementing or strategizing. Some questions to consider are;

• Is this product or service something that your target audience actually needs?
• How is this best going to support them or make their lives easier?
• Am I targeting the right audience with this product or service?
• What are the key attributes of the client I am serving? E.g how do they spend their days, what are their hobbies, what do they do for work.

Work Backwards

Map out your client/customer journey from end to beginning to work out the relevant steps needed to implement and take action. This will help you gain clarity on what areas you will need to focus on, where you need to seek support, and what systems or processes you may need. Start with what the final product or service is, then work backwards in the process for the client and for you and your future team.

Recharge your Batteries

When you first start out in business most people think that spending every waking hour of the day working on it is the way to go. Unfortunately, most people learn the hard way that this is not the most efficient or effective way. Ensure you are giving yourself plenty of breaks and time away from the work, as this will allow for new ideas to come through and ensure you are not heading towards burnout from the get-go.

For more business tips and advice, visit Sam’s website.

Effective time management is necessary to run a successful business, according to Samuel Nathan Kahn. This doesn’t mean doing more things or doing them quickly, it means getting more of the important work done in a day. 

Having effective time management is key to being able to maintain a healthy work and life balance, boost your personal productivity, and improving your employee’s performance. It can be something that takes years to master, but learning early on in your business could save you a lot of unnecessary stress later on.

Here are Sam Kahn’s top seven tips for ensuring that you are best utilising the time in your day:

• Proper Planning & Prioritization

Planning is the single most important aspect when it comes to effective time management. This could look like writing out all of the tasks that you wish to achieve by the end of the week, and distributing them across your week. Sam has found that creating daily plans or to-do lists can also be helpful as you can plan your whole day out in small manageable increments. You could also block out times and set hours for each task. Another option would be following a list from top to bottom of priority of importance, placing the important tasks first and leaving the not so urgent at the end. A way to best manage your goals is by using the SMART acronym. Making sure they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. Finding the way that works best for you will be a matter of trial and error over time. 

• Manage Distractions

Minimising distractions in your physical environment and on your computer or phone will ensure you stay focused on the task at hand. You will begin to realise that your time management will depend on this, as you can lose hours in your day by scrolling through your phone, chatting to the person next to you in your office, or continuously checking your emails. This is not about completely eliminating distractions, it is simply about being aware of them and minimising them throughout the day. You could start with blocking out parts of your day for socialising or checking your phone specifically. This will support you in working towards your productivity instead of going against it.

• Delegating Tasks

Delegating tasks to other members of your team or contractors allows you to best leverage your time, focusing on tasks that only you can complete. As mentioned in a previous blog ‘Sam Kahn on Not Trying to be a Hero in Business’, delegation may seem like a daunting concept, it also empowers your team, builds trust, and assists with professional development. It also allows you to identify who is best suited to tackle tasks and projects. Not only can trying to do everything yourself be an inefficient use of time, it can also lead to burnout and stress. This can then lead to inconsistency and mistakes, so it is important to remember that delegation is the key to running an efficient and effective business.

• Taking Regular Breaks

Having breaks throughout your day is essential for ensuring your brain is fresh and allows you to avoid mental overload throughout the day. When you are planning out your week or daily tasks, it is vital that you schedule in breaks in between tasks that are particularly important or require a lot of focus. This also allows for greater productivity and efficiency of tasks. 

• Set Goals for Meetings

Meetings are a big part of running a professional business, regardless of the industry that you are in. Meetings can be very time consuming, so it’s best to head into them as prepared as you can. Ensure that the meeting is necessary, that you have a clear agenda of what you desire to accomplish from it, and a rough time frame of how long it should take. Whilst in the meeting, ensure you are on track and try to curb the distractions and conversations that are not relevant to the agenda of the meeting. 

• One Task at a Time

When starting your day or moving onto a new task, it is important to ensure that you don’t try to do every task at once and focus on the one task at hand at a time. This is also important to remember when you are busy, as it will result in poor work quality and give you more stress. Ensure each task is broken up into small manageable tasks when you are doing the planning and prioritizing. 

• Track your Day

The best way to know how you spend your time is to start tracking your days. You can do this by simply writing it down on a notepad, or you could use specific time management software. You could start by having a detailed plan of your week in the beginning, then tracking it as you work through it so that you can see where there is room for improvement. This will also support you in learning how long certain tasks take and give you an idea of where you could potentially be delegating tasks.

Effective time management is a skill that takes practice and trial and error to find what works best for you and your team. The better you become at delegating, planning and tracking, the easier it will become. For more business tips and advice, visit Sam’s website.

Born Religious or Picked to be Religious?

Samuel Nathan Kahn was born into the religious world of Judaism but this is not necessarily why he remained religious. Like with anything, it is always easier following what you were taught but just like the rest of the world, it can be challenging to stay an avid believer. 

Samuel Kahn has both an English name and a Hebrew name, Shmuel, which is used amongst the more religious communities. He has been no stranger to complications throughout his life. Sam made his mistakes as most people do but even through these mistakes, Sam looked for guidance in g-d. He never gave up faith no matter how hard things got because he always believed that remaining religious and keeping up his learnings would give him answers to help him on his path, which it did.

Everyone has their own level of faith and they have their own belief system and the truth is whatever works for them is great. For Mr Kahn he believes that the reason he has managed to overcome so many obstacles is partly because of his religion and what this teaches him in every learning session he does. Sam also teaches Judaism in open discussions called Shiur you can listen to Sam in action on his youtube page. 

Samuel Nathan Kahn encourages his children to learn about Judaism; he has many reasons for this which go beyond the fact that he and they are Jewish. 

He believes that religion teaches a sense of belonging and life lessons that everyone could benefit from. Kahn believes that faith is more than religion- it’s a way of life, it’s a culture, it’s your heart. In Judaism, you are taught to lead by example, to be the best person you can be so you can lead others in the right way and this is a lesson that Sam believes everyone should learn.

Sam says “One of my favourite things is finishing work on a Friday and preparing for Shabbat, where the whole family gets together to enjoy a meal and exchange stories and learn about the religion”. On Shabbat you are not allowed to drive, or be on your phone/computer or really do anything, the time should be spent exploring different areas away from business and technology, it gives you the chance to be ‘in the moment’. Samuel Kahn believes it is a really special time and also a lot of fun when he has guests over and gets to exchange stories on religious belief, and not forgetting the beautiful food that goes with it all. 

Samuel has always found it fascinating listening to other people’s opinions on Judaism, growing up everyone would have discussions about religion and always asked questions like ‘why, when, where, and how’. Sam believes that this inspired him to ask the same questions in his business life which is part of the reason that he has become a successful businessman.

Everyone is entitled to learn and be whoever they want to be, and Sam promotes education in all areas and enjoys open conversations to encourage his family and friends to ask ‘why’. Sam is not religious because he was born into it- he remained religious because he believes in this journey for himself. Sam has a lot of commitment to his religion and this can only be admired. 

Samuel Nathan Kahn knows what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. After growing up surrounded by business and entering into the world of entrepreneurship at the age of 13, Sam has now spent around 35 years in the game.

He has taken many risks, learnt many lessons along the way and his commitment to business and helping people kept him going no matter what.

Sam has put together his top eight recommendations to support you in moving towards success in your own business, regardless of what stage of your journey you are in.

Have a solid business plan

One of the most crucial roles within a business’s success is planning and being organised. Having a solid and clear business plan is the first place to start, and is an excellent reference point years down the track or whenever you start to wander off track. This can include defining your strengths and weaknesses, what it is that you offer, how that is unique and how you plan on growing your offering. This is also a good place to prepare yourself mentally and practically for any potential future issues and how you could deal with those if they were to happen.

Prepare for financial challenges

Cash flow can be one of the biggest challenges when it comes to entrepreneurship and business. I recommend saving at least a month’s worth of expenses at a time or being creative with minimising your business outgoings. You can also look at creating incentives for your clients to sign up on a monthly service subscription or a discount for clients that pay the full amount upfront. 

Longevity over quick wins

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, your business is and will be the same. Short-lived small wins at the beginning will not set you up for long term success. Remember that business is a long game and you may not begin to see a huge revenue for the first couple of years. But it will come, and it will be extremely worth the hard yards that you put in in the beginning. 

Put your faith in a trusted mentor

A mentor is and will continue to be an invaluable asset to you and your business. It can be anyone from a family member, an old boss, someone you have been following online for years or even an online blog that you resonate with. It just needs to be someone that can be a soundboard and provide helpful advice for you in your business. Someone to push you but also support you. 

Marketing on a low budget

You don’t have to go out and spend hundreds of pounds on marketing straight away, there are many free ways to market for success. Social media business pages, networking events, website, word of mouth, Facebook business groups, and Google business pages are all free sources available. When it comes to marketing, you have to try it all and see what works best for you and your business. 

Look after number one

Entrepreneurship doesn’t begin at 9 am and end at 5 pm – it’s a lifestyle, but it doesn’t mean you neglect yourself and your loved ones in the process. Looking after yourself needs to also be a priority. This can include eating healthy food, regular exercise, having a hobby for yourself, scheduling in time for activities with your family and ensuring that you get a good night’s sleep. Time management skills are important to balance all of this. 

Build a team that shares your vision
This is one of the biggest ones! You cannot do it all on your own, nor should you have to. Building a team of supportive people who also share a similar vision to you is very important. It also gives you a chance to build up your managerial skills and learn when it is necessary to delegate specific tasks. This also supports the growth and development of your team.

Never stop learning

Entrepreneurship is a constant process of growth and learning. It is important to enrich yourself regularly with practical skills and knowledge.  This can range from learning new software within your business, learning a different area that you may not be familiar with, upskilling in managerial, presentation or motivational skills, or working on your time management skills. There are plenty of free resources out there these days.

Samuel Nathan Kahn has always been inspired to make a positive impact, not only in his business but in the world. After over 35 years in business, this is one of the core aspects that has allowed him to keep showing up and continuing to support others.

He has been able to support many different people in a multitude of ways throughout that time. Ranging from investing and mentoring owners of start-up businesses, to giving people strategies and advice on their financial investments, right through to financially supporting disadvantaged families in his local community.

A particular trend that excites him is seeing a product succeed, a person grows and develop their skills in a particular area, or seeing a business that he has invested in succeeding greater than expected. Sam gets a real kick out of the success of others, as well as his own personal growth and development.

His latest business, a regulated claims management company, was built around the foundations of making a positive impact. Sam and his team assist individuals facing financial loss from mis-sold pensions or self-invested personal pensions (SIPP’S).

Sam leads an incredibly driven team, who are also customer-focused and constantly striving for the best possible outcomes. He is a man of his word, not getting paid for any of the claim management cases unless he and his team get the desired results for their clients.

Sam believes that the thrill and ecstasy of seeing these people receive their payments make him happier than what he earns from it, especially when they thought they had lost all of their money for good.

Sam believes that making a positive impact in the world is centred around helping people. He often says “helping people can be in so many different ways, and the way that I like to help is to give to charity, and help give people the ability to earn a living for themselves.” He often encourages each of his team members to be the best that they can be to help the business grow and themselves.

He provides many opportunities for his employees to prosper and grow within the business. When one of the team members succeeds, they all succeed. Samuel sees potential in others and likes to provide them with valuable opportunities they may not have otherwise received.

As many of you would know, leading a fulfilling and busy life can be incredibly rewarding but with the hustle and bustle should also come time for yourself. Samuel Nathan Kahn enjoys down time away from his workaholic lifestyle, playing relaxing music on his most cherished possession, his piano. 

Studies have shown that playing the piano vastly improves mental health with individuals playing the piano said to experience less anxiety and depression. Enjoying a tune for just a couple of minutes per day can improve self-esteem, increase positivity and lower your blood pressure. Sam Kahn knows first hand that there are many benefits to playing the piano and creating wonderful melodies.

Family Time 

Piano is not only enjoyed by Sam himself but the whole family joins in with his hobby. If his children aren’t listening to his music they are recording him and creating special family memories. As a collective, they understand the wonders of piano music shared amongst family and friends. Music is a universal language that crosses all barriers and is one of the best ways to bring together the whole household. 

Power And Passion

Sam Nathan Kahn believes that piano music forms a strong emotional connection between both listeners and the player. The piano was specifically designed to reflect human emotion and feeling, so it is no wonder that individuals such as Sam are drawn in by its beauty. With the ability to enrich people with a range of emotions such as joy, wonder or even sorrow, there is much power and passion to be enjoyed when playing the piano. 

Enhanced Performance

There is a direct correlation between playing the piano and academic success. It has proven to enhance concentration and focus, both of which are vital in the world of business. Sam Kahn subconsciously improves his business even when he isn’t working, with the help of his piano. Not only is Sam able to wind down from his busy days but he is also assisting himself in every other area of his personal and professional life. 

Providing endless benefits, it comes as no surprise that Sam Kahn takes it upon himself to enjoy time playing the piano. From enriched family time making everlasting memories to seeking out his passions and enhancing his performance within his daily life. There are many reasons why he chooses to play the piano, with the main being that it is a hobby he truly loves doing.