Steady Consulting Ltd

11/09/2026

It’s one of those moments where you tend to remember exactly where you were.

On 11 September 2001, I was working as an E-commerce Assistant within the Waitrose Direct team at Waitrose Head Office.

I remember sitting for many hours, simply looking at my computer screen in disbelief as the events unfolded.

Twenty-five years later, we remember those who lost their lives - and all those whose lives were changed forever.

Never forgotten. ❤️

06/08/2026

✨From the Whiteboard✨

Practical insights inspired by conversations with business owners.

This week’s question…

Are you trying to build a bigger business… or a better one?

Sometimes they’re the same.

Often they aren’t.

For me, a better business might mean:

🌿 More time.

🤝 Stronger relationships.

📈 Healthier profits.

😊 Less stress.

Success looks different for every business owner.

This is the first in a new weekly series where I’ll be sharing simple ideas that regularly emerge from my conversations with business owners.

So here’s this week’s question…

What would make your business better over the next 12 months?

⸻

16/07/2026

29/04/2026

Every year I try something a bit different. Less veg this year as I want to try a bit more cut flowers.

My wife is a florist so thought it would be nice (if it works) to have our own flowers for her to arrange with plenty of greenery from our garden.

What are you growing this year?

28/04/2026

Last Friday I attended the Pro Landscaper Business Awards 2026 - a really enjoyable afternoon (and evening 🤪) celebrating brilliant businesses and people within the industry.

Having recently completed my judging for the awards, I’d already had a glimpse behind the scenes at the passion, effort and ambition driving so many of the entries. To then see finalists and winners recognised on the day made it even more special.

Events like this are a great reminder of just how many good people there are in this industry, all working hard to raise standards and build great businesses.

And as always, it was great to catch up with so many familiar faces too - and meet a number of new ones.

Congratulations to everyone involved in running the event, and to all those shortlisted and category winners. 👏

17/04/2026

Five years ago today, I stepped away from the ‘security’ of the John Lewis Partnership and into the unknown entity of running my own business.

No guarantees. No safety net. Just a belief that there was a different way I wanted to work - and a different kind of impact I wanted to have.

It’s fair to say… it hasn’t been a straight line.

There have been some real highs:
→ Supporting brilliant business owners to create clarity and direction
→ Seeing ideas turn into action - and action turn into results
→ Building a business that genuinely reflects my values

And some tougher moments too:
→ Wondering where the next client would come from
→ Questioning whether I’d made the right decision
→ Learning (the hard way) that you can’t do everything yourself

What I’ve come to realise over those five years is this that running a business isn’t about having all the answers.

It’s about being willing to keep showing up, keep learning, and keep moving forward - even when it feels uncomfortable.

The businesses I work with often feel that same pressure. The uncertainty and the weight of responsibility.

And that is why I do what I do.

To help bring clarity where there’s noise. To create structure where things feel messy.
And to support business owners as they turn good intentions into real progress.

If you’re on that journey yourself - whether you’re just starting out or a few years in - keep going.

It’s about progress over perfection. Always.

And to everyone who’s been part of the last five years - thank you.

Here’s to the next chapter.

consulting coaching landscapingbusiness progressoverperfection

27/03/2026

moments that matter

There’s always a moment in those early sessions where things just start to click.

Not because we’ve done anything complicated…but because someone finally has the space to think clearly about their business.

This week was one of those.

A business owner and his team at a real point of change - lots of experience, lots of pressure, and a head full of ideas that just needed somewhere to land.

We kept it simple. We talked things through. We started to shape what this next chapter could look like.

And this was the message I received afterwards:

“Thank you so much for your time; we found the session incredibly useful.”

That’s always a good place to start.

These moments come up more often than you might think.

Now the real work begins - turning that clarity into something tangible.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed or unsure where to focus next - this is exactly where we start.

16/03/2026

Some people quietly hold an industry together.
Kate Cooney is one of them.

This photo was taken last year at an APL Super Cluster event where I had the pleasure of sitting on a panel alongside Kate.

Kate is a Partnership Manager at Perennial - the charity that supports people across the horticulture industry when life throws challenges their way.

But describing Kate by her job title doesn’t really capture who she is.

Kate was actually one of the very first people I met when I started spending time in the landscaping and horticulture industry. We were introduced at my first APL Awards back in 2023.

Since then she’s become one of those people I always look out for when I arrive at industry events. If you know Kate, you’ll understand why.

She brings warmth, empathy and genuine care into every conversation. And in many ways she represents something I see time and again in this industry - that behind all the brilliant gardens, landscaping projects and successful businesses, there is also a real sense of community and support.

Perennial plays such an important role in that.

They’re there for people in our industry when life becomes difficult - whether that’s financial worries, health challenges, or simply needing someone to talk to. I'm proud to call myself a 'Perennial Partner' and would encourage everyone else to support where they can.

Kate, thank you for everything you do for the industry - and for being one of the people who helped make me feel so welcome when I first stepped into it.

The horticulture industry is lucky to have you.

Photo credit :

12/03/2026

I’m really looking forward to the APL Awards tomorrow.

It’s always a brilliant evening celebrating the talent, creativity and craftsmanship across the landscaping industry.

I’m also really pleased to have been asked to present the New Company Award - and extremely grateful to Ellicar for the invitation to join their table.

Who else is going? If you are, are you a finalist (good luck🍀), attending for the first time, or simply looking forward to catching up with people from within the industry?

Let me know in the comments.

25/02/2026

Yesterday was an important day for one of my clients. Not because we introduced new systems or talked about targets. But because we connected structure with story.

Over the past few months I’ve had the pleasure of working with Sarah at , and during that time we’ve stepped back and:

• defined the business purpose
• conducted a full business review
• developed clear annual goals
• shaped a sustainable operating model
• clarified roles, responsibilities and a communication framework

Yesterday was a day all about bringing that thinking to life with the team.

The most powerful moment?
When Sarah stood up and shared how she first got into gardening and design - where her passion came from, and why it still matters.

Why powerful? Because here’s the reality:

Purpose gives direction. Structure turns it into action. And when you combine clarity and conviction, momentum follows.

We now move into delivering Phase 1 - embedding clear ownership, a simple communication rhythm, agreed ways of working and a shared direction.

And that’s when change sticks.

I was extremally proud to facilitate the conversation, and even more pleased to see leadership and honesty in the room.

Onwards…and upwards.

business operatingmodel growth