AN EXPERIENCED entrepreneur wants to share his three decades of business insight with others in the form of a book of handy hints and inspiring messages.
Growth strategist Craig Alexander Rattray wrote Lessons From The Rocking Chair, a work that was two years in the making, to mark 30 years in the business.
It was inspired by his weekly addresses to his LinkedIn network from his home in Glasgow where he shares business knowledge from his garden deck.
Craig, who has been referred to as the “Martin Lewis for SMEs”, runs a free online Know Your Numbers Training Academy.
It has compiled 167 pages of reflection on the diverse and dynamic nature of entrepreneurship, from economic planning to the personal resilience required to navigate business challenges.
The messages are all designed to help business owners come to terms with the many and varied issues of running a successful company.
There are 12 core chapters to the book focusing on key themes, each a vital piece of the entrepreneurial puzzle and every section has self-reflection questions to guide readers on their journey.
The wide-ranging topics are encapsulated in the mnemonic “ENTREPRENEUR”, the first four offer insight into Economic Strategy, Networking, Tenacity and Resilience.
Craig, who runs CR Corporate Solutions said: “My image of a rocking chair is some old person rocking back and forward spouting wisdom and knowledge as they have been around for a long time.
“That’s where the idea originated and while I don’t consider myself old or wise, I started to give insights and learnings from my week, covering certain themes, as well as what my clients had been experiencing.
“I wanted to do something a little different so regardless of the weather, I would head outside and record my theme for the week.
“The rocking chair videos have been well received with lots of good feedback so I wanted to pull all the nuggets of advice and information together.”
Craig qualified as a ‘big six’ chartered accountant in 1994 and has a wealth of experience delivering effective growth strategies.
A former venture capitalist and corporate financier, he has advised numerous ambitious growing companies in his role as a finance director.
“I’m delighted to be able to pass on some of my business learnings in this way, 30 years after embarking on my own journey,” Craig said.
“Business is personal. It is about people. I like to approach business and life in general based on love, trust and helping people, and giving people the benefit of the doubt.
“Running your own business is very difficult, it can be a very lonely place and I want this book to give people the reassurance that they are not alone.
“Part of this is about educating people and I’ve tried to take it away from purely the financial side of things and touch on the challenges of running a business while living your life, [and] bringing up family.
“Whether it’s about building networks, managing finances, or upholding ethical standards, the journey of an entrepreneur is rich with learning and growth.”
