About
Emma Payton, Small Business Consultant
Emma Payton is the owner and primary small business consultant of Payton Hughes Consulting. Emma has a long history of business experience. She has worked with business owners and non-profit managers for more than 15 years, both as an employee and as a consultant. Prior to that, she worked for 5 years in retail banking before going to university and completing a Bachelors Degree in Social Work. Her business consulting practice draws on her business experience and the skills she learned and applied as a social worker. She is drawn to business consulting because it fulfills her need to help people succeed while working in a business environment.
Her philosophy about small business life was developed and shaped by her parents, business mentor and her business coach, as well as many other important business influences in her life.
Emma is confident that:
- Efficiently run businesses are more profitable and more enjoyable to run
- All businesses are unique and need unique solutions for their particular problems
- Business owners need support to make their businesses the best they can be
- Business consulting is a cost-effective way to get support, advice and solutions
Owning and running a business, no matter what size, is a lot of work. Doing it all can be very overwhelming and “things” can slip, especially things we don’t much like to do or don’t have much experience doing. For some people it’s the office work, for others it’s making long term plans and following through and some people don’t particularly like to sell themselves or their product.
Small businesses account for more than 97% of all businesses in British Columbia and according to BC Statistics, the number of small business start ups increased 3.1% in 2002, after a three year decline. Many of these businesses will fail in the first three years (80% in the first 5 years), particularly if they do not have a business plan, or do not invest in outside help. Many people go into business to “do” the work that the business does- bake the cakes, massage the clients or teach the classes – but don’t know much, if anything about running a successful business. Many business owners hire consultants at the beginning of their business start up process, but most hire a consultant when things are not going as they had hoped and they are desperate for help.
As rapid change occurs in the business world, it is very difficult for business owners and managers to keep up with the changes, let alone implement them. Consultants, particularly ones working with a variety of clients, have the opportunity to continuously keep up with business trends and maintain their knowledge base. They are hired to advise about changes and to implement them.
Most small businesses are owned and run by one or two people and if they could hire a full-time business and office manager they would but most small businesses can’t afford to. Alternately they can’t afford not to keep accurate records, have marketing materials, have long-term plans or have a marketing strategy.
Email Emma to find out how she can help your business grow.