Author: Mark Toovey

When I started window cleaning in 1996, I had a fairly straightforward plan. Well, actually, it was 1995, when I did it part-time, starting on Gaveston Road, Harwell. Clean windows. Get paid. Find more windows. Repeat. At no point did I sit there dreaming about staff appraisals, recruitment interviews, holiday requests and conversations beginning with: “Mark, have you got five minutes?” Because, as every business owner eventually discovers, it is never five minutes. Back then, the business was simple. I had customers. I cleaned their windows. If something went wrong, I knew exactly who was responsible. Me. Actually, thinking about…

Running a small business places constant demands on the owner. Decisions are made daily. Pressure is felt from customers, staff, and finances. Over time, this can quietly shape mindset—for better or worse. Therefore, how the day begins often determines how effectively it unfolds. One principle highlighted in The Miracle Morning is simple yet powerful: success is rarely accidental. Instead, it is usually the result of consistent habits carried out before the day takes control. For business owners, mornings are often reactive. Emails are checked immediately. Problems are addressed before clarity is established. As a result, the day starts in defence…

Times of change In recent years, small business owners have been encouraged to “hustle harder.” Long hours are celebrated. Constant activity is praised. However, while effort is important, it is rarely hustle alone that builds a strong and lasting business. In reality, consistency is what creates stability, trust, and sustainable growth. To begin with, consistency brings clarity. When customers know what to expect, confidence is built. Calls are answered professionally. Quotes are delivered on time. Work is completed to a dependable standard. Although none of these actions feel dramatic, together they create a reputation that marketing alone cannot buy. Over…

Many small business owners were taught the value of hard work. Long days, early mornings, commitment to customers these are the foundations of most traditional businesses. However, although hard work keeps a business running, it does not always help it grow. Working in the business is essential. Yet, working on the business is what moves it forward. To start, it is important to recognise the difference. Working in the business involves daily tasks: delivering services, answering calls, solving immediate issues. Working on the business, however, means stepping back to improve systems, plan ahead and strengthen the long-term direction. Both are…