What I notice within the first 10 minutes of talking to a business owner

The first 10 minutes of a conversation tell me a lot, not in a judgemental way, and not in a “I’ve got you figured out” way but there are always signals. Small things that say more than the words themselves.

I notice how someone describes their business - whether they feel clear… or slightly tangled in their own explanation. I notice how often they say “I should” or how quickly they move past something that actually feels important. I notice where the energy shifts, what lights them up and what drains them. What they talk about with ease…and what feels heavier to articulate. I notice what’s not being said as much as what is. The things that sit just underneath the surface - the hesitations, the almost-sentences and the moments where someone pauses and then moves on.

And very quickly, a picture starts to form. Not just of the business but of the person leading it. How they think, how they make decisions and what they’re carrying. Often, what someone comes to me with isn’t the full story - it’s the surface version. The visible problem.

Within those first few minutes, you can usually feel what’s really going on underneath. Not because I’m looking for it in a technical way but because I’m listening differently and that’s why I don’t rush those early conversations. There’s no need to jump ahead because when you take the time to properly understand what’s being said - and what isn’t -everything that follows becomes more focused, more relevant and more useful.

It’s not about having all the answers straight away, it’s about starting in the right place.