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This talk was recorded at the Hot Stories Business Networking event in Cambridge, held every second Wednesday of the month at The Red Lion, Cherry Hinton. Video & photography by Jamie Ellam Visuals. Organised by Gemini Web Media, Hot Stories brings professionals together through real experiences, real connection, and real growth.
Every business owner knows the feeling of being caught in the day-to-day. Emails, client work, operations, staff questions, unexpected issues, and the never-ending list of fires that need putting out. Many grow accustomed to this cycle, believing it is simply part of running a business. But what if it isn’t?
At our latest event, speaker Martin Cable, founder of Simpleris Consultancy Limited, offered a clear and compelling alternative: a business that runs with consistency, clarity, and stability - even without the owner’s constant presence.
Who Is Martin Cable?
Martin is a SYSTEMology® consultant working with small and medium-sized businesses across the UK. Simpleris Consultancy focuses on helping owners shift from being the core operator to becoming a true leader - one who can step back while the business continues to perform at a high level.
His typical clients include businesses with:
• Teams of five or more employees
• Revenue up to £10 million
• Owners who are overwhelmed, stuck in operations, and unable to scale
• Businesses preparing for acquisition or sale
Martin combines structure, analysis, and practical implementation to create systems that improve performance, customer experience, and business valuation.
The Problem: Working In the Business Instead of On the Business
Most business owners create a company based on their expertise — and that becomes both their strength and their trap.
Martin explained that many owners:
• constantly fight fires
• solve problems that team members could manage
• handle tasks that depend solely on them
• work long hours but see little progress
• feel overwhelmed by operational pressure
This prevents strategic growth and keeps the business tied directly to the owner’s energy and capacity.
“You’re always in the day-to-day,” Martin said. “Involved in everything. And that makes growth extremely difficult.”
The Solution: SYSTEMology’s Seven-Step Model
Martin helps businesses apply the SYSTEMology® model, a structured approach to defining and building systems that deliver consistency and reduce dependency on the owner.
A key tool he uses is the Critical Client Flow model - a process that helps identify the 20% of activities producing 80% of results.
This allows businesses to:
• understand their essential processes
• reduce errors
• increase efficiency
• provide consistent customer experiences
• improve internal communication
• remove bottlenecks
• simplify onboarding for both clients and staff
• create predictable outcomes
Once these systems are documented and implemented, owners gain more time for strategic planning, business development, and higher-value work.
What Business Owners Gain from Systemisation
Martin shared several tangible benefits that clients experience once systems are implemented within their teams:
1. Increased Consistency in Customer Engagement
With clearly defined processes, customers experience the same quality every time. This strengthens reputation and trust.
2. Fewer Errors and Operational Mistakes
When systems guide routine tasks, human error reduces significantly.
3. Better Flow and Communication Across the Team
Everyone knows where they fit in the bigger picture, creating a smoother, more unified work environment.
4. Identification of Opportunities and Inefficiencies
Systemisation reveals what works, what doesn’t, and what can be improved.
5. Scalability Without Chaos
Businesses can grow without increasing confusion, workload, or stress.
These benefits contribute directly to a stronger, more predictable business.
Understanding Client and Customer Flow
One of the most powerful concepts Martin discussed is the importance of mapping the entire customer experience:
• How clients find you
• How they engage
• How they are onboarded
• How payments flow
• How service is delivered
• How referrals are encouraged
Once this flow is visible, the whole team can understand:
• their role
• how they contribute
• how their actions affect the client’s experience
• why consistency matters
This clarity shifts company culture — people feel more confident, more capable, and more responsible.
Systemisation and Selling Your Business
Another crucial part of Martin’s talk focused on business valuation.
If a business depends heavily on its owner, the valuation multiple is significantly lower. Only similar businesses or competitors are likely to buy it.
But when a company:
• runs independently
• has strong systems
• delivers predictable outcomes
• does not rely on the owner’s daily involvement
… then it becomes far more attractive to a wider range of buyers.
A well-systemised business can see valuation multiples increase dramatically - even up to tenfold in certain industries.
Martin put it clearly: “If you can take three months off and come back to a business that still runs like a Swiss watch, you’ve built something truly valuable.”
Your Story Matters - Don’t Keep It Private
Martin’s message reinforces the purpose of Hot Stories: stories are powerful, and they should be shared.
When you explain what you do, how you help others, and why, you not only educate people - you build trust, credibility, and connection.
Your story is your strength. We encourage every business owner to speak openly about their journey, their expertise, and their experiences. We always stand by your side.
Join Us at Hot Stories
Hot Stories Business Networking runs:
Cambridge - every second Wednesday of the month
Location: The Red Lion, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge
Duxford - every third Thursday of the month, 10:00–12:00
Location Partner: Mantle Space, The Officers’ Mess
Our community supports one another, recommends one another, and grows through genuine stories and shared experiences.
Your next story could inspire someone else.
