“Take the time to get your ideals and values clear, and make sure you communicate them effectively to your customers.” – Hatthaka Sanghadhara, Director, Hinterland 

"Create a clear vision of where you want your business to be in the future. Without vision, a business drifts aimlessly. But once you define your dream, life will conspire to make it happen." – Jonathan Hoole, Managing Director, KANE 

"Extraordinary outcomes come when a leader sets a clear vision, empowers their people, and removes barriers to success. At Firstplay Dietary Foods, I’ve seen that when you invest in both operational excellence and human potential, growth follows naturally." – Tom Fletcher, Managing Director, Firstplay Dietary Foods 

"Running a business can be overwhelming. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to pause. Take time every week to check in with yourself: What’s working? What’s draining you? What needs attention? A clear head leads to better decisions. You’re not just building a business — you’re leading it. That starts with looking after you." – Shauna Barton, Director, Care Choice 

Ask for help 

"You don’t have to do it all alone. Talk to other business owners, hire where you need support, and lean on people who’ve been there. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness." – Shauna Barton, Director, Care Choice 

“Curiosity and a desire to achieve better outcomes for all is a great place to start. Surrounding yourself with an ecosystem of people who can challenge, hone, spark, build upon, and help turn ideas into reality is one way business leaders can drive extraordinary results. And let’s be honest, is there anywhere better in the world than Manchester to do that?

Having access to the right partners at the right time can spark innovation and lead to incredible outcomes.

There’s no magic formula for creating extraordinary results, but grit, resilience, hard work, and a desire to make things better, combined with access to exceptional partners across Greater Manchester, certainly give you a better chance.” - Nick Richardson, Director of The Insights Family 

“Don't let your environment dictate your ceiling.”  – Alex Gregson, Head of Audio, 344 Audio 

"Extraordinary results can only be delivered through teamwork.  We believe that the biggest challenge for any leader is to be able to clearly communicate where the company is heading, then support the people in the business to build strong teams, so that we can all get there together.   

The leaders at Carrs Pasties work hard to develop a culture which encourages every team member to feel that they belong, and are dedicated to their roles." - Matt Carr, Carrs Pasties 

“We used to think workspaces were just where you showed up to get stuff done. Now I think it's more about creating an environment that actually sparks something in you and helps you be more creative. When your workspace actively supports your greatest work and energises you, that’s when the extraordinary happens.” - Clare Shutt, Head of Marketing at Department