The Battle of Business: A No-Nonsense Guide to Winning the Business Battle

By Eric Purvis

What do you do if your business is consuming your life, threatening your relationship, causing you stress, and not making the money you deserve?

Meet Joe Walsh.

Joe was a hardworking bloke tearing his hair out to make a go of his family entertainment business ― and on track to divorce, financial ruin, serious health problems ― and a suicide plan.

Here’s the inspirational story of how Joe turned his life around, got his business running on autopilot, and saved his marriage ― and he still has some of his hair!

Business owners ask themselves every day if it’s possible to get free of the time- and money-sucking beast that their business has become. Successful business owner and Transition Advisor, Eric Purvis, says YES.

Here are some simple, powerful strategies* you can put in place to rescue your business ―and your sanity ― from going down the gurgler! Follow Joe’s journey as he takes his business from burden to booming using proven strategies under the guidance of an experienced advisor who has genuinely walked the talk.

“A must-read for small business owners everywhere.” – John

“Eric empowered me to save my company. These days I leave my business operating like a well-oiled machine for months on end while I take long holidays overseas!” – Steve

“Eric really knows his sh*t!” – Kaili

*Contains detailed examples and worksheets so you can build your own strategy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eric Purvis
• Release date: Apr 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370733217

Eric Purvis

Eric Purvis (G.A.I.C.D CEPA) is a Transition Advisor. Some call him a business coach but he’s not your usual type of coach. He is not an accountant; he’s not a financial planner. He is not a university graduate. He is not an academic. He is a very practical entrepreneur and businessman who started his first business at just eighteen years of age, and has had a lifetime of hands-on business operation in various fields of endeavour. Eric has always backed himself with his own money. He started with nothing, without the benefit of being born to wealth or old money, so he had to make his own. He made mistakes and has seen tough times. But he learned from his mistakes and identified a pathway to success that’s been proven by himself and his clients time and time again. All of his experience and knowledge is now available for the people who work with him. Unlike a lot of business coaches who simply talk the talk, Eric has walked the talk―and still does. He’s taken businesses from time-sucking, money-sucking bombs to well-oiled machines that run on autopilot without any need for the owner to be involved in the running of the business. He calls himself a Transition Advisor because he takes businesses and their owners through the transition from coal to gold.

Book preview

About the Authors

Eric Purvis (G.A.I.C.D CEPA) is a Transition Advisor.

Some call him a business coach but he’s not your usual type of coach. He is not an accountant; he’s not a financial planner. He is not a university graduate. He is not an academic. He is a very practical entrepreneur and businessman who started his first business at just eighteen years of age, and has had a lifetime of hands-on business operation in various fields of endeavour. Eric has always backed himself with his own money. He started with nothing, without the benefit of being born to wealth or old money, so he had to make his own. He made mistakes and has seen tough times. But he learned from his mistakes and identified a pathway to success that’s been proven by himself and his clients time and time again. All of his experience and knowledge is now available for the people who work with him.

Unlike a lot of business coaches who simply talk the talk, Eric has walked the talk―and still does. He’s taken businesses from time-sucking, money-sucking bombs to well-oiled machines that run on autopilot without any need for the owner to be involved in the running of the business. He calls himself a Transition Advisor because he takes businesses and their owners through the transition from coal to gold.

TIP: Most coaches talk about creating a business that you (the client) work on and not in, but they may never have done it themselves. Eric has done exactly that; not once, but many times over. He still owns businesses that work this way to this very day. If you are engaging a coach, ask them what other businesses they have. How do they run? If they try to tell you that they’ve helped this one or that one do this or that, stop them and ask again: what other businesses do you have? If a business coach is not running a successful business on autopilot, is he or she really the right one for you?

Eric has achieved the ultimate SME dream: he has a business in which he’s a shareholder and an investor, a business that generates him an income without his direct involvement. The free time this has given him, and the fact that he believes in giving something back, prompted him to start his coaching business. He does not need the money as his business interests provide him with that. Money is now a way of keeping score―a measure of what he’s won in business―and allows him to give more to charity.

He has structured his cash cow (that is, his other business) in such a way that he replaced himself in it and is no longer involved. The General Manager, who started as the HR assistant, was able to run the company … but the success of the system is such that she now has all but replaced herself and is working with Eric in Transition Advisory Alliance, his coaching enterprise.

Eric has operated businesses in service, entertainment, sales, brokerage, real estate management, transport, and the list goes on. He has helped many of his clients to become millionaires as well. Would you like to join them? If so, read on!

Joe Walsh is in his late forties and is a former mechanic/truck driver with a varied work history, from construction, where he learned to drive cranes, to second skipper on a prawning trawler. He previously owned a trucking business but after an accident and a frightening doctor’s appointment, he decided to change his life.

Some years ago, Joe borrowed some money and bought a family entertainment centre (or FEC). This business operates seven days per week, 364 days of the year, and is open a minimum of twelve hours per day―sometimes longer if the customers are there. Joe has been married previously and currently married to Olivia who is some twelve years his junior. Olivia has a background in clerical and junior management positions before she stopped work to raise a family. At the time of writing, they have three young sons: George (two years old), Oliver (four years old) and James (six years old).

This is Joe’s story in his words.

How to read this book

This book is written in two parts: part story and part information. Chapters 1 through 10 are mostly Joe’s background, building up a picture of Joe’s business and life so you can see exactly how deep he was in trouble. The latter part of the book is more educational and informational, showing Joe’s journey with Eric’s help in order to take control of his business and life. So it is up to you: read the whole book (which we recommend so you can get some context) or just read Chapter 10 onwards, to dive into the strategy.

The story is based on reality but the names have been changed and some license has been taken. Joe’s story is used to highlight the emotions and feelings of operating a business. It’s been written this way so that it will resonate with you; give you a sense that you’re not alone and others have been through just what you’re going through. When you own a business, it’s a big part of life. It’s almost a family member in its own right―and it can be the most difficult, moody, trouble-making family member you have! I hope this book inspires you to press on and not give up on your dream. A famous General once said "Better to fight for something than live for nothing." So we encourage you to read Joe’s full story. However, we know there are also readers who just want the ‘meat and potatoes,’ and they are welcome to go directly to the later chapters.

Reading this book will also help the partners of those in a similar situation, as they may identify with the partner in the book. If you’re a partner of someone who runs their own business, this book can help you to understand what the stressed business owner is going through, and realise that if things feel strained on the home front, the relationship itself might not be the real issue. The problem may be largely in the business. This doesn’t make it much easier to deal with, but it may reassure you that, if some advice is sought and followed, a turnaround is possible.

Essentially, you have a choice. You are in control of what you read and how you consume the information in this book.

A note from Eric

A suggestion, if I may.

If you have taken the time to download or buy the hard copy of this book, then please do yourself a favour and try to get the most out of it. If it’s a hard copy, use a highlighter pen to mark sections of the book that you think are worth reading again. Make notes on the pages provided for notes, mark up the columns with messages to yourself. Use the templates provided to assist you to work on your business. Visit the website to get more information and download copies of the templates and other worksheets. (Note: if you have borrowed this book from someone else then maybe don’t mark it up!).

If you are reading a digital copy, then bookmark or make a note on the passages you want to go back to. Use the link to the website at the end of the book to get your own copies of the templates and seek out more information.

There are links to get in touch with me if you want more information or if you think I may be able to help you. If I can’t help you, I may be able to put you in touch with someone who can. It does not matter where in the world you are, as I still may be able to help.

Thank you for taking the time to get a copy and I wish you every success in your business dreams.

"We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way." ― General Patton.

Be a leader in your business and if you are not comfortable with that role, find someone who is and give them the job!

Eric Purvis

Joe’s Snapshot: My life today

The light streams in and hits me right in the eye.

Even though I’m in that twilight zone between sleep and awake, I notice there’s no noise coming from the other end of the house. That’s a good indication our three little boys, George, Oliver and James are still sound asleep. No wonder. They had quite a late night. By the time our flight landed and we got through the airport, through customs, and arrived home, it was past midnight. No wonder the poor little fellas are knackered and still asleep. I look to my right and there’s my beautiful wife Olivia, also sound asleep next to me. I remember last night when we got in. We arrived home after being away for thirty days on a cruise, got the kids to bed, and got to bed ourselves―then we made love like newlyweds on a honeymoon. It was amazing and intense. Very special.

While I’m lying here, thinking about all of that, the amazement hits me again. Where we are now and how good the business is and how good our life is, compared to then. Jeez, only a short couple of years ago, life was very, very different. I recall there was a point there when I was working stupid hours, seven days a week. Sixty hours was regular; a hundred hours wasn’t uncommon in a week. There were times when I was pulling all-nighters trying to keep things together. My relationship was crap with my wife and my kids. My business was crap. My life was crap. Although I’m ashamed to say it now, I seriously contemplated suicide. As I lie here now and think how wonderful life is, I’m so incredibly grateful I didn’t go through with that extreme and stupid plan.

Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Joe Walsh. I’m the owner of a business in the entertainment space. It’s like a family entertainment centre, so it’s got stuff for kids of all ages to do, and stuff for corporate events as well. It’s a seven day a week business. Runs on average twelve hours a day, sometimes longer on weekends.

I’m lying here reminiscing about the journey that we went on; how we got from there to now. It’s been amazing. It really does go back way beyond two years ago … probably right back to when I first started a business―my first business. There’s so much I’ve learned over time to bring me to the point we’re at now!

Let me tell you about it.

Chapter 1: The Life of Joe Walsh – Back Then

Let me tell you, my family entertainment business was right up there when it came to stress and demands on one’s time. There were always issues with cash flow, staff, and marketing. Plus the usual headaches that all small business owners share. It sure put a strain on my home life. I’d been married before. My previous business and the amount of time and effort I put into it completely stuffed that marriage up. It was a shame – but it happened, and we moved on.

Worryingly, I’d now found myself in a similar situation once again. The business I’d created, although it was designed to improve my life and improve the lives of my kids and my wife, seemed to have had the opposite effect. Instead of enhancing and making our life better, it seemed to have made my life far worse. I couldn’t get away from the business to spend any quality time with the wife and the kids, to the point where, dare I say it, I was getting used to not being around. That struck me as a bit dismal. I needed to get back into being comfortable around the kids and being able to focus on being with them – in the moment. Olivia told me regularly that if I was going to be home, be home. In other words, if I was going to be with her and the kids, to make sure my mind was with her and the kids. But at that moment in time, my body was there but my head sure wasn’t. My head was still thinking about business, marketing, staff problems and cash flow issues.

I was always sitting on my bloody phone which seemed to get me in more strife than I needed to be in. Olivia kept ripping me an asshole for that as well, because the kids saw me on the phone all the time and that’s how they’d started to identify me. I was the guy who was always on the phone. Dad was always too busy for them and that was a bugger of a thing. It upset me that my kids thought I was some remote figure on the perimeter of their lives, always too busy for them. I didn’t want that. I wanted to make sure that I was there for them when they needed me. Olivia kept saying that she and the kids seemed to come second to the business and my phone. Unfortunately for me, at that point in time – the way the business was and the problems that I was having with it – she was right.