If you run a business, whether its running sites in construction or keeping things ticking over in hospitality, there’s plenty to learn from how Pep Guardiola is handling Man City right now. As a City supporter, I back them all the way. But let’s be honest, the team’s lost a bit of spark this season. It’s not about bad tactics or lack of effort. It’s about a thin squad, a few too many injuries, and trusted players starting to show their age. And in business, you get the same thing. Long-standing staff, once vital to the operation, start to slow down or get too comfortable. The team that got you here might not be the one to take you further. So how do you know who to back, who to support, and where you need to make some changes?

Bigger isn’t always better – it’s about who you can rely on

In business, it’s tempting to think that growing the team means adding more people. But if those people aren’t reliable, you’re just creating more problems and more ballaches. Whether it’s the lads on-site, a kitchen team, or your back office, you want people who show up, deliver, and don’t need chasing.

Even Guardiola admits he prefers a smaller squad. Fewer people, more trust. He’s not chasing numbers. He’s looking for players who are dependable. Same goes for you. It’s not about how many you’ve got. It’s about who you can count on when it matters.

You can’t predict everything, but you can be ready for it

You know how it goes. The site manager is off with a back injury, your second-in-command is at a funeral, and your best labourer has just handed in his notice. The work still needs to get done. Clients don’t care about your staffing problems.

That’s the sort of thing that’s hit City this season. Rodri out. Centre-backs are dropping like flies. It’s derailed them. Not because they’re a bad team, but because they didn’t have enough cover when it mattered.

In business, you’ve got to be ready for the gaps. That means developing people, cross-skilling where you can, and not leaving the whole load on one or two people.

Some people outgrow the role – others get left behind by it

As your business grows, the pace picks up. Expectations shift. What used to be a one-man job now needs a team. What was good enough two years ago doesn’t cut it now.

It’s not personal. It’s progress.

At City, there are players who’ve been top class for years. But they’re not what they used to be anymore. Not saying they’re not great players (despite what I often shout from my sofa on a Sunday afternoon), but for some reason they’re underperforming and more often than not, that is down to the management and team dynamic. Guardiola knows it – now he has to decide who still fits. 

Same for you. Be honest. Who’s keeping up? Who’s falling behind? Who could thrive again with the right support or a new role? Making time to find out could avoid the risk of dragging everyone down with outdated decisions.

The team members who hold everything together, keep projects moving, and step up without being asked are the gems of the business. If you’ve got someone like that, make sure they know they’re appreciated. Pay them what they’re worth. Don’t wait until they’re halfway out the door. Your team will be more likely to perform above standards if their hard work is acknowledged and they feel appreciated.

Loyalty’s great – until it starts costing you

We’ve all got that one person. Been with you since day one. Knows the business inside out. Was brilliant once. But now they’re just there, not making a whole lot of effort, slipping a bit. And even resisting change.

It’s hard to know what to do. You don’t want to be unfair. But you also can’t ignore it forever or make excuses because they’ve been around for as long as they have. That’s not fair to other members of the team either.

Even Guardiola’s got this issue. His midfield’s ageing, some players haven’t found form. He still believes in them – but belief doesn’t keep you top of the table. We’re a prime example of that. At some point, you’ve got to decide whether someone’s part of the future or just holding onto the past.

Your team reflects your leadership

If you’re always firefighting, jumping in to fix problems, or carrying people who can’t keep up, it wears you down. You get snappy. Drained. Short on ideas.

And the team sees it. They stop pushing. They start waiting.

That’s how businesses stall. And it’s not just you. Even top managers feel it. Guardiola’s said he’s struggling to keep the rhythm when the team isn’t firing. The mood of the boss sets the tone. If your energy’s off, it’s often because your team setup isn’t right.

Fix that, and the rest falls into place.

Make the call – before someone else does

If your best staff aren’t being recognised, they’ll go somewhere else. If your underperformers aren’t challenged, your top people will get fed up. You don’t have to cut all ties and start over. You just have to manage it properly.

At City, Pep’s now facing big calls. Do you refresh the squad? Do you keep trusting the old guard? Do you invest in new blood or back the players you’ve got?

You’ve got the same choices in business. Look at performance. Look at potential. And don’t wait until the results dip before you act.

Build a solid game plan

It’s not about loyalty vs leadership, or you vs the team. It’s about building the right team for the business you’ve got now. And the one you want in the future. If you don’t make the changes, the results will stay the same. There’s no growth in that.

Know your people. Pay your best ones what they’re worth. Support the ones who can grow. And be brave enough to let go of the ones who can’t. That’s what managing is.

I’m not Pep, and this isn’t the Etihad, but your business still needs a solid game plan. If you’re making big decisions without knowing your margins, cashflow, or who’s costing you more than they bring in, you’re guessing. And guessing costs money. Let’s take a proper look, get the facts, and sort it.

 

Interested to find out more?

Call us on 01617 985789

Or book a meeting at https://calendly.com/d/ckfd-tzk-zbb

If you’re a high earner with young children, first of all well done, but here’s something that might catch you off guard: once your income creeps over £100,000, even by a single pound, you’re forced to kiss goodbye to those 15 or 30 hours of free childcare a week.

Not reduced. Not renegotiated. Gone. Simple as that.

This has taken quite a few of my clients by surprise. I’m talking about hardworking doctors, dentists, consultants, business owners. People whose earnings look great on paper, but who suddenly find themselves forking out a big lump sum each month for childcare they were previously getting help with. AKA a less-than-ideal situation to be in.

The £100k rule: A pricey threshold

The moment your adjusted net income goes over £100,000, you no longer qualify for the 30 free hours of childcare per week. That support was worth thousands each year. And then it’s off the table. Just like that. With no warning.

It doesn’t matter if your income hits £100,001. There’s no gradual phasing out. Just an abrupt end to any sort of help.

If both parents work and meet the eligibility rules, this benefit can be a real turning point. But once one of you crosses that £100k mark, it’s gone. That can sting, especially when you’re already trying to keep up with rising mortgage rates, tax rises, and all the usual costs of having kids under five.

So what counts towards the £100k?

Here’s what your ‘adjusted net income’ includes:

• Your salary or self-employment income
• Rental income
• Dividends
• Any other taxable income
• Less pension contributions (we’ll get to that in a second)

So, if you’re edging close to the line, don’t panic yet. There are ways to bring your income back under £100,000 legally and efficiently. Let me explain how.

1. Pension contributions

This is the big one.

You can put up to £60,000 a year into your pension tax-free (subject to allowances and reducing if you earn more than £200k).

So if you’re earning £105,000, a pension contribution of £5,000 could bring your adjusted net income back under £100k. Not only do you keep your childcare support, you also boost your retirement pot and reduce your tax bill. Sounds nice doesn’t it?

It’s essentially a triple win.

A lot of business owners and limited company directors have some flexibility in how they pay themselves. Instead of taking that chunky dividend this year, consider a pension top-up.

Alright, you’re locking the money away until you’re getting on for 60 (at least), but the long-term gain often outweighs the short-term childcare spend.

2. Salary sacrifice schemes

Not quite as powerful as pensions, but every little helps. Just be aware that not everything qualifies, and some things that sound clever (like taking cash instead of a company car) don’t always count in your favour. Always best to check first.

Schemes like:

• Cycle to work (not something you’d catch me doing, but a lot of you are much fitter than me!)
• Electric vehicle leases
• Extra pension contributions (something you’ll thank yourself for later)
• Tech purchase schemes (laptops, phones etc.)

These reduce your gross income, which in turn lowers your taxable income. If you’re just slightly over the £100k mark, salary sacrifice might just tip the scales in your favour.

Have a word with your employer or accountant to see what’s available and what’s worth using. And don’t wait until the end of the tax year – you ideally want these in place sooner rather than later.

3. Employing your life partner

This one’s not for everyone, but it can work well in the right setup.

If your partner helps with the admin, invoicing, diary management, or any actual tasks in the business, you can legitimately employ them and pay them a salary.

Done properly, that salary becomes a business expense, which reduces your profits (and potentially your income below the threshold).

But here’s the key part: they must actually do the work, and you need to pay them at a reasonable rate for what they’re doing. No funny business. HMRC has no issue with this if it’s all above board. If it looks dodgy or inflated, you’ll have them knocking at your door.

Don’t get caught off guard

This isn’t about dodging tax or playing games. It’s about understanding the rules and making them work for you. Every one of the strategies above is entirely legal and HMRC-approved. But they do need to be carried out properly and documented the right way.

And a quick one to clear up while we’re here: school supplies and childcare bits aren’t deductible business expenses. Trying to put those through your company might seem clever, but it’s a guaranteed way to get HMRC sniffing around. Just don’t do it.

Get in touch with your accountant (or me) before making any big moves. The worst thing you can do is rush in and make it ten times worse.

Keep a tight grip on free childcare

Hitting six figures in earnings feels like a milestone, and it is one to be proud of. But like all good things, there’s a catch. Especially where HMRC is involved, it comes with hidden costs and disappearing benefits. If you’ve got young kids, the loss of childcare support can be a brutal one to add to the list.

So if you’re on the edge, do the maths. And if there’s a smart way to keep your income under that magic £100k line, without doing damage to your future finances, why wouldn’t you?

Sorted properly, you can have the best of both worlds: a growing income and the support you’re entitled to.

Drop me a line if you need a hand going through it all properly. Or share this with someone who might be about to get caught out. Better to know now than get a nasty bill come September. And timing is everything. Don’t wait until your income goes over the line. Otherwise, it’s too late.

 

Interested to find out more?

Call us on 01617 985789

Or book a meeting at https://calendly.com/d/ckfd-tzk-zbb

If you run a pub, cafe, restaurant or hotel, you’ve probably noticed things are getting a bit tighter. Not just in customer spending, but in your own outgoings too. And it’s not your imagination. The cost of doing business in hospitality is rising fast.

There’s a proper squeeze happening right now for hospitality businesses across the UK. Three major cost increases all kicked in this April, a triple whammy. We all know the government loves nothing more than to create more financial pressure for business owners.

 

Hospitality costs on the rise: What’s increasing in 2025?

Let’s start with National Insurance. From the 6th April, the rate employers pay has jumped from 13.8% to 15%. That might look and sound small on paper, but once it’s applied across your whole team, it takes quite a significant bite out of your wage budget.

And it gets worse. The threshold for when you start paying National Insurance has dropped. It used to be just over £9,000. Now it kicks in once someone earns more than £5,000. That means you’re paying more, and on more of your employees’ pay.

There is a hint of silver lining. The Employment Allowance has increased from £5,000 to £10,500. So, if your business doesn’t employ loads of people, that might help take the edge off. But if you’ve got a full team or multiple sites, it’s not going to stretch very far.

Next up, business rates. Surprise, surprise – those have increased too.

And then we’ve got the rise in minimum wage. Most hospitality businesses rely on roles at or near minimum wage. And when that rate goes up, you can’t leave the next pay band behind. So wages rise all around. Fair enough, but expensive.

Put all of that together and you’ve got a serious cost increase across the board – the triple whammy that’s affecting profitability for pubs, restaurants and cafés across the UK.

 

How hospitality businesses can respond to rising costs

Now is not the time to bury your head in the sand. Sitting back and hoping it all evens out is not a plan. You’ve got to take action and get your books working for you.

A few weeks ago I spoke to one of my pub clients. Nice fella. He’d noticed that lunchtime trade had dropped off, but wages were still being paid. He was losing money in the middle of the day and didn’t know where to start.

First thing I told him – get his books in order. You’ve got to be able to see what’s making you money and what isn’t. If you don’t know which items are profitable, or whether takeaway is doing better than sitting in, you’re flying blind.

Then we talked about the menu. He wasn’t offering anything for the lunch crowd – no soup, no light bites, nothing quick. I suggested something simple and cost-effective. Soup, pâté, sandwiches. Something you can prep ahead and serve fast. Something that brings people in for a quick bite and a pint.

It’s the same idea as the plat du jour in France. A couple of set dishes at a decent price. No waste, quick turnaround, and easy for the kitchen to manage.

He’s now testing a lunch deal: soup, sandwich, and a drink. Sit in or takeaway. It’s already helping bring people through the door during those quieter hours.

 

7 practical ways to improve profitability in hospitality:

This isn’t just about menus. Here’s what every hospitality business owner should be reviewing right now:

1. Sort your reporting – Get your bookkeeping cleaned up and look at the reports. What’s selling, what’s not, and what’s actually profitable? 
2. Match your rotas to demand – Don’t pay for staff to stand around. Plan your shifts based on when people actually come in. 
3. Cut food and drink waste – If it’s going in the bin, it’s money out the door. Keep an eye on what’s being thrown away and why. 
4. Review your suppliers – Prices vary widely. There’s no need to overpay for the same ingredients or drinks. Look around and renegotiate. 
5. Try new services – Early breakfasts, takeaway lunches, set menus, or delivery options. Or even consider partitioning some of your tables as ‘co-working space’ during the day. Even a few extra covers each day can make a difference. 
6. Consider a price increase – You can’t absorb every cost. Your loyal customers will understand a small price rise if you’re still offering good value and not ripping them off. If my go-to chinese restaurant put a 5% increase on my favourite dish, I’d accept it without question. Anything 10% and over might start to raise an eyebrow. 
7. Market your quiet times – Monday nights empty? Offer something. Two-for-one mains, free drink with a meal, fixed priced menu. You need to make the quiet times work harder. 

And whatever you do, don’t forget to get the word out. Marketing makes a real difference, make sure you’re letting people know about menu changes, lunch deals and happy hour. Whether that’s social media marketing, using a chalkboard out front or posting in local groups. You don’t need a big campaign, just make sure people know what you’re offering.

 

Why doing nothing isn’t an option 

Let’s be honest, hospitality business costs across the UK are not going back down any time soon. National Insurance, minimum wage, business rates – it’s all gone up, and it’s not likely to reverse. If you carry on without making changes, your profit will get squeezed until there’s nothing left.

So what’s the answer? Take a long hard look at your books. Cut waste where you can. Try new ideas. Adjust your pricing if you need to. Make every part of your business work harder.

And if you’re not sure where to start – that’s where I come in. I’ll help you figure out what’s eating into your margin and what changes you can make to keep more money in your pocket.

Give me a ring, drop me an email, or come and have a face-to-face chat over a brew.

nterested to find out more?

Call us on 01617 985789

Or book a meeting at https://calendly.com/d/ckfd-tzk-zbb