
Hello and welcome to my site!
I am a business mentor who also provides targeted coaching and masterclasses for start ups and small businesses. I encourage others to clarify their mission, identify their values and message, bolster personal belief in their ability to deliver it and access their inner marketeer to share it!
Here's overview of what I do on this front page so you can quickly get a feel of what I am about. There's a more 'standard' home page with course outlines and quotes from clients etc here if you'd prefer to visit there first!
And there's an additional testimonial page here.
In essence I want to help you find fast, simple solutions which are tailored to what you need right now, with a friendly, jargon free, non judgemental approach.
I've just received this testimonial from Arti Ambre, Swimmet, chuffed to bits as you can imagine:
"I wanted to thank you for your continuous support and guidance.
I’ve really appreciated our meaningful discussions from product materials, social media, logo designs to funding applications and my product pitch. Your honesty and constructive feedback enabled me gain clarity and take better decisions.
You have been incredibly generous with your time and energy, there have been no issues regarding your availability. Truly grateful for our sessions, which not only added value to the business but also encouraged and motivated me to keep going and believing in myself. "
I value authenticity, empathy, consistency, reliability and strive to enhance these qualities in myself and resonate with them in others.
I've been told that I am an attentive, empathetic , resilient, persistent, optimistic and passionate ally, who strives to be your candid, accommodating and energetic enabler.
I am pretty direct in my approach. I dislike heaps of jargon and am ambivalent about complex 'business models' that seem to reinvent the wheel or be made for the sake of creating an infographic! I don't quote loads of research, I share what I have learned or observed, with a few reinforcements from outside sources where relevant.
When you use Thomson Training, what you get is me and my 30 plus years of business experience, not someone I've palmed you off with.
I like to listen and I like to understand quickly what's going on with you or your business (or both) and help you get to the root of the cause of things in order to find the best, most effective solutions, in the shortest amount of time.
SO HOW CAN I HELP?
You might be here because you are aware you could do with a little support and accountability to help keep you on track? Or perhaps you've now got staff and could do with a little support with the on-boarding or their skill development/training/coaching?
For many small businesses the whole landscape has changed compared to this time two or three years ago. Many businesses will also have been started in the last year or so, perhaps without a clear plan (as planning was very difficult) and existing business plans for established businesses might be out of date.
The conditions of employment for your staff may have changed, or you may have taken on people for the first time in a while or might need to formalise adjustments to working practices?
Roles might have been revised, your marketing message might have adapted, especially if you've 'pivoted' your business. Social media and branding might need to be refreshed, overheads re-analysed and sales re-forecast. So much to consider.
And that's why I am here to help!
Mentoring is now a major part of my life. Many people recognise that having someone to talk to, who is unbiased, non judgmental and supportive is a huge bonus for small business owners, whether for their own self development or that of their business and its growth.
If you'd like to read some reactions to my mentoring service, please click here
Sometimes it's difficult to know where to apply your energy and effort. And end up not quite finishing things off. Scattergun approach you could say. Having short and longer term goals which are flexible but specific, will help you run your business more easily with less stress and firefighting. I can help you clarify those aims and gently work with you to get you there.

Photo shows l-r, Eric Clarke Body Balance Physio, HT, Stuart Green, Blue Green Advisors, Denise Austin Pearldrop Video Production, Christine Frith Hour Hands, Dafydd Wynne BestStart HR, on the final Help To Grow workshop run by the University of Hertfordshire as part of the Small Business Charter scheme.
I was lead consultant mentor on the 'emergency covid response' Hertfordshire Growth Hub mentor scheme, run by The University of Hertfordshire and funded by the Local Enterprise Council from June 2020. I am now working on five other programmes run by the Herts Growth Hub and University of Hertfordshire, such as the Watford Council Young Entrepreneur Scheme, the Sustainable Business Accelerator programme, the Help to Grow Scheme, Herts.Camera. Action and Build Back Better.
If you are interested in hearing what others have said about me, scroll down on my Home Page!
The slide which was used for the original mentor scheme, is as good as any place to start to introduce myself.
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SO IN SUMMARY:
If you have a small group Training need, which I could address with a few of your staff (which also increases team cohesion which is especially valuable when some staff work from home some of the time), please scroll down and you will be linked to information about my most popular courses. Or click here.
If you have an online Masterclass requirement (for a larger group) please email me about the outcomes you are looking for. Helen@thomsontraining.com
If you are here for more personal one to one Mentoring support, then you might be interested in either of my new mentoring programmes, or weekly support for as long as it suits you and your business :
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'Who Am I, Now?' - a life and desires audit/personal stock check, which is to help you re-acquaint yourself with the person you have become.
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Business Reboot, an open ended, four week rolling, one to one mentoring programme to help identify and dissolve any blocks which may be slowing your progress.
Interested? please get in touch to have a conversation (for free and no obligation) about mentoring.
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What else can I offer to help your business with recovery?
You might be looking for a specific injection of targeted action.
I specialise in providing one day in person sessions, generally to a small group of up to four, with maximum impact and minimum disruption to workflow.
If you prefer the online experience (or it's more practical for you) I also run Masterclasses online that are specifically created for your business, team or group need. These can be for larger groups. And are usually two hours in length.
What topics am I passionate about? Sales, leadership and marketing, in a nutshell. So that would incorporate words like 'branding', 'positioning', 'PR', Social Media, Phone Cold Calling, Presentation skills (online and in person), Client Meeting Skills, Online Meeting Skills. There's some course outline ideas here but I work backwards from the outcomes you need so it's not hugely representative to give you 'session outlines'.
You might be wondering about your customers, who are they and where are they now? And more importantly how to reach them. Client Profiling is becoming increasingly important to ensure that your marketing is going to reach the people who are prepared to pay for your product or service.
You may have questions regarding remote management and how to make sure your team are delivering what you need, even if some of them are at more than arm's reach. What people need from leaders has changed and a gentle nod in the right direction can make all the difference.
You may be aware that your brand and message pre covid is not quite right for now. And could do some updating, in as simple and speedy a fashion as possible. What is your why? and have your values changed? does your business reflect you and your vision? I can guide you through this, simply and efficiently.
You may have thought about your sales approach and how it might need to be modified to be more in step with how the land lies now. You may also want to encourage all staff to act as 'mini sales people' and this may not sit right with them. Let me help give them soft selling skills.
I can help with all these areas. It's what I've done for over thirty years.
Please click here to read more or email me on helen@thomsontraining.com or give me a call on 07969 249286 anytime.
You're still here! so you might be interested in my 'why'?
I get excited when I am helping sales people learn to love selling, leaders love leading and your staff love working for and with your business.
I am an accelerator, speeding up the process of effective customer attraction, conversion and retention, helping your business get where you want it to go, faster.
I have spent thirty years designing and delivering one day in house training sessions in small groups to SME's, and picked up awards and accolades along the way.
Why? I've been told it's my passion for the topics I train in and my enthusiastic 'non lecturing' delivery style.
And because I've resisted 'scaling up' - you get me every step of the way, what you see is what you get: initial visit/online conversation, writing the material, speaking to your people ahead of a session, delivering and following up (whether on zoom or in person). 100% consistency, no palming off to other trainers to deliver.
But I don't rest on my laurels. Awards are lovely but it's important to stress that each client is unique, each requires a fresh start and a fresh perspective. And that is what I am offering you.
A fresh pair of eyes, a dynamic, personable, non judgmental manner and quick results, if this appeals please click here to find out more about my tailored one day in house training sessions
You might be interested to listen to my new podcast 'If You Mind, It Matters'. This podcast is published under another of my brands, Helen Meissner, which started when that was my married name. I really believe that, if you mind, it DOES matter, even if you are used to minimising your personal discomfort on any given topic. I hope it helps you feel more comfortable to listen to yourself and gives you the tools to live your life with ease and confidence. Here's a link : If You Mind, It Matters

I also love writing features which will hopefully help someone, somewhere! Please visit my blog for the latest articles.
Here's some recent features which have been published in March 2020 - more detail can be found on the press and radio page.








