Imagine this: You sit down on a plane, the captain comes on the tannoy and says “Morning… sorry evening everyone. I didn't get a great night's sleep last night so I hope today will be fine as we fly to Spain… sorry Australia”.
It’s an extreme example but how would you feel? Probably heading to the exit right? Yeah me too! Especially as I’m a nervous flyer! When I get on a plane I want the pilot to sound positive, knowledgeable and, most of all, confident.
It is, after all, that confidence that lets me know that I’m in safe hands, whatever may happen, for however long that flight is.
Now put yourself into the mind of your client looking to grow their business. Who would they rather deal with - someone who has an understanding of the wider funding market and how it can be used to support them better or a call centre with a computer and a series of random questions. Pretty easy choice isn't it!
Practice, practice, practice
So how do pilots GET confident? Well confidence is a state of mind. But that state of mind comes from something far more tangible - a combination of both knowledge and practice. And this underpins exactly how we build our education here at Capitalise - from live sessions and one to ones with our Partnerships team to online education that supports you throughout the service roll out and to your first funding search and beyond.
Going back to our pilot - it takes them just 3 months to become qualified and earn their private pilot license. Around 60 hours of flight time. But to become a commercial airline pilot, it would take years to gain the required 1,500 hours flight time. And even then they are unlikely to be put in charge of a brand spanking new Boeing 787. They will serve time as a co-pilot until assessed to be fully ready (competent in pilot speak). 1,500 hours. Practising every possible outcome, good and, um, otherwise.
And, as you can imagine, training day 1 wasn’t about stall turns, landings and tower flybys. Nope day 1, 2, and probably a few more, starts in a room with books, flip charts and marker pens. It starts with the theory. Similarly, Learn will allow you and your team to build on the knowledge that you already have around funding and develop it even further so you can support your clients whatever they need.
Back to our pilot. Reading the books & manuals, talking, discussing, planning and then practising. The first time up you probably don't do that much. Maybe a few small turns. The first time you touch the controls that surge of adrenaline, excitement and probably nerves. There won't be much confidence. And for sure even if there was just trying landing on that first day. Watch that confidence fall away pretty quick. But in just 3 months you will be piloting a plane by yourself. Seems pretty quick. But that 3 months is 60 hours of flight time. Probably 60+ hours of classroom time, homework and more.
So how did your pilot get confident? Knowledge. Practice. Making mistakes (on the ground hopefully) and solving the challenges as they arise, calmly and considered.
Up, up and away
Believe it or not almost everything you do will start the same way - driving a car, using a new bit of technology, or even launching a new service line within your practice. Which is why Capitalise put education at the heart of your journey. We know that if we can educate you, support you and ‘be your co-pilot’ on those first few searches pretty soon you will get confident and be helping your clients with all their capital advisory needs.
If you want to know more about our Learn programme that supports accounting firms in their rollout of funding as a service, book in a consultation and we'll be happy to talk you through the service.
