What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm Tuesday 8am - 5:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm

Skills Shop, 2-6 Derry Street, Barrow in Furness (2026)

21/04/2026

Most training gets remembered for the wrong reasons.

Too much talking.
Too many slides.
Not enough real life.

Last week I delivered an Emergency First Aid at Work course course.

The feedback was the same from everyone.

Best first aid course they had ever done.

One comment stood out:

“Thanks again for the training. I have been to a lot of different first aid courses but yours was one of the best and you made it so relatable to each person's role.”

That word matters.

Relatable.

Because people do not buy training to admire your knowledge.

They buy it to solve their problems, protect their team, and feel more confident when something goes wrong.

If you work in a crowded training space, this is where many miss the mark.

They teach the topic.

But they do not connect it to the learner.

What makes training stand out:

• Use examples from their actual workplace
• Speak in plain English
• Make it interactive
• Show how it applies to their day job
• Give people confidence, not confusion
• Keep energy high and ego low

This works whether you teach first aid, leadership, sales or anything else.

And here is another truth many overlook.

Some clients want the training but struggle to attend in person.

Shift work.
Travel.
Busy teams.
Limited time.

That is where offering an online version can open doors.

Same expertise.
Different format.
More access.

The trainers who grow are often the ones who stay flexible.

If you deliver training, what do you think makes a course memorable?

20/04/2026

Most people build the product before they build the demand.

And that is why many online courses quietly fail.

I've just had a call with a potential client.

The conversation only happened because of a referral from Sheridan Webb.

That is worth paying attention to.

Warm introductions often outperform cold marketing.

During the chat we moved onto online courses.

Then came a question many experts are thinking but few ask out loud.

“Are they actually worth creating?”

My answer was simple.

Yes, when they are built the right way.

I use online courses in my own business.

I also build them for trainers, coaches and consultants.

The successful ones are rarely aimed at random strangers scrolling online.

They are built around problems existing clients already want solved.

That could be:

• onboarding new staff
• refresher training
• saving delivery time
• giving clients support between sessions
• creating a lower entry offer

Then those clients recommend them to others.

That is where momentum starts.

Not from posting endlessly and hoping someone buys.

I see too many good businesses chasing cold audiences while ignoring the people already closest to them.

Your email list matters.

Your past clients matter.

Your network matters.

Your reputation matters even more.

The strongest growth often comes from relationships, not reach.

If you already sell expertise, you may be closer to a valuable course than you think.

Start with the people who already trust you.

Everything gets easier from there.

If you already have an audience, comment READY.

If you are still building one, comment BUILD.

14/04/2026

Your business probably doesn’t need more leads.

It needs less friction.

Most business owners think growth problems are solved by getting more enquiries.

More traffic.
More ads.
More leads.

But that usually is not the real issue.

The real issue is what happens after someone gets in touch?

Leads waiting.
Messages missed.
Bookings chased.
Team asking questions.
Admin piling up.

That is where time disappears.

And it quietly costs money every week.

Most businesses are not short of opportunity.

They are short of systems.

Behind the scenes at Skills Shop, we are redesigning our own portal to reduce friction inside the business.

It is being built to handle:

• bookings
• support tickets
• team management
• client communication
• CRM processes

One place.
Less chasing.
Less admin.
Better visibility.

We are building it for ourselves first because real businesses need real solutions, not theory.

That has also led us into creating custom WordPress plugins for clients who want smoother processes.

A good example is the tool we built for For Any Occasion.

Their colour matching tool helps customers choose balloon combinations quickly and confidently. Check it out here: for-any-occasion.co.uk/match

Small change on the surface.
Big gain in customer experience and speed.

Most WordPress websites could be doing far more than they are right now.

The question is:

Is your website helping your business run better… or just sitting there?

If you have a WordPress website, what is one process you wish it could handle for you?

07/04/2026

Most business owners don’t realise how much they’re leaking every month on tools.

CRM here.
Project management there.
Course platform somewhere else.
Support tickets on another login.

Before you know it, you’re juggling 5–10 subscriptions… and none of them really talk to each other.

I was in that exact place.

Logging into different systems.
Paying for features I barely used.
Trying to piece together a “workflow” that never quite worked.

So I made a decision.

Instead of stacking more tools… I started building one.

A single WordPress portal that brings everything together:
• CRM
• Projects and tasks
• Training and courses
• Support tickets
• Dashboard reporting

All in one place. Clean. Simple. Mine.

No jumping between tabs.
No paying for tools I don’t need.
No trying to force systems to fit my business.

Just one central hub that actually works how I work.

Still early, but it’s already changing how I run things day to day.

If you’ve got a WordPress site and you’re fed up of paying for loads of separate systems…

Drop me a message.
Happy to show you what I’m building 👌

26/03/2026

Most people think business is just about revenue.

And that mindset quietly damages relationships.

Today I spent an hour fixing a website issue for Charlotte at Neo Angels.

Her form had stopped submitting enquiries.

No notifications.
No way of knowing people were trying to get in touch.

So I jumped in and fixed it.

No invoice.
No discussion about cost.
Just sorted it.

Because sometimes it’s not about the transaction.

It’s about doing what’s right.

And here’s the bit people overlook.

In the world of training, coaching and services…

Your reputation travels faster than your marketing.

Most people remember how you showed up when there wasn’t something in it for you.

That’s what builds trust.

That’s what leads to referrals.

That’s what brings the right conversations your way later.

I see this all the time.

The people who focus only on short term gain often stall.

The ones who play the long game build something much stronger.

Not everything needs to be monetised.

Some things need to be handled properly.

Simple as that.

Curious how you approach this.

Do you always charge for your time
or do you make space to just help when it matters?

PS When you have 2 minutes check out neoangels.org.uk

24/03/2026

Most people think meningitis is obvious.

It’s not.

It often starts like flu. A headache. Feeling sick. A bit of tiredness.

Then it can change very quickly.

With the recent cases across the UK, I’ve been having more conversations about this in training sessions. The biggest issue isn’t knowledge… it’s confidence.

People second guess themselves.

They wait.

And that’s where the risk is.

One simple shift can make a huge difference:

If something doesn’t feel right, act early.

You don’t need to diagnose meningitis.

You just need to recognise that something is wrong and get help.

I’ve put together a simple guide covering:

• meningitis symptoms in adults, children and babies
• what the rash actually means (and why you shouldn’t rely on it)
• what to do immediately if you suspect it
• what this means in a workplace setting

If you want something clear and practical, you can read it here:
https://www.skillsshop.co.uk/meningitis-symptoms-uk-workplace-guide/

13/03/2026

You might not be aware of this, but for the past 18 months Lynne and I have been home educating our children.

This week turned into a really practical project.

Our daughter wanted her own workspace.

Until now she and her brother shared the same 3 metres of worktop.

Which sounds fine in theory.

But in reality it created a very clear problem.

Someone always drifted over the centre line.

And that usually led to an argument.

So instead of just buying something ready made, we turned it into a learning exercise.

She researched the type of units she would need.

Worked out the layout.

Looked at how the storage would fit.

And then helped me build it.

What I love about projects like this is the hidden learning.

Critical thinking
Planning a space
Problem solving
Measuring and building
Understanding how ideas turn into something real

And as a bonus…

The peace treaty between brother and sister has improved dramatically now they each have their own space.

Sometimes the best lessons do not come from a textbook.

They come from building something together.

Out of curiosity.

Did you ever build something practical growing up that stuck with you? 🔧

11/03/2026

The biggest opportunity for many trainers is not in their local area.

It is in the markets they have never looked at.

This week I quietly launched something new.

A website called webuildyourcourse.com.

The goal is simple.

Help trainers and coaches in the US turn their workshops into proper online courses.

Why the US?

Because my plan is to move to the US and continue my online course building business.

And many trainers are in the exact same position I see here in the UK.

* Great workshops
* Proven expertise
* But everything still delivered live

The pattern is almost identical.
* Slides
* Exercises
* Workbooks
* Years of experience

Yet none of it structured into a scalable asset.

The truth is this.

Most trainers already have everything they need to build a course.

The missing piece is usually:
• Structure
• Platform setup
• The technical build

That’s the bit that slows people down.

Or stops them completely.

Which is why I built a service around removing the tech headache.

Trainers bring the expertise.

I handle the structure and build.

Simple.

Quick curiosity check.

If your workshop became an online course tomorrow…

Would you see it as an extra income stream or a growth strategy?

&DConsultant

10/03/2026

One simple Google search told me something important this week.

And most trainers underestimate this opportunity.

Someone contacted me for first aid training.

Their message was simple.

“We wanted to use a local provider and you appeared first when we searched first aid training near me.”

That was it.
• No adverts
• No cold outreach
• Just search

This is something I see trainers overlook all the time.

They focus heavily on social media.

But forget about search visibility.

The reality is simple.

When someone searches for training they already have intent.

They are not browsing.

They are looking.

Here are three things that usually make the biggest difference.

1️⃣ Clear service pages
Each course should have its own page.
• First Aid
• Mental Health
C• onflict Management

Not buried inside one generic page.

2️⃣ Local signals

Your town or region should appear naturally in the content.

Google needs to understand where you operate.

3️⃣ A working Google Business Profile

• Reviews
• Photos
• Regular activity

This is often what pushes you into the local top results.

I have seen trainers double enquiries just by fixing these basics.

No marketing tricks.

Just being visible when someone searches.

Quick question.

Do most of your enquiries come from search or referrals?

09/03/2026

Most trainers are sitting on a digital asset they haven’t built yet.

And it quietly limits how far their expertise can go.

I was out on my bike this week.

Fresh air. Clear head.

Meanwhile something interesting was happening.

People were completing online courses on my website.

While I was cycling.

That moment always reminds me of something.

Most trainers still think in terms of delivery time.
• Workshop delivered
• Day finished
• Income stops

But digital assets work differently.

The work happens once.

Then the structure keeps delivering.
• Courses completed
• Certificates issued
• Learning happening

Without you needing to be in the room.

This is where the shift happens.

Instead of selling days, you start building assets.

Assets that:
• support your live training
• create additional income
• allow people to learn on their schedule
• extend your expertise far beyond the classroom

Most trainers already have the material.
• Slides
• Exercises
• Stories

The thing that usually stops them is structure and tech.

That’s the bit people avoid.

If you are already selling training comment SCALE.

If you are still building comment BUILD.

04/03/2026

If your diary stopped tomorrow, what would still pay you?

That question makes people uncomfortable.

But it matters.

A trainer I worked with was delivering three days a week.

Good money.

Solid reputation.

But every invoice was tied to a date in the calendar.

We mapped her process.

Built it into a structured programme.

Created a clear pathway clients could follow without her live presence.

Within months, she had a second revenue stream.

Same expertise.

Different format.

Nothing flashy.

Just structured properly.

Here is what actually happens.

When you build a digital asset the right way:

• You protect your income.
• You increase perceived value.
• You stop racing your own availability.

This is not about going viral.

It is about building something that holds value without you constantly pushing it.

Most trainers wait too long.

They think,

“I’ll do it when things quieten down.”

They never do.

If you are already delivering and want to turn that delivery into something scalable, comment ASSET.

Simple question.

Are you building sessions, or are you building assets?

03/03/2026

Your course is not too small.

It is too vague.

That is usually the truth.

I spoke to a trainer recently who said,
“I want to put my course online.”

I asked one question.
“What exactly do people walk away able to do?”

Silence.

This is where it falls over.

Before filming anything.

Before slides.

Before platforms.

You need three things written clearly.

The specific problem you solve.

The measurable outcome you create.

The step by step path you teach.

If you cannot explain your method in five simple stages, it is not ready to digitise.

I see this all the time.

People jump to tech because it feels productive.

But clarity is the real work.

Here is a quick test.

Can someone else deliver your method using your structure?

If not, it is still personality led.

Not asset led.

Structure over software.

Clarity over complexity.

If you want, message me STRUCTURE and I will send you the framework I use with clients.

Yes or no, have you properly mapped your method yet?

Skills Shop

21/04/2026

20/04/2026

14/04/2026

07/04/2026

26/03/2026

24/03/2026

13/03/2026

11/03/2026

10/03/2026

09/03/2026

04/03/2026

03/03/2026

Address

Opening Hours

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Monday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday	8:30am - 5:30pm