Mark Stokes: What would an outsider make of your business?

Whatever your business's goals, the best way to transform it into a more profitable operation is by running it as though it were permanently up for sale. Left to our own devices, we all tend to become set in our ways. Imagining you could be asked to justify any part of your business process at any time, however, will give you the discipline to transform it into a unit that will deliver better services to clients, a greater sense of engagement among your staff and increased profitability. In reality, this imaginary buyer is you, the current business owner. It is you who needs to see ma...