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Testimonial

When you want to grow your business fast, you need more than just support – you need business experts with competitive insights and tenacious drive for YOUR success.

Author: support

Stephen Karle

Stephen Karle is a deeply experienced business and finance consultant with more than fifteen years of impact across a diverse range of business sectors.

His earlier career encompassed two decades of top-level experience in the field of business operations, including a high- profile position as CEO of a major U.K. financial institution.

He served seven years as Chair of an AIM-listed fin-tech company which he took to market for investors.

He is a qualified solicitor (now non-practising) and has advised and run a range of businesses and organisations in the private and public sectors.

Stephen has proved to be an innovative and committed expert who has a proven history of aiding and significantly improving the efficiency and success of numerous businesses.

His core skills include:

  • Problem-solving and applied critical thinking
  • An interest and sound understanding of business strategy
  • Leadership skills with team synergy orientation
  • Critical decision-making

Chris Kealy

Considered by my peers as “an experienced business leader with entrepreneurial stamina and wisdom to drive bottom-line growth”, I am excited to be working with clients in a position to really take their business to the next level.

Building robust professional relationships has been a defining management strategy for me, to bring out the best in everyone, instil pride, and inspire them to achieve our common goals.

While a large percentage of my experience has been focussed in the construction industry, spending time with business leaders in other sectors constantly reminded me that the principles of business are universal.  At every step of the business lifecycle similar challenges, and joys, are typically experienced.

I started at Stonhard, a global market leader in high performance polymer flooring, as a Territory Manager, building market share through relationship cultivation and a real focus on solving my clients’ problems.  Sales processes have changed throughout the years, but I quickly realised my ability to create win-win scenarios resulted in mutual benefit.  For me, it’s all about the relationship.

 In my 22 years at Stonhard, moving up the ranks and running the company as Managing Director for 8 years, I honed my business management skills with a keen eye to process delivery and profitability.

Highly adaptable and swift to gain a thorough understanding of ‘the Bigger Picture’, I pride myself on my ability to analyse business functions and to simplify processes, creating a system which is lean, yet effective. I am passionate about facilitating and encouraging cohesive teams and build robust professional relationships with key internal stakeholders including senior executives. 

Steering Your Business Through Rapids: A Guide to Strategic Growth

The morning sun glinted off the Yakima River as Coach, Dad, and I settled into our familiar spots on the drift boat. We were in our element – three generations of problem-solvers seeking out the perfect fishing spots. That’s when it happened. A sudden shift in the current caught us off guard, and one of our oars slipped free, bobbing tantalizingly just out of reach in the swift current.

Dad, with his years of river wisdom, immediately spotted the eddy where the oar would likely drift. Coach, ever the strategist, quickly calculated our boat’s trajectory and the oar’s path. Meanwhile, I was already positioning myself with the backup rod, ready to hook the wayward oar. It was a dance of experience, strategy, and execution – each of us playing to our strengths without a word spoken between us.

Within minutes, we’d recovered the oar and were back to casting our lines into promising pools. That morning reminded me of a fundamental truth: success, whether on the river or in business, comes from combining seasoned wisdom, strategic thinking, and decisive action.

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Focus on Sweet Success: How Choosing the Right Clients is Like Picking Perfect Candy

Just like standing in front of that tempting candy aisle, business owners face countless choices every day. Should you go for those volume-driven Skittles customers, or focus on those premium Godiva clients? Your business appetite matters, and choosing the right clients is just as strategic as picking the perfect treat.

Think about it – when you’re craving something sweet, you don’t grab everything on the shelf. You make calculated decisions based on your specific craving, your budget, and how long you want that satisfaction to last. Similarly, your business needs that same level of intentional selection with its clients.

The Willy Wonka approach – trying to be everything to everyone – might seem magical in the movies, but in real business, it’s a recipe for exhaustion. You wouldn’t mix Sour Patch Kids with fine Belgian truffles, so why dilute your business model by serving clients who don’t align with your core strengths?

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Philip Fowler

Philip has a real passion for the county of Worcestershire and is proud to be a Worcestershire Ambassador. 

Philip is dedicated to helping people get to where they want to be. With a wealth of experience in coaching, mentoring, and leadership, he brings a diverse set of skills to every project and individual he works with.

In addition to being a coach and mentor, Philip holds various roles, including Charity Trustee, School Governor, and Entrepreneur in Residence. He also serves as a Worcestershire Ambassador, Non-Executive Director, and investor, with a particular focus on commercial energy and leadership.

Whether it’s providing interim leadership, supporting business growth, or guiding people through transitions, Philip is driven by a passion for helping others succeed. Through these roles, he combines strategic insight, practical experience, and a genuine commitment to making a positive impact on both individuals and organizations. Ultimately, Philip’s mission is simple: to empower others to reach their goals and navigate the path to success.

Client feedback

“We can now look at what we’re going to do in three, four or five years’ time. That’s really helped.”

Client feedback

“Since working with Rockfine, I’ve got some of my life back. That’s a massive change. I sleep better at night, that’s for sure.”

Client feedback

“After working with Rockfine, we now have what I call the one-pager. It captures all aspects of the business – financial relationships, key drivers, key objectives – so we know what we need to focus on.”