For current or aspiring business owners, BizX, hosted by ActionCoach, is the go-to conference you want to find yourself in. With twenty-two years in the industry, BizX has expanded all over the world with conferences in Mexico, the United States, the UK, and more. After going back and forth on whether to go, thinking the ticket price was a bit hefty at £600, I eventually decided to attend the 2024 conference in Liverpool and it was definitely worth it. Here’s my review:
Why I Got Into BizX
Business coaches and speakers can really change the way you work and view your business. For me, one particular speaker was Marcus Sheridan, author of ‘They Ask, You Answer’, a book which I make sure to give to every client. The book completely encapsulates inbound marketing, which is a large part of SEO and digital marketing in general. BizX 2023 speakers like Marcus inspired me to attend the conference once again, and this time, things were as good as they were last year.
First of all is the venue. While many conference venues feel the exact same – all bright and airy on the outside – the real magic is when the speaking starts indoors. The venue doesn’t need to be too flashy, so as not to take any attention away from the speakers themselves, who are the highlight of the conference. There was a big stage with massive monitors, giving more of a rock concert vibe than a business meeting. They even handed out notebooks with colourful pens! After the conference, there was a very fun black-tie dinner with a great atmosphere.
Before mentioning any of the speakers, we have to give credit to the host of the entire event, Stephen Mulhern, the presenter of ‘Catchphrase’. He managed to keep the focus on the speakers and delegates, while still being incredibly entertaining.
Why is BizX So Significant for ActionCoach?
BizX has become a huge staple for ActionCoach, mainly because it condenses everything ActionCoach is about into two and a half days of good fun. BizX brings passionate business aficionados from all over the world to bring their different journeys into a sort of crossover.
As for the speakers, they were exceptionally high-quality. Perhaps the most interesting part of the conference is how the speakers tackle different subjects, not just, “Yay, business!” Usually, there is a lot of marketing talk, but this time they broke the mould with a diverse array of speakers:
1. Piers Linney
One of the most interesting talks came from Piers Linney of Dragon’s Den. Piers initially made his money through the very interesting world of cloud computing, and he gave a riveting talk on AI and disruption. With AI being in the discussions of digital marketing for twenty years, you could tell from the silence in the room that it has finally reached the consciousness (and fear) of business owners.
Piers Linney made sure to highlight the fact that AI is mainly a tool worth investigating, and he did it in a broad way that was very software-agnostic, without any bias. The discussion was so interesting that it made me subscribe to his podcast: The AI-assisted Organisation, and you should too!
2. Deborah Meaden
BizX always surprises us with at least one high-profile celebrity guest and this year it was Deborah Meaden, another Dragon from Dragon’s Den. Deborah’s talk was presented in the form of an interview which made things concise and conversational. Deborah’s humour and down-to-earth attitude made the “interview” very relatable, despite the fact that she has a reputation for being very fearsome if you haven’t done your homework.
The best aspect of Deborah’s talk is that at no point did it feel like a hagiography. Quite the contrary, actually; Deborah proved to be a very sharing and insightful person who genuinely wants to see others thrive.
3. Dame Kelly Holmes
The next big celebrity guest on BizX was two-time Olympic gold medalist, Dame Kelly Holmes. Holmes shared her story of her humble beginnings in the army which was fascinating. The room was captivated by Kelly Holmes’ journey, emotion, honesty, and openness.
4. Donald Miller
Next up was Donald Miller, author of ‘Storybrand’. The concept of storytelling in marketing has been around for thousands of years ever since the Greeks sold mead as the “nectar of the gods”, and Miller’s storytelling prowess really shined through in his incredibly impressive talk which you could tell he has done many times before. Donald Miller was funny, gentle, and relaxed, and guided us through the coaching.
5. Andy Bounds
Andy Bounds, a sales trainer, was an absolute ball of energy in the room. He taught the concept of “Scouse coaching” where we had to choose somebody at our table or somebody next to us, and he gave us a series of questions based around taking action like “What are you going to do about it?”
Andy’s brilliant comedic timing really hammered home his message and made a good point in a funny way. At no point did it fall flat or get boring, and Andy managed to speak to every single person in the room, even if he was broadcasting on a PA with a microphone, which is an undeniably important skill to have for public speaking.
6. Jamil Qureshi
Jamil Qureshi is known as “the mindset guy” and for good reason. He’s a high-performance mindset coach, having coached many famous athletes. This time, he was talking about mindset in business and how it’s absolutely crucial. On team motivation, he said, “You’ll never change how they do it until you change how they view it”, “Be motivated by what you seek to create, not what you seek to avoid”, and “Nothing breeds failure like success.” All brilliant quotes.
7. Michael Heppell
The award for the most fun session at BizX, and any conference I’ve ever attended, has to go to Michael Heppell and his talk on customer service. Most business conferences tend to focus on sales and marketing, which are the heart and engine of any business, but it was a breath of fresh air to see a talk about customer service, as, without it, you can never grow and continue. Michael’s presentation style could be summed up in one word: Explosive!
The humour hit so hard it was verging on standup, and he ended his talk with a motivational hype activity where everyone had to stand up, close their eyes, and after a countdown, we had to do whatever we normally do to celebrate. The activity turned into one and a half thousand people losing their minds (in the best way possible) and grinning from ear to ear. The activity aimed to lose the old frustrated failure mindset and adopt the Michael Heppell super-mindset hype.
8. Brad Sugars
Last, but definitely not least, was ActionCoach founder, Brad Sugars (whom I had the pleasure of sitting next to at a table and having a little chat with). Brad was very motivational, very precise, and had a very well-sculpted talk. BizX proved that when it comes to speakers, it has the best of the best.
What I Love the Most About BizX
With this being my second BizX, I’m definitely going to make it a yearly habit. I spoke to people who have been with ActionCoach for years and now I know why. Other than the motivating talks, perhaps what I love the most about BizX is the social aspect. You get the big conference room and a smaller room where you get to sit down with anyone from any business or domain. Everyone is excited to talk and it becomes an incredibly educational experience.
While you might think everyone at BizX would be from England, some people travel from far and wide, such as one attendee I met from North Carolina who had brought his clients all the way from the United States to attend. This is one of the strongest indicators of the quality of the conference.
What I Didn’t Like About BizX
There’s not much to complain about at BizX, but if I had to be completely fair, perhaps the food wasn’t the strongest point. Most of the food was starch and carb-heavy, and the way it was distributed wasn’t the most convenient. At one point, they even ran out of food, so the portions had to be quite small, but that’s an easy fix, especially with the venues not always being the same.
Conclusion
All-in-all, BizX 2024 was a fantastic experience and such a clear reflection of the ethos of ActionCoach. It was educational, entertaining, and very thought-provoking. It’s also the gift that keeps on giving because ActionCoach is giving out referral links that can get you up to £1000 worth of free coaching.
If you fancy a second opinion I recommend reading this article on BizX by MAD-HR Ltd
Click this link to get a free session and other goodies from your local Action Coach!
Last Updated on June 6, 2024
