30+ years of B2B business specialist support

30+ years of B2B business specialist support

Hi, I'm John Sweeney

Hi, I'm John Sweeney

I help SMEs, CEOs and their senior managers in B2B businesses. I focus on providing practical strategies and solutions in sales, marketing and operations. I combine experience, simple frameworks and tailored support to unlock performance.

I help SMEs, CEOs and their senior managers in B2B businesses. I focus on providing practical strategies and solutions in sales, marketing and operations. I combine experience, simple frameworks and tailored support to unlock performance.

What needs to change?

Here are some ways I help SME business owners and senior teams

  1. Growth Strategy

    Build a growth strategy with you and your team. Identify your unique business strengths and match those to market opportunities. Provide a sustainable plan and programme for you accelerate growth.

  2. 1.

  1. Better Sales and Marketing Results

    Businesses struggle to build a joined up sales and marketing system that produces predictable results. With 30 plus years of B2B sales, marketing and delivery experience in the small business arena you can utilize this know how to identify a system that will work for you. Discover the B2B tools and techniques that work for you and your budget.

  2. 2.

  1. Business Exit Preparation

    Building a business that is sellable takes time, and you need to know the rules of the game. Start thinking like a buyer and demonstrate that your business is the best option among the many choices they have.

  2. 3.

  1. Business Development and Sales Support

    Sales not your strong point? Do you and your team need to open doors more quickly. Get in front of hard to reach global and national brands. Are your sales messages landing in meetings? Leverage my extensive B2B enterprise selling experience to create and close new opportunities.

  2. 4.

  1. Business Development and Sales Support

    I’ve sold my own business and helped many others. You can discover what you need to do to sell your business without incurring costly retainers and broker fees.

  2. 5.

To explore how I can help in those areas

Why businesses choose to work with me

3 reasons why ambitious companies choose to work with me

Experience

30 plus years of international B2B sales, marketing and delivery experience in SME businesses

Flexibility

Projects and engagements are scoped to produce results quickly. Projects vary from short sprints to long-term support.

Trust

Getting through business growth and exit challenges is tough. Insight and support provided in confidence.

Portfolio

Here are some examples of my work

Business Growth

Scaling a business from £0-£2m+ in less that 4 years

Business Growth

Scaling a business from £0-£2m+ in less that 4 years

E-commerce Expansion for TrendyThreads

How we doubled sales with strategic user acquisition

E-commerce Expansion for TrendyThreads

How we doubled sales with strategic user acquisition

Revitalizing Tech Innovators Summit

How we boosted engagement by 40% with targeted growth strategies

Revitalizing Tech Innovators Summit

How we boosted engagement by 40% with targeted growth strategies

Kind words from my past clients

Here is what founders say about my work

Sarah Collins

CEO, TrendyThreads

"Ethan's strategic insights were instrumental in doubling our sales within six months. His deep understanding of market dynamics and innovative approach to user acquisition set a new standard for our team. His expertise is unmatched, and we are thrilled with the results."

Some of my writing

Some of the essays I've written. Subscribe to get weekly essays delivered to your inbox.

Why I invested in Substack

Why more writers will choose Substack over alternatives

Why I invested in Substack

Why more writers will choose Substack over alternatives

Walking in customers' shoes

The DoorDash approach

Walking in customers' shoes

The DoorDash approach

Resulting

When we judge our decisions by the outcomes they produce

Resulting

When we judge our decisions by the outcomes they produce

Three forms of leverage

Different forms of leverage to grow your buisinessLev

Three forms of leverage

Different forms of leverage to grow your buisinessLev

About me

I'm John Sweeney

I help business owners and senior leaders in B2B organisations grow their businesses, generate revenue, and plan for successful exits. My career began in corporate sales and marketing with Marks & Spencer, Volvo Cars, and McKinsey & Company, where I developed a rigorous, data-driven approach to commercial growth. I discovered my true passion lies in working with smaller businesses aiming to scale faster.

I moved into the tech sector, supporting UK companies with expansion strategies, and later relocated to the US to establish the New York office for a UK tech research firm. Back in the UK, I founded a marketing automation company, which I successfully sold in 2013. Since then, I’ve advised hundreds of businesses across sectors on sales, marketing, growth strategies, and exits.

My approach is hands-on, combining practical experience with data-driven insights. Typical projects include building sales propositions, driving immediate revenue, and identifying upselling opportunities, often forming the foundation for longer-term strategic partnerships.

I thrive on challenges, collaborating with teams to create impactful, sustainable solutions. Whether the goal is scaling, improving profitability, or preparing for an exit, I help leaders understand their business’s true value, implement changes to increase it, and position themselves to achieve optimal outcomes.

Connect with me & follow on

Contact me

Drop me a message. I look forward to hearing from you.

FAQs

What I get asked the most

What does a Business Growth Specialist do?

How can you help my company grow its user base?

How do you measure the success of a growth strategy?

What is your approach to reducing customer churn?

Can you work with companies of all sizes?