About John Sandford

“You’ve got to say no to most things” might sound like counterintuitive advice from a strategic advisor, but it’s just one of the ways that John keeps his clients on track. His long career across a vast range of service sectors means John’s the right person to come to for a pragmatic, common-sense and empathetic approach to business and life challenges that balances process and systems with the most important aspect of any business: He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.

It’s about the people. But John’s known that for a long time. His success as a publisher wasn’t just down to his fierce editorial eye, but also his unrelenting focus on delivering value to the communities he served. And that’s just one example; John believes that, if you want to create lasting and meaningful change, you’ve got to show care for your internal team, buyers, suppliers and influencing customers.

John sees all people as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle – with the strengths of one person fitting into the hollow where another needs support. Once you know who does what and how they’re serving the business, you can plug things together in the right order to form a cohesive whole – one where everyone has got everyone else’s back. Once you’ve understood the people that make it possible, only then can meaningful change take place.

“Treat everyone with courtesy, honesty and respect – and you’ll get it back,” says John. But he knows that’s got to come with some heat. John’s years as an experienced senior executive, chairman, trustee and director means he knows what it’s like to have “both soles of the feet on the blowtorch”.

“It really sharpens your focus!”

That balance of EQ and IQ has served John well. As a consultant, business advisor and lateral thinker specialising in tourism and services, John excels wherever the human touch is needed.