Joseph Ashford is the owner of K4 Global, located in Bournemouth, UK, a dynamic firm that’s managed to foster a unique atmosphere that is as efficient as it is profitable. Above all else, though, the firm’s employees are hopeful about the future and all its prospects. This successful business was born from a man who faced a rough start in life, but who would eventually identify the meaning of those struggles and turn it into something that would touch the lives of employees and employees and clients alike.
A Firm with Purpose
There’s no doubt that money drives people to give up their time and energy. For Ashford, though, he’s more interested in the larger purpose behind the work his employees are doing. When Ashford was young, he would lose his mother, father, sister, and brother-in-law in quick succession. It taught him the value of the so-called ‘simple’ pleasures of life. People can be driven by all kinds of motives, but he ultimately wants people at K4 to find value in what they do, much like he learned to find value after his loved ones were gone. It’s how he retains his best talent — even in the face of stiff competition.
K4 Global: Serving Businesses Across the Board
Property, technology, media, services: since its start in 2014, Ashford has managed to stretch his team’s expertise across a number of sectors. His faith lies in the disruptors of the market. When the status quo is shaken up, that’s the time when investment opportunities and profit margins go through the roof.
He couldn’t do this without his innate sense for staffing. When he decides to hire a professional, he ensures that they know their industry inside and out. Under his leadership, K4 Global has expanded its portfolio to new heights. One of its most exciting and lucrative ventures is called Opulence by K4. This development sector recently took on a residential project in Bournemouth, UK, one that is expected to see a 125% bump in value once completed.
A Commitment to Clients
When companies commit to K4, they can expect to be thrown into the spotlight immediately by Joseph Ashford and his team. This isn’t about meeting their needs, it’s about giving them a level of service that will spoil them beyond all expectations. Going above and beyond doesn’t just serve the clients, it serves everyone at K4.
If the goal is to get ahead, everyone has to believe in that mission and the work that’s needed to get there. This is the kind of inspiration that Ashford has become legendary for as a leader. From the front-line account managers to the accountants who never set eyes on the client, the ethos is instilled in every layer of the organisation.
A Sustainable Lifestyle
Joseph Ashford has been all over the world, and he’s seen plenty of evidence of climate change during his travels. At K4 Global, the emphasis is as much on the individual as it is on everyone. Real social responsibility means looking after the welfare of his employees, the community of Bournemouth, UK, and the environment in which he operates. When K4 makes a change or hits a milestone, he’s the first to update his employees.
Ashford encourages public transportation or biking whenever possible. He’s reduced the paper usage of the office by changing to an e-memo system and printing on both sides of the paper when electronic communication isn’t an option. In addition to protecting precious resources, this is also a way for businesses to sustain themselves in the inevitable wake of tightening regulations and expectations.
Company Culture
When employees have such wildly diverging to-do lists, what holds them together is their company culture. This goes beyond buzzword descriptions like ‘laid back’, ‘driven’, or ‘exciting’. What Ashford had to do is get everyone on the same page when it comes to the goals, values, and best practices of K4 Global in Bournemouth, UK. As any leader can tell you, that’s far easier said than done.
This is why recruiting and hiring is so important to the founder. If his employees aren’t open to learning and growing alongside their colleagues, no amount of lecturing is going to help them get there. He selects his team members very carefully and ensures that they understand that the companies are bespoke, depending on the client and their ultimate goals.
Ashford understands that companies rise and fall based on the strength of the people at the top. If they aren’t there to serve their employees, the revenue will eventually reveal the lack of concern. Instead of taking the easy way out, he’s learned to leverage his past and expertise to build a business that people can believe in.
