--- title: Strategic Thinking | Nicholas Mayhew (4) description: Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. (4) --- [![Alembicstrategy](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Alembic_Strategy_September2018%20Theme/Images/logo.png?width=218&height=76&name=logo.png "Alembicstrategy")](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/) # Strategic Thinking ![Alembic-Resized-Max](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Alembic-Resized-Max.jpg?width=2420&height=692&name=Alembic-Resized-Max.jpg) # Strategic Thinking - - ![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) ## Nicholas Mayhew ### Latest ![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Jan 5, 2018 [![The Shock of Reality](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Alembic_Strategy_September2018%20Theme/Images/1_9K-SmyEwTnzbrLlB48rxUw%20(1).jpeg?width=142&name=1_9K-SmyEwTnzbrLlB48rxUw%20(1).jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/the-shock-of-reality-42b57fb662cb) ## [The Shock of Reality](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/the-shock-of-reality-42b57fb662cb) The world has a natural indifference to our feelings When there is a big gap between your expectation (ok, your fantasy) and reality (not my reality; [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Jan 5, 2018 ![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Sep 3, 2017 [![Making Compound Growth Personal](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Alembic_Strategy_September2018%20Theme/Images/1_WaJpTWFFxwpuYSNOsAcsvw.jpeg?width=142&name=1_WaJpTWFFxwpuYSNOsAcsvw.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/making-compound-growth-personal-a43a07a48acf) ## [Making Compound Growth Personal](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/making-compound-growth-personal-a43a07a48acf) There’s nothing like a bit of compounding. A 10% return re-invested and repeated for a few years really starts to mount up! Now imagine those returns [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Sep 3, 2017 ![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Jul 19, 2017 [![A Life of Two Halves](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Alembic_Strategy_September2018%20Theme/Images/1_V_Bq6uEtPEg0Ae8XHsc6dw.jpeg?width=142&name=1_V_Bq6uEtPEg0Ae8XHsc6dw.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/a-life-of-two-halves-a5f783f8138b) ## [A Life of Two Halves](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/a-life-of-two-halves-a5f783f8138b) Picture this scenario if you will… you’re a baby. Your mum has just fed you spaghetti hoops, most of which can be found slathered into your tufts of [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Jul 19, 2017 ![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Jul 2, 2017 [![The Age of the Free Lunch](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Alembic_Strategy_September2018%20Theme/Images/1_-XwEhrA3SRSJS52D9-6MLA.jpeg?width=142&name=1_-XwEhrA3SRSJS52D9-6MLA.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/the-age-of-the-free-lunch-123d87fd1066) ## [The Age of the Free Lunch](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/the-age-of-the-free-lunch-123d87fd1066) Working hard is a difficult message to sell these days. Yet it is key to success in business as much as it is personally. We are in the free lunch [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Jul 2, 2017 ![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Jun 2, 2017 [![Hard Work is a Winning Strategy](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Alembic_Strategy_September2018%20Theme/Images/1_1MEG66lNkwRIOhVeJV6llA.jpeg?width=142&name=1_1MEG66lNkwRIOhVeJV6llA.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/hard-work-is-a-winning-strategy-5420cfae1072) ## [Hard Work is a Winning Strategy](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/hard-work-is-a-winning-strategy-5420cfae1072) But you will need to be ready to sweat to succeed These days extolling the virtues of simple hard work is pretty unfashionable. However, [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg) ](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) [Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Founder and managing director of Alembic Strategy Ltd, a growth consultancy focussed on strategy, leadership, M&A, coaching and change. [![Nicholas Mayhew](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hubfs/Nick%20May%202019-1.jpeg)](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew) Jun 2, 2017 [Previous](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/author/nicholas-mayhew/page/3) [All posts](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/strategic-thinking/all) ### ELSEWHERE - [mailto:info@alembicstrategy.com](mailto:info@alembicstrategy.com) - - ### Links [Why Alembic?](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/why-alembic) [Resources](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/resources) [People](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/our-people) [Contact Us](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/contact-us) ### Connect ### Our Partners [![FBU Logo](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/FBU%20Logo-RED-01.png?width=596&name=FBU%20Logo-RED-01.png "FBU Logo")](https://www.familybusinessunited.com/) [![Mindshop Logo](https://www.alembicstrategy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202023-07-03%20at%2017.03.08-1.png?width=3196&name=Screenshot%202023-07-03%20at%2017.03.08-1.png "Mindshop Logo")](https://web.mindshop.com/) ### Site credentials Copyright © Alembic Strategy Ltd. 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