PtG Business

11/10/2025

Here to make your life easier.

You might have seen my free Excel tool for mail appeals. It shows when adding low-value data starts hurting your net income instead of helping it. Simple, visual, and quick to use
Haven’t grabbed it yet? Click here to request your copy: www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/contact-us/

If you already have a copy, I’d love to hear how you’re finding it. What worked? What would you tweak?

And while we’re here… I’m on the hunt for other small-but-mighty tools that could make fundraisers’ lives easier. What would save you time, give you confidence with the numbers, or impress your Board at a glance?

Drop me your ideas at [email protected] and let’s see if together we can make brilliant things happen.

10/10/2025

Today marks both World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day.
It feels fitting that these two share a date, because they’re so often intertwined.

My second role in the sector was with Shelter, and it was an eye-opener.
Homelessness is too often seen as a matter of choice or personal failing: you could fix it if you really wanted to.

That’s a misconception that charities across the world work hard to challenge.
Homelessness is rarely a single event. It’s the outcome of a web of pressures; relationship breakdowns, job loss, rising costs, addiction, poor mental health, and the slow erosion of support networks. It’s about being let down, again and again, by systems that are supposed to help.

The ongoing underfunding of mental health and addiction services is part of why the problem persists.

So today is a reminder to look beyond the stereotypes, to understand the complexity, and to keep pushing for better.

09/10/2025

For smaller charities, data can feel like a headache.

We help by keeping it simple: making sure supporter records are tidy, donations are logged, and reports are easy to run.

It frees you up to focus on fundraising, not spreadsheets.

If you need a regular couple of hours each month, or have a one-off piece of work - no matter how small - drop me a line at [email protected] or follow the link! www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/contact-us

05/10/2025

When experts collide…

What do a broken Excel formula, crime in 1990s New York, and Roe v. Wade have in common?
In my recent blog, I explore how data can mislead and the importance of understanding the why behind the what is essential. It’s a story of bad maths, bold assumptions, and the kind of insight that only comes when you dig deeper.

If you’ve ever relied on stats to guide your decisions, this one’s worth a read.

Read it here https://www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/expert/

An as expert in data I don't confuse correlation with causation and I avoid confirmation bias - come and talk to us if you need data support!

04/10/2025

Who doesn’t love something free and useful?

I love a freebie. Even more when it’s actually useful.

So I’ve created a free tool for fundraisers: a whizzy Excel widget that shows how much money you lose when you keep those low-value, out-of-date names in your mailing file.

We’ve all seen them, Dave, who gave a fiver six years ago, still lurking in the data. You add him in to bump up volume, chase a discount with the printer, and… end up with less net income.

This little tool shows you the effect in seconds and helps you plan with confidence what to include. It looks pretty slick too; perfect for flashing your brilliance in front of SMT.

To get your copy fill out the contact form which you can find by clicking on this link. www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/contact-us Because free and useful should make everyone happy (even Dave).

03/10/2025

Are you looking for an extra pair of data-savvy hands?

Most of my work is with smaller charities, who don’t need a full-time data person, just someone for a few hours a month to import donations, clean supporter data, or pull together a simple selection for a mailing.

2–3 hours each month could make a real difference.

If that sounds like something you need, drop me a line at [email protected]
Or follow the link! www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/contact-us

02/10/2025

Data management truths for 2025

Still treating data management like a one-time chore? Still mailing people who moved house in 2019? Still hoping spaghetti-at-the-wall segmentation will deliver results?

In my latest blog, I unpack the messy realities of bad data, and why even small charities need to take it seriously. It’s not glamorous, but it is essential.

We’ve got three more months to make 2025 the year we stop fundraising in the dark – let’s do it!

Read it here https://www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/data-management-truths/

Let’s take a moment to reflect on some data management truths that, if ignored, will come back to haunt you (or bite you in the bum!)

28/09/2025

Inspiring relationships: more than just collaboration

Ever found yourself watching a documentary on sandblasting just because someone made it sound fascinating? That’s the power of passion, and the kind of connection that can elevate your work.

In my recent blog, I explore what makes a professional relationship truly inspiring. It’s about more than just getting the job done, it’s about support, growth, honest feedback, and safe spaces to think out loud.

If you’ve got people like that in your life, cherish them. And if you don’t… maybe it’s time to go looking.

Read it here: https://www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/inspiring-relationships/

it is often too easy to take that co-worker for granted; the one who provides a inspiring relationships in your life. Take a moment to thank them!

24/09/2025

APIs – Apocalyptic Penguin Invasion?

No, I haven’t lost the plot. But if you’ve chatted with me recently and I started talking about penguins when you thought we were discussing data… this blog will explain everything. It’s got plastic cups, string, and a surprisingly useful analogy for how APIs work, minus the finger injuries and actual penguins.

If you’ve ever wondered how data moves between platforms (without needing a massive system overhaul), this one’s for you.

Read it here: https://www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/api

APIs – or Application Programming Interfaces is one of those tech things, that people may have heard of but is usually shrouded in some mystery.

21/09/2025

Multi-factor authentication. Strong passwords. Secure data handling. We know what “good” looks like, but what happens when people just… don’t bother?

In my latest blog, I dive into the everyday habits that quietly chip away at security and ask whether it’s time for individuals to face real consequences when they ignore the rules.

It’s a spicy one.

Read it here: https://www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/multi-factor-authentication/

Thinking about multi-factor authentication got me thinking, how much responsibility should individual people take?

05/09/2025

Who doesn't love a dog post on a Friday - with some tech-jargon busting thrown in.

Pop over to our latest blog to find out about CRM tenants and shared environments - in a way we can all understand!

in a CRM shared environments mean lots of different teams work from the same huge database, but each has access only to the data they need.

22/08/2025

It's Friday before a Bank Holiday, most of the team are out.

How can I 'just breathe?'

But you really should - pop over to our latest blog to find out why!

https://www.ptgbusiness.co.uk/time-to-think/

In our world of fundraising, data, and creative strategy, we often expect brilliance to strike while we’re glued to a PC - but we need time to think!