Its been a great start to the year. I am not able to give you profit figures yet as its a little early, however I can confirm that we had another record year in 2011. In the last 5 years we have grown 630%. If we maintained that, we’d hit £100m in the next 5 years. We have our work cut for us if we want to keep up this momentum though as it is technically harder to increase percentage growth year on year whilst growing organically. Its the first thing analysts question, “how do you intend on maintaining this trajectory?” The simple answer is, you don’t, unless each year you increase every area in identical proportion to your turnover. Its very difficult to achieve this… Read the Rest »
I was asked recently to be on a panel for a great event organised by the 6th formers at William Hulme School, in Manchester. I had not been there since the old days when I used to kick goals through the posts on their front field for Ruthin School. As someone who failed dismally as an academic it was nice to be asked to contribute so I jumped at the chance. The line up consisted of 3 politicians, myself and another business person. One of the big topics concentrated around university fees and whether or not the £9,000 is fair. There seems to have been a massive cultural change over the last 10 or 15 years. Blair popularised the idea that everyone should go to… Read the Rest »
It seems like a lifetime ago when I arrived in Manchester. What a city, what an era. Bloxham was selling posters in Afflecks Palace, Ferguson had just arrived at United, Tony Wilson was giving the Factory a whole new meaning. Tim Bacon was a barman in JWJohnsons, Oglesby was at Cheadle Hulme where only weeks earlier I’d been playing against him on the great British rugby fields. Bruno was holding centre stage at the French Restaurant, at the then Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, Midland Hotel. I was the cheeky piano player busking my way through life. I had never been so poor, but I had certainty that something good was just over the horizon. I learnt pretty early on that it was never going to… Read the Rest »
When I saw the line up of an upcoming event that showed Tony Robbins and Sir Richard Branson as the headline speakers, I was immediately taken aback to see Alan Sugar’s name appear a few weeks later. What is it about this man? He keeps on popping up on British TV, yet he lacks the finesse of Branson and the passion of Robbins. He most certainly lacks the humility that you’ll find in abundance in the other two great men. He comes across as a self opinionated man who likes putting people down to make himself feel better. And by surrounding himself with sycophantic people who do not openly challenge him, it is no surprise that he slipped up this week, after telling engineer Glenn… Read the Rest »
12 years ago I was sat on the side of my bed with my head in my hands struggling to choose a shirt to wear. No amount of reasoning would have helped me rationalise my behaviour. I had started putting on a significant amount of weight, but I was working out in the gym regularly and doing plenty of cardio. It felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I hadn’t known Gail long, but long enough for her to want to help me identify the problem. Doctors were unable to help, they checked for diabetes and thyroid, but there was nothing clinically wrong. Yet I was struggling to function. I was getting unnecessarily stressed and the not knowing what was wrong was compounding… Read the Rest »
Someone recently asked my advice on Planning and would I blog about my thoughts on the matter. It’s a great subject and there are many ways to approach planning. It wont surprise you that I probably start in the completely opposite place to most and miss out the bit that everyone else considers important. My “planning” is almost non-existant. All my work done is long before any planning would normally take place, at the “dreaming” stage. It’s a side that is drilled out of us at an early age, usually in school and by our elders. Yet the dreaming stage is the most fun and its where the magic happens. I have my own theories on planning, however they are all inspired by others and… Read the Rest »
A million things go through your mind while you are sat there waiting….. I consoled myself saying “it doesn’t really matter” over and over again, but deep down, it does. There is a table full of colleagues and guests all having a great time and there are 125 people back at work relying on me to bring home the trophy. Without them, there is no UKFast. Awards do give everyone in the business a lift. UKFast is a group of amazing, dynamic, innovative people. When UKFast gets nominated for an award, it is the team that deserves the credit. Even though it’s called the Entrepreneur of the Year award, there should be no mistake. This award represents the entrepreneurial spirit in UKFast, the under current… Read the Rest »
“Why should I invest in my staff? I already pay them very well. I dont want to socialise with them, they work for me!” These are some of the common responses you hear from business people. And there lies the problem. The “them and us” philosophy. A manager is someone who manages and evaluates peoples KPI’s. Dross! If you are part of a well organised unit, a manager will know his or her team inside out and will be socialising with their team regularly. I don’t mean at a token Christmas Party, I mean a real togetherness. And yes when you do celebrate something together, do it in style. We had our UKFast 10 Year Anniversary and held it at the Palace Hotel, Manchester with a… Read the Rest »
Is there a recession? Was there ever a true recession like back in the 90′s? For me it seems very different. Back in the 90′s everyone was effected. I don’t remember anyone escaping the pain inflicted by the job losses and hiked interest rates. The recent recession which was announced by Tony Blair officially before we actually were in one has felt very different for me and a great many of my customers. Yes people do seem slightly more cautious. But this is partly to do with the fact we were told we were heading for recession. I remember backing out of a property deal after the Nothern Rock crisis. Thank goodness Gail and I plucked up the courage and pursued the deal, it was… Read the Rest »
Have you ever wondered whether or not you could have made it as a professional sports person? I remember hearing Sean Connery talk and explain he turned down a place playing for Manchester United to carry on acting and although it wasn’t for the salaries they have these days, it was a brave move as acting is a hit and miss profession. There is little doubt in my mind that attitude determines your outcome. I am even more convinced after a night at the Veledrome in Manchester with 40 of Manchester’s top entrepreneurs and 2 Olympic cyclists, Rebecca Romero and Sarah Storey that it is all down to attitude. The event I was kindly invited along to started with a training session racing around the… Read the Rest »
