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 »
I will always remember my first night on Necker Island home to Sir Richard Branson. We were just settling in and being made to feel very welcome. We have the entire island to the 4 of us and it is the most idyllic setting for a family holiday. Stood in the Great House on the hill looking at a photo of Sam Branson and his friends, I turned around and Richard walked up to me arm outstretch and with a warm smile he bowed his head gently and welcomed me to his home. It is the greatest thing for me to meet such a distinguished businessman. I have many friends who have become incredibly successful. Most of them though are particularly hard with their staff… Read the Rest »
We ran one of our graduate recruiting days last week at UKFast and we started off by asking all the graduates to stand up, introduce themselves and tell us, who their most iconic person is and also tell us about something they have achieved which they consider momentous in their life. It is a good ice breaker and for those of us assessing the candidates, it starts to give you a snap shot of what is to come. A young lady stood up, and I don’t have her name to hand and she described her momentous achievement as creating a small shop on ebay and selling a variety of things. When she sat down, I immediately asked, “so why are you here?” At first I… Read the Rest »
So here I am lying on my back looking at a blue sky, watching the clouds change shape. An airplane appears and disappears leaving nothing but a trace in it’s wake. And the question is “what do I do next?” Mid recession, with no clear understanding of how long is the tunnel or how dark it might get, I am drawn back to the hypnotic clouds. There are some things in life you can’t predict or influence, “weather” you want to or not. But do these unpredictable elements stop you from going about your normal business or day to day lives. Of course not. Only in extreme cases, but even these are “blips” and they cannot halt progress. I am reminded of Earl Nightingale and… Read the Rest »
A new breed of adolescent is gracing England’s green and pleasant land – the teenage entrepreneur. Typically technology-savvy, the teenager you thought was simply chatting over MSN or adding to an already buckling Bebo account may well be using the internet to far greater effect. Astoundingly, in 2007, 43 per cent of teenagers used the internet to make money online. “Big deal,” you might exclaim. “Anybody can sell on eBay!” But bear in mind that 22 per cent of those teenagers actually set up an online business. And over four fifths of these young tycoons do it from their parents’ homes. No overheads, no rent, no leaving the house – just pure profit. It beats a paper round, that’s for sure. As a youngster, back… Read the Rest »
