Making Lemonade

All we hear in the news is how bad the economy is and worse still,that there is no sign of improvement in the near future. OK so where does that leave us?

With a choice that's what. Ever heard that expression what goes up must come down? Can we apply that here and say the reverse, anything that is down may (possibly) go up? I don't know about that - all I know is it often applies to my bathroom scales. One week I am doing great and shedding the pounds and next thing I know the needle is creeping up again!

Let's choose a different idiom, shall we- every cloud has a silver lining? It may be hard to see at the moment when you walk into the supermarket and baked beans has gone up yet again..

We do have a choice in the matter though, we can make adjustments to our spending, change our eating habits, reduce our non essentials expenditure, and ride the waves as they come.

And when life gives us lemons......

Hitting The Big Time!

I attended an event last week in Manchester (took me forever to find the entrance into City of Manchester museum!) called Hitting the BIG time. It was aimed at the African Carribean business community, and organised by Businesslink Northwest. I met some really cool people and made great contacts.

Key issue at the event was collaboration: working together as individuals, small and medium enterprise owners, or even mega firms coming together to make even greater impact! About time too I say.

It was an enjoyable event,'good job' and thank you to the organisers.

Be You

What is man's first duty? The answer is brief: to be himself

Henrik Ibsen 1867

Gert Boyle.....amazing 82 year old

Gert Boyle's family fled Nazi Germany when she was 13--reason enough for her to hope her path as an adult would be smooth. For a time it was: She raised her three children while her husband, Neal, ran Columbia Sportswear in Portland, Oregon. But when Neal died in 1970 at age 47, Gert had to take over. She knew nothing about business, and the records were in shambles. A calm life was not in the cards.

Gert took Neal's Columbia, whose core customers were serious outdoors people, and made it a company for anyone who fancies a fleece vest: students, suburbanites, babies. The message has been carried since 1984 by Columbia's "tough mother" advertising campaign, whose highlights have included Gert forcing her son Tim--now the company's CEO--through a car wash to test a parka. Her little family business is now a $1.2 billion public company.

(From Inc.com The Daily Resource for Entrepreneurs)

Quotes from Boyle

“You never get yesterday back. So do better tomorrow and trust your instincts.”

“Self-examination is better than criticism, and the success of a business sometimes lies in the faults of the person who is running it.”

“You have to realize that in some areas experience is a better teacher than instinct.”


Whats stopping you?

Spontaneity.....

So, the other day, went to a business lunch with friends, Andy and Louise - at a delightful pub that was meant to be halfway between our two homes. Then I found halfway was just a manner of speaking as it was just at their doorstep! Almost...

No really, it was great. A man of the moment, Andy has his camera on the back of his car and afterwards we went and took some pictures on the beach...as you do when you go to have lunch and a meeting at a 'halfway' pub.

But here's to life, friends, beaches, mixing business with pleasure, and spontaneity.

Do something crazy today.