About 8 miles after stopping for fuel my car started to splutter and the power asssisted steering failed - luckily I managed to pull over causing mayhem on a fast, country lane just before a blind bend. The car simply wouldn’t start.  Charlie (my 5 yr old son) looked up and said “Is it anything to do with the petrol?” and it suddenly dawned on me - I had put petrol into my diesel car. What an absolute nightmare!

I called the RAC and they assured me that I would be a priority case and someone would be with me within the hour and they would keep me informed. It wasn’t an hour - it was only 20 minutes before Glen (my absolute saviour) arrived and towed me home. Once we arrived home, he proceeded to spend the next hour emptying my tank of petrol and completely sorting the problem out in a very reassuring and calm manner. He also kindly supplied 10 litres of Diesel, stayed whilst the car started and even followed me to the petrol station to refill my car up with Diesel. Definitely over and above the call of duty.

1. Glen really cared. Such committment and dedication is so rare - he has been working with the RAC for over 20 years and yet still treated me as if I was the first blonde ever he had had to rescue because of their own stupidty - if only everyone in customer-facing industries were like Glen….
2. Secondly,  in your organisations are you going the extra mile? Is your approach and those who work for you one of providing the very best service you possibly can? Authentic passion/approach/commitment makes the difference between mediocrity and excellence and should be encouraged…..

In case you were wondering…….

It has been quite a while since I have written a post - because quite frankly I have been extremely busy!   Neil Stevens @ DeShok has updated my website - and it really is worth a look - www.EMpwr.co.uk…..  You will see what I have been doing and what I am doing over the forthcoming months.  For those of you who don’t know - I now co-host a radio show - www.connekt2.co.uk  - with Livingston Gilchrist on Tuesdays on award-winning radio statio - www.playvybz.com - let me know what you think!

I suppose some people must have the same reaction when they are considering running their own business - I can’t do that….. I don’t know how…. - and yet my reaction to that is - of course you can, it is all down to the planning and I suppose participating in the marathon must be the same.

No.1 - Begin with the End in Mind…Why?

• Business - Stretch yourself? Make money? Be successful as quickly as possible and exit?
• Marathon - Stretch yourself? Make money (for charity)? Complete 26.2 miles as fast as possible?

No.2 - Set your own Pace

• Business - slow but steady with organic growth? Medium pace with personal investment? Private equity with huge growth plans?
• Marathon - slow but aim to get round uninjured? Jog/ run within a sensible and personal best timeframe? Aim for a top 10 position and champion status?

No.3 – Research and Review

• Business - know your market; know your positioning; know your capabilities; prepare a Business Plan and use it
• Marathon - know your target time; know where the start line is; know what you are capable of; have a Training Plan and stick to it without fail

So really there is very little difference and put like that, William’s question really wasn’t that ridiculous after all – and actually on reflection, why shouldn’t I? Particularly when I see that Virgin are the new sponsors for the Marathon in 2010 – perhaps a good year for first-timers?

Must dash – coffee break looms – that snickers bar suddenly seems really appealing (let’s face it – probably the closest I will ever get to a marathon!)

• Anything is possible with proper planning – you must understand your motivation, set the right pace and ensure you understand and review your market
• The Moron was fired – being quiet and insignificant and taking a back seat – can never be the right strategy in business – thank goodness, is all I say!

For those of you who didn’t see last week’s episode - the task was to create a couple of cosmetics/skincare products from scratch - and they actually filmed the production/development, here in Poole. Of course, I was more interested in the task than normal because of my cosmetics background - but as always it was compelling viewing.

The clue, as always, is in the title - “blah blah blah… and the team who makes the most profit will win“…… In this episode, one team produced two beautiful products and managed to sell out within the allotted time - and the other team, led by someone who can only be described as a moron, produced two awful products and struggled to sell them - even at £1 each - or at the very end £1 for 2.

Unbelievably, the “moron” won….. and although, he should have been at receiving end of those immortal words, “You’re Fired” - he escaped and the team leader of the first team took the walk of shame.

Why? It all came down to the costs.

The “You’re Fired” team leader made a fundamental error (well actually she made a few - but I would be here for days if we talked about them all) - she didn’t double check the cost of her raw materials - she not only chose an oil which “she liked” without checking its cost per kilo, she also made a mistake in her calculations - allowing only £5 - when the true cost was nearer £750. This mistake was picked up by Sir Alan’s aide, Nick, at the end of the development day and it was too late to rectify the formulation - but it wasn’t too late to implement other changes - such as increasing the retail price and focussing on the benefits of including Sandalwood oil.

Had she had her fingers on the pulse of all the necessary disciplines in her business - she could have easily won this task. Business is like Spagetti Junction interchange in Birmingham - everything is interlinked and dependent on each other - so if you do make mistakes (which we all do), then react and rectify as quickly as possible - all may not be lost.

Watch The Apprentice (in a whole new dimension) on Youtube here.

1.  Getting your costings right is possibly the most fundamental principal of all businesses. We survive by making money and unless you cost correctly in the first place, it simply will not happen.
2.   Make decisions from a commercial standpoint - what you “like” is often disastrous.
3.   Never miss another episode - even 12 incompetent “business leaders of the future” will teach you something - even if it is…. something not to do.

I rang 118118 and they put me through to the Radisson Edwardian Hotel in WC1 and one of the most delightful Concierges you could ever wish to meet - offered to meet me at the carpark and walk me to the hotel. Everything was perfect as far as I was concerned and I even had my bags carried for me and a personal escort!

When we arrived - I was asked for my name and it was immediately apparent that I was in the wrong hotel! Although part of the same group, the hotel I had booked into was over the road. Did Mr Concierge even bat an eyelid? No! He simply picked up my luggage and walked me over the road and proceeded to check me in. Did I feel silly? Yes! Completely

His attitude throughout was to be admired - even when he realised that he hadn’t even been helping one of his guests - he remained helpful and courteous and nothing was too much trouble

He was clearly passionate about ensuring the guests of the entire Radisson Edwardian Hotel Group enjoyed their stay, not just those within his remit. An excellent ambassador indeed. And, yes, he definitely has the P Factor!

Passion is not something which can be taught - or insisted upon - it is something which needs to come from within - and yet, as far as I am concerned, Passion Produces Performance.

Passion needs to shine throughout and be present in everything we undertake:

• Passionate in what we do
• Passionate in why we are doing it
• Passionate to be the best and willing to learn
• Passonate for working hard
• Passionate about the people around us
• Passionate about finding solutions

1. Putting Customers first - regardless of whether they are in the right or wrong - is one important way to develop your business - if not, the most important way.
2. Embrace Passion and apply it to everything you say and do - results will be immediate
3. Don’t believe that 118118 supply you with the right number everytime. They clearly don’t!

I hadn’t always felt this way - and along with the nation, I laughed at her with her incredulous lack of knowledge…. she really did believe that “East Angular” was abroad and Rio de Janeiro was a person. In spite of her lack of obvious intelligence, she managed to remain in the limelight ever since her passage into the world of showbiz on Big Brother in 2002. Her Behaviour in the Celebrity Big Brother House did not shock me as it did so many others - I still believe that Jade was simply unaware of what she was doing - she perhaps wasn’t capable of analysing her actions and as for thinking before speaking… forget it! This is perhaps why Shilpa Shetty forgave her so easily.

In the last few months, Jade has managed to achieve so much for so many:

1. National awareness of Cervical Cancer has risen exponentially - no longer will women of any age particularly those in their 20s - believe that it “won’t happen to them”…..

2. There has been a 20% increase in the number of women requesting cervical smears in the last two months alone

3. For her sons, Jade has managed to secure their future - financially speaking - by selling her Wedding for £1million pounds and has probably amassed much much more for all of the publicity she has received - including, I am sure, future book deals.

Why not?

Jade recognised her strengths and even when she knew she had a limited time left she played to them like a true professional.

1. We should treat every day/week/month as though it is our last… evaluate your strengths and utilise them to the absolute best of your potential

2. Set yourself a goal - and be absolutely focused - you will be amazed at what you WILL achieve

3. If others can benefit from your determination - then it will make your success even greater

4. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today

As I drove home, I wondered just how long would it take for me to become used to this situation - how long it would take for me not to consider it not be a thrill and a privilege and for it to become the norm and quite simply ordinary.

It made me realise that is how we probably all become in our business and our daily lives - everything becomes the norm - yet to be successful and to continue forwards, we need to hold onto those initial feelings we have when something is new and exciting and different.

A typical example of this is to remember how you felt when you first met your partner and those initial “head over in heels in love” days…….  But of course, more importantly, we need to remember that we need to instill these feelings into every single one of our customers all the time.   To create a new and interesting and different experience - one that quite simply, is thrilling.

1.   We need to remember that our customers have a choice - they can use us time after time or they can go  elsewhere.    The challenge is to ensure our customers don’t want to go elsewhere - ever.

2.   Regardless of how long you have been doing what you do - you need to remember how you felt on your first day, when you met your first customer, when you issued your first invoice and when you received your first payment.    Make every day like a “first day” and you will be amazed at the results.

Would you be a Gwynneth Paltrow who overran the 45 second time limit for an Oscar acceptance speech in 1999?   By the time she’d sobbed her way through a 3-minute, 365 word acceptance speech for Best Actress, nobody could actually hear what she said through her tears - although a look at the Academy transcript reveals a thank-you list that was 24 names deep and included two dead people.

Or Would you be Jo Pesci who won Best Supporting Actor for Goodfellas in 1991 - who simply said:  “This is an honour and privilege.  Thank you”.

CHALLENGE:

I challenge you to take 10 minutes out of your busy day to write an acceptance speech.   Imagine, you can publicly thank all of those around you who enable you to achieve what you achieve in your business life.

When you have finished, make a note of the last time you actually thanked these people.   Whether with the actual words or with a gesture to demonstrate how grateful you are.  We all like to be thanked - and in fact thanking someone can indeed be the greatest motivator of all……

Sorry!…must dash as I just need to perfect my speech but in the meantime I will leave you with ……”I would just like to thank my Mum, my Dad, my children, my dogs Henry and Betty, my husband, my cat and not forgetting…….!”

1. Most people want to know that their work made a difference. After all, why contribute all of that energy and effort without seeing impact and change?  A simple “thank you” will always be appreciated.
2. Go out of your way today to thank you those who contribute to your success - you will be amazed at the response you get.

It has really made me question…. Did I?…. Do I?…. Is there such a thing as an “ideal” work/life balance - and does a “one size fit all” approach work?

We all go into business for different reasons:
…we want to
…we have to
…we believe that we can do it better than someone else
…we want to work for ourselves
…we want to be in control

The reasons are endless and no one reason is any better than the next.

Likewise in relation to the “ideal work/life balance”….

My current ideal is to be able to work during term time 3 days per week and spend 2 days a week with my daughter who is 3….. during the holidays I would also like to work 3 days per week and be able to catch up on my work in the evenings without feeling guilty because I actually enjoy working.  Do I achieve it? On the whole, I do - but there are exceptions and “opportunities not to be missed” and sometimes my daughter goes to Nursery more than 3 days - and because she loves it there, I pursue the opportunity wholeheartedly….

My ideal used to be very different.   I wanted to work full time and full-on.   My eldest son went to Nursery for 4 full days from the age of 8 weeks old and stayed there until he was 4.5 and started at school.  I would always take Fridays off and we would have “Mummy” days and I would not miss out on putting him to bed and reading him a story unless I was away on business.

These situations would not suit the majority of people and many may believe I am “wrong” but that’s the point…. There is not one PERFECT work/life balance which can suit all.

Fiona Phillips (ex GMTV presenter) is a point in hand.   She says:  “I decided to resign from GMTV so that I could concentrate on helping my father and spending time with him while he still has some semblance of normal life……And to be able to spend more time with my boys. The truth was that I just couldn’t cope any longer juggling my sons, my husband, the job and the stress of Dad’s illness…….I was feeling guilty all the time”.

This Morning Presenter Fern Britton takes a different approach and has negotiated a contract which allows her not to work during the school holidays or on Fridays.

Completely different for both presenters and yet neither is right or wrong - it is what suits that individual.   Both are happy with their work/life balance - and so should you.

1. It’s your journey and your goal
2. You need to be happy with where you are at - and not compare yourself to others.  What suits you….    may  not suit your friend/colleagues - that doesn’t mean that you are wrong - you are just being you.
3. Read what the media have to say about Work/Life Balance - but make up your own mind - don’t be swayed by someone else’s opinion what is right - they don’t know - only you know you!

It goes without saying that the evening was superb and the dancing amazing….. Julian Clary was hysterical (watch him on YouTube here) - he certainly can’t dance but he made everyone laugh and was a worthy runner-up for entertainment value!

What struck me most was the positive attitude and energy of all the women around me. Yes, everyone recognised that times were difficult and the economic climate was not perhaps at a stage which entrepreneurs would chose to trade in, however it was not preventing them from looking at ways to grow and improve their own individual businesses. In the past two months, one business had expanded and taken on additional premises extending their commercial offering and the other business had taken on premises to introduce their particular area of expertise to the High Street.

Were these women concerned about the economic climate?

Absolutely not. They were both aware of the current economic situation but both had prepared Business Plans which had taken into consideration all possibilities. Their Business Plans had been prepared with realistic expectations and the numbers still made sense.

Both had recognised that their level of customer service and their proposition needed to be better than the competition and were introducing new and interesting ways to keep their customers coming back with a variety of different tools ranging from:

• Loyalty Cards
• Welcome Packs
• Birthday Cards offering a Birthday Discount
• Flexible Opening Times - to cater for the working woman (or man!) and the stay-at-home mum who wanted to shop on her own
• ‘Recommend a Friend’ incentives to existing clients
• On-line Shopping

Confidence to grow and improve in these times, is a result of knowing every element within your business - being aware of those areas which are working well and knowing which areas need improvement. These women have clearly done this and are comfortable in taking leaps forward because of their in depth knowledge. Above all, they recognise and believe in nurturing and developing their customers.

1. Don’t be frightened to expand or develop your business - be frightened if you don’t know the detail of what expansion means….
2. Customers are the foundation of any business - because without them you don’t have a business
3. Listen to your customers - discover what it is they like about you and why they keep coming back - try not to upset anyone - because they probably won’t tell you so that you can rectify the situation, but you can be absolutely sure they will tell at least nine of their friends……

Answer the following questions:

• Do you know the balance in your Bank Account?
• Do you know how many creditors are over their 30 day credit limit?
• Do you know your Cash Flow forecast for next week, next month, next 3 months?

If you have said YES to all of these questions - CONGRATULATIONS! You are in the minority - don’t lose touch with those ‘pennies’….. knowing this level of detail is crucial for success - you are in the enviable position of knowing your business and knowing what is working, what isn’t and where you are getting a good return on your investment…

If you have answered NO to any of these questions - you need to take out, to find out the answers, RIGHT NOW.

Remember it is your bank account - your bank simply acts as a conduit for your money - it is up to you to manage it. Don’t wait for a phone call or even a text to tell you the balance in your account….

If your creditors are not paying on-time, you need to know AND you need to know why. You are providing a valuable service and it is your right to be paid for it.If you have a key customer who accounts for a large proportion of your business, you may not want to stop supplying them, but you should make that decision knowing all of the facts.

Do you have a cash flow?

Is it up-to-date? If you don’t have one, or it is not up-to-date, now is the time when it must be correct. Updating your cash flow forecast on a regular basis will provide so much crucial information including sales information. Sales generate income and if sales are not as expected, this will impact on your cash flow and your projected profit levels.

It continually amazes me that so many entrepreneurs fight shy of their business finances…… Accountants and Book-keepers are important parts of any business, but they are not an excuse to not know what is going on.

• Practical Finance planning pre-empts problems.
• Introduce regular financial updates into your weekly or daily schedule
• If you don’t do the detail - make sure you are aware of the detail - it could be the difference between success and failure