Chairman’s Blog Thursday 5th December 2013.
19 in attendance, not bad given the weather and the colds that are going round. Scott Griffiths is sharing vigil in hospital with his wife at his son’s bedside. Best wishes to them and for their son’s speedy recovery.
Paul Booth stood in for Scott and David Plumley stood in for himself, as the scheduled Ed Slot presenter was not available this week. He told of Streetlife, a community based help group that members might find useful joining. From an advice group for the streetwise to the 60 second round where it was all about spreading happiness.
Mike Rogers doesn’t do happiness, he just does mortgages; but Marcelle Saad told of messages from purchasers of her Gem Stones as to how happy these purchases had made them. Best congratulatory anecdote was from somebody who proposed on top of a giant rock overlooking the Pacific. Graham Thurston confirmed that he liked happy customers who make him happy. The Slovenian Hotel that was going for better and better carpets every time he visited and a religious centre for women who had all been very pleased with his giant Berber. Richard Reed said he was available to find “late cheap sun” and indeed on reflection considered that the services he provided also made people happy.
Paul Booth was looking forward to Christmas. He had a “best” present, potential clients currently with big firms of accountants who were being overcharged and getting poor service. His “tree” present involved potential clients who needed their tax returns completing. Strange what makes some people happy!. Peter Hood thought he was going to busy all the way up until Christmas but apparently will be happy to squeeze people in before then. He has freed himself up before his Christmas dinner.
If people weren’t making clients happy they were celebrating the art of the possible. Michael Adelizzi, in a recent complete bathroom job, had to remove 3 layers of tiles and deal with an “overheight” gas pipe (yes, that is exactly the word he used. It wasn’t an “overweight” gas pipe and it wasn’t and “overhead” gas pipe, it was an overheight gas pipe.
As goodwill abounded Kevin Radford asked us a question. He asked what we would do if we were bitten by a flea. Apparently the two options are:
a. Oh shit I’ve been bitten by a flea or
b. I am going to sue my employer
He then went off on a little rant about personal injury lawyers. Two thoughts crossed my mind as he was holding forth which were:
1. He is not sitting close enough to Terry Maylin and
2. I would have tried to kill the flea.
That’s the trouble with poets, they do have their flights of fancy.
As a result of the RMK contribution, Terry Maylin abandoned 30 seconds of his 60 second script to defend personal injury lawyers The rest of his time he devoted to people who had “lost their marbles” and what they should do about arranging Powers of Attorney before said marbles were lost, the implication was that the Bard of Hadleigh was too late, marbles definitely gone!
Talking of Hadleigh, David Plumley told of a recent visit to a company in Hadleigh but I think that was the one to the north of the county. Something about cabling not being structured.
Amidst all of this happiness Kim Redwood-Lee very generously proffered a thanks to those of us who have passed her referrals or used her services over the last few years and acknowledged a proportion of her success to EBF and referrals that she had received. One of the reasons she has been successful, other than her own organisational abilities and those working with her, is that she gives a clear message as to what she does.
Now Alan Shaw cannot normally be accused of this, but this week his display was not only typically ponderous but also acutely focused. How so? I hear you ask. Well…it’s like this, first of all he remembered who he was. Secondly he explained that under the new planning regulations that were supposedly aimed at freeing up and simplifying the right to extend your property without formal planning permission, the reverse was in fact the case, and as we have no reason to disbelieve him, then of course everyone will need architects more rather than less. Granted he did not actually state to the meeting that he was an architect that he kind of assumed that we all knew this. Not only is this true but, like his 60 seconds, his message is more subliminal.
It is just as well that somebody had a subliminal message because we were without our hypnotic Pilgrim, Brian Painter who is currently struck down with a cold which leaves him confined to barracks and self hypnosis. Get well soon!!
A good positive 60 second round that left Marcelle sitting on a rock gazing at the Oscar which was well deserved.
Talking about self deprecation, Neil Lewer had a wonderful projector presentation ready for us for the 10 minute slot but he was let down by the golf clubs machinery. Undaunted but claiming that he would have to “wing it”, he then gave a faultless thumbnail sketch of how he had got where he is today, what he does and a lasting impression as to how well he does it. You were almost tempted to think he was wasted as a joiner but his obvious passion for design and cabinet making created a confidence that we all look to find in our fellow members to enable referrals to be made. We also like our heroes to have a little mystery about them, in Neil’s case it was the revelation that he had a tattoo, but the lack of revelation as to what it was and where it was. May I invite comments and suggestions as to exactly what sort of tattoo Neil has and where it is.
The referrals and testimonials round produced £17,000 worth of recorded business. But for the record breaking figures of the last two months we would have regarded this as a very good return for one meeting.
All in all, given our lack of numbers a very comforting meeting.
Let’s try and have as close to full attendance as possible next week as the last “proper” meeting before the Christmas celebration meeting.
Sounds like I missed anoour the good meeting – apologies and all the best for your boy. Ed
Excellent meeting very lively between me and Kevin Radford ( an excellent insurance broker) we are both on the same side really- the side of right…
Lower in numbers we may have been but high in content and positive vibes we most certainly were.
Yet another great week for business passed – well done to all.