With a fair number of the group away or tied up on business, 19 of us enjoyed a bright morning at EBF with Jane Malyon stepping into chairman Aidan Squire’s shoes to run the meeting.  Toby Acton was time keeper, Terry Maylin was Ben Ben’s replacement (who’s being filmed for a TV show right now) and Scott Griffiths was, well, Scott Griffiths!!
Education Presentation
The meeting began with Stuart Smallcombe’s excellent food for thought Education slot. He reminded us about the need for businesses to develop/cull/reinvent themselves and what happened to companies like Kodak who invented the digital camera but chose to bury the technology rather than embrace it. Even his own business had to change tack some years back to embrace a new charging model and new tech advances.
Scary to do but less frightening than becoming obsolete!
The 60 Second Round
We used the ‘keep you on your toes’ method of each speaker having to propose the name of the next speaker, throughout this round. Barely a person remembered and there was therefore jovial prompting after every 60 seconds! Of particular note with their presentation was Nick Cooke who embraced AI for the first time and had ChatGPT produce his wording on being a structural engineer. However, tying for 1st place were James Humphreys and Leann Reason. Leann was able to demonstrate how she was an investment rather than a cost and that properties with an interior designer’s influence are usually worth more. James amused us by saying that a potential client with dozens of properties came to him to improve on the insurance quote he’d got elsewhere. After James examined the detail of it however, he found that the chap was woefully inadequately insured re some important factors such as subsidence or flooding – and went back to him with a much increased and more realistic price instead!
This weeks statistics and points of note
As ever, Matt Barry’s accumulated points were just about double what the average member had acquired. The man is a machine! 😀
Also of note was that several EBF members attended a local quiz this week, each clutching an EBF pen – whereupon they promptly won the event. Those EBF pens have magical qualities folks!
10-minute presentation by Paul Dulieu
This was Paul’s first ten minute introduction to his new role of being an Essex Celebrant and with a beautifully constructed presentation, he took us through the process of how a great celebrant can truly enhance life’s most important milestones from baby naming ceremonies to funeral services. We have all attended funerals where the run-of-the-mill words offered failed to capture any personal aspects of the deceased at all. Paul had been to one (and so, separately, have I) where the celebrant kept getting the name wrong of the man in the coffin. I’ve also been to two funerals within 3 months with the same celebrant at each – and they gave EXACTLY THE SAME speech at each event with only a few minor alterations. Sigh. This is NOT what Paul offers. The amount of care that he would put into crafting the very best, most representative and interesting eulogy is evident. A number of us said we’d be booking him for our own services and Paul was kind enough to say ‘no rush’! 😀
AOB
Leann Reason has a Property Synergy Meeting after next week’s EBF.  Also, following on from Jane’s Synergy Meeting last week on the topic of AI, this whetted the group’s appetite for more information. Blake Hammond has agreed to be up for the role of running a session on this. Yessss!!
Finally, remember to put your clock’s forward this weekend – and therefore we’ll meet at a slightly darker time next week. Take care you lovely people.
Jane Malyon
Excellent Ed Slot from Mr Smallcombe followed by a great “first” 10 mins from Podcast Paul. All well controlled by Auntie Jane
See you all next week.
Unless you have found the secret to eternal life John, it will, unfortunately, happen one day 😂. Hopefully not for a very very long time though!
Sorry to have missed Paul’s 10 minutes.
Great ed slot Stuart, nice to know more about your new adventure Paul D as Essex Celebrant in your 10 minutes.
A great start to the meeting with Stuarts education slot followed by a warm and professional presentation by Paul D, well done its not easy to get that balance Paul.
Fantastic ed slot Stuart and I brilliant first presentation from Paul, a quiet but fun meeting
Sounds like a fab meeting!! Will be watching the video later as want to see Podcast Paul’s 10 mins!!
( oh and the TV show isn’t being filmed till May lol )
Ben! No – we’re all on standby to watch you! 😀
Paul D, loved your 10 minutes mate. 100% want you to tell my story when this Plumbing and Heating company I own finishes me off!
Thank you everyone for a great meeting
As ever, lots to enjoy about this meeting with great advice from Stuart and food for thought from Paul.
Thank you everyone for your kind comments about my 10 minutes both during the meeting and here in the comments section. It was a privilege to tell you all about why I do what I do, why it is important and how I can make a difference. Stuart, your Ed slot was excellent. See you all next week!
Well done Paul it really was great – not easy to be so professional and warm at the same time!
A great meeting! An informative ed slot from Stuart and a great reminder we all need to keep evolving in our businesses! A heart felt 10 minutes from our Celebrant Paul. Congratulations to me and James on our Oscar win!
Good meeting, shame we were down on numbers this week and a few members missed Pauls excellent presentation.
We were a small but perfectly formed group and created a terrific EBF meeting between us, starting with Stuart’s great food for thought and ending with Paul D’s excellent ten minute presentation. I knew it would be good and I am smug to be entirely right 😀
Very impressive stuff from both Stuart & Paul!
I simply Love Paul Dulieu ! Too much … sorry Paul. What a fantastic 10 Minutes if anyone was in their perfect role it has to Paul. I really came away from the meeting uplifted inspired and ready to take on the rest of the day.