Chairman’s Business Networking Blog, Thursday 28th July 2016.
This week we were hit by holidays. 7 Members absent through holidays which coupled with one or two business demands left us with 14 members present but our numbers boosted to 17 by Aaron Noakes and Ed Blackburn from H&G Recruitment Solutions and Sophie Kohl a party organiser. This coupled with the absence of a 10 minute speaker available meant that the prospects of a good effective meeting were in the balance.
I need not have feared, the quality of our members at our Breakfast Meeting is such that we enjoyed a lively positive and very effective meeting.
David Plumley set the tone with a flip chart presentation of the values and the virtues of consistency, both in business and in being a member of EBF. A call to arms for quality and care in our business and EBF dealings brought up an interesting snippet. If you have a bad habit and change it and adopt that change for 30 days that change has now become a habit. I cannot help but feel that this epithet can perhaps be likened to the 10 second rule. What is the 10 second rule you ask? Well it is to assist overworked mothers whose children drop the food they are eating on the floor. Provided you pick it up within 10 seconds…no problem! This,as a particularly important rule to live by, was adequately demonstrated by myself when I dropped one of my sausages; 2 seconds later it was back on my plate and being consumed…job done.
With such an inspiring education slot what of the 60 second round. The Naughty Corner was on really good form despite the absence of anarchist in chief Howard Bullock.
Mike Rogers said that mortgage rates were dropping, in some circumstances down to 1.3%…jaw dropping! He can also organise a 10 year fixed term at 2.3%. The good news is you can also have as mortgage term that anticipates repayment up to the age of 80. How far anyone with savings could regard any of this as good news defeats me. Stuart Smallcombe, fellow Naughty Cornerer, produced an extended metaphor to illustrate the use of a router. He likened it to a fat man behind a desk in a taxi business directing cars to pick up fares and also showing the door to drunken punters.
Although Alan Shaw’s message was on song, the whimsy showed through with his description of the jobs that he has been doing. Changing a house in to two semis, converting a garage into a house and getting involved in a rather elaborate workshop at the bottom of a garden. Somewhere at the bottom of the garden there are the fairies to contend with but we will leave that for another day.
Fellow professor of the School of Whimsy, Brian Painter told of a man with tick which was more of a slinging back of the head from a man who has been struck by a football years and years ago. He was still feeling and reacting to the football hitting him on the side of the head. The impression that Brian gave made me think he was going to provide inspiration for this jerking of the head to the oft maligned and much remembered comedian Jack Douglas… whah heh !!
Stimulated by Stuart Smallcombe’s metaphor, Paul Booth declared that he had some new clients which included a taxi driver. Entertainingly David Plumley was explaining about terabytes but it fell to me to warn everybody not to keep them in a bath where they can grow in size and be totally unmanageable.
Whatever was uplifting about the 60 second round, and it was, Peter Hood’s farewell saddened us all but we wish him well and with all the various jobs that he is doing for various of the members we will no doubt continue to see him for some time in the future. Sorry to see you go Peter.
So what of the Oscar, Michael Adelizzi was awarding and David Plumley receiving. The reason was base, he was offering something free; although after my warning I did not know how many people wanted terabytes.
Scott’s Meeting Secretaries’ Report amongst other things mentioned the Education Materials that are now being rolled out. Please read them and feel free to add your comments at the appropriate place. Something a little more on message than Naughty Corners Stuart Smallcombe’s “like your beard” comment.
One of the absentees was due to deliver the 10 minute presentation this week so it was replaced with a Q & A. Although this is a well tried fall-back position it always seems to work well and today was no exception. Lots of questions….. we had to cut them short as the meeting approached its close.
Now that it is holiday time it is important that those of us who are not holiday make every effort to attend. Please also remember Scott’s request that he and I are notified this week of your holiday plans over the next 6 weeks so that we can have an idea of numbers for the meetings.
All in all an excellent morning meeting and I look forward to next week.
Despite the numbers it was a great meeting. Sorry to see you go Pete, but wish you all the very best!, untill next week, cheerio!
Will any of the visitors join? Good luck, Peter,I’m told that taking on staff is when the problems really start, however, a quick tap on the head (which is very good for water on the brain) should quell any mutiny!
Well recounted Aidan. Best wishes to Peter as his business expands.
Peter (the plumber) joined as a new business start up just over three years ago and now has to leave us and take on an apprentice because he is so busy – proof indeed that networking works, and works even more so for start ups.
Good meeting as always folks.
sounds like i missed a lively meeting! I am back this week and looking forward to more good networking with you all!
Ah! I missed a good meeting. Thanks to everyone for their support and messages of good will for Rich. The group did wonderfully well and after 500 miles of cycling, a 1.5 mile open water swim and marathon he was a bit sore, but annoyingly ok. He raised about £2.5k, which will go to Newcastle Freeman children’s heart unit. See you tomorrow. x