Who are you?
I am an egalitarian and blues music makes me happy.
I dislike ritual, bureaucracy and received wisdom.
I’m described as helpful and patient. Rarely as ‘nice’.
I am a self-sufficient, anti-social, confident, introvert.
I’m a writer and mentor.
Why do you do what you do?
The majority of small businesses fail before they get to five years old and this is wholly preventable. I’m determined to reverse this trend.
I believe that running a business should be a joyful adventure, not a struggle. I believe that people who start their own businesses have put their hopes and dreams into what they do and it’s important that they get the right help to succeed.
A large part of supporting small businesses happens in Drive the Network, a revolutionary way of helping business owners to build a great support and learning network.
My book “New Business Next Steps” was commissioned by Pearson plc and published in 2016. It is used by thousands of small business owners as a reference book.
I’ve also created two on-line workshops : How to create digital products and the Work Smart, Not Hard Programme for business owners who are ready to grow their business.
What are you passionate about?
My Pecha Kucha talk (6 mins) is about the labels we use to define each other and why they are generally unhelpful in defining the kind of people we are. Disabling Labelling
An extract of this talk has been used by calligrapher Andrew Kelly to form the backgound of this poster.
In 2010 I helped to found a commercial radio show “The Business Hub” and co-presented it for five years during which time I produced The A-Z of Business Success from 26 weeks of radio broadcasts. The show is now sponsored by Lloyds Bank and broadcast by the UKRD Group.
As an early adopter of social networking, I started podcasting and presenting the latest thinking from world experts on The Social Media Show but, as social media marketing matured and became part of mainstream digital marketing, I decided that the show had served its purpose and canned it.
What’s your background?
I qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Personnel Management while working for The British Printing Corporation in the 1980’s. I studied Psychology, Economics, Statistics and Industrial Relations.
I saw the introduction of the first Equal Opportunities Legislation and my claim to fame is bringing this to an industry (printing) where both management and trades unions were fiercely opposed to it. I continue to campaign for equal rights and opportunities for everyone regardless of gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.
Want to say Hi?
Find me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and in a Facebook Group built around my network of business owners “Drive the Network”
