A whole new game? Or perhaps just an old one revamped...

Here are a selection of people asking for a game - can you guess what?

Bi women only, happy with couples

females who have yahoo or msn for chatting

(from a man) a game with B I and married guys only

looking for kinky woman between 21-35 who is into fetishes and willing to talk ;)

If I mentioned that it's originators are currently in a copyright and trademarks dispute with two of the worlds biggest games distributors, would that help? OK, how about this request....

Looking to play with a naughty woman... it'd be great to have some friendly exhibitionistic/voyeuristic msn fun xxx fun! Oh... and some Scrabble too!

I remember my mother and my grandmother being wizz Scrabble players, and wanting us kids to play continually to learn how to spell - so imagine their or any parents delight at an online version: or perhaps not!!!

Scrabulous - where the MyLittlePony club come face to face with the MyLeatherClad club. Each to their own, but will Scrabulous be both Facebooks greatest application, and its eventual (legal and moral led) downfall?

I think - YES. It's really just a matter of time.....

It's sunny, it's hot - but what about the flooding?

Why is such simple information, when available online, not available to the Estate Agents? Or is it simply professionalism that they "can not" gain this information? I have just got off the phone to one agent, and her answer was: "I have never been asked that question before. Any way, they are new houses - so they are bound to be OK!"

Ha: right in the middle of a Grade2 flood risk zone, rated by the UK Environment Agency as: "Flooding from rivers or sea without defences." When the Association of British Insurers are asking the government to commit more money to defences and plans, why are Builders and Estate Agents selling houses in risk zones with no defences?

When it's probably the most expensive thing you will buy in your life - should these Agents be at least aware if not also professional?

20 years on from Suzie Lamplugh....

...and it appears little has been learnt about personal security in the Estate Agent industry.

Having sold my house in Kent, my agent would tell me: the names of the people turning up; that they had met them; and that they had passed money laundering regulations: their security procedure. You don't need the money laundering regulations/ID proof at that stage - but what a useful security check!

Viewings in Wales, and booking over the internet/phone in my name alone, I never received one confirmation phone call or other wise - just a confirmation via eMail of when/where. And all of the showers: single women! I asked one agent what their security check was - your landline number, and them phoning in to sat they arrived. The areas I am looking at are densely populated: but were those not the conditions that Suzie Lamplugh disappeared under?

Having worked in a field where entry to someone's home was a regular occurrence, we were subjected to rigorous checks - but some Agents seems happy to let anyone in to your house! From a personal perspective when viewing, I gave each agent without asking my car type/colour and registration number - I would have thought that even a basic piece of information like that was worthwhile.

It disturbs me that 20years after Suzie Lamplugh, even basic personal security is still lacking - particularly in the Estate Agent industry

Reasons to stay in bed on a Sunday: the GMTV Sunday programme....

If you are in doubt as to why to get up late on a Sunday morning, can I add to your reasoning and snugness beneath a duvet the GMTV Sunday program.

As a lover (some would say obsessive) on the subject of news, its not really something news worthy or pleasureable to watch. Its not GMTV's normal "light sofa fluff," and much as though they try to give it a Radio4 serious feel, its not there with guest's who wear ill fitting paisley ties and M&S jumpers and speak on their subject with little knowledge, perspective or gusto.

I suggest that if you get up early, or switch the TV on between 06:00 and 07:30 on a Sunday morning, you just don't touch button three. Honest, save the energy for extra snuggling!

Online social networking - costing UK companies £6.5M AND as unstoppable as gravity?

From the recruiters stand point, I have watched the debate on online social networks with some interest.....

It's the bain of corporate life - sucking precious hours from the day, and distracting employees to a 24hr water cooler conversation

It's an essential of modern life - as much part of life as texting, pop music and fast food

For the recruiter, its a godsend! As this article suggests, ANY employer who now doesn't Google all applicants is missing out on essential information. I interviewed a guy a few months back, who on his CV and a few background checks seemed a 10 out of 10 applicant - however, his MySpace page suggested he enjoyed a regular joint and the odd bit of white powder: oh, and an active social life at the local swingers club.

I personally still believe that all should have the right to a private life, and what goes on behind closed doors/in the bedroom is your choice as a consenting adult. But if you plaster it all over the web, what would you do if you were the employer?

I pointed out to my interviewee that there was much information on him in the public domain, and much as though drugs were more acceptable and part of modern life, the employer I was searching for as a result of their customer contract required all employee's and hence applicants to under take a drug test on application, and then after at the customers behest. This generally meant that applicants would need to be drug free for at least three months prior to the test, bar the odd joint trace element - could he make that standard? He understood the requirement, and withdrew his application.

I think employers blocking social networks is quite a childish and naive manner in which to address something which is quite essential to the lives of those under 30. I remember when internet access first became widely available to all employees in my former corporate employer, and they introduced a "key word" blocker which meant that (for instance) search strings associated with sex were blocked. My innovative group of engineers found that searching on related words they found in Roget's Thesaurus allowed to still access such sites - not that they wanted to, they just wanted to prove it could be done.

Today, the number of young people coming into the market is reducing, due to a highly decreased birth rate. Hence, employers wanting new recruits need to take broader attitudes to attracting and retaining employees - cellphone bans in entire campuses, lunching at desks (because there's no where else to go), and bans on social networking sites all add up to signs of an oppressive/control freak employer. Getting employees to recognise the problems of ringing cellphones to customers and their work mates, providing some form of rest area or access to online entertainment/education, advising on monitoring of networks and expecting employees to only use social networks and MSN messenger during break times - are all signs of an employer trusting employee's to be adults and make sensible choices. Happy employees attract more happy productive employees, and put recruiters out of a job (Ha - if only! Its interesting to think I have a job because of a low birth rate, and people wanting career development...)

So, back to the debate - is social networking "As much part of life as texting, pop music and fast food" and something "We can no more prevent them than we can prevent gravity. So we might as well get used to using them effectively."

Are we Anglo's really that dumb?

I set off very early around the M25 this morning for what will hopefully be one of my last "from home" trips around this most awful car park - 20mph average to Heathrow!

After listening to the Farmers News, Radio4's ever informative Today program came on. There was a very numbing article on a gentleman who by the end of this month will have visited every pub in the 1983 edition of the Good Pub Guide - sad!

However, the most horrific article was a short mention on the news that a group had attack a Sikh temple in London

What? Are we ethnic Anglo's really that dumb in this modern society that we don't know the difference between two religion's? And why incite racial hatred further in this modern multi-ethnic society, after the atrocities of last Thursday - let's just play into the hands of these terrorists.

When the News Of The World led it's Sunday edition, not with a "pant's down footballer/MP" special, but an article comparing two young British women - one Christian, one Muslim - but both victims of last Thursday. And when the leaders of the Catholic, Muslim, Jewish and CoE faiths can hold a joint press conference to seek to hold and develop the weave between all peoples of faiths in Britain in these difficult times: surely the last of the "little britian" community with the help of the rest of us, can at last get up and smell the coffee?

What hope a truly integrated multi-ethnic society, when we dumb Anglo's don't know anything about our fellow British brethren - but the colour of their skin?

I truly believe that a rather awfully romanticised/created Empire legacy has given us a unique advantage in competing globally going forward - we are a melting pot for the world and it's needs, delivered through the power of free speech, debate and the law: OK, perhaps a bit too much free speech at times.

Please, let's not let one isolated radical and twisted diatribe of a peaceful religion take us back wards. Have we forget far too quickly the lessons of Northern Ireland, and how it was ripped apart for centuries through a similar "aggressive debate" and mis-understanding?

We all need to fight these terrorists, and not let them rip our society apart - even if they are inside our modern British culture

I'm not for the noose - but I'd be OK with popping a pill

The recent passing of whole of life terms for the murderers Levi Bell and Steven Wright in the past week have brought into question the return of the death penalty. A recent popular but unscientific survey in The Sun suggested there was mass public support for such a move.

As a Christian, its a choice I have never been able to support in the ultimate question - could I push the button/pull the lever? No, I couldn't do that - or sit there as a witness.

But if the person convicted of whole of life chooses to end their own life rather than spend the rest of their life in jail, I would hand then a pill or potion to end their life now. OK, this may not be justice (ie - they get a nice safe pill, while their victims died in pain and suffering), but it is justice in the end of their life - and its much cheaper for the tax payer.

Thoughts? It is still a free vote issue for MP's, but should they now debate the issue? Also, would passing such a law for those convicted of whole of life terms to choose to terminate their lives via assisted suicide, also allow those suffering from terminal diseases wishing to exit this life the same privilege?

It's not just your holiday plane.....

....that determines your safety.

After recently watching (from 2500ft above) another Eastern European heavy jet take off (just) from East Midlands/Robin Hood airport, this video was similarly concerning. Note that the operator of the camera and the background commentary are the professional control tower staff.

According to a friend who is an air traffic controller at Stanstead, this is becoming a regular problem. These former Russian Airforce aircraft - split across the airforces and freight carriers of the broken down USSR during the early post-Communist era, and then leased out with crews for profit - are now used throughout the world, due to their high loading capacities and strong design allowing them to get into "rough" strips - think African emergency food relief missions.

They are often loaded to the limit weight wise, and when weight distribution determines air handling, loading is even more key. The key component after loading are the tyres, and Standstead is now enforceably grounding at least one of these big-Russians (know as Vodka-boomers in the flight community) on a weekly basis, due to overwork tyres.

There are clear pressures for profits and the need for shifting goods is growing - but there are safety limits.

Fish - Kerplunk - Kerchunk: what did you buy?

As a present buyer of businesses, I always try to keep a keen eye on the market.

The first thing I did was build a virtual team of professionals around me, so I had the required support. One of things I looked for was professionalism, but the other was a gut feel, a "this doesn't feel right" instinct.

The first problem in buying a business is valuation - what is it worth? Much as though a professional can teach you how to value a business in around 5minutes, the price often depends on other factors - more often, what the seller wants to do next. "I want to appear on Grand Designs," "I had a bet with my mate I could sell my business for more" and "that's the cost of the Italian marble tiles for my villa in Spain" are real reasons given to me in the last two years as to why the business being sold is worth more than the professionals value it at.

But, under valuation can be as big a problem for the unwary as over valuation - why would someone undervalue their business, why would they want a quick sales process?

One of my daily reads are the alerts from the various internet postings boards for businesses for sale - in fact, that's probably the best one for the UK. A few months ago, an alert came up on my daily eMail for a business which was selling for circa £15k, but offered an income of £80k+ in the first year. So, out of curiosity and knowing it was a business in the "adult entertainment" sector - not something I want to get involved with, but my curiosity took the better of me - I wondered what would come back. After a few months, nothing came back, so after seeing the advert was till live and a chat with a friendly business agent (good one's are hard to find - most can be classed as incompetent estate agents), I rang Businesses For Sale head office.

The guy who answered me was very helpful and efficient, and told me that yes the business was still for sale, and had proved popular with 259 live enquiries...... at this point, my head starts swirling like a calculator, and thinks 259 x £15k is a lot of money...... and then guy then says: "He's on holiday at the moment on the second leg of his world tour!" No wonder!

So, here's how his business sale to his buyers works......
1. He sets up a premium rate 0901 adult chat service. Charges are £1/min plus, while income to arranger is 60p/min+
2. He agrees to take out a series of adverts in adult magazines, buying whole pages. There is an effective 20% lump per charge rate between whole pages, half pages and quarters
3. He sets up a series of websites, advertising the services. The content is exactly the same per website, its just the 0901 numbers which are different. Again, website to server to rack differences are around 20%+ lump charge - he buys a rack
4. He now sells a package to his buyer of chat lines (using different 0901 numbers but the same chat service: £1/min to punter = 40p/min network provider, 15p/min to our seller and 45p/min to the buyer
5. He sells the package of quarter page adverts/websites as well, making a 40% margin on each sold

In other words, the £15k buying charge is virtually gross bottom line profit! It probably is after the first 25 sales.....

But here's the caution, and why I have no concerns about showing you his model: the punters are wise! There are adult chat boards on which punters tell other punters looking for such a service which are the "real" services and which are the same old things re-marketed under a new name. So the buyer has bought something which may have created £200k of income a few years ago when it was "new," but now will generate - nothing but a whole of up to £15k in his bank account; while the seller plans the next stage of his world tour.

Businesses may be different in sector, but the old rules of valuation, originality and market development still apply - which ever business you are in. And there are still many happy to separate a fool and his money

Entrepreneurs Inspiration

I am a regular and multiple subscribers to sales and personal guru Brian Tracey. I am quite happy to admit I have bought some things from his various companies, and one of my businesses is as a result of reading an advert sent through another - although these days, I tend to delete many of the adverts instantly!

However, one of the best values for entrepreneurs on Tracey's website are his "Quote of the Day" eMails. Todays was:


"In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm... in the real world all rests on perseverance." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Boy, can I relate to that one! It is only after five years from leaving corporate life that I can fully appreciate where I have been, gone through and now am at - and I am still not there!

My personal view on a system is in the golf swing. A good golf coach can tell instantly at set up where you will hit the ball. Then, in the back swing, its all about getting the club in the right position and the body wound up - on release, its about delivery: and once through, its about finish - and again, the golf pro can tell you where the ball is!

If you believe, it is possible - you then just need to keep going!

The top100 UK websites - what a social comment!

In preperation for development of a new web project, its is interesting to look at what the great British public are looking at in the hope I can figure out what they are looking for. But the latest Alexa rankings bring about some interesting results.

The top10 are littered with global web glitteraty - Google, Yahoo, Facebook, MySpace, and the BBC: the most respected news service in the world, who's rankings are often high thanks to its perceived political neutrality. The next10 also shouldn't come as much of s surprise - Wikipedia, Microsoft, Blogger, etc.

But now it all gets a bit more interesting......

YouPorn (21), the free view site who's names apes YouTube, now outranks Autotrader (22) - with RedTube in at No.28, and AdultFriendFinder at No.64

PowerApple (26), a site for Chinese students overseas, is joined in the Top50 with Nasza-klasa.pl (40). Onet.pl is in at No.64

The news agencies rank poorly after the BBC, with the sports sections such as SkySports (31) out ranking any of the well known newspapers

Martin Lewis's MoneySavingsExpert breaks the Top100 at No. 97, outranking the DailyMail at No.99

For those interested, Ecademy ranks in at No.241 in the UK, with 55.2% of its page hits from UK based IP addresses

So, it seems we are a nation of global trend following porn lovers, whose multicultural citizens are more interested in sports than real news.......? It makes me wonder why topless weather girls went down so poorly on television - but perhaps the internet allows us Brits to better express ourselves?

Men's Health: the casual observers guide to "chop" jobs....

Following on from a friends blog this week, I raised a subject which for men is an irregularly talked about - that of the snip.

As a single, in the modern NHS I could get a "chop" - but apparently it requires six months worth of counselling, and really I am sure they would find much else wrong with me during those sessions, and I still like the idea that - should the need arise: I could still answer a call of patriotic duty. Plus my brother in law became a father at the age of 51, so I still have a way to go before him.

However, what amazes me mostly when this subject raises it head in male conversation, is what little my married or partnered up male friends, who often for a few weeks walk like John Wayne after a few days in the saddle, know about what they are or have let themselves in for.

So, for the casual observer, here's a few observational thoughts about getting the "chop:"

Chatting to your Doctor:

before the procedure is authorised, you need to have a chat with your GP, who can then authorise the procedure. I'd suggest you never take your wife/partner to this interview. A friend went along after work, together with his wife and three daughters. The whole family got taken into the consultation room (his wife insisted on attending), and when asked by the doctor why he wanted a "snip,", his wife retorted while breast feeding the latest one: "Because, I don't want my breasts hanging below my stomach." The doctor looked at his wife, and while signing the document replied: "I agree. Mrs Jones, we can solve that problem for you in two weeks. Give this to the receptionist."

Choosing your surgeon:

I'd thoroughly advise checking out your surgeon. While a student in Birmingham, one of the guys went along for a "lunchtime special" - he didn't come back as planned, but more of that later. When he did come into work a week later, it was a whole two weeks before the whole story came out. Turned out he dumped his first girlfriend during his teenage years in not a very thoughtful or pleasant manner. After getting his widdy way with her (these were his teenage years, so think a quick fumble), he moved on to class mate who had a bigger chest. So, turning up for his surgery, and having been shaved down below and a local anaesthetic applied, he was wheeled into the surgery. The female surgeon asked whether he had attended a particular Junior and Senior school, to which he replied yes - the surgeon, his former first girlfriend, re-introduced herself. And while she undertook the procedure with a sharp knife, they chatted through old school times.....!

Timing:

you can these days get a procedure quite quickly, often thanks to your local GP surgery. But don't make the calculation that you can get it done at lunchtime and be back in work that afternoon. True, it may be possible BUT there's no at minimum a slight tightening in the groin, and most extraordinary a lack of hair in certain parts. Often at this point, many men apparently start thinking how much hassle they have given their lady partners over making sure their "garden is in trim" - and start feeling guilty. However, there is also a slight risk of swelling. So, to get used to all these new "sensations," make sure you have it den on a Friday - that way, you have an entire weekend to recover.

Cancer risk:

according to various studies, there is a raising of both testicular and prostate cancer risks - a doubling from around 7 per 1000 to 12 per thousand. This should prove a problem but an opportunity - its just means you need a third party who knows you well in that department to inspect you regularly, at least once a month. See this instructional video for the correct medical procedure.

NatWest (not) Customer Service....

After a three year+ pursuit, I bought the dot.com of a dot.co.uk domain I have held for six years from a Texan based American, through German internet exchange Sedo GmbH for the sum of $5000. After investigating the option of buying the wrap-around company in which the domain was held, for various legal and financial reasons it proved wiser just to buy the domain.

So, after suspecting Sedo would rip me off with an awful exchange rate, I was shocked to find that $5000 was transposed into £2521 UK Sterling - almost better than the markets! Now I just had to get the money to Germany.......

Day1/Sunday: call NatWest, and am advised I need to go to branch to wire transfer money

Day2: go to local branch with NatWest card. Fillout long three page form - am advised after filling out form I need ID to avoid money laundering

Day3: return with request ID (having been advised it would be OK, I use my flying license as opposed to my driving license or passport - fewer pilots in the world) but am told must have driving license or passport

Day5: return to branch with passport - a red one with no electronic tag. Told it is not acceptable as not electronic!!!

Day6: ring Natwest customer services, and am advised that two NatWest cards plus pilots license plus passport plus a recent (less than 3months) NatWest statement plus a council tax bill would be sufficient ID to pass money laundering

Day9: return to branch to find that manager I had dealt with at branch is now on holiday. Refill out three page form, then advised by relief manager that the bundle of ID I have is still not sufficient - oh, but would I like to deposit the money I was banking in a new gold account to earn more interest? I pass on the opportunity of a Harvey Smith special, but am advised that although they have been called by the centralised customer services team, a call from my branch from someone I know (right - like any of their staff stay around for more than 6months...!) it "could help!" On asking where clearing for the order is done, am advised via Fax to Bristol. Where says I - your head office? I know where that is....

Day10 (this morning): having been advised over night by WesternUnion and Travelex that they can do an order on back of my Visa card and a NatWest statement (no need for a passport), I decide to give NatWest one more try. Ring my branch - the number has changed yet again! Ring new number, no one available so am transfered automatically to centralised customer service team again. Speak to very nice (tired) lady who says: Don't worry, as a special customer we do that sort of thing over the phone! 2mins later sum is transfered direct to Germany

If you want customer service, or consistency, then don't go to NatWest - flippin awful!

Why the price of washing a backside had to rise

Running an employment and recruitment agency can be a stressing job - an even more so when you are dealing with sectors in which the normal wage is the UK minimum wage: which we don't! Its been my policy since day1 of striking out on my own not to compete with what I call "Hayes like" approaches or have more turnover than is absolutely essential in the minimum wage sector. So at present, that's nothing - not one penny.

As an expanding group, we look to grow partly via inorganic purchase of other companies - and having some specific focus sectors, I have specific alerts set which land in my eMail box every morning. A few weeks ago one came in for a medical organisation (OK, we want to do doctors and nurses - that one could be of interest), so I rang the agent and got some details - yes, all Doctors and Nurses, none of those domiciliary workers who look after the home-bound: great! Anyway, Mr Seller gets a bit stroppy (there's more in that statement - buy me a beer for the full version), and eventually we have a phone call where it becomes quickly apparent that: the company doesn't do many doctors and nurses; that 95% of group turnover is in the minimum wage market; and the conversation confirms that its a sector I don't want to deal with! At one point he comments: "You ought to buy this business - I've bought a one million pounds worth of property from this business in three years, and have no mortgage on it. Once you get these thicko's pushing mops and washing backsides for you, you've got them slaving for you for life." (that one went back to the agent)

Yesterday, the UK Home Secretary Jackie Smith announced during a lecture to the London School of Economics the broad plan for a new system for assessing immigration and issuing of work visa's to the UK. In summary, its based on the existing Australian system (which was based on the excellent Canadian model), where points mean entry to the UK or work visa's. Now, this is great for us as a country, but also key to me - we are about to start bringing in Indian Chefs to the UK, and had targeted a minimum of 3 and 4star chefs (and latterly hotel managers), for what is a sector short of skills in the UK. In agreement with my business partner in this sector, we agreed to exclude the bottle washers and waiters, and have as standard a test for English capability.

So what did the Jackie Smith announce yesterday? Points for skills based on sector shortage, previous employment, family and cultural ties to the UK (you get more points for being a citizen of a Commonwealth country), and points for English speaking capability - plus, a minimum wage of UKS7.02/hr: great, all systems go, just need to see the details..... (Conclusion: 100days to launch, civil service to review - so we should get them around a day before launch: situation normal!)

Hmm - knew there would be a problem. So today, I read an article from BBC Wales which says in summary: "We in the care sector had a problem when the minimum wage came in - now we have an even bigger issue with UKS7.02. We can't care for the elderly at that level, and it badly effects Filipino's."

Here's my thoughts:

Do we really run such a dire economy that only we Brit's should only benefit from good jobs and working conditions?

Are other countries in that dire a situation, that they are happy sending their people to the fourth richest economy to benefit from the opportunity which is looking after the elderly and infirm, including the development opportunity duty of washing backsides?

Do we really care that little about our elderly and infirm, that a culture which is based on using low paid foreign workers is the only solution?

Send them home - not only for their own good, but for ours and for the need to wake up and care for our own most vulnerable people ourselves. Then we might actually care about them - it is after all called a care sector.

Suicide is not painless

I recently re-read the sad story of Joanne Coombs, 40, who was reportedly found dead at Manningtree, Essex - one month after her daughter Natasha's body had been found on the same spot.

Natasha was a bright 17 year old, who died a month after splitting up with her boyfriend, in strange circumstances which Essex Police are still investigating.

But this blog is not about the death of Natasha - its about the subject of suicide. Many contemplate suicide, and many more mention it during rows with loved ones, or think about it during personal low periods. Well, here's a few thoughts from someone who has had to clear up after a suicide.......

You may think its hopeless: the reality is, if you ask for help, there is a lot available - honestly, a whole lot more than you believe or could contemplate, even from the people you may be presently assuming you are in dispute with. Just ask someone for help - or call the Samaritans - 08457 90 90 90

You may think you have no one to turn to: the saddest funerals to attend are those of people who have committed suicide. Firstly they are always the best attended, no one does much more than cry (Yes, even 24stone prop's who are policeman during the day), sing poorly (the priest is normally the loudest singer), state how much they were loved, ask themselves why they didn't come to them and ask for help, eat nothing and drink only water

However, the worst piece is going into their lives afterwards - yes, even after the authorities have taken the body away, often after the funeral. It is always clear that the situation has been building up for a while - a whole series of little issues with lots of "I can't ask for help" decisions, when a request would have been warmly met.

Today is the anniversary of me clearing up the suicide of a business friend. Typically, he planned it down to the last detail, even removing the front door key from his wife's keyring when she left for work that day. Unfortunately he forgot about the spare key held with the neighbour.

If ever you do get beyond throwing out such words, then think about this - you don't take away the pain from others, you just multiply it on those who love you the most, and would do anything to help you. All you have to do is ask.

May God Bless All!

Do you know the value of your business?

As someone who buys companies, I find it frustrating that most business "valuation" systems seem to be based more on.....

The amount of the sellers residual mortgage

The cost of getting into the new business

The cost of the next buy-2-let property portfolio they want to buy

What the business agent told them 18months ago, when it was turning over twice as much and before they sacked all the staff

The cost of a retirement villa in Spain, or.....

The cost of the Italian floor tiles for a retirement villa in Spain!

And less to do with the financial value of the business! I suppose a fair question is why do I need to know the value of my business? Here are some thoughts.....

You get run down by a bus tomorrow, and your surviving partner doesn't really fancy coaching people or doing whatever you do as a day job

You get a health scare next week, and are advised to take it easy - a lot easier!

You get approached by your favourite/ideal/most wonderful partner, who after a wild night of passion they say they want to spend the rest of their life with you - subject to you both departing in 2weeks for an exotic island where you will spend the rest of your life

But the most obvious reason is - you could be working very hard, and destroying value even though the turnover and profit is going upwards!

What is the value of your business, or when did you last have it valued? Seriously, if you don't know how to value it or what its valued at, you could be digging yourself into financial misery!

The lost art of positive introduction networking???

When you are starting up a new business, you need lots of help - so you go shopping around your mates/their networks for help. But it has come as a shock as to what I find on occasions I get introduced to when asking for help in certain areas:

For mobile phones - the guy I really trusted in this area introduced me to a salesman who wanted to charge me MORE than if I went direct to the networks themselves, and INSISTED that I must use Orange. I am still awaiting a reply to my last eMail of some ten days ago, pointing out that rebates were great but what about the fact his prices were a tad high?

For insurance - a good friend gave me an introduction to an MD, who shifted the job out to a "staffer" who just wanted to sell to me, when I wanted to buy. He also didn't know what type of FSA regulated insurance broking company he worked for!!!

When I make an introduction, I clarify the need, ring the introduction and clear it, give them a verbal briefing often followed up by an eMail (with a swap of vCards), and make sure later all is OK. In the first instance, my introducer simply sent an eMail with my vcard attached, so I got sold to as opposed to bought - in the second case, the introducer I know uses a similar system to myself, but their network staffed it out and has probably lost the opportunity as he couldn't listen.

Is there a lost art of networking? Or is the "I know you because I have your card" method now completely taken over?

We need accountants because - people can't add up!

Today is one of those days that make me happy that I have little of my youthful flowing locks still attached to a head which has seen more than its fair share of bangs and knocks.

Because, today was yet another example, when the reason we need accountants is clearly because - people can't add up!

I am presently trying to buy a business in Bristol, as part of a grand scheme - those who are in the know are in the know, and those that don't need to know will at the appropriate time - apply the old rules is always best. But trying to get to the truth behind numbers is proving difficult when most of the "business" people involved can't add up. These so far include.....

The seller

The seller's "book keeper" - but I don't think they are qualified or competent......

The sales agent

Eventually, I grew to quite like accountants a few years ago. As an engineer and a sales person, I have to say it was originally like mixing oil and water. But now I realise they are a social service who pick up where the education system left off - and protect us all from the ravages of "Gordon-Brown-Onomics!"

Plus, because they charge due to their clients own incompetency, I also think they are quite excellent business people - and I really do admire that!

1person+ business working from home? Then you're in radio debt....

I have watched this story unfold for a while, but when it reached The Sun this morning - time to blog!

The Performing Rights Society is a charity which represents the rights of music writers, artistes and record companies, and collects monies due from use of copyrighted music. I am sure many can understand why they need to exist, and what a good job they do in protecting the rights of these people - like actors, only around 1 in 10 makes anything above £20,000 a year. I am also sure that many will have heard the debates before on CD copying and MP3 download distribution, but as long as its only for your own personal use and not for distribution or public performance, you are generally OK at present.

However, they now have a new target - cold calling businesses. On the basis of a "survey" (so getting around CTPS), they are ringing all business in the form of a music and audio survey. The third party bureau they have employed asks if you have radios or CD players within the work environment, and if so how often you listen to them ....... and once you say "yes" to just having a radio, then they demand a fee from £97 for a 2person business in your home, to a sum of above £500 for a charity shop - and beyond in some cases. So, you're a therapist who works from home, who has a CD player in the background for restful music - that will be £250 please. Might also like to check your music on hold license, because that's a similar fee.

I think the PRS do a great job protecting the rights of writers, performers and record labels; and in investing in new talent - I just personally wish they hadn't used some of that money to find such "talents" as Westlife or Joe Dulche......! However, the problem in this case is not that a fee is due - the laws the law; its the way they are going about it without explaining to the business community what the law is. If they went along or distributed media to Chambers of Commerce, networking groups or online business communities, then I think the "problem" would be the flood of enquiries and resultant cheques - and not negative publicity.