Have you ever been caught up in a trafic jam?

Have you ever been caught up in a traffic jam caused by drivers slowing down to view an accident?
Ghoulish isnt it but thats human nature.

Maybe were thankful for a split second that it isnt us but more of it is hoping to see a really bad accident that we can then discuss forever with anyone wholl listen.
I feel like that about this current financial scandal.
The papers are full of how bad it is, and if you are like this family or that family this is what you can expect. How ridiculous. Each family is unique and their situation has come about because of a unique set of decisions and events. Some they controlled and some they didnt.

But like any event that happens to us we do have choices. One of them is definitely how we deal with it. Speaking as one who has been dealt some unhelpful cards in my time, I refuse to define myself by the cards but my reaction to them. Which means that for me whats happening to my business is yet another defining challenge. I can sit there and say this isnt the time to be positive and go ahead with plans, and join in the general doom and gloom. Or I can roll my sleeves up and get stuck in to create the opportunities and move my business on.

Yes of course its a challenge. But thats why we are here.

Visions writer told me this story. A man was told that there were 1,000 buckets in front of him. In one of the buckets was a contract to do work he had been chasing.
What would you do in that situation?

I would be turning those buckets over as fast as I could move. And so would you.

So what is stopping you turning over the buckets in your business life?

Where will you be this time next year?

Where will you be this time next year?

Being brave and courageous but still sitting on the sofa talking to your friends on face book will not do you any good! When was the last time you pushed yourself to achieve a higher level? Or attended a seminar that challenged you to the core? And I do not mean something that simply inspired you. I mean one that changed YOU, your skills, knowledge and beliefs.

Too many of us are sitting on the sofa waiting for things that will never happen

However this was not the case for me on Monday. I was invited to be a dragon (No jokes and do not believe what Brendan says) at an Enterprise day for Schools based within the East Midlands at an Innovation Centre in Nottinghamshire.

It was amazing to witness the passion, commitment and focus the young people had. One young man; introduced himself and asked for a moment of my time. He quickly escorted me to his team mates, introduced them and then proceeded to give a full and accurate account of their roles and responsibilities within the team challenge.

My response was that if more managers knew what role their key staff played within the business, then the business would be far more successful.

International opportunities

With the worlds economies moving at such a fast pace; its important to recognise international opportunities when they present themselves.

If you have failed to notice the news recently (where have you been?), things in the financial and therefore Business world continue to re-invent themselves 24/7.

Consequently the media are constantly broadcasting and printing doom and gloom on a global scale and even our own shadow chancellor has been warning us of a possible run on our beloved pound.With all of this negativity it is easy to understand why so many individuals and businesses alike are sticking their respective heads in the sand in order to avoid the storm of uncertainty which is surrounding us. Realisation that the comfort blanket that so many people and Organisations have thrown over themselves during the last 15 years of growth; has now been removed and are now accordingly feeling the chill of uncertainty.

But should we?

We have now been given a situation in which to reinvent ourselves and seek out new opportunities. We do not have to think locally, regionally or even nationally anymore. We can operate, seek out opportunities and trade across all borders, well near enough all; because of the continued acceleration and affordability to communicate globally.

Expansion into International trade over the last 10 years has been expedient for UK based Organisations. David Hood, Head of UKTI Nottingham and Derby Chamber explained that the benefits (of International trade) are generally greater and relationships can last for some time. Establishing key accounts can often yield more than they do in the U.K; even though the market is further away.

Now is the time to step out of our comfort zones and look to new horizons. So why not start by picking up the phone 0115 9418242 and talking to me or Brendan about our International Entrepreneur Programme. It could be the gateway to a whole new world of opportunities.