Christmas is over, Happy Warring

Today is Christmas day, only it isn't - but we need a national holiday for Saturday's festivities so this is it. Tomorrow as it goes, is boxing day, only it isn't - that was yesterday - but either way it is time for me to go back to work.

Last week's whiteout never really happened, we ended up cobbling together a week of work for our workforce and sadly achieved little else, save for being taken out by the bank and getting rather sozzled. So lots to catch up on.

The infopath documents are coming on but are unfinished. I'm working on delegating responsibility to the electrical installers so that more time can be dedicated to winning work and expanding the company. A marketing plan needs to be written for the electrical and renewable companies but I need more financial information to start understanding the parameters in which I can operate. January is a time for things to move on, as the snow melts away we must emerge from the frozen cocoon we find ourselves in.

This won't come without fights, internally and externally, with both current and new contacts up and down the supply chain. You get nowhere and nothing without fighting for it - but it is my fight and I am determined to win, whilst being careful to pick my battles.

Every snow-cloud....

I attended the 2nd network meeting of my career on Thursday 16th December as a guest of a good friend Ali Hoy, who has started up his own ChipsAway franchise. Another electrical contractor was in attendance so my introductory speech concentrated on the renewables business - which suited me fine. The truth is that nearly all of us pay too much to the utilities suppliers because we are so wasteful in our habits - we can offer a number of installations tailored to individual business or domestic needs that can severely cut our clients' bills. The meeting went well, everyone was very welcoming and friendly, it could make good sense to become a member of the chapter as a director of Norman Environmental.

This week promises to be very challenging, the deluge of snow across South Wales means that we may tell our workforce to stay at home and set up camp in the office. This gives me an excellent opportunity to analyse the financial performance of the company to ensure that decsions are based on results and that lessons are learnt. I can also continue to explore the possibilities of using Microsoft InfoPath to create forms, collect data and streamline Norman Electrical and Environmental internal paperwork. Work needs to be done to acheive ISO 9001, extend the H&S and environmental policies and secure constructionline accerditation.

The opportunities and possibilities of 2011 may be secured by making the most of the difficulties of the last two weeks of 2010, bring it on.

9 days later.....

It's been 9 days since I took the plunge. In many ways it reminds me of when I first started at my old job, it's a pokey little office near some local shops, the building is shared and the turnover is not into 6 figures. In other ways it is very different.

I'm finally at the 'business end' of proceedings, not reacting to events with admin work but sculping, shaping and changing things with graft. I'm working longer days, wtith less breaks and I'm happy. So far I've been to a weekly network meet, secured a month's turnover in work and finally got the green light on a substantial start-up loan for the new renewables company of which I am a director.

All in all it really feels like the difference I make will be reflected in my reward, not just finanacially but, more importantly for me, it will allow me to build a name and reputation of my own. After so many years of just bumbling along, I am determined to be 'someone', and I think this is my chance.

Going it alone, well nearly....

I have, until this time and since 2004, been employed by a local mechanical (plumbing) and electrical contractor. The company's turnover has increased from £3m to £10m per year. During this time I have gained lots of valuable experience, not least the basics in running, maintaining and succeeding with an SME in the construction industry. I have now taken the opportunity to join a smaller company, concentrating on electrical works and soon moving into the burgeoning renewables sector, the challenge is to build the business and the rewards will be linked diretly to my subsequent success (I hope!). I start on Monday 29th November.

So in this new career move I have finally stumbled upon something worth blogging about. I shall be actively marketing the company in the local area of Cardiff, South Wales, using free facilities such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and recording our progress a in this blog; all against the backdrop of the post credit crunch economy in the coalition government era.

Freedom of Oppressive Speech

Controversy is not a subject all too often associated with the BBC. Oh hang on, let me start again. Controversy didn't used to be a subject often associated with the BBC. In recent years we've had the Blue Peter competition scandal, queries into wages and expenses, Arlene Phillips getting the heave ho and of course who could forget Russel Brand and Jonathan Ross insulting an OAP on Radio 2? With all that recent baggage you'd think that the powers that Beeb would want to avoid upsetting anyone. And you'd be wrong.

Tonight Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, will appear on the Beeb's longstanding debate show, Question Time. The BBC line is that he shall be afforded the same open forum as other political (or quasi political) figures to debate the matters of the day in front of a live and interactive studio audience. But will the matters of the day actually be the main topic of debate or will the whole show turn into a circus surrounding the political policies and beliefs Mr Griffen peddles.

In his defence I must protest that it is all too easy to simply label the BNP as a bunch of racist nutters without actually looking into the party and their policies. It doesn't take a lot of research to come to confirm the very same conclusion, but there are a number of things about the BNP that don't get as much publicity. They plan to:

- Leave Europe, but maintain freedom of trade.
- Devolve power away from London and empower local councils.
- Leave NATO and kick out any foreign armed forces based in the UK.
- Provide a free and fully funded NHS (for 'Britons').

So not all their policies are based around kicking out immigrants, but do they have the political and cerebal clout to handle complex economic policies?

There is a fascinating 8 months or so leading up to the general election in the battle over the cigarette paper between the Tories and Labour. The incendiary side show will be provided by Nick Griffin and his associates. There are a number of factors that concern me greatly when considering the BNP and Mr Griffin, not least the hostorical parallels that can be drawn between credit-crunch britain and conutries that have elected extreme right-wing governments. It's a fascinating topic that I beleive will gain momentum as we near the general election and will be the main topic of this blog until the election results are in.

Change is 'gooder' than greed

Yesterday saw the inauguration of America's 44th president - Barack Obama - who, as anyone who hasn't been living in a cave (and some that have) will know, is the first American president of black heritage.  Personally it wouldn't matter to me if he was of Martian and Vulcan descent - I couldn't care less about his race.  

What interests me about Obama is his character. He seems fair and honest, forthright and truthful; the antithesis of his predecessor.  If his inauguration speech is anything to go by however, he believes in an image of the perfect USA - the one that Bruce Springstein sings about.  Does it even exist? That's what Obama is going to find out.  

It seems from all the television coverage at his election he has summoned the votes of all the democrats, most of the politically central republicans, some previously apathetic minorities and the majority of American women.  No doubt he is a charismatic and handsome fella, he has a model family by his side including a first lady so obviously wholesome yet confident and strong that the fembot Sarah Palin and the yesteryear John McCain never stood a chance.  McCain brought memories of war, he's a Southerner with grey hair, he's a republican - the basic ingredients were the same as George Dubbleya's - he never stood a chance.  There it is - American democracy a key component of fairy tale USA.  Obama's very rise to power is proof that America is fulfilling it's self billing as the world's great democracy.

Obama's first challenge is to bankroll huge infrastructural investment throughout America, similar to the economic principle of FDR - and dare I day it, Adolf Hitler (look it up - where did you think the autobahns came from?).  Gordon Brown is advocating the same tactic (on perhaps a smaller scale).  The political system in America means that the Senate have to give Obama the green light. Brown on the other hand, may have a little more autonomy, which should help make up for his charisma bypass.  

In these times of change we must ask how different from Blair is Brown?  Not very.  OK he's sterner and Scottish, but he's still the other column that held up the centralised 'new' Labour party in 1997.  Luckily for him he didn't have to win an election and Cameron is a Blair clone with a plum in his mouth, a blue tie round his Gregory and sawdust in his head.  Back to the topic.... If Obama succeeds in persuading the tax payer and the Senate that self sacrifice is the path to enlightenment and he is proved right, then across the pond the economy will get a shot in the arm. This could allow Brown to see us out of the economic crisis, then he'll call an election and his campaign buzz word will be 'stability'.  And he'll win - all on the back of change.  America influences the world, positively.  I can almost hear The Boss tuning up his Fender.

Obama's inauguration speech was about navigating and leaving this harsh economic Winter, but no specific mention of Katrina and the devastation it left behind in New Orleans.  I can't help likening Bush to the hurricane - coming in, staying longer than predicted and destroying all in his path, leaving people without basic shelter, flooding the streets (with credit and weapons) and tottering off to a calm and peaceful retirement leaving death and destruction in his wake.  Let's see if Obama can react to to the international destruction more decisively than the last administration managed in its own back yard.

If Obama is the handyman brought in to fix the catastrophic DIY mistakes of GWB and he succeeds, he could be remembered as the greatest president - not just the first 'black' one, and that is his goal.  He's already fixed the democracy so obviously broken at the beginning of Bush's second term in office - just by turning up.  What could he do in the seat of power? He could pull the world out of war and out of the economic stone age.

3 months, 2 posts, is blogging for me?

It's been a busy few months since I last (first) blogged and I'm as confused as ever as to what I should be writing about.  I know that all I've read about is the economy, who am I to buck the trend?

Since September I've sat 5 exams, found out that I passed 4 of them, put more hours in at work per week than I've ever done, achieved pretty much everything I've wanted in work, gone to a previously unprecedented number of company freebies, re-enrolled at Reading University for my third year of four, spent a large amount of money on video games that I don't have time to play, discovered that I'm not very interested in soccer anymore, played a fair bit of rugby and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I'm watching less TV, listening to less radio, spending less time online, playing fewer video games, spending less time with family and friends and feel that life is actually more rewarding.  Perhaps in the past 10 or 15 years of economic bliss we've all just spent to much time 'out'.  I'm deeper into the 'rat-race' than ever and I'm genuinely happy.  I blame the weakened economy for my new found purpose.

2009 is not going to be easy for anyone (except perhaps the Lebanese!  news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7764657.stm), thankfully for me the company I work for has a number of contracts already secured - but we have to consider that each and every one of our customers is looking to scrimp and save at every juncture.  We must not try to follow suit but stay ahead of the trend, buying better, paying later, wasting less and keeping excellent records whilst chasing cash as aggresively as we dare and keeping the clients sweet.  That should mean we can some out of the recession in a stronger position, we'll be bigger, better structured, more professional and more profitable.  A lot of this will be a huge culture shock to some senior staff but it could be the making of us all.  Clients are screwing down prices and that will be passed on to suppliers and sub-contractors, the strong will survive and prosper the weak will fail, I'm making it my personal mission to make sure we come out on top.

Everyone has to learn to be more frugal and that mentality will begin at home.  Negative equity is a reality and credit and store card debts are its ugly little siblings.  We're going to become a single car household, we're actively trying to cash in on our assets, be that the Playstation 3 I've just acquired or the (extremely stable) company issue shares my wife is lucky enough to consider part of her modest salary.  I've only met one person who's saving on their mortgage, what with our newly ridiculous base rate of 2% you'd expect us all to benefit - turns out that the banks can do exactly what they want.  Hang on, isn't that what got us into this mess? Oh dear.  Our own mortgage is a fixed rate deal with the dreaded NRock, I shudder to think what will happen when the term of the deal expires in May '09.

All in all the recession has exhilarated me, the previous ease with which anyone could find work or credit just meant that no-one had to work very hard for anything and I'm the type of person who needs real motivation before I even pull my finger out... 

Am I alone, no I donn't think so; maybe this is my generation's chance to shine.