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.