Ambition…
Posted: Sun 16 November, 2008 Filed under: Five Year Plan (now Ten), Own Business, Writing Leave a comment »Yesterday I saw a news release that just made me go “Ooooh. Me Wanty.”
Red have released information about a whole new digital movie/still camera system that they’ve created and frankly, Wow.
Maybe one day.
Five Year Plan : 40% Done
Posted: Wed 5 November, 2008 Filed under: Domestic, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Own Business, Thoughts, Writing Leave a comment »- Photography
Take more photosPut the good ones in the portfolio site- Work on a couple of projects/themes
Started the work on a couple of projects, and seeing how they go - Possibly do a redesign of the portfolio site to fit in more with ‘brand ‘image’
Couldn’t be chuffed with this one in the end, although I’m still thinking about it - Submit portfolio site and photos to various interested parties
- Possibly make more use of Flickr, although that one’s a bit of a “don’t know”
And really haven’t done this either, as I’ve been using the portfolio site instead - Pull more attention to the portfolio site
Again, working on it
- Business
Redesign/redevelop business website with a CMS etc.Look at sorting out a proper business bank accountKeep generating new work
As always, an ongoing process – but working fairly well so far, allbeit not having generated as much as I should have doneContinue with current work and clients
Again, an ongoing processGet new contract – the one with the current place will definitely expire in ’08, due to tax/IR35 reasons
I haven’t had any long-term contracts, but plenty of shorter-term ones, and now the new permanent role…Work on developing new sites and business ideas- Minimise outgoings, increase incoming money
Nice idea, but not all that successful due to rising costs (particularly of petrol)
- Writing
Realistically? Get one solid idea written and done, if only for the head-space
Admittedly, ‘only’ a short screenplay for a film of about 10-15 minutes, but still, completed and done, except for small ongoing edits- Optimistically? Get two solid ideas written and done.
Working on the second one (and a third, to be honest), but not completed
- House stuff
- House alterations
Bathroom- Kitchen extension/upgrade
Postponed for foreseeable future - Extra Item :
Cavity Wall Insulation - Extra Item : Loft Insulation
Postponed ’til ’09, due to a nightmare of work involved
- Garden alterations/work
Veg patch- Front garden/driveway
Semi-complete - Main lawn etc.
Semi-complete - Borders, beds, blah blah
- House alterations
Stuart Rose
Posted: Fri 24 October, 2008 Filed under: Customer Services, Own Business, Thoughts 1 Comment »I know I’ve written about Stuart Rose before, but he’s one of my business heroes, so sod it, I’ll write again.
Don’t know who he is? He’s the Chief Executive (and Chairman) of Marks and Spencer, and has been since about 2004. Any time I’ve seen him interviewed on TV, he’s always come across really well, and most definitely not your standard Chief Exec. He’s someone who believes in the company he works for, and to me that’s fantastic.
This time, he’s in a feature by the Guardian about their clothes, taking the Guardian’s columnist round the shop and showing her clothes, following her comments that M&S didn’t have clothes for women in their 20s.
Now first of all, when did you ever hear about a shop’s Chief Exec acting as a sales assistant to take someone round the store? And particularly one who actually knows his own stock lines and themes? Let alone actually wears clothes from the store?
He insists that he doesn’t expect even loyal customers to dress entirely in M&S, but to select key pieces to team with other clothes and accessories. The suit he is wearing is from M&S – he opens his jacket to prove it – but his shoes are not.
© Guardian newspapers 2008
To me, that’s what a Chief Exec should do. I just think it’s a pity that it’s something Stuart Rose stands out for doing, rather than it being the standard.