I only got back in time to see the last 15 minutes of Dragon's Den tonight but the timing was perfect. A familiar face appeared on screen. Mark Champkins with his Concentrate products. Poo pooed by most of the Dragons, who quickly opted out - Mark finally picked up his investment from Peter Jones after a hard battle over percentages. Another Dragon who saw the potential in the person rather the business.
In 2004 - I was involved in the NESTA Graduate Pioneer Programme. A training programme to enable graduates to learn about getting started in business and allowing them to apply for grants to get them started. Mark was one of several graduates I worked with and it's great to see him with some of the ideas that he developed all those years ago.
Concentrate - Design For Education Products for helping children to concentrate better in lessons - something he was passionate about then and is obviously still passionate about now. You can find out all about his products and how Concentrate got started on the website. You might even have seen the products in the press - he's certainly been getting some publicity since winning his NESTA award in 2006.
I wish him all the best and will certainly be checking in to see how things are doing.
Time management solutions for busy people - organise your business, your life and have fun.
To-Do Lists vs Action Lists
I encourage people to work with Action Lists rather the never ending To-Do List. Each morning create an Action List of the things you need to get done that day. These should relate to your overall goals. Do the important things before they become urgent, don't waste your time on unimportant things that really won't make a difference to your business or your personal life.
Plan the time into your day when you're going to do these actions. Make sure you prioritise them and do the No.1/High priority tasks first before anything else. Once you've done all the important things you can then work your way onto the next set of important actions. You'll find that things that you have as low priority, trivial tasks tend to disappear off the list. Easy or low priority tasks can also be scheduled into the day as a break between harder, high priority tasks. Group similar tasks together - like making phone calls or writing emails. It increases your productivity.
Don't over stretch yourself. If you only have time for three things, don't create a list with 20 things on it. Keep your action list short, realistic and focused. If you get them all done, take the next thing and do that. Achieving everything on your list in one day can give you a great sense of achievement
Keep a master list so that you don't forget things but prune and prioritise this regularly. Write a list each month of what you want to do and refer to this when you're planning your weekly and daily actions.
Plan the time into your day when you're going to do these actions. Make sure you prioritise them and do the No.1/High priority tasks first before anything else. Once you've done all the important things you can then work your way onto the next set of important actions. You'll find that things that you have as low priority, trivial tasks tend to disappear off the list. Easy or low priority tasks can also be scheduled into the day as a break between harder, high priority tasks. Group similar tasks together - like making phone calls or writing emails. It increases your productivity.
Don't over stretch yourself. If you only have time for three things, don't create a list with 20 things on it. Keep your action list short, realistic and focused. If you get them all done, take the next thing and do that. Achieving everything on your list in one day can give you a great sense of achievement
Keep a master list so that you don't forget things but prune and prioritise this regularly. Write a list each month of what you want to do and refer to this when you're planning your weekly and daily actions.
Zest Magazine article
I finally made it into Zest magazine.
Having been interviewed several months ago, I've been reporting the pending publication in my newsletter for a couple of months but as with most publication dates, things were moved around and delayed. It didn't appear in either the September or October editions.
I was in W H Smiths this morning and grabbed a copy of the November issue just on the off-chance - and there it was on page 22. How satisfying to see something I've contributed to in print.
Having been interviewed several months ago, I've been reporting the pending publication in my newsletter for a couple of months but as with most publication dates, things were moved around and delayed. It didn't appear in either the September or October editions.
I was in W H Smiths this morning and grabbed a copy of the November issue just on the off-chance - and there it was on page 22. How satisfying to see something I've contributed to in print.
Step Away From The Office
If you usually work from home - get away from the office for a day.
Escape from the phone and the internet and go and find an office away from the office. Mine is the Seattle Hotel down at the Brighton Marina. It's usually relatively quiet, plenty of space, comfy chairs, tables to sit at if you want, places to plug in a laptop and decent (if somewhat over priced) coffee. The staff are relaxed, casually dressed, leave you in peace but attentive in a quiet, unassuming way. There's a pleasant informality about the Seattle - stuffy business suits seem out of place.
It's a great place to have some quiet time, away from distractions, to get on with your work. I'd arranged a 1:1 meeting there at lunchtime and had the local Brighton Chamber meeting in the evening, so it was an ideal opportunity to spend a few hours putting together some ideas I'd been thinking about for a while.
These days there are plenty of places where you can get a coffee, tea (or your drink of choice), sit with your laptop, a book, notes or writing materials and have a couple of really productive hours.
Escape from the phone and the internet and go and find an office away from the office. Mine is the Seattle Hotel down at the Brighton Marina. It's usually relatively quiet, plenty of space, comfy chairs, tables to sit at if you want, places to plug in a laptop and decent (if somewhat over priced) coffee. The staff are relaxed, casually dressed, leave you in peace but attentive in a quiet, unassuming way. There's a pleasant informality about the Seattle - stuffy business suits seem out of place.
It's a great place to have some quiet time, away from distractions, to get on with your work. I'd arranged a 1:1 meeting there at lunchtime and had the local Brighton Chamber meeting in the evening, so it was an ideal opportunity to spend a few hours putting together some ideas I'd been thinking about for a while.
These days there are plenty of places where you can get a coffee, tea (or your drink of choice), sit with your laptop, a book, notes or writing materials and have a couple of really productive hours.
Grand Design Live 2007
I was in two minds (I am a Gemini!) but I eventually decided to have a day out and headed up to Birmingham for this event. There's masses to see and it really depends what you're after as to how much you get from it. I have to say - apart from an armful of leaflets and a bag of sausages, I didn't get much and it wasn't really worth the trip.
Although there's a whole area on Build - there was very little about the actual building aspect. There are a couple of places where you can get advice from the experts (architects and planners) and have your grand plans reviewed but most of the show is made up of companies selling their wares. If you want to look at underfloor heating, radiators, kitchen fittings, bathrooms, outdoor eating and the top-end of the market, then it's the place to go. I really can't see me ever wanting a spa pool.
I came back with a couple of leaflets from the oak-timber frame companies there and eventually tracked down a company that runs courses on straw-bale buildings. There were a few companies such as Huf Haus that produce kit form houses. I also picked up back issues of the Self-build magazine for only £1 each. Plenty of tips and ideas in these. The talk on Going Green - was pretty basic. We're all much more eco-savvy these days. There was very little around on that aspect which was disappointing. A few companies selling solar panels and the UK Renewables that have all sorts of ideas for renewables.
Solar water heating panels - will require your existing hot water cylinder to be replaced. Grants are available but the overall cost is between £2-3,500.
Solar electric panels - are expensive to install and not that efficient. £10-15,000. Although if you generate enough electricity you could end up selling it back to the grid but not for as much as you're buying it for.
Wind turbines - although you can now get these in B&Q, these need to be installed with a direct line of sight (or line of wind) to the prevailing wind. If you're built up area like mine - there's little point as there's too much turbulence from houses, trees etc.
Underground heat source - seems to be coming more popular - can't seem them allowing me to dig up the road to install one.
There are plenty of shopping opportunities if you want some art for your walls, sparkly chandeliers, ornate furniture or the ultimate in ladders or even a new drill set or perhaps a fondue. If you were the process of accessorising or wanting to choose the type of flooring for your kitchen/bathroom and have plenty of money to spend, then you might find something useful.
Some of the couples from the Grand Design TV programme where there to talk about their own projects and how things are now the cameras have gone and they've actually been living in their homes.
First find your plot.
Although there's a whole area on Build - there was very little about the actual building aspect. There are a couple of places where you can get advice from the experts (architects and planners) and have your grand plans reviewed but most of the show is made up of companies selling their wares. If you want to look at underfloor heating, radiators, kitchen fittings, bathrooms, outdoor eating and the top-end of the market, then it's the place to go. I really can't see me ever wanting a spa pool.
I came back with a couple of leaflets from the oak-timber frame companies there and eventually tracked down a company that runs courses on straw-bale buildings. There were a few companies such as Huf Haus that produce kit form houses. I also picked up back issues of the Self-build magazine for only £1 each. Plenty of tips and ideas in these. The talk on Going Green - was pretty basic. We're all much more eco-savvy these days. There was very little around on that aspect which was disappointing. A few companies selling solar panels and the UK Renewables that have all sorts of ideas for renewables.
Solar water heating panels - will require your existing hot water cylinder to be replaced. Grants are available but the overall cost is between £2-3,500.
Solar electric panels - are expensive to install and not that efficient. £10-15,000. Although if you generate enough electricity you could end up selling it back to the grid but not for as much as you're buying it for.
Wind turbines - although you can now get these in B&Q, these need to be installed with a direct line of sight (or line of wind) to the prevailing wind. If you're built up area like mine - there's little point as there's too much turbulence from houses, trees etc.
Underground heat source - seems to be coming more popular - can't seem them allowing me to dig up the road to install one.
There are plenty of shopping opportunities if you want some art for your walls, sparkly chandeliers, ornate furniture or the ultimate in ladders or even a new drill set or perhaps a fondue. If you were the process of accessorising or wanting to choose the type of flooring for your kitchen/bathroom and have plenty of money to spend, then you might find something useful.
Some of the couples from the Grand Design TV programme where there to talk about their own projects and how things are now the cameras have gone and they've actually been living in their homes.
First find your plot.
October Newsletter - Slow Down, Go Green AND Save Money
My latest newsletter is just out. This month's main article is how to slow down, go green and save yourself money.
Going green could, not only be a way of reducing your impact but it could also save you money, so it makes sense on two counts. Yes, recycling a tin can isn’t going to put a stop to global warning but it’s our responsibility not to be wasteful just because we’re more fortunate than others.
Here are some tips and ideas to live and work greener:
- if you'd like a free copy of the October issue, let me know and I'll be happy to send it to you.
Going green could, not only be a way of reducing your impact but it could also save you money, so it makes sense on two counts. Yes, recycling a tin can isn’t going to put a stop to global warning but it’s our responsibility not to be wasteful just because we’re more fortunate than others.
Here are some tips and ideas to live and work greener:
- if you'd like a free copy of the October issue, let me know and I'll be happy to send it to you.
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