Twitter went into overdrive yesterday with the launch of the Government-endorsed Start Up Britain. As is often the case, the negative comments were many, with any backing coming with caveats. But, do we need to look at this as a Apple style launch? In other words, are we expecting the next 'version' to be bigger, better, with sparkling new features?
The first important point to mention is the distinction between Government-endorsed and Government-backed. Though it would be fair to say that for the purpose of interested parties this became a question of semantics depending on how favourable either made it look. After all, the Government-backed, BusinessLink organisation has been all but dropped as not fit for purpose. Certainly Prime Minister Cameron is happy to have his (best thoughful and yet ambitious look into the distance) used on the site. (though whether we see him or any of his cabinet move swiftly into that distance after the somewhat negative reaction remains to be seen).
As a backer of any attempt to increase the level of enterprise in this great country of ours I was firmly behind this idea when I first heard of it. Speaking in schools regularly I see the future Bransons, Bannatynes, Devey's sparkling with ideas and ambitions, but lacking the knowledge and mentors they need. Certainly, if this is what a 'Start Up Britain' delivered then that would be fantastic. Also not forgetting those older generations, many being forced for the first time to assess what it is they really want to achieve in life. If 'Start Up Britain' catered as much for them in the same aspects, I would be the first in line to help.
However, what I saw, though certainly positive was one fundamental flaw, and one almighty PR disaster - both linked to the same aspect.
Now, I and many of my peers had frustrations with Businesslink in that any advice was impartial, but when you really needed someone to give you a straight solution (contact, recommendation etc) it was like a stasi-operation. 'Here's a list of potential suppliers for that' was a stock reply with sly pen movements hovering over (obviously) favoured ones (though without acknowledging whether said advisor had a reason for this).
However, Start Up Britain has no such qualms, delivering recommended advisors each with a sparkly 'discount' book for new prey - sorry entrepreneurs starting off. This aspect of it worries me, particularly as this 'Start Up' vehicle is clearly pushing new entrepreneurs into the hands of big businesses. Where are the SME's, the businesses that would truly benefit from a raft of new 'leads' (that after all is what they will become at the moment).
To make matters worse, and this is a PR disaster of the highest proportions, many of the links, for example one of the 'marketing' suppliers sends leads off to a large US 'bidding' site designed so US-based freelances can bid the lowest price to produce logos etc. What were they thinking!! And this is just one example.
Two massive errors in my view, but both rectifiable with a little re-think and the re-iteration of the fact this is for Britain.
So I applaud the thoughts, I salute the hard work and dedication of those talented individuals who didn't just think this, they made it happen, and I thank them in advance for what 'Start Up Britain' may become.
But I really do hope one of them will be stood on a stage in a black polo neck presenting the updated version to national acclaim.
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Monday, 31 January 2011
Transfer Deadline PLC
As I write there are 9 hours 05mins and 32 seconds until transfer deadline day comes roaring to an end. No doubt Jim White, the bouncing silver fox of Sky Sports News, will announce the ending of the countdown (along with live Big Ben link up) in typically enthusiastic fashion alongside @hayleymcqueen.
We'll all finally remember to breath again having spent the final hour hoping above hope that somehow our club has managed to pull off the 'deal of the window' (not that we enjoy the hyperbole). Then, unbelievably of course, a fax (why still faxes?) will have gone through with seconds to spare. We'll all steel ourselves again as Jim will excitedly declare that things have yet to be tied up, but we're just awaiting confirmation.
Finally at 1am we'll break that SSN trance and retire to bed, wondering what on earth we stayed up for to see a handful of journeymen footballers move (again) in a transfer window. Of course they'll be a few big transfers, and with the Premiership already spending in excess of £100m* this window (not including transfers completed today) there's certainly enough movement to keep everyone interested.
And it is for just these reasons that the Transfer Deadline day has become a huge economic deal all by itself. Forget for a second the £100m+ that is currently flowing cross-boarders and into and out of various league clubs, and perhaps most tellingly footballers and agents bulging bank accounts.
Days like this have become manna from heaven for 24 hour rolling news channels, especially a dedicated sports channel like Sky Sports News. Advertisers will be more than aware of the likely increased interest on deadline day, and will be willing to pay the premiums.
Headline sponsorship of Transfer Deadline Day programmes become a tool in themselves for both advertisers and the network to negotiate longer term deals. This applies equally across the associated online channels, which for many football fans like me become more crucial on days like today. After all, the vast majority of interested watchers of the football news today are going to have to contend with finding out the news on the go, or at least from the confines of a workplace.
Traffic levels on Twitter certainly back this up, with hash tags #transferdeadlineday and #bbcfootball already dominating. Even footballers names have begun trending as the latest sightings and signings reach a crescendo. In future years, this area holds massive revenue potential for advertisers and clever marketers who get their offers spot on.
Equally the written press, from red tops to broadsheets have been building to transfer deadline day. Rumours, counter rumours and moves generate miles of column space in the build up, with the fallout and implications being covered in an equal amount of detail over the rest of the week. It is events like this that must be firmly within the budget plans of news organisations these days. With football fans eager to consume anything and everything to give them the inside track.
Obviously deadline day wasn't brought in with the intention of generating so much revenue for so many sources. That has been a pleasant (for many) consequence. But with many within football calling for a review of the validity of such a window, how long can the sales boost last in what for many companies is a quiet period?
Hopefully for a little longer, after all Jim White's over exuberant delivery is the equivalent of Freddie Piquionne diving into the crowd, it may not be by the rulebook, but it's a long way of deserving the red card!
We'll all finally remember to breath again having spent the final hour hoping above hope that somehow our club has managed to pull off the 'deal of the window' (not that we enjoy the hyperbole). Then, unbelievably of course, a fax (why still faxes?) will have gone through with seconds to spare. We'll all steel ourselves again as Jim will excitedly declare that things have yet to be tied up, but we're just awaiting confirmation.
Finally at 1am we'll break that SSN trance and retire to bed, wondering what on earth we stayed up for to see a handful of journeymen footballers move (again) in a transfer window. Of course they'll be a few big transfers, and with the Premiership already spending in excess of £100m* this window (not including transfers completed today) there's certainly enough movement to keep everyone interested.
And it is for just these reasons that the Transfer Deadline day has become a huge economic deal all by itself. Forget for a second the £100m+ that is currently flowing cross-boarders and into and out of various league clubs, and perhaps most tellingly footballers and agents bulging bank accounts.
Days like this have become manna from heaven for 24 hour rolling news channels, especially a dedicated sports channel like Sky Sports News. Advertisers will be more than aware of the likely increased interest on deadline day, and will be willing to pay the premiums.
Headline sponsorship of Transfer Deadline Day programmes become a tool in themselves for both advertisers and the network to negotiate longer term deals. This applies equally across the associated online channels, which for many football fans like me become more crucial on days like today. After all, the vast majority of interested watchers of the football news today are going to have to contend with finding out the news on the go, or at least from the confines of a workplace.
Traffic levels on Twitter certainly back this up, with hash tags #transferdeadlineday and #bbcfootball already dominating. Even footballers names have begun trending as the latest sightings and signings reach a crescendo. In future years, this area holds massive revenue potential for advertisers and clever marketers who get their offers spot on.
Equally the written press, from red tops to broadsheets have been building to transfer deadline day. Rumours, counter rumours and moves generate miles of column space in the build up, with the fallout and implications being covered in an equal amount of detail over the rest of the week. It is events like this that must be firmly within the budget plans of news organisations these days. With football fans eager to consume anything and everything to give them the inside track.
Obviously deadline day wasn't brought in with the intention of generating so much revenue for so many sources. That has been a pleasant (for many) consequence. But with many within football calling for a review of the validity of such a window, how long can the sales boost last in what for many companies is a quiet period?
Hopefully for a little longer, after all Jim White's over exuberant delivery is the equivalent of Freddie Piquionne diving into the crowd, it may not be by the rulebook, but it's a long way of deserving the red card!
Friday, 22 October 2010
The Rise and fall of a simple call – Episode 3, The Apprentice 2010
It’s a phrase that has long elicited feelings of power, triumph over disaster and success. Rising to the challenge conjures pictures of a bloodied and battered Terry Butcher, an exhausted Roger Bannister and a triumphant Edmund Hillary amongst others. These were people who have triumphed when the odds seemed against them, when they mustered every ounce of courage and what little energy was left and rose to top.
So to use the phrase to describe the goings on the latest Apprentice challenge is purely on for ‘punning’ reasons. Although, when Lord Sugar uttered the phrase at the start of the programme he was probably hoping to see Dr Shibby standing aloft a large pile of cash with his one remaining muffin shining like a beacon in triumph. Sadly, and very predictably it was less a case of the teams rising to the challenge, more the premature opening of the oven door on a soufflé.
Classic Apprentice in every respect, from the pitch through production and even final sales day, it was a challenge littered with ‘how not too’s...’ even down to the conduct of the project managers. Melissa and Shibby were the two project managers in the firing line, with Melissa’s team claiming the win in-spite of her.
The task for Shibby (sorry, Dr Shibby) fell down on two major aspects, over promising at the front end, and a production process that was badly managed. With communication between the departments the key to the whole debacle, or rather lack of communication. With clearer communication it was still feasible that the mistakes made at the front end could’ve been turned round and a win achieved. However, the lack of communication between the sub-teams and even between the members of the sub-teams was staggering.
In many ways saying ‘Yes’ to orders that will stretch your business is not a bad thing. As the old saying goes ‘if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten’, so stretching things isn’t inherently wrong. Under-promising and over-delivering is always better than over-promising, but the key to whatever approach you choose to take is ensuring that the communication lines within your business are such that all the key parts are aware of their roles in pulling off this mammoth task.
I was certainly left wondering what would’ve happened if Christopher had been running Dr Shibby’s production line. It is fair to say that Melissa only really succeeded through the qualities Christopher and his military background brought to the cake production. And the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced Christopher could’ve rescued Dr Shibby’s hotel order and ensured that it was Melissa and her Jenny Eclair style that faced Lord Sugar Cakes.
What it did go to show is how crucial communication is to winning. The best teams, be they business teams, football teams or military teams succeed where clear communication exists and is encouraged.
So to use the phrase to describe the goings on the latest Apprentice challenge is purely on for ‘punning’ reasons. Although, when Lord Sugar uttered the phrase at the start of the programme he was probably hoping to see Dr Shibby standing aloft a large pile of cash with his one remaining muffin shining like a beacon in triumph. Sadly, and very predictably it was less a case of the teams rising to the challenge, more the premature opening of the oven door on a soufflé.
Classic Apprentice in every respect, from the pitch through production and even final sales day, it was a challenge littered with ‘how not too’s...’ even down to the conduct of the project managers. Melissa and Shibby were the two project managers in the firing line, with Melissa’s team claiming the win in-spite of her.
The task for Shibby (sorry, Dr Shibby) fell down on two major aspects, over promising at the front end, and a production process that was badly managed. With communication between the departments the key to the whole debacle, or rather lack of communication. With clearer communication it was still feasible that the mistakes made at the front end could’ve been turned round and a win achieved. However, the lack of communication between the sub-teams and even between the members of the sub-teams was staggering.
In many ways saying ‘Yes’ to orders that will stretch your business is not a bad thing. As the old saying goes ‘if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten’, so stretching things isn’t inherently wrong. Under-promising and over-delivering is always better than over-promising, but the key to whatever approach you choose to take is ensuring that the communication lines within your business are such that all the key parts are aware of their roles in pulling off this mammoth task.
I was certainly left wondering what would’ve happened if Christopher had been running Dr Shibby’s production line. It is fair to say that Melissa only really succeeded through the qualities Christopher and his military background brought to the cake production. And the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced Christopher could’ve rescued Dr Shibby’s hotel order and ensured that it was Melissa and her Jenny Eclair style that faced Lord Sugar Cakes.
What it did go to show is how crucial communication is to winning. The best teams, be they business teams, football teams or military teams succeed where clear communication exists and is encouraged.
Friday, 15 October 2010
Friends, Lancastrians...here me now!! Apprentice 2010 Episode 2
Sound. We all make it, some more than others. And it’s the same in business, and never has there been a better time to be heard. Though let me qualify this, there is a distinction between sheer volume and the distinct sounds of passionate and enthusiastic believers.
The enthusiasm with which the candidates have attacked the first few tasks is admirable. Enthusiasm, especially around the creative table, is an essential element; a fired up, high-energy session creates its own momentum of ideas. Enthusiasm and energy can get you a long way, particularly when the going gets tough.
What has been seriously less admirable is the usual Big Brother mix of ego’s, super-ego’s and demi-gods, focused solely on making, well noise quite frankly, and lots of it.
As expected a dose of Stella tempered the boys’ stag-rut (in complete contrast to real life). However, the screaming match continued on the girl’s team, with the all-seeing eyes of the classy Karen and Nick less than impressed.
The uncontrollable noise from the girls meetings reflects a similarity within many industries these days. The markets out there are often crowded, noisy places, not easy places for your customers to hear your voice. Sometimes it’s just hard to get heard.
It’s your marketing that gets you heard, and the very best marketing will do this in such a way that you’ll get heard over the din created by everyone else.
Many desperately join in to the cacophony of sound; hoping brash volume will turn heads, Joanna being a prime example. Others sit back, aghast at the wall of sound in front of them, unable or unwilling to get involved. Some crack it with expert advice. And others put up their hands and hope for the best just like Joy.
A hand in the air, will get attention initially but as the old saying goes, sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees. And after seeing that hand wafting in the breeze for a few minutes, it no longer registers as relevant.
It is as true with your marketing. Truly uncontested spaces are difficult to find, and it is important that you are able to get noticed, and then create such an impression that it’s your voice that is the one others turn to.
Get heard, make some noise but ensure you can back it up. As Karren Brady put so succinctly, it’s about finding those moments where your words will make the most impact. Don’t think putting your hand in the air is enough. Joy did, and the impact was lost. And even more criminal, when she was given the platform in the boardroom to put her view over, she flunked it.
Throw your enthusiasm and energy into your messages, and find innovative and most importantly, relevant ways for your message to be heard. Pick your moments and strike with impact, understanding and relevance.
Then the next time you get vocal, you’ll see the room quietening a whole lot quicker, with no hands required.
The enthusiasm with which the candidates have attacked the first few tasks is admirable. Enthusiasm, especially around the creative table, is an essential element; a fired up, high-energy session creates its own momentum of ideas. Enthusiasm and energy can get you a long way, particularly when the going gets tough.
What has been seriously less admirable is the usual Big Brother mix of ego’s, super-ego’s and demi-gods, focused solely on making, well noise quite frankly, and lots of it.
As expected a dose of Stella tempered the boys’ stag-rut (in complete contrast to real life). However, the screaming match continued on the girl’s team, with the all-seeing eyes of the classy Karen and Nick less than impressed.
The uncontrollable noise from the girls meetings reflects a similarity within many industries these days. The markets out there are often crowded, noisy places, not easy places for your customers to hear your voice. Sometimes it’s just hard to get heard.
It’s your marketing that gets you heard, and the very best marketing will do this in such a way that you’ll get heard over the din created by everyone else.
Many desperately join in to the cacophony of sound; hoping brash volume will turn heads, Joanna being a prime example. Others sit back, aghast at the wall of sound in front of them, unable or unwilling to get involved. Some crack it with expert advice. And others put up their hands and hope for the best just like Joy.
A hand in the air, will get attention initially but as the old saying goes, sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees. And after seeing that hand wafting in the breeze for a few minutes, it no longer registers as relevant.
It is as true with your marketing. Truly uncontested spaces are difficult to find, and it is important that you are able to get noticed, and then create such an impression that it’s your voice that is the one others turn to.
Get heard, make some noise but ensure you can back it up. As Karren Brady put so succinctly, it’s about finding those moments where your words will make the most impact. Don’t think putting your hand in the air is enough. Joy did, and the impact was lost. And even more criminal, when she was given the platform in the boardroom to put her view over, she flunked it.
Throw your enthusiasm and energy into your messages, and find innovative and most importantly, relevant ways for your message to be heard. Pick your moments and strike with impact, understanding and relevance.
Then the next time you get vocal, you’ll see the room quietening a whole lot quicker, with no hands required.
Friday, 8 October 2010
The Apprentice is Back (-'s Up!)
The Apprentice well and truly sizzled back onto our TV screens this week with the usual mix of ego’s, attention seekers and potential stars. That wasn’t entirely unpredictable, and neither in many ways was the result once the boys appointed Dan Harris to be their first project manager.
It was an episode filled with lessons in ‘how not too’, but let’s not forget in the furore that followed the result, both teams achieved profit. That was about as good as it got, as neither team overly impressed, though it is fair to say that that isn’t unusual in week one.
Watching the episode with a group of seven women was an interesting place to be, especially as the boys team held their kick-off meeting...or should that have been stag rut. Things didn’t get any better once the sausage challenge kicked off, with the views in the room going from mild annoyance to outright disgust.
From the moment Dan was appointed project manager, Desperate Dan appeared. Indeed he may have been better eating his cow pies lovingly prepared by Aunt Aggie. The bumbling fool of The Dandy fame was there, however somewhere along the line, it may have been the kitchen fumes, he morphed into Gordon Ramsey, or certainly his vocabulary did.
Under the pressure of the challenge and the testosterone filled frenzy, Dan ignored almost all the rules of good people management and proceeded to shout, swear and bully his way to a profitable loss. His team were on edge from the first moment, automatically taking their lead from the project manager. His body language, demeanour and conduct did nothing to calm, reassure and control his charges. In fact, it’s fair to say we will probably see several of them less macho as the series proceeds, with a different project manager around.
There will be different body language and communication experts that will be able to explain what went on far better than I can, but you certainly didn’t need to be an expert to understand just how wrong the boys and Dan in particular got it.
Respect was for me the biggest lesson. Even the girls team got it wrong a couple of times, almost in a more spectacular way when they left a customer wanting to do a big deal, whilst they proceeded to have an argument over who would close the sale. Showing no respect to the customer, they were lucky he stayed around; he may not have come back. Equally, the boys may have made a profit, but just who from the team has any respect for Dan? After all he showed none to them, and even more astonishingly, none to Lord Sugar in the boardroom.
Disagreements are acceptable in business. Dictatorial leaders/managers are arguably needed in certain situations. What makes it possible to move on and create lasting relationships with staff, suppliers and customers is having an underlying respect for each and everyone. Be they Lord or sausage maker.
It was an episode filled with lessons in ‘how not too’, but let’s not forget in the furore that followed the result, both teams achieved profit. That was about as good as it got, as neither team overly impressed, though it is fair to say that that isn’t unusual in week one.
Watching the episode with a group of seven women was an interesting place to be, especially as the boys team held their kick-off meeting...or should that have been stag rut. Things didn’t get any better once the sausage challenge kicked off, with the views in the room going from mild annoyance to outright disgust.
From the moment Dan was appointed project manager, Desperate Dan appeared. Indeed he may have been better eating his cow pies lovingly prepared by Aunt Aggie. The bumbling fool of The Dandy fame was there, however somewhere along the line, it may have been the kitchen fumes, he morphed into Gordon Ramsey, or certainly his vocabulary did.
Under the pressure of the challenge and the testosterone filled frenzy, Dan ignored almost all the rules of good people management and proceeded to shout, swear and bully his way to a profitable loss. His team were on edge from the first moment, automatically taking their lead from the project manager. His body language, demeanour and conduct did nothing to calm, reassure and control his charges. In fact, it’s fair to say we will probably see several of them less macho as the series proceeds, with a different project manager around.
There will be different body language and communication experts that will be able to explain what went on far better than I can, but you certainly didn’t need to be an expert to understand just how wrong the boys and Dan in particular got it.
Respect was for me the biggest lesson. Even the girls team got it wrong a couple of times, almost in a more spectacular way when they left a customer wanting to do a big deal, whilst they proceeded to have an argument over who would close the sale. Showing no respect to the customer, they were lucky he stayed around; he may not have come back. Equally, the boys may have made a profit, but just who from the team has any respect for Dan? After all he showed none to them, and even more astonishingly, none to Lord Sugar in the boardroom.
Disagreements are acceptable in business. Dictatorial leaders/managers are arguably needed in certain situations. What makes it possible to move on and create lasting relationships with staff, suppliers and customers is having an underlying respect for each and everyone. Be they Lord or sausage maker.
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Finding a Way
I applied for a job.
It isn't a recoil in horror moment, I promise. Working on my businesses is still the best decision I've ever made and I'm still doing that, but this is different.
It was for a senior marketing role with my 2nd love Oldham Athletic. A job I make no qualms about admiting was my 'dream' job 5 years ago. I even went so far then as applying my cheekyness to arranging a meeting with the then Director of Marketing, Sean Jarvis to discover more from him about how he had made such a position, and how I could get into football marketing. In a way I wasn't interested in general football marketing, I just had a burning ambition to be involved in my club.
Similarly, I don't mind admiting that my ambitions have changed on that front. Certainly one of my dream goals is not just to have a marketing job with my club, but own it! Ok, I'll rephrase that (I'm not that stupid), have a piece of it. It may seem a silly goal, but for me it frames lots of smaller goals into a very exciting an tangible conclusion.
So why go for this job? Well one thing I've realised over the past few years is that there are certain key things any business needs whether it is serving customers, providing a service, selling a box or playing football. These are:
And that is where I can see so many possibilities. As you all know I'm definately in the 'glass half full camp' and although you can't suddenly fill a stadium with clever marketing ideas (we are a cynical bunch us football fans when it comes to our own club), you can put the structure in place so that when the day comes when the on-field product flourishes, you are ready to maximise the off-field opportunities. After all the success or failure on the pitch is fundamentally they key to any off-field successes.
Oh how I'd love to get into the club and just seeing what could be achieved. After all for anyone out there willing to give it some investment the picture in many ways is quite an interesting one. Certainly in terms of divisions the club could go lower. But in terms of crowds in my opinion we're now pretty close to the bottom. As the economy still struggles to recover, outside of the Premier Greed there is an increasing supply of out of work footballers, which will make lower wages a reality in the lower divisions eventually. This again brings costs down. Financially the club is fairly stable and certainly in no danger having cut its cloth accordingly over the past few years. In Paul Dickov, Oldham Athletic have a young, ambitious manager keen to mould a squad of young, hungry and talented individuals into a winning team. A new stadium could be on the way, and there is an owner who wants to sell. All these add up to a tasty looking investment for someone with deeper pockets than me.
So I applied to get in through that class door, it wasn't to go back to working life, it was to try and inject a little of the entrepreneurial spirit into a business that means so much to me. A business that I want to see thriving even if that doesn't always translate to trophys and promotions. A business that I want others to feel the way I do now 100 years in the future.
I didn't get it! But that's ok, because the way I see it, it could be me making that decision in a few years time.
It isn't a recoil in horror moment, I promise. Working on my businesses is still the best decision I've ever made and I'm still doing that, but this is different.
It was for a senior marketing role with my 2nd love Oldham Athletic. A job I make no qualms about admiting was my 'dream' job 5 years ago. I even went so far then as applying my cheekyness to arranging a meeting with the then Director of Marketing, Sean Jarvis to discover more from him about how he had made such a position, and how I could get into football marketing. In a way I wasn't interested in general football marketing, I just had a burning ambition to be involved in my club.
Similarly, I don't mind admiting that my ambitions have changed on that front. Certainly one of my dream goals is not just to have a marketing job with my club, but own it! Ok, I'll rephrase that (I'm not that stupid), have a piece of it. It may seem a silly goal, but for me it frames lots of smaller goals into a very exciting an tangible conclusion.
So why go for this job? Well one thing I've realised over the past few years is that there are certain key things any business needs whether it is serving customers, providing a service, selling a box or playing football. These are:
- A clear vision filled with positivity
- Clear effective communication with customers and staff (placing their needs at the heart of decision making)
- Innovative thinking
- Persistence
And that is where I can see so many possibilities. As you all know I'm definately in the 'glass half full camp' and although you can't suddenly fill a stadium with clever marketing ideas (we are a cynical bunch us football fans when it comes to our own club), you can put the structure in place so that when the day comes when the on-field product flourishes, you are ready to maximise the off-field opportunities. After all the success or failure on the pitch is fundamentally they key to any off-field successes.
Oh how I'd love to get into the club and just seeing what could be achieved. After all for anyone out there willing to give it some investment the picture in many ways is quite an interesting one. Certainly in terms of divisions the club could go lower. But in terms of crowds in my opinion we're now pretty close to the bottom. As the economy still struggles to recover, outside of the Premier Greed there is an increasing supply of out of work footballers, which will make lower wages a reality in the lower divisions eventually. This again brings costs down. Financially the club is fairly stable and certainly in no danger having cut its cloth accordingly over the past few years. In Paul Dickov, Oldham Athletic have a young, ambitious manager keen to mould a squad of young, hungry and talented individuals into a winning team. A new stadium could be on the way, and there is an owner who wants to sell. All these add up to a tasty looking investment for someone with deeper pockets than me.
So I applied to get in through that class door, it wasn't to go back to working life, it was to try and inject a little of the entrepreneurial spirit into a business that means so much to me. A business that I want to see thriving even if that doesn't always translate to trophys and promotions. A business that I want others to feel the way I do now 100 years in the future.
I didn't get it! But that's ok, because the way I see it, it could be me making that decision in a few years time.
Monday, 2 August 2010
What a lucky shot: football and business opportunities
It's nearly football season time again. The time when every football fan in the country experiences a massive high of expectations in that last 10mins before kickoff. A feeling only a relative handful will continue to feel for the remaining 9 months of the season.
For those of you who are not followers of our national sport you will be quite justified in dismissing the upcoming months as yet another year of pointless running around with a pigs bladder. But there is no getting away from the fact that football as a sport, way of life and increasingly a business, is a key strand of our local and national pysche.
Take Burnley, many non-football fans in the town (of which there are very few) will point to the glorious industrial past, ringing singing tree and the beautiful pennines as major selling points. But few will be able to argue that the town has been put back on the map of England in a major way by the promotion and season in the Premiership that filled the past year. Even those businesses that didn't benefit directly from the increase in the football club's spending in the local economy will have seen the benefit that having a team in the Premier League with the eyes of the world focused upon it brings.
It is certainly a benefit that Blackpool will feel this coming season as they emulate Burnley by taking their turn in the 'big league'. Without doubt it is an opportunity that must be taken, as an Oldham fan I can vouch for that. Our town saw our Premier League opportunity come too early (before the big money really arrived) and despite 3 seasons in the top division our team now prepares to embark on it's 13th consecutive season in League One (or division 3 in old money). As a club and a town Oldham didn't take the opportunity to maximise the chance they had, and that is really where a business lesson lies...maximising opportunities however big or small they may be.
Luck plays a part with all opportunities, and rather than declaring that luck has nothing to do with business I like to look on it another way. Luck or LUCK really is all about maximising opportunities and how do you do that? Well through LUCK:
L - Location, getting yourself out there and speaking to as many people as possible, mentioning your aims, your goals and your challenges and where you're looking for help. Be on the field.
U - Understanding, know your chosen field as well as you can, who are the players, where are the opportunities
C - Contacts, speak to people, network (both in real-life and on social networking sites), draw up a list of the people you would really like to speak to and mention them to everyone you know...you've played the Kevin Bacon game right??
K - Knowledge, know your subject, be an expert, you don't need to be working in an industry for years to know about it, do your research.
Or to bring it back to football, Rooney worked hard on his skills and that enabled him to score 36 goals in total last season. But he also used a big slice of LUCK...he knew where he would score most goals and got himself there. He worked in training on where the opportunities best arrived for him. He had some excellent teammates, and he knew exactly how he needed to strike the ball each and everytime in order to take advantage of the opportunities that came his way. (World Cup aside of course!!!).
So increase your chances of scoring by using your own slice of luck, and take a leaf from Burnley and maximise the opportunities when they arrive. And any time you get that feeling of complete optimisim in the 10 mins before kick off hold on to it...it will get you through those cold winter Tuesday nights at home to Gillingham.
For those of you who are not followers of our national sport you will be quite justified in dismissing the upcoming months as yet another year of pointless running around with a pigs bladder. But there is no getting away from the fact that football as a sport, way of life and increasingly a business, is a key strand of our local and national pysche.
Take Burnley, many non-football fans in the town (of which there are very few) will point to the glorious industrial past, ringing singing tree and the beautiful pennines as major selling points. But few will be able to argue that the town has been put back on the map of England in a major way by the promotion and season in the Premiership that filled the past year. Even those businesses that didn't benefit directly from the increase in the football club's spending in the local economy will have seen the benefit that having a team in the Premier League with the eyes of the world focused upon it brings.
It is certainly a benefit that Blackpool will feel this coming season as they emulate Burnley by taking their turn in the 'big league'. Without doubt it is an opportunity that must be taken, as an Oldham fan I can vouch for that. Our town saw our Premier League opportunity come too early (before the big money really arrived) and despite 3 seasons in the top division our team now prepares to embark on it's 13th consecutive season in League One (or division 3 in old money). As a club and a town Oldham didn't take the opportunity to maximise the chance they had, and that is really where a business lesson lies...maximising opportunities however big or small they may be.
Luck plays a part with all opportunities, and rather than declaring that luck has nothing to do with business I like to look on it another way. Luck or LUCK really is all about maximising opportunities and how do you do that? Well through LUCK:
L - Location, getting yourself out there and speaking to as many people as possible, mentioning your aims, your goals and your challenges and where you're looking for help. Be on the field.
U - Understanding, know your chosen field as well as you can, who are the players, where are the opportunities
C - Contacts, speak to people, network (both in real-life and on social networking sites), draw up a list of the people you would really like to speak to and mention them to everyone you know...you've played the Kevin Bacon game right??
K - Knowledge, know your subject, be an expert, you don't need to be working in an industry for years to know about it, do your research.
Or to bring it back to football, Rooney worked hard on his skills and that enabled him to score 36 goals in total last season. But he also used a big slice of LUCK...he knew where he would score most goals and got himself there. He worked in training on where the opportunities best arrived for him. He had some excellent teammates, and he knew exactly how he needed to strike the ball each and everytime in order to take advantage of the opportunities that came his way. (World Cup aside of course!!!).
So increase your chances of scoring by using your own slice of luck, and take a leaf from Burnley and maximise the opportunities when they arrive. And any time you get that feeling of complete optimisim in the 10 mins before kick off hold on to it...it will get you through those cold winter Tuesday nights at home to Gillingham.
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