Some help for a friend: Katharina M. Saghi

Some help for a friend who is a solid performing corporate recruiter



Name: Katharina M. Saghi

Linkedin profile 

Need: Looking for a corporate recruiting position in San Francisco. Size of the company doesn't matter.

About

Results-oriented: 90% offer acceptance, the average tenure of hires 5 years. Research, network, do what it takes to seek out and engage passive candidates who are potential matches.
Accountable trusted adviser: career coach approach, consultative approach with candidates and hiring managers.Full knowledge of Federal regulations affecting hiring practices (OFCCP, EEO, and Affirmative Action) Diversity and inclusion understanding.
Process-driven pragmatist: Scope requirements, create compelling job profiles, source, engage and screen candidates, facilitate the interview and selection process. Yet pragmatic, with a process as a means of making the best hire.
Keen listener: Really good at listening – truly hearing what hiring managers and candidates are saying to connect the dots that solve the puzzle. as well as being a sounding board for hiring managers.
Strong researchers and quick learner: So much to learn, so little time! thrive on rapidly absorbing information and doing great detective work to uncover all that I need to know about hiring group and prospective talent.
Flexible multitasker: Change happens. The mix of projects and activities the dynamics of no two days are the same. excel at juggling competing priorities and adapting to change.
Persistent and resilient: There are lots of ups and downs in recruiting thrives on a little healthy adversity to drive me forward.
Technology-enabled. Social media, job boards, internet searching, video conferencing, email, most ATS's–

 Contact Katharina on LinkedIn profile link above

Thanks
Gordon
Profile link 

Help for a friend needing work

Help for a friend needing work


George Hand   

Business Development Executive 

I am a creative, persistent, agile and driven Business Development manager who is more than able to nurture relationships with existing clients and to develop new business opportunities. I am an expert at putting together penetrative sovial media marketing strategies that can help businesses to fulfil their potential. On an individual level I am committed to my own personal development and progression. I have a highly enthusiastic approach to Business Development and possesses a proven track record of achieving targets in a competitive environment. Right now, I am looking for a suitable position with a company that is well-positioned for continued growth and development and looking to cement themselves as a market leader in their given industry.

Introduction 

For the past 5 years I have carried out various short term freelance roles undertaking such tasks as Business Development, Project Management, Process Mapping etc, I spent two years with Carillion Amey before this as a technical trainer, training all the engineers working on regional prime contract on using their new handheld devices. (Contract ended) Prior to this I worked as a Client Relationship manager for PH Jones (redundancy) and I was a contract operations manager for HomeServe performance managing their subcontractors from Carlisle to Birmingham. (Redundancy)

 I know it's getting boring for everyone connected to me, but I have to keep posting and asking for work, less and less people are looking at the posts, I know its depressing seeing someone going under, but I need all your help, I need an opportunity to work, I will consider anything that's not commission based only or that's not building a residual income, I need a job that's pays money so I can pay Bill's and give my family a life. All I ask is that you share this with your connections and make as many people aware of my situation as you can, I am not lazy, I work damn hard for everyone I work for and need something ASAP.

 

LinkedIn profile George Hand 

 

Our future Business and home life or our de-personalised life

Our future business and home life or our de-personalised life. 


When unemployed you are your CV or your online profile, either two pages of script or 300 words contain you and an AI decides if you are a "fit", a fit to what? To fill a box, role, need. The saying WYSIWYG is apt in its fullness and so wrong in its labelling. The person is more than the paper, profile or characters but companies make "value" decisions on the future of there business via these virtual people representations. 
The correct fit for your "box" means you are building a uniform structure that will struggle to adapt to modern-day life, and the right hire to develop your company as just been scrubbed, due to the lack of picking up the phone, invest in the hiring process, don't take the human out off it. 

Life can be filled out by computer-driven interactions, online shopping, online dating, online chat rooms, online church, online banking. I know there are much better "lettered." individuals who have taken this up as a cause, but this real, live person would rather live a life where you need to interact with people to bring the richness that is life back and enjoy a coffee from a barista and build companies with people, not boxes, and goals and vision, not needs and requirements. 

Bring back humanity to your life and to others, we owe it to ourselves and to humanity, life is precious and fought for every day of our existence do not waste it, use it fully, explore it passionately, share it furiously.

Be blessed
Gordon
LinkedIn Profile

"Squeaky wheel gets the oil time"

"Squeaky wheel gets the oil time."

Hi fellow bloggers, hope you are all well, I have had two major projects, and a permanent job offer fall apart, so in the run-up to Christmas I am looking for employment, not proud and not pretty, I will turn my hand to most general supervisory or management roles for manufacturing organisations, I can take on short term contract roles locally. What can I do for you, I can help you with any growth challenges in the business that you have, and BD or SCM challenges that you may have, I have extensive experience overseas developing supply chains? Implementing Lean and other CI programs, It would be worth us having a chat to discuss where I could bring value to your business, so as a friend said nothing asked for nothing gained. I hope you have a great evening.

Gordon 



LinkedIn profile

What is the most precious item in the world

 Time

What is the most precious item in the world, it is a jiffy, The jiffy is a measurement of time, and as time can't be created it is irreplaceable, who would not want more time. There is a trend to put a cost to time, I have looked at someone who would offer me £8.35 for an hour of my time flipping burgers, (thinking about it) If I was working in India I could earn a minimum wage of 20p an hour. I have spent over 30 years looking at ways to save time, improve yield, add automation, (Faster / Cheaper) improve process time, transport time, queue time, VSM and the implementation of the culture of CI, the great timer saver strategy. It has always been a challenge to find the best use of the precious resource time, here are some keys that I have found to be useful. 1- The 80/20 rule is the truth. 2- Before every task, we should be asking ourselves how important is this task? is it worth the time!!! 3- Your time is your own, so don't let others waste it for you. 4- Learn to say no to others, nicely. 5- Invest your time in those who appreciate it. Imagine we're at a graveyard. You look at a tombstone and see the person's name, the date they were born and when they died. In between the dates, there is a dash. So I want to ask you: What are you doing with your dash?

Regards
Gordon
LinkedIn Profile

Company morale:-

 I was talking with an employer of a precision engineering company, the discussion was centred around staff retention and company morale and how do you measure the second and improve the first, this used to be a traditionally managed business but has made some positive movement away from that, after a few coffees and some rabbit holes descended, we concluded with an action plan to improve both, he was not surprised that they were linked, these are the basic "cliff notes" version. 

To measure morale:

 -Surveys. An easy way to monitor your employee's morale is through an employee satisfaction survey. ... 

-Periodic Interviews. Performing periodic performance interviews with your employees can also help you gauge the overall employee satisfaction. 

-Productivity levels and Quality performance. 

-Turnover Rate. 

-Absence Rate.

-Open door and "roam the floor" policy. 

To Improve morale hence improve staff retention.

-Give them a reason to believe. 

-Show you care. 

-Recognize the good. 

-Learn the value of “fringe”. 

-Promote from within. 

-Bring on the fun. 

There is a lot of meat to put on these bones, but that is the basics of how to tackle these issues and a company with good morale is a strong company.

Regards
Gordon
LinkedIn profile

Job Hunt Tool Box

 Tool box for assting with your Job hunt


*Top 10 Sites for your career:* 



1. LinkedIN 
2. Indeed
3.Careerealism 
4. Job-Hunt 
5. JobBait 
6. Careercloud 
7. GM4JH 
8. Personalbrandingblog 
9. Jibberjobber 
10. Neighbors-helping-neighbors 

*Top 10 Tech Skills in demand in 2019:* 
1. Machine Learning
2. Mobile Development 
3. SEO/SEM Marketing 
4. Data Visualization
 5. Data Engineeringj 
6. UI/UX Design 
7. Cyber-security 
8. Cloud Computing/AWS 
9. Blockchain 
10. IOT 

*Top 10 Sites to learn Excel for free:*
 Search for these on Google: 
1. Microsoft Excel Help Center 
2. Excel Exposure 
3. Chandoo 
4. Excel Central 
5. Contextures 
6. Excel Hero 
7. Mr. Excel 
8. Improve Your Excel 
9. Excel Easy 
10. Excel Jet 

*Top 9 Sites for Free Online Education:* 
*Search for these on Google:*
 1. Coursera 
2. edX 
3. Khan Academy 
4. Udemy 
5. iTunesU Free Courses 
6. MIT OpenCourseWare 
7. Stanford Online 
8. Codecademy 
 9. Open Culture Online Courses *


Top 10 Sites to review your resume for free:* 
1. Zety Resume Builder 
2. Resumonk 
3. Resume[com] 
4. VisualCV 
5. Cvmaker 
6. ResumUP 
7. Resume Genius 
8. Resumebuilder 
9. Resume Baking 
10. Enhancv 

*Top 10 Sites for Interview Preparation:* 
1. Ambitionbox 
2. AceTheInterview 
3. Geeksforgeeks 
4. Leetcode 
5. Gainlo 
6. Careercup 
7. Codercareer 
8. InterviewUp 
9. InterviewBest 
10. Indiabix

JOB HUNT 103

JOB HUNT 103:



I mentioned in my previous post 102, ATS "applicant tracking system", and I have been asked a few questions about it, have a read at the jobscan web site and you will get a better understanding of the system and see how you can use it for your own benefit.



 https://lnkd.in/gyRHRYk

www.jobscan.co

Job hunting 102

Job hunt 102: 



When you are looking for your next job, urgency can drain your strength, as the bank account drains and you spend resource on your job hunt, everything becomes more urgent and desperate. I will not talk about how to conserve your hard earned money you will know well enough about that, but I have a few points that may help your job search and mines.

- Applying for roles, start with the roles that closely match your own previous job, common sense but many people try the shotgun approach, it does not work that well.
-Cover letter needs to be written to address the role you are applying for, you can cut and past, but make sure it does not carry over parts relative for a previous role.
- When you can not find roles that matched your previous role, you need to look at roles that you have specific transferable skills suitable for that role, these need to be highlighted in your cover letter. -Companies and recruiters using ATS, usually, through job boards, website applications, if at all possible avoid an email directly, search for the email address or phone number to contact directly many good candidates get lost in the ATS system if you have to use the online application rewrite your CV and make it full of words directly from the job description. 

 Research ATS to help you defeat that bucket that swallows up your changes before it even gets to a human




Have a good weekend

Update: 


I had a few questions regarding ATS: Applicant tracking systems see below for a better understand and hop over to www.jobscan.com

1. Use standard resume headings

There are several different acceptable ways to phrase headings within your resume (for example, “Professional Summary”, “Career Summary,” “Work Experience” and “Work History”). Whatever titles you decide to use, be sure to stick to these standard headings in order to keep your resume clean, professional and ready for ATS.
By over-customizing your resume headings (for example, using “About Me” and “Accreditations”), you make it more difficult for Applicant Tracking Systems to parse your resume. ATS are typically unable to recognize nonstandard headings, and as a result they’re unable to sort the content appropriately in their databases.

2. Choose the correct resume format

Many qualified resumes have been rejected because their format was not optimized for an ATS. There are three main resume formats: chronological, functional and hybrid. While chronological is the most popular, it might not be the right fit for you.
Making sure your resume is formatted correctly will only increase your chances of getting through applicant tracking systems.
Check out Jobscan’s 20 ATS-friendly resumes. Get a bonus template here.

3. Don’t touch headers and footers

While it is tempting to make your resume stand out, colorful, eye-catching images (including tables and graphs) and fancy typefaces often confuse Applicant Tracking Systems.
 
Headers and footers are best left empty (leave your contact information out of there!) with standard 1-inch margins. It is always best to let your experience and skills set you apart from others.
For all job seekers applying to creative positions, such as web designer or architect, save the color and creativity for the in-person interview and times (for example, a job fair) when you’ll use a paper copy of your resume.

4. Echo resume keywords exactly

If anything on a resume can beat Applicant Tracking Systems, it would be those trusty resume keywords. Resume keywords are the skills and qualifications in the original job description that should be included in a resume (e.g., communication skills, Microsoft Word, and academic degrees).
However, simply using any form of these keywords will not win over an ATS: keywords must be formatted to echo the original job description exactly (to an ATS, there is a difference between “Microsoft Word,” “MS Word,” and “Word”).
Jobscan is an excellent online resource to make sure you have included all your resume keywords and formatted them correctly.

5. Left alignment and conservative typeface

Use left alignment for your resume text. While right text alignment might appear to give your resume a formal or edgy appearance, it won’t actually boost its chances of beating Applicant Tracking Systems. In fact, it could prevent the system from parsing content correctly.
Any typeface that is not conservative (such as Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, or Calibri), or that is not a standard size, runs the same risk.

6. Write out all acronyms

You may have thought your parents and grandparents were terrible at deciphering texting slang such as “LOL” and “OMG,” but compared to them, Applicant Tracking Systems are stuck in the Stone Age when it comes to acronyms.
Even if an acronym is well known (for example, BMW or IBM), it may not be recognized or categorized correctly by an ATS.
To avoid misunderstandings, always spell out the acronym first before including the acronym (if necessary):

• Companies and Associations: International Business Machines (IBM); American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Products: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
• Brands: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M)
• Years: 2015-2016 (never 2015-’16 or ’15-‘16)

 www.jobscan.com  

Whats the point of being on Social media if you don't use it to help each other-The great Job Hunt

Those of us who are looking for jobs, if we don't help each other on these platforms, Linkedin, Xing, Facebook etc then it is pointless spending your resource, i.e Time on these sites. There is a misconception that we are jobless, unemployed, some people are maybe looking for a change but the majority are looking for a job, maybe not the perfect job, but a job that will pay our bills, put food on the table and keep our families well, and also to keep our minds healthy. I am looking for a job, but I am not unemployed, I am a "Job Hunter" my aim is to hunt down a job, if I am not successful I will be like my predecessors who failed to bring home the dinner if you are looking for a job so are you. I start at 7:30 am and continue up to 5 pm, then maybe even later if I have a lead. I do this 6 days a week, on the 7th I rest. 

Some pointers. 

• Chase every lead. 
• Apply for every possible role- even if you have to use transferable skills. 
• Email the hiring manager directly if you can. 
• Phone the hiring manager even better. 
• Chase up every application, be relentless. 
• Help others where you can. 
• Pass on job leads that you are not following up. 
• Take online free courses to keep your mind active and to strengthen your skill base. 
• Be relentless, ask for help, and keep your own balance.  

Have a good week, and help someone, help someone, help you!!!!



Gordon

The art of dishwashing

The art of dishwashing :



Our dishwasher stopped working a while back, as I have some time on my hands (not for long I hope), I wash the dishes by hand and I have a process, I prepare the water, sort out the dishes in order, and then get started, when I have a back upon the drying stage, I stop washing and dry off the dishes and cutlery, and so on. My wife does not have a process, she throws them all in the basin, I get perturbed, how can I wash the dishes if you don't follow the process, you need to do it my way, oops. So in business, there is a process, you turn resources into cash if you are good, there are many stages in between, and you do it your way. I suggest that you should review the processes that you have on a regular basis (CI) and you may find someone has a better way than your way (human resource utilization) it maybe you keep using the manual process or move to an automated process if you can, you may get someone to review for a different viewpoint, get the HR Manager to walk the process or the FD, and vice versa. It can be enlightening and you may make more money in the process. 

Personal request also


I need some help, I was made redundant two years ago, over 50 and struggling to get back to work, I have been getting interviews, even progressing to last two, but never getting it over the goal. I am a senior manufacturing/operations manager, I have experience across a wide variety of technologies and I have worked in Europe and America with strong networks in China. I have included a brief summary of my experience if you know a company that is looking for my experience please get in touch, I am open to location.

How healthy is your company

Company health: 

It is reasonably easy to tell if your company is performing well, sales are up, the margin is good and the customers are not ringing your phone with complaints(generalizing). These are the typical KPI's we used to use for business performance and some companies still do, but it does not tell you if your company is healthy and will continue to perform well. I like motorbikes, I have had my fair share of used bikes in my past life as a biker and my favourite method of engine diagnosis back then was a length of wooden dowel, I could hear the engine and diagnose most problems. Your business is the same, the one thing a good consultant can gauge is the chatter and through that, you can tell a lot about the health of your business, don't pay the fees for that service, but learn to diagnose the business through the chatter, it will give you a good organisational indicator of the business's long term health. There is also another area you need to look at, any outside agency that you use to conduct business, reps, distributors and recruitment agencies etc. I have my own blacklist of recruiters that I would never give business to, the same with distributors. I will close here by saying know your businesses hard metrics of success but also understand the chatter.



 

Mistakes and blame culture

Mistakes and blame culture:- 


I have worked in companies where the "blame culture" has run wild among the management and the staff, supervisors working out there "blame" strategy because they have mismanaged the team, Managers preparing the monthly report with targetted blame. How often have you stood and listened to your morning meeting with the staff and it is a game of verbal tennis to see where the blame stops. We all make mistakes and we need to own up and learn from them, some lessons are painful and costly, but honesty is the only way forward that will bring you peace. The senior management team that allows the blame culture to take root in business are developing people who are reluctant to speak out, take risks, or accept responsibility at work because they fear criticism, retribution, or worse, they forget that it will come back and bite them. I supervised in a semiconductor company where the whole senior staff were covering up a yield problem from corporate headquarters, they were caught out when there was a call to increase sales from inventory that did not exist in reality but did in the "official" inventory reports, there was a "house cleaning", and it was discussed , was the boss pushed or did he jump, he was absent with a broken leg . Develop a no blame culture.


 

Professional Summary Profile Gordon Whyte

Profile

Gordon Whyte

          Experienced Senior Manufacturing & Supply Chain Executive /Co-Founder

Introduction:

I am an entrepreneurial senior operations executive with broad experience in General, Operational and Change Management of which more than 20 years at international level. I have managed multi-disciplined teams delivering complex projects worldwide in high technology-based businesses, including multinational and start-up businesses

Business experience includes:

• Co-founder/founder of six start-up companies
  

• Hands on experience of managing six business start-ups / SME'S with P&L responsibility.
  
• Strategic business development, with hands-on, face-to-face customer development.
  
• Experienced in M&A and preparation for company listing
• Extensive senior operations experience, setting up new manufacturing operations, and developing outsourced manufacturing services.
  
• Developing business plans and financial modelling and budgeting.
• Leading fundraising both in Europe, North America and the Middle East.
  
• Leading technology transfer and IP / Patent development.
• Establishing and expanding businesses ensuring high profitability and continuous improvement.
• Business focus has been Semiconductor, Electronics, Photonics, Solar / Cleantech, Display technology, Space & Defense projects, IoT devices, and medical devices

Significant achievements include:

• Led manufacturing division to be profitable after two years from start-up doubled revenue year on year before a successful IPO in '96 and subsequent sale to SDLI (USA).
  
• Introduced four new products to the market including the worlds first 10 GHz integrated driver modulator in 2001.
• Launched the world’s first optical ASIC platform for complex optical silicon integrated circuits.
• Set up FLCD micro-display manufacturing operation and electronics assembly ahead of target and budget.
• Co-Founder of a Solar cell manufacturing company.
  
• Leading the implementation of Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement (Lean six sigma) projects across a variety of companies.
• Program management for the European Space Agency contracts, and other commercial space and defence projects.
• Turn-around of electronics contract design and manufacturing business

To conclude: broad international experience, sound knowledge of value-added

Mechanisms in different industries, understanding of all stakeholders

Requirements, customised solution provider, profitability, sales and result orientated.

Email:mrgwhyte@excite.com

Do not give up

 Do not give up



So some comfort to those of us who are job hunters of a certain age, we may have started companies, raised investment, patents issued and given people careers and a way of life, but you still keep getting rejected at the last hurdle of the job hunt steeplechase, well as Jack said here below never give up. If anyone is looking to start a company with some good ideas, get in touch, maybe we can help each other out or not, but at least you will have made a connection that knows what it is all about, and have a great week, or if anyone needs an operations or supply chain executive please feel free to get in touch with me.


 





















  
 
I have been working with some very talented crypto hackers and asked them to decipher some emails I have received from jobs that I have applied for, the quantity is significant enough to make it statistically significant, the results are presented in this infogram.

 

Some help from my friends

Looking for help from my readers, one long term contract and another job offer have just turned to vapour so I am starting to get hungry!!! If anyone can help me out and point me in the direction or put me in touch with someone who can connect me to a senior manufacturing or supply chain opportunity, open to the location other than central London, then when we meet up I will buy you the most expensive Nescafe available at the time. I hope you all had a great weekend.

Faith,Vision and Achieve the impossible.

 Faith,Vision and Achieve the impossible.




We all come to a point in life where we think, that is it I am finished with this, I am going to move on to something else, this is too hard, this business will never go anywhere, sometimes you are correct to move on and leave it all behind and start afresh on a new project, new relationship, a new life. But there are times that you should not give up and you should push on forward and upward, sometimes the breakthrough does not come from the direction you think, (Alexander Fleming ) or it comes from the cumulative effort of many (TI and DLP) but it does happen. The question many as is how do I know when to keep pushing on and when to give up, it depends on a few things- 
Is this your passion/dream? 
Is this life critical / life changing? 
Is this paying the bills? 
What is this costing me? 
What will I lose if I give up? 
What will I gain if I give up? 
Why do I do this? 
What else will I do if I give this up? 


The answer to the question, well only you will really know, but did the seed in the picture know the result of all the effort or did it just move in faith with a vision of something so great it would full its passion to grow no matter the cost. Have a great week and grow

HOMELESSNESS is 24/7 killer

This is not a pure business related post, but it could be, but it is a personal post about a subject that I am passionate and engaged with:-

 HOMELESSNESS is 24/7 
 449 deaths in the U.K. from Oct17 to Oct18 

More than one person per day dies in the U.K. directly caused by being homeless. The true toll is likely to be higher causes of death included assault, drug overdoses, illness and suicide, many showed signs of prolonged starvation. Their ages ranged from 18 to 94 years old, with an average of 49 years old for men and 53years old for women. 

Here is the thing we all can help, corporately and individually, I have some great ideas but lack the resource, many folks have the resource but lack the ideas. It does not take much to change this situation in the U.K. and the ROTW, so I ask that you look at what you can do, many of my connections already will help, but a concerted effort would change things permanently for the homeless. There plenty of local points of contact that can help you to engage, how about teambuilding by helping run a soup kitchen? emergency accommodation for "death freeze nights" I hope you can help and get engaged, and that's it. 

Never give up

So some comfort to those of us who are job hunters of a certain age, we may have started companies, raised investment, patents issued and given people careers and a way of life, but you still keep getting rejected at the last hurdle of the job hunt steeplechase, well as Jack said here below never give up. If anyone is looking to start a company with some good ideas, get in touch, maybe we can help each other out or not, but at least you will have made a connection that knows what it is all about, and have a great week, or if anyone needs an operations or supply chain executive please feel free to get in touch with me

Waste, reduction, cash flow

Waste, reduction, cash flow.



 I had a crap week a few weeks ago week, interviewed with a Tech company in Cambridge who run a fabless semiconductor business producing chips sets for multiplexing displays, 3rd interview, 1st face to face, who are recruiting for a new position, and they are not sure what they want in a candidate. Also, it was the employees who were going to be in my team were interviewing me, I did not get it, but I knew that before I left, the reasons are boring. So I found myself at my greasy spoon cafe today, things look to be running a bit better and the owner was not as burn out, (see previous note 3 wks ago) I asked her how she was keeping and she said a lot better but would like a chat, so we took a seat and had a chat, she was having cash flow challenges, and wondered if I could help, to cut to the Cliffs Note version, I had a look at her accounts and saw a few things that she could work on, but a big one was waste, and that is harder to see in the numbers, it is there but you need to dig, I mentioned that to her and she stared at me and she said, now you mention it I do need to get the waste uplifted more, I said to her look in to it and I know a way to get some cash back on the waste. Lesson to all look at your waste stream from the front door to the back door, it will surprise you. Have a good week

The jewels in the crown of world-class management:

The jewels in the crown of world-class management: 



 “Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal, and help one another achieve respect. Don't use destructive lies, unfounded fears, or debilitating anger.” – Bill Bradley



 

Sticking plasters and duct tape:

 Sticking plasters and duct tape:



I have a guitar pedal board for the collection of effects pedals for my guitars, I have used a variety of methods to attach the pedals to the board, not all have been successful, but it has always been a "sticking plaster and duct tape repair" until I was touring, and a friend had one look at it and said he would fix it for me, I was afraid of the cost, but it was cheaper than I thought it would be and it was a solid job, no ground hum and no movement. The point I am trying to make, there are many things in life, especially business where we skimp and try to save money, time, resource but in the long run, it is a dripping tap of waste, we need to fix it properly the first time. This is a prime requirement, whether it is, software, hardware, infrastructure, personnel, take the time and fix the issue. Once it is set properly, you can forget about it, rely on it, and relax a little. Think about the small things that are irritating you whether personal or business how much energy/resource is it causing you to waste in worry and duct tape.

Help where you can and do no harm

I was enjoying my "free" cooked breakfast yesterday at my local greasy spoon, it was not free to start with, but it ended being my fee for some consulting with the restaurant owner and chef. I had noticed the owner was not as loud as she usually was and looked ill, I spoke to her as I paid, and asked how she was keeping and how was the business performing as you do. (she knows I am looking for work and has offered driving employment, payment COH, I pass each time) I received the full story, and it was not pretty, but what was worse she did not see a way out of her trouble, I recognised the fundamental problems of someone running there own first business, with a low margin and high staff turnover. I asked if she would take some advice, she nodded but said what did I know about running a catering business, I said I used to run a full-service guest house, she smiled. I then proceeded over fresh coffee to give her the small recovery plan, prioritising, relieving her main pain points quickly, and breaking down her next set of actions. The way forward for her will not be easy for her; this is real life and complicated, but as she said, getting her "head out the sand." makes a big difference, and getting a simple vision established, with objectives and goals in place has helped her.

A well-crafted book

Reading a well-crafted book can be likened to a walking through a maze, you are given glimpses of the way forward as the narrative progresses, good writers keep a balance of momentum forward, where other writers lose the plot and you feel lost, I like a good book. 

Life can be similar at times we find ourselves in a maze struggling to find a route forward, our narrative has "lost the plot" this is the time to dust of your long-term vision, objectives and goals, these should give you balance and focus to find your way forward back onto your path and allow you to make progress, without them you are lost with no direction, dust of your Vision and see how well you are doing, try a quick 5 whys analysis with it and then adjust as required, get back to enjoying the journey, and less hard work in the maze.

Success is just outside your comfort zone

When do you know you have been successful? 

The answer is different for all of us, for some, it is having a roof over our head and food on the table, for some, it is not needing to work again, for others it is a more complex answer -for me, it is to live peacefully and bring peace to others, to achieve that is very complex as you can understand. I have some questions to help you navigate this answer for yourself, it is something which is an ever-changing target it needs to be reviewed on an ongoing basis just like a cash flow projection or quarterly sales figures.

 Read your personal vision. 

 Read your business vision. 
 Write what success looks like for your life.
 Make sure your business goals fit your life goals. 
 Keep a daily journal of successes.
 Celebrate every success – especially the little ones.


 If I can help get in touch, and if you know of a role that I would suit get in touch as well for that it will help with my peacefulness

Do you know what your moral baseline is

I would stand behind these words found in the inserted image as truth with a couple of additions every person in business would do well to remember that all successful business stands on the foundation of morality- Do you know what your moral baseline is? 

Who values you the most

Who values you the most? Everyone needs some assistance from time to time, and remember if you always follow the premise of "nudum pactum" there may never be "quid pro quo" when you need it most.

 What are your personal values and what do hold as the most important:

The key ones I hold too are:

I value happiness. By keeping this value at the centre of my life, I am able to easily make decisions in the best interest of my family, my business and myself. A happy family, a happy home and a happy work environment add up to a happy life

I value making a difference in life, I always encourage people to try and make a difference in this world. If you give even just a little of yourself, you receive a lot in return. Giving is good for you, it’s good for the soul, and it makes you better in everything you do

Reputation is more important than any other skill set someone can bring to the table.  It is something that takes a lifetime to build and one bad decision to destroy.  Honesty and integrity are extremely important to me both personally and professionally, and I take pride in always trying to do the right thing even if it’s not easy.

I value trustworthiness and integrity. Those values shape how I conduct myself in interactions with others as well as how we operate as a business. Each of our team members embodies those values as well, which makes my job easier and much more rewarding.

The values that you live by are embedded in your character and way of life, they can be changed for better or for worse, but they are the building blocks of success or not, selected wisely.