A SLOW week in the life of a SMALL business owner

[Checks his calender] (that's me checking my calender by the way - in case you couldn't tell).

I needed to check my where-a-bouts, as last week was akin to an almighty explosion of nothing... Pffffizzzzzz POOF! Here, for your enjoyment is a rare glimpse into what a slow week may look like, should you decide to take up the NEW START-UP CHALLENGE... and begin working for yourself. I'm quite proud and puzzled at the same time. Enjoy.

Monday. Early to rise, seriously. Speak to free business listing website for 25minutes and discuss how my free listing is not as good for my business exposure as the £[insert random price] sponsored deal is. Go figure. Arranged to meet with my local hair dresser during lunch to sell him the FREE professional services of my friend who has agreed to build Facebook pages for small businesses to earn himself some pocket money, but needs a couple of portfolio jobs to get started first. Then spent 2 hours setting up the business page on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare so that my mate could hit the ground running. Do a little bit of work for an Architect on a local project. Meet Steve Brown of Browns Barber Shop at lunch, snap a bunch of photos for his Facebook page. I leave a very happy man behind me, with promises of a sparkling brand new way of marketing his business - FREE of charges of course. Get home, email business friend regarding a personal project I am doing for him. He is very very happy. Call Paul and email to him the reel of photos from the afternoons photo shoot. Everyone knows what they are doing... and relax.
Tuesday. Late up. Social media morning. Continue design for local Architect. Receive a phone call from gentleman who found me on LinkedIn. He loved my company profile and hoped that I could help him with his structural problems. We hit it off well and I agreed to visit his home next week. Spoke with an ex-work colleague and Architect regarding a meet-up for tomorrow. Finished off my application to apply for next years Chartership Examination - Institute of Structural Engineers.
Wednesday: Chase member signatures for my Chartership review interview then drive to meet old work colleague to speak about business and how we can help each other. Had an awesome discussion about new-starters, marketing, branding, pricing and of course buildings and work-work. During the conversation, my Architect friend gave me a huge compliment - I'm sure that it was meant as a compliment, but I don't think she realised how important it was for me to hear it. She said to me that reading my blog, and company profile and how I presented myself in the electronic world is a complete echo of who I am in the real world. Obviously she has had the opportunity to work with me in the past and reaffirmed that I am marketing myself in the way that I intended - being true to my personality and future plans . I was 'made up' that afternoon. Was called up by a contact who wished to push some work my way. I agreed to meet the client on site the very next day.
Thursday: On site after braving horrendous traffic. Agreed to silly deadlines [mentally shifting work around] and left site brimming with happiness and hope - interesting new job and 2 rather encouraging new contacts for the future. Time to pop back to the home office and chase signatures for my Chartership application... squeeze in a small amount of work too ;-) Mid afternoon - met with young developer who is trying to do good things in and around Herts and North London. Quality contact and a very focussed customer. Polished looks, business man like, and obviously design orientated. Score! - I could see him becoming more and more interested in what I had to say about my business and we hit it off well. Promises were made to send some work my way and again I left a happy and re-charged man. Final stop was a visit to my friend and past mentor to talk about my application to next years Chartership Exam, and sign a form for me. Good to catch up - even if it was only for 30minutes. Worked until 11pm on Architects project. Yawn.
Friday: Posted all information that was required to IStructE (Structural Engineers Institute) and then flew down the motorway to an already active job - to discuss plans with builder. Chatted through the plans for the third time - and wondered why I bothered creating drawings if they weren't being read.

First meeting with possible new Architect colleague in St Albans. Awesome chat. More promises made with regard to giving me a chance to estimate for some of their current projects and indeed one did arrive later that day. A cool extension on a GradeII listed cottage, on a side of a hill (nay cliff?) in Devon. More drawing work and finally issued structural input for a local project. The end of the day saw me sat at my computer working away on social media input (like this blog) and waiting for someone to make use of my FREE Weekly Structural Surgery offer... no takers again. This could take a while to find it's audience I think....

Engine[er]