Business Innovation Workshop

No funky blog titles here. It does what it says on the tin. After quite an easy trip into central London, I just rocked up to a coffee house to wait for my 'informative' brekkie.






Not a bad view at all.....

I'll obviously tell you all about the workshop later :)

Engine[er]

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Location:Southwark Bridge Rd,Camberwell,United Kingdom

Back to business

I can't wait for The Apprentice to fill my midweek once again. Do you like it? If you do, tell me why. If you don't, then tell me why.

Why?

Because this tells you a lot about yourself and why you do things. Understanding what makes you tick and pushing these feelings is a great way to gauge your progress and avoid burn-out or de-motivation.

Example: You need to deal with a client. They are sitting on a cheque (apparently made out to you and just waiting to be posted) - money which you could do with... but chasing the client will not only make them feel chased and confronted, it is likely to make you feel bad, because you already did the work! And why wouldn't they be ecstatically happy to reach into there pockets and shower you with cash?! Running through this experience in your mind prior to acting upon it will help you achieve the most favorable solution for the both of you. Putting yourself in their shoes and then back into your own will often help you establish a deeper understanding of what is really going on. You could decide to forget about it and allow the client time to post it... but we all know that this is surest route to them not paying you. You may decide to chase hard. This may get the response that you were looking for - c'est possible... but it may also entrench their position even further. Let us for a moment imagine that they loved the work that you carried out them - but can't understand why you charge so much. Let us imagine that they are on minimum wage and then along comes a young(ish) business owner charging themselves out at 'X' pounds per hour. They may have grounds (in their mind) to withhold payment to see what occurrs... just to see if you chase the invoice. So if you eventually decide to chase hard - they may go on the defensive. No one wins.

So what do you do? You weight up your alternatives, what are you most likely to do? Change that train of thought to one where you both are likely to benefit and save face. This is what I mean when I say 'ask questions of your methods and thought processes', the very same instincts that you use to weight up others motives. You must be the person who understands you better than anyone. This re-adjustment of the decision making process is helping me on a day to day basis.

So what is it I like most about The Apprentice and why oh why did I burn a few summers being hooked on Big Brother? I find that watching others going on a journey and imagining myself in their positions a complete fascination. I initially align myself with a particular few characters and watch them. When I see them doing embarrassing things and making crazy business calls... I imagine that I could have done that too and how would I recover from it. I am infuriated at some of the contestants, because I can relate to their mental weakness... and see my actions in their actions. I learn from this.

You should learn from this too, and learn from the many people that you meet during your day. Imagine what it is to be them and how to overcome confrontations.

Engine[er]

Calling all good men and women

Hello. Lots to talk about in this post, so please get comfortable.
Starting a business is challenge and is kinda universal, no matter what you decide to go into business as. It is true that some business start-ups require a heavy amount of upfront investment to perhaps develop bespoke websites or buy premises to store goods, or simply purchase your stock to get the ball rolling. Heavy financing just means more risk from the outset, more to consider.

As a Structural Engineer, you have to remember that you are the expert consultant that clients will be paying for. Experience and confidence is key - hopefully your training and past engineering mentors will have prepared you for almost everything. Note: I have always believed that as an Engineer you are not employed to know 'everything' there is to know about your field of expertise. You are employed to resolve problems - by utilising your resourcefulness and experience. This means that if you know where to look for information and the client gives you enough time, then you can deliver anything. Remember that when you are sat in a meeting with everyone staring at you expecting an answer... you need to grow a very thick skin and learn to buy enough time to think through your design proposals adequately.

What consultancy life doesn't prepare you for is the web design creatives and branding gurus who will take your business seed and and help form an image for you to personify day in day out. [They] don't prepare you for setting up a limited company OR making the decision to become VAT registered from day one or not. You are hidden away from chasing prospective clients and begging for work, or just for the opportunity to give them an estimate of your time! Many of these skills you will have to pick up as you go along, taking you away from fee earning time - and thus reducing your possible earnings to less than when you were a trainee... you are the creator, the decision maker, the completer finisher, the business host, the admin staff all in one.

And what do I think about that? I love it. I want that responsibility and to drive home my ideas or to see them fail and then rise like a phoenix as new directions of travel. If you feel the same way as me - then keep reading.

Engine[er]

The Encumbered

Before I launch head long into updating you upon my recent business exploits - I think that I should firstly draw your attention to my observations upon human nature. Now, these observations are not all incompassing and like most humans I get confused and make mistakes from time to time - so take them with a pinch of salt. I would like to add, please do not throw out my opinions because you don't understand them either. Try them out, research them and perhaps chat them over with your friends, family or mentors.

When I first told my friends last October that I was to part company with my employer as a team leader, with great prospects and an effective team working under me - most of my friends couldn't hide the surprise (horror) in their faces... that was until I filled them in with my new found career plan. As it turns out, a general rule is - if you turn to family and friends for advice on serious issues like career and business, they may colour their advice to you with their knowledge of your ability, AND their own fears of failure. As I said this is not the same for everycase, just most cases.

The main reason for this as I see it is that your close friends/family only want the best for you, and not to expose yourself to unecessary risk or harm. It is normal to assume that they will get flashbacks to their own failures or fears of tackling such importants issues - in essence they will relive it for you and give to you their residual 'feelings'. Perhaps they have already tried and failed to break their life mould, who knows - all you need to know is that you get their life baggage added to the deal.

My advice to you, is to seek impartial advice. Try online - there are plenty of business new-starter forums for you to pose questions to, I would also suggest speaking with a business mentor too. A quick sweep of your local area may unearth a buiness-link startup bootcamp or a networking organisation who are willing for you to meet with their members.

A stranger will not unecessarily draw attention to the pit-falls of business ownership, or put you off begining or your own journey to becoming your own boss. They are business owners themselves and will feel urged on to regale you with tales of success and professional freedom! You aspire to become one of them, and they will be more than happy to offer advice.

So, what am I trying to tell you? Do your research. Find out what it is that you have to offer that no-one else does and use this to calm your thoughts if you suffer a bout of self doubt... because when things are going bad, and when your life seems so much more complicated than working the 9-5, then you will need every ounce of will power, to trust in your own decision making.


Engine[er]