Blog

22/5/2022

Combining Family, Fitness & Business

Someone asked me recently how I manage to find the time for all the walking & running I do with 3 kids & a busy business to manage. So it got me thinking & I managed to come up with some reasons at the time & afterwards on how I manage it, my suggestions may help someone.

20/5/2022

Wait For Stirling Marathon Refund Continues

Runners' frustration as some wait for refunds following cancellation of Stirling Marathon.

Some runners have been left pleading for help after being left to wait for their refund after organisers took the decision to cancel the Stirling marathon.

19/2/2022

75 Hard - The Journey Begins. Day 1 of the #75Hard Challenge

Documenting My #75Hard Journey. After a false start in which I lasted 5 days just a few weeks ago, on 18 February 2022 I begin my 75 Hard journey again.

29/3/2020

10 Things Small Business Owners Need To Do - Coronavirus (COVID-19)

During this health emergency all our thoughts are with the families who are affected or have suffered because of COVID-19. Also to our amazing health workers who are working tirelessly to support those families and protect the health of us all. This article is intended to focus on supporting small business owners but we should not lose sight of those helping care, support and fight to keep the country safe and moving forward.

11/11/2018

Remembrance Sunday

The village of Cambusbarron, Stirling remembered today all those that fell during the Great War.

For my generation World War 1 feels such a long time ago, with World War 2 feeling closer to our time as that war is more associated with being around the birth of our parents and the stories they could pass on to us.

Unless you go deep into studying the history of WW1 I don't think we truly can appreciate the atrocities that our grandfathers and great grandfathers went through in that conflict.

Like many millions throughout the world, today my family and I took time to remember and pay our respects to the millions that fell and who sacrificed to allow many future generations hope and opportunity.

30/9/2018

It's A Team Effort

Watching Europe regain Golf's Ryder Cup you cannot fail to witness the emotional scenes displayed by the winning Europeans.

Of course winning an event such as the Ryder Cup will always spark emotions from the winning team but I believe the success and especially the margin of victory for Europe over their opponents USA comes down to a major factor, which is that Europe play as a team.

Yes, in golf, football, rugby and any team sport to succeed at the highest level there is no doubt you require individuals with the highest skill and ability but individuals with the highest skill and ability is not necessarily always a good thing if they don't have the fire and commitment to fight for and help other members of their team.

You can relate to this throughout any team sport at any level from kids through to world class teams and you can also relate to this in business.

As an employer with a growing team of electricians ideally I require a team who can carry out as many of the different skillsets and services required from an electrician but I would be foolish to believe every single electrician on my team can carry out all the different skills and services required.

Training and guidance is provided to each individual for them to gain new skills over a course of time but I must initially work with my team around the capabilities of the individuals.

And while training and guidance takes place I will be working and reminding each individual that they are part of a team, that when one person wins and completes a job that the end customer is happy about then it is a win and accomplishment for us all - for our team.

We win together and we also pull together when required. Team members digging deep and helping each member of their team to succeed the same way as they would do so for themselves is the ultimate goal for leaders in team participation.

So in your own world of team's whether that be in sport, business or work what more can you do to help out another team member say solve that problem, move the project forward, complete that task, give them a helping hand or provide support and motivation at your next game or match.

One for All and All for One.

Oh, and what a brilliant team effort and victory - well done Europe.

29/7/2018

Ice Skating

90 days ago as part of one of my 'Fun' goals to achieve in this quarter I said I wanted to have a go at Ice Skating.

Not once before had I tried it in my life.

Today I hit my target.

But after the first 10 minutes on the ice I was tapping out.

I couldn't move forward, I couldn't move away from holding onto the side.

I was finished.

After standing at the side for a few minutes and after a good few deep breaths I quickly threw that 'finished' story out of my head.

Back on the ice, I was re-focussed.

What I hadn't realised before was that I had about a hundred teachers all around me.

I stood and watched, I took in how they moved on the ice, how they balanced.

I stood and watched how they flicked their feet and the motions they made.

Ok, lets go again then I said to myself.

Slowly and uneasily...I managed to move forward and I moved away from the side.

Around and around the rink I went.

I stopped at times, I rested, I looked at others again to learn more.

I was now moving faster, I was feeling more comfortable - it also helped that I had tightened my boots.

Around and around the rink I went......thud.

The more comfortable I felt with the level I was at the faster I pushed myself.

But this created a new challenge - it was now time to fall down.

As my confidence grew, I wanted to expand, I wanted to move faster, I wanted to be more graceful.

But that brings with it new challenges.

Thud, Thud, Thud....it's bloody sore falling on hard ice, that's something else I've learned as well today.

90 minutes later, sweating (how can that be in an ice rink) I was skating and still falling over but where I had came from to where I was now in the space of 90 minutes was massive.

From, wanting to quit after 10 minutes, to simply changing the story in my head that ice skating was too difficult and I couldnt do it, to watching and learning from others around me.

From falling down, bruised and sore, I got back up and tried and tried again.

Dancing on Ice is a long way off, infact skating for more than 2 minutes without falling on my arse will still take many more hours to achieve.

But funny how the above is just like all the things we achieve in life.

From fear and dread to begin with, to taking small steps, making mistakes and learning from those mistakes to eventual improvement and success as long as we persevere and put in the hard work.

I dread to think what my next 90 day 'fun' goal will be.

12/7/2018

Family Time

I admit it’s taken me many years to realise but if you own a business or looking to progress your career this is the best investment of your time.

23/2/2018

Stephen Fry

A brave and inspirational watch as Stephen Fry describes in his own unique way his battle against prostate cancer.

A message for us all not to ignore any signs and also for regular check ups.

Encouraged to hear that his recovery is going well.

Video from www.stephenfry.com
More information at Prostate Cancer UK

13/2/2018

Elon Musk - Mars and More

With last weeks (mostly) successful Falcon Heavy mission Elon Musk and SpaceX have rarely been out of the news and within all the media clippings I stumbled across this TED interview with Elon from April 2017.

It's a fascinating 40 minutes insight into his thoughts and the current developments at SpaceX and Tesla as well as digging tunnels and missions to Mars.

If your interested in what the future and even near future holds for us all grab a cup of tea and settle down to listen to what one of the worlds most influential entrepreneurs has to say.