After a couple of weeks away it was great to get back and focused. The website has been updated, marketing materials have been ordered, accounts have been set up, and most importantly my first clients have been secured.
I have organised a Whisky Tasting Tour of Islay on behalf of clients and will be in attendance to guide the tour. All being well I'll repeat this in the coming months as a tour offering and next year will be venturing into a wine tour weekend of Majorca if anyone wants to note interest!! I have secured a client for my personal organiser services - helping them to manage their home whilst they're based elsewhere. I also have leads in place for other events and meetings set up with a couple of potential preferred suppliers across The Concierge and wine businesses. So its all very exciting and I already have my eyes set to the future with some ideas to expand my offering at the turn of 2015. Fingers crossed this is the start of a successful business.
Like all things that are a bit different from the norm, I have my supporters and I have my critics. Only to be expected - not least as constructive criticism most definitely has its place. The thing is though that anyone who sets up on their own without a steady income from elsewhere has moments every single day when they wonder what they are doing, if they're off their heads, who do they think they are, why do they think they're going to be successful, have they got it wrong, can they change their life and opt out of 'normal' - to focus on living life and making an income to support that? They don't need anyone else to point all of this out - they do a blooming great job of doing it for ourselves.
What they do need once in a while is a boost of positivity, people telling them they support what they're doing and think its great etc. I had two experiences this week which reinforce this.
On Friday I had a telephone conversation with a business associate from my previous life. Sue is someone I've met professionally through the Bank who has kept an interest in what I am up to this year. We finally spoke on Friday at one of those points when I needed it. She has a similar outlook on life as me - live life and cut your cloth accordingly; do what you want to do and as long as you are making what you need to live the life you want then that is more important than anything else. It was a great conversation about prospects full of coaching, positive reinforcement and support.
Why am I pointing all this out? Well, over the weekend I attended a two day music festival called Party at the Palace in Linlithgow. The professionalism yet personal tone of the communication and PR of the event, the quality and price of the tickets, and the line up of musical acts which had been secured made me think this was a very professional outfit setting up another festival for Scotland to enjoy each year. I assumed established promoters etc.
In reality it turned out that this event was the brainchild of a local resident John Richardson who had been trying to think up what would be a good business idea; something he could do that would involve the Linlithgow community and local businesses. John teamed up with a friend; Peter Ferguson; and started to explore making his pipe dream become a reality.
They had a vision of what they wanted to do, put a huge amount of money at risk and started to build a festival. A brave act indeed. They had no idea how to bid for and book bands and they weren't just after any bands, they wanted Scotland's top acts, they had to deal with the council and red tape at Historic Scotland which meant they lost a lot of opportunities by the time the go ahead came through in April, they organised everything from the bands to the catering, security, traffic management and cleaning crew. They had to provide reassurances to local residents about disturbances and placate three wedding parties who were using the church and palace at Linlithgow that weekend. They were determined to source everything they needed within a 20 mile radius of Linlithgow and to involve local businesses. By their own admission they'd have made more of an income working at McDonalds.
So the event arrived this weekend. The acts included James Grant (Love and Money), Horse, The Bluebells, The Silencers, Hue and Cry, Deacon Blue, Simple Minds - to name but a few!!
Things didn't go without their problems. Saturday had great weather but there were problems with the bar leading to over two hour queues to get drinks with the same happening with the food queues later on. The application of rules re food and drink being allowed to be brought in from outside were inconsistently applied, tickets had been sold last minute at half price to attract custom much to the dismay of those who had bought them well in advance at full price. Sunday saw horrendous weather which meant the extra staff etc brought in to manage the bars weren't needed as people stayed away until later in the day etc.
People had plenty to say about it at the event and on social media. Comments flew around on Facebook about how poorly managed the event was etc - despite the fact the organisers were doing everything to apologise and keep people informed of what they were doing to resolve the issues. What I always find disappointing is how people can spiral into a torrent of negativity across social media. How we can be so quick to see the negative and hold people up for criticism rather than stepping back, thinking about what they've tried to do and support them.
The event was based around the music and the bands were amazing. That at the end of the day is what we paid for. Yes there were problems but as I recall T in the Park wasn't exactly the best event ever in its first year.
I wonder how many of those who are happy to criticise would ever have come up with such a brave idea, put everything on the line and deliver it? Or how they would have reacted to the feedback - like the organisers would they have done everything in their power to rectify the situation facing into the problems and pulling out all the stops to improve for day two?
I take my hat off to John and Peter for being brave and standing up to do something for themselves, the community and the local businesses. Yes there are changes to be made for next year but I really do hope that there is a next year and that they have enough successful people around them building them up that they will take it to year two.
I will certainly be supporting them in any way I can (whether its just this blog making people think - guys feel free to share it!! - or whether I can be of practical help) because such bravery and vision deserves support.
So here is to measured positivity (of course constructive criticism has its place), an end to putting each other down (we're our own biggest critics after all) and to building each other up every day.
Look forward to seeing you next year at Party at the Palace guys.
This week I...
...HUNG OUT at...Party at the Palace in Linlithgow with great friends in a great place (I love Linlithgow and if you've not been you should) and listening to great bands (even if most of the crowd pleasers were from the 1980's and 1990's!! - feeling old)...
...WINED ON...a lovely Picpoul de Pinet with dinner when I...
...DINED ON...beautiful beautiful small plates at The Ox and Finch in Sauchiehall Street. This is Glasgow's latest shining light on the restaurant scene and very deservedly so. It was absolutely packed on Wednesday night with multiple sittings coming in. The staff were great and not phased by us asking them to choose the dishes on our behalf. We had some stunning dishes including:
- harissa mackerel, herb salad and preserved lemon
- panko cod, shredded thai salad and lettuce wrappers
- pea, broad bean, courgette and lemon orzo
- chips, truffle salt and roast garlic aioli
- confit pork belly, white onion puree, capers and raisins
- buffalo mozzarella, peach, mint and prosciutto salad
If you haven't been you have to go - really relaxed atmosphere, great menu, great wines, lovely staff. The only problem - its busy!! You have to book well in advance so lift the phone today!
Until next week - have a good one.
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