Archive for category Work

Arrgh!

Feb 10

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So much for a fun trip to Manchester in the name of work.

The work was fine. The meeting was good and will get us some good business, but it was what happened after was more fun. I met up with a mate from college and his girlfriend, they’ve worked in Manchester for years and profess to even like the place. We did the usual, too many beers in town in what they call the northern quarter, then to a new curry house called Akbar’s that we used to go to in Leeds yeras back.

So far so good.

But then the snow got worse and the train was cancelled and so we just went back to bar. And drank, and drank.

And then yesterday I got the early train down which cost an absolute fortune, but fortunately the bank will pick that up. And then I had to drag myself through the day at work so so tired, and more than a bit hungover.

Whoa! Don’t want to be going through that agin for some time.

Manchester

Feb 8

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Having said that I hardly ever travel for work, I’m now on the train to Manchester for a meeting this afternoon. Great. Having friends here I’m hoping to get together a bit later and catch teh late train home.

Britain looks quite special from the train window when you have time to look out at it all. Having done very little yesterday I ought to have my head down working, but it’s just looking too good to miss out there. There was a heavy frost last night and the morning sun is creating lovely patterns around tress where some frost is still in the shade, but bright green grass is exposed all around it. I do feel sorry for the poor livestock out there trying to scrub around for a few sharp frozen blades of green though.

We’ve just passed Macclesfield which looks deceptively pleasant from the train today, but having been a few times I’m not fooled. It’s the first bit of Grim Up North in my book. Next up Stockport. One of the horrible places to be absorbed into the Manchester conurbation and worth just passing by too.

Right. Ten minutes to go. Best pack up and get ready to step out into the chilly day. Quick stride across town to Deansgate and into the new complex of Spinningfields. Smart and a bit Spitalfields like, but lacking the benefit of the cool Shoreditch brings to the London lookalike.

Weather stops work

Feb 7

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Some people moan like hell that the country grinds to a standstill in bad weather.

I admit it’s not that clever, but what the hell, I’m all for enjoying the quiet it brings.

This morning I was due to be meeting some guys from the north but they couldn’t even get to York station. Actually it’s blinking freezing in London today too, but stunningly beautiful. I cycled in along the canal rather gingerly, there was ice all over the place and the idea of falling in is always a scary one, but into an iced canal would be truly dreadful. Imagine not only the shock, the risk of truly catching cold, but also the ignominy.

Trying to drag yourself out, and not daring to leave your precious bike behind. In fact the bike could then prove vital for getting home quickly before the cold truly did you in. But then would the wind chill have a worse effect on your soaking clothes? All hypothesis. I have absolutely no intention of letting it happen.

So today I’ll mostly be enjoying coffees high up in the HSBC tower, admiring the view and bantering with a mate who works there and occasionally invites me up to chew the fat. Amazing place. I wouldn’t want to work there I don’t think as it’s dreadfully clinical, but there are about 9,000 people in one office block. Madness.

Cardiff. Sorted.

Jan 27

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12.35 out of Cardiff. Excellent.

And a very good session too.

I ate on my tod last night in a really sweet Italian that felt like it could actually be the real thing. I remember a girl I always fancied at school married an Italian restaurant owner in Cardiff. I kept looking out in the hope I’d see a clue that I’d happened upon their places, but no luck there.

It was wet and cold in Cardiff this morning and I was glad that we hadn’t actually got around to arranging for Y to come for the weekend, it looks like the weather isn’t going to change for a few days. But still, I reckon I’ll be back in a month or so.

Apparently the dog was running around the flat looking for me last night. It’s a sweet think to say, but I’m not that sure I believe it as he rarely pays me any attention when I am there. Still, it’ll be fun to take him out this afternoon and stroll through the city as all the bankers are leaving. Even their hearts melt at the sight of a Jack Russell on stilts.

Think I’ll catch up on emails, then maybe a little snooze.

Meeting the guys in Cardiff

Jan 26

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Cardiff in the sunshine.

Gorgeous. I ended up in a rather nice hotel in some new development area at the waterside, and the impressive copper clad Welsh Assembly building is just opposite. I’m off there in a bit.

On the train down here I met a business adviser type fellow from an outfit called Touch Financial which does invoice factoring as well as general business finance and stuff. We had a good old banter as I once worked at Griffin Factors donkey’s years ago when it was part of Midland Bank. We’d never even heard of them so I guess they don’t exist anymore.

It’s funny, we got on really well and I almost suggested we meet for a drink later as he’s only in town for the night too. But then some strange reserve kicked in and I held my tongue. I guess he did too so it’s not just me that’s quiet.

The first meeting is at 9.30 tomorrow so I intend to get up, have a decent long run, pukka hotel breakfast, and then swan along. I reckon I could be on the train east again by 1.00 ish. Fab. Home by 4.00. Unless something awful happens I don’t have any intention of going in to the office again.

Y’ll have to take the dog out on her own tonight. Even though the Barbican is about as safe as anywher in London she still doesn’t like the last pee before bed. Poor Pop.

Looking at a couple of Forex suppliers

Jan 19

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The proposition workshops I ran a few weeks back seemed to go extremely well. In part the success was down to exposing the guys who develop the software and back end of our platforms to the traders and brokers who actually use them.

I’ve spent the last few hours looking at one of our competitors, a small Swiss Broker which got its banking license in 2009 and one that has serious aspirations. It states quite clearly that it wants to be the best in the world. What I love about it is that it exudes confidence from the outset. And in today’s markets I think confidence is going to be the next big thing, those who are there first will reap the best pickings and need to have moved on before the bandwagon is realised and suddenly too many businesses are shouting about their confidence.

It is small and versitile. While we have several thousands of staff in the UK alone, I think these guys have less than 200, and yet operate in 20 languages, trade 70+ pairs and have a phenomenal reputation. Their strength is their web presence, and I’d advise them to work very hard at being the point of reference for the online commentators like FXstreet, forex pulse and forex factory. These guys need a lot of information and will keep returning to a reliable source.

Their PR is good and it’s an important part of the machine for them.

With such a small team they can all be helped to understand where the company is going.

It’s amazing looking closely at a competitor business like this. I’m doing it more often and will keep it up.

Oops, catch up time.

Jan 17

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Blimey, what happened? I was in a good routine. Writing pretty much everyday, then turn around twice and nearly a week has gone by. We had a calm weekend, just a big walk through town and down to the Kings Road on Saturday. We managed to come back with nothing other than a candle stick from the David Mellor store on Sloane Square, which I consider an achievement. The stick itself is a real classic and something I’ve wanted for a long time.

Just because we didn’t but anything doesn’t mean we didn’t spend anything though!

We stopped off in the Harrod’s food hall on the way down through Knightsbridge and had the bast pizza I’ve had in ages. Super thin crust, just a scraping of sauce, but a brilliant combination, just that with a glass of fizz each set us back £45. Then there was tea in the Michelin Man place alongside the Conran Shop. In fact we spent so long in the Conran Shop I thought we may have to buy a house so Y could start collecting the madly priced furniture she has suddenly developed some kind of lust for.

If we do ever buy in Cornwall, which is still very much on the cards, then it could end up the best kitted out holiday home anyone has ever come across!

French credit rating

Dec 16

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Christian Noyer.

Can you believe it?

Apparently he said last night that UK should have its credit rating down graded before they worry about France. And this guy is the chairman of the French central bank! Well fork you Mr Froggy.

Now anyone who deals with the press has to be super careful about what they say in the knowledge that there is a fair chance their words will get twisted, and the nuance that give their words meaning will be ignored in the drive to create a story where there is none. But someone as senior and experienced as this guy should be so well prepped for anything he says or does. Actually that makes me think it was deliberate and designed to provoke reaction.

It’s not good out there.

Anyway, I’ve got my own problems to worry about as I got a bit carried away at an online casino last night and Y has a fit every time I loose money doing what she considers “such stupid little boy games”. OK, now and then I do get a bit carried away, but I actually really enjoy it too, and let’s face it what I lost would only buy a bad round, and come to think about it I bet it costs no more than a girly massage and nail job.

Get through today, then work a couple of days next week, then days and days off. Oh the joy!

I’ve got the go ahead to do the external proposition builder job too, so I’ll need to get some preparation done for that. The only down side is that I can’t get paid for it. Still it gives me a start to my portfolio.

Success! But with a scary bit too.

Dec 7

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The Forex boss was delighted with the sessions I ran for him over the last couple of days, saying that even if we don’t get a great proposition out of it all, it was worth it to bring the diverse group together with customers and his team to get to understand each other better.

Brilliant. I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction. So many bosses expect a miracle just because their people have been away for a day or two and forget the huge value of just talking work in a non work environment.

But then the scary bit. One of the customers was from a website hosting company called 34SP which is a business whose services I’ve probably used hundreds of times, but I really know nothing about it. Anyway, the gentleman in question has asked me to come and talk to him about running a similar session for his people! Well, I didn’t know anything about forex before I started this I suppose.

This could be interesting. I’ll need permission from the bank. I wonder if I’ll be able to charge them? I know our economists aren’t allowed to, at best they take a donation to the bank’s charity.

Crikey. there could be a future here – I probably said that last night too.

Let’s not get too excited. I know my mind and intentions change with the wind. But I can’t wait to get home and tell Y.

Planning on paper, continued.

Nov 23

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Truly stretching people’s minds to think beyond the day to day restrictions they consider relevant to their business can be oth uplifting, and dreadfully hard work.

Whether working with creative people or accountants the ratio of those who want to spread their wings and fly, to those who really don’t want to think doesn’t actually change much, though teams that are closer to mathematics definitely seem to be more creative minded. Still, whoever they are I spend some time helping them realise that creating might come more naturally to some of us, but in fact most of us are more than able to generate ideas, the most important thing is to actually want to.

Just writing that reminded me that I used to give my teams copies of the book by James Young on the subject – I’ve made his name into a link to the book on Amazon if you’re interested in buying it. Shocking really, I don’t know where my own copy is now.

The ideas phase is to stretch their imagination – how might that apply to ForEx? Blimey? I haven’t a clue yet, but it’s their job to do the thinking, I’m there to help them get started.

We should get to this stage at the end of the first day, but not too late – say three o’clock, before their enthusiasm starts to wane.

At three I’ll run a short presentation with quotes and photos from the day to recap on what we’ve discussed, then next morning we’ll do a similar recap but with them talking it through with each other.

Next up we refine the ideas until we have three (four at the outside) potential propositions that we’ll work at to determine what pushes us a long way beyond the competition, but that we could actually deliver.

Wow! It all sounds so possible just typing it out like this. Actually running the sessions is a whole lot harder. I’ll be exhausted. I’ll try to do it on a Tuesday and Wednesday then take a long weekend.