Two happy smiling faces at the start of a long week exhibiting Cell Pack Solutions and Duracell Custom Battery Packs. The photographs at the end of the week are not a pretty sight. We had a pretty grueling 7 hour journey coming out of the Center of London, fighting the Friday night traffic on our journey back to Sunny South Shields!
Just finished a long week down at Toolfair and Elex 2011 at Sandown Exhibition Center. It was a very successful event, we were assisting the guys from PETZL to promote the Pixa range of head torches to the Electricians, Plumbers and Builders Market. Have to say that Pixa head torches are ideally suited to the tough environment some of these guys have to work in. We had the PIXA 1 submerged under water for the whole two days. These PETZL torches were designed to withstand 1 meter depth of water. They can withstand being dropped, being trod on by 80kg as well as being resistant to a whole range of chemicals. On top of all that they produce some fantastic constant light.
When you are working in dark spaces you need a light you can trust. PETZL have been producing head torches for Outdoor Market and for extreme environments from many years. The quality and workmanship that goes into once you get your hands on one of these lights you will not want to use anything else.
Oh and this time we only had two people call it the PRETZL head torch
If you want to see the video of these great products in action check out this web page: Pixa Head Torches.
Cell Pack Solutions are down in Sandown this week as part of the Elex exhibition.
If you haven’t heard of Elex before its an event for electricians to see all of the leading technology in the industry as well as a fantastic opportunity to seek advice from exhibitors and industry experts.
Cell Pack Solutions are at Elex along with Lyon Equipment and we are proud to be promoting Petzl head torches, with a big focus on the Pixa range for their ability to be used in harsh environments.
So if your down at Sandown remember to pop in if you have any questions regarding head torches as Steve and Eddie will be glad to answer any questions you might have!
A couple of years ago I met a lovely couple who did some work for me on one of our web projects. Their business was website development and Search Engine Optimization. To prove this they also set up and ran their own e-commerce website. It was based around Dave’s love of traditional Safety Razors. I have to admit that I loved the concept and being cheeky asked to be considered should they ever decide to sell out the business.
Earlier this week we completed the deal.
Traditional Wet Shaving is an art and has to be learned. I have to say that as someone who used to mix wet shaving, using foams and gels and cartridge type shavers and then Electric shaving when I was in a hurry I am trying to get the hang of the old fashioned SAFETY RAZORS. It takes a great deal more care. There is nothing more embarrassing than trying to sell the benefits of Wet Shaving and having a few nicks on display, but luckily I have a thick skin!
Dave and Clare are now concentrating on their new business venture.
We ourselves have just appointed what I would class as our first Modern Apprentice, he hasn’t actually started yet but I have high hopes for him and hopefully he will be the start of many more Apprenticeships. Anybody that knows us or knows my approach to business will know that I am extremely ambitious, the easiest way to get on in our company is to match our ambition with the right attitude. I do think that whilst I may not agree with the raising of the tuition fees for University Education, it will mean that in the next few years there will be some heavy competition for the Apprenticeship Schemes.
Watching Cliff Richard on the One Show, he claimed that his best birthday present was a torch on a Key Ring. If any of you want to buy your loved one a similar item then take a look at this one. In that vein I thought I would share an image of my best Fathers Day present. It currents sits quietly in our front room although my wife is threatening to relegate it to the garden, with me following it.
Am doing a bit of work with a great group of school children as part of an Inspiring Communities Project. The ultimate aim is to give them a bit of insight in business and to get them to start thinking about solving problems. It is really challenging, the first session was a bit of disaster but today I am starting to see a chink of enthusiasm. I have to keep remembering that they are totally inexperienced. They have to remember that I am not a teacher and as a person I generally my management style is not to drag people kicking and screaming into situations people generally have to want to do something willingly. Life is a compromise may have to compromise my style a little.
My group had a bit of brain storming session last week and have now whittled the ideas down to Personalized Key Rings and Fridge Magnets. Hopefully by next weeks session they will have have also created a poster cum leaflet that they can use to promote the activity, We have been allocated £250 to spend on materials which they will buy and then ultimately sell to make a profit.
Looking forward to next week.
In my case I tend to follow comedians, entrepreneuers and people who might have something to say that interests me. I have used it to meet new contacts that may be useful to growing my business. I will often retweet bits of information that I have found useful and have entered numberous quizzes and competitions.
I have been fortunate to have won a book on Geordie Humour – the famous Fairly Truthful Guide to Geordie. I enjoyed his work so much that I decided to meet him personally, bought more books to give away as presents and we may end up doing some further work together. I also won a 14″ canvas print from a company called Crafty Canvas. I decided to get print done from one the images taken on my Trip to Everest Base Camp last May. It should arrive any day now and will undoubtledly lead to me purchasing a few more in the next couple of weeks. I am a great believer of throwing out sprats to catch a mackeral. That reminds me, if you have not already done so then please check this site out FISHFIGHT, more than 550,000 people have signed up to highlight their disgust at the waste that goes on in the Fishing Industry due to the rules that our elected parliaments made and now allow to happen.
Twittering can prove to be interesting, I set myself daft targets to get retweets or messages from some famous twitterers. I managed to get Lord Sugar to respond to a question. On the Apprentice he said the “Early bird catches the worm” So I responded that “The second mouse gets the cheese”. His direct response was “Never pat a burning dog”. Not quite as famous as KING ERICS ” When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much”, but it was just as strange.
I have always said that the simple things keep me happy, and twitter is so simple. I hope to pick up the other Dragons comments in due course as a bit of fun.
I have to say that today I got a follow out of the blue from Duncan Drasdo – the CEO behind the MUST campaign to free Man Utd from the Glazers. I have folllowed UTD for more than 40 years and I really believe that most fans whatever their allegiance would like to have more FAN POWER within their clubs. Football is being ruined by mismanagement all over the country. I find it hard to call football a business, its not like any business I would run. I was reminded of my own crowning achievement of last year, so I decided to post the image above. It is of me sitting at the Top of Mt Kala Patthar at a height of 18200ft, proudly holding the green and gold scarf aloft. I left the scarf with one of the Sherpas, so it this being now being worn up somewhere up in the HIMALAYAS as we speak.
Twitter is like that, it can take you in a million directions without moving from your desk.
If you disagreely strongly with any of my comments then dont worry just switch off, but if you found any inspiration then great.
Here is my promise – I will donate the value of all orders placed on our website between now (5pm 30th Dec) and the end of the 3rd of January to St Clares Hospice. This is an unplanned spur of the moment donation and is in part an experiment to see whether the power of Twitter is all it is cracked up to be. Everyone uses the products we supply, they are generally better priced than on the high street, so you will save money anyway and if you order now you will also save the additional 2.5% of VAT.
This year was particularly great for me personally because during one of the presentations they flashed up my image and described me as the “THE FATHER OF THE BRITISH GAS PROJECT”. They have a great way with words – what they meant was that they were thanking me for my involvement at the very beginning of this project, some work that originally starteded over 20 years ago. I was part of the team that initiated the work and thats exactly what it was, teamwork.
The above image was a photo opportunity that Geoff Ramm would have been proud of. It is off me and Les standing in front of one of the banner stands at the conference, careful positioning shows our company name being proudly displayed in the background. Yes I know, simple things please simple minds, but I could not resist it.
If I personally had to sum up TADIRAN in 3 words I would say QUALITY, FAMILY and AMAZING.
