Mike Leahy Organisation Motiv8

Be successful with your Business.

Just the Job course launched on Udemy

Life is an ever changing tapestry with its ups and downs. Recent years have seen unemployment rise dramatically then steadily fall as more and more people have been able to find employment.
And this should be good exciting news but many jobs are just part-time or zero hour contracts, which means people are off the unemployed register but working for a pittance. The government tell us that average wages have risen but I think you'll find that is in specific jobs and places. Probably mainly in the South East and in the service and financial sectors. For many their wages or salaries have stayed stagnant or been reduced.
Now this is not a political comment, although the government seem to massage the statistics and manipulate the figures as with inflation. The shopping basket used for the cost of living index has been changed over the years taking out some of the rapid rise items. This is a rational comment on the state of play.
If you are on a zero hour contract you'll probably have times when you expect an eight hour shift and are released after just a couple. You might even find that you've had days or even weeks when there has been no work. As far as the official figures are concerned you are working.
You may be working part-time, say 16 hours a week. How are you supposed to live on that? But you are off the unemployed register.
So now is your opportunity to get that job you really want. The job that you will enjoy. The job that will give you sufficient wages to live.
 If you know anyone looking for a job or seeking to change their job look here for a discounted course I've put together https://www.udemy.com/just-the-job/?couponCode=JustApr2015  Get back on track here.
We all talk about HAVING to work, and its true, we need to work to pay our way. But work gives you real satisfaction. If not then maybe you should consider changing.
Be enthusiastic and take positive action

They say "Every Little Helps" and it has in the past. Helped Tesco that is, not the customer. But now it looks like every little is too late.
You may be aware (although my research found that well over half of the people I talked to didn't know) that the small stores were selling only premium products at premium prices. You may have seen some of my videos comparing Tesco with Lidl recently and Spar in the past and showing that their prices were higher putting more profits in their pockets.
Well now they are beginning to stock cheaper products including some of their own branded stock so that they are more competitive price-wise. And there are many price reductions but usually 3for2 promotions which encourage customers to spend more and often buy extra products they may not need or use. They are still not competing directly with Lidl and Aldi who offer single products at low prices. I think this encourages customers to spend more than they want or need and leads to food wastage.
On the matter of food wastage I was amazed to hear of the total amount of food wasted in the retain industry because it is out of date. And even more surprised that only 2% of this wasted food is re-used through charities and others feeding the poor and homeless. Haven't we taken food freshness too far? It is time for a rethink on this issue? I can remember as a kid that the best level of food hygiene and freshness was called "Common Sense".






Be successful with your Business.

Be Positive

 You may think that you could never be a in a top job but you can if you want.

Often you hear the expression "You can do anything you really want" But that just isn't true. Right now its not possible to jump off a building a fly without some sort of aid. You will find it impossible to be a Call Centre Telephonist if you are totally deaf. But you can do anything that is physically within your capabilities but that might stretch your mind. So you can start at ground level and become a leader. Ok. It's going to be tough and even more difficult if you are a woman (that's a fact) but if you totally focus you can achieve.

But every achievement starts with a single step, single action that will start the ball rolling. And that is where 99% of people fail. They dream, the dream so more, then dream about what they have dreamt about. But they don't take any action to turn that dream into a reality.

But YOU CAN. You can be that one in a hundred. Just take that first step.

May be you have been out of work for some time . . . . and feel you'll never get a job. You are on a loser twice over. You are now feeling negative about your chance of ever getting a job and this will spill over on everything you do. And you will look like a loser so when opportunities do come along you wont be considered.

How can you over come this?

By changing your mind-set to being positive and by taking dynamic action. Sounds simple! And after making the decision to change it will become easy. But that first step certainly isn't. So make that decision then fake it til you make it. Act in a positive way. Talk and act in a positive manner. No matter how you feel. Banish those negative thoughts and replace  them with positive ones.



The First Steps to Success.

So try this:

• Make some prompt cards. These are small cards or pieces of cardboard about 7cm x 12cm.
• Write a positive thought on one piece such as "I am only going to think positive thoughts today" or "I will spend every moment taking action"
• Carry this card with you for a week and look at it at least every hour of each day whilst you are awake.
• Do what it says on the card throughout the day.

We all waste time. We all have negative thoughts rushing through our heads. To change you must really want to. And if you have something to help you it will be easier. I used to write on the mirror in my bathroom "You are looking at a winner" or "You will get that order today" when I was a salesman. The card that you carry is a vital tool. Look at it when you wake up and just before you turn off the light to go to sleep. Look at it throughout the day. Set the alarm on your smartphone to every hour and this will remind you and keep you focussed. It will be difficult and you will find that (a) your mind will keep dwelling on negative things and the bad things that might happen in your life (b) you will want to give up and think this is a waste of time. BUT DON'T GIVE UP. Because when you look back after just a week you will begin to see a change in yourself. It can be this quick.

Once you start having positive thoughts I promise you good things will start happening to you. Just like when you've been having negative bad thoughts nothing seems to have gone right.

That is the next step. Just concentrate on becoming positive this week.

If you are looking to get , change or upgrade a job this is certainly going to help. The other thing that will certainly give you the edge is by buying a copy of my e-book pdf self-help programme Just the Job. Go to www.gettingajob.org.co right now and order your copy. And get that job.

You can do it. You can be that one in a hundred. There is a job out there waiting for you.



Good Luck

Be Positive

 You may think that you could never be a in a top job but you can if you want.
Often you hear the expression "You can do anything you really want" But that just isn't true. Right now its not possible to jump off a building a fly without some sort of aid. You will find it impossible to be a Call Centre Telephonist if you are totally deaf. But you can do anything that is physically within your capabilities but that might stretch your mind. So you can start at ground level and become a leader. Ok. It's going to be tough and even more difficult if you are a woman (that's a fact) but if you totally focus you can achieve.
But every achievement starts with a single step, single action that will start the ball rolling. And that is where 99% of people fail. They dream, the dream so more, then dream about what they have dreamt about. But they don't take any action to turn that dream into a reality.
But YOU CAN. You can be that one in a hundred. Just take that first step.
May be you have been out of work for some time . . . . and feel you'll never get a job. You are on a loser twice over. You are now feeling negative about your chance of ever getting a job and this will spill over on everything you do. And you will look like a loser so when opportunities do come along you wont be considered.
How can you over come this?
By changing your mind-set to being positive and by taking dynamic action. Sounds simple! And after making the decision to change it will become easy. But that first step certainly isn't. So make that decision then fake it til you make it. Act in a positive way. Talk and act in a positive manner. No matter how you feel. Banish those negative thoughts and replace  them with positive ones.

The First Steps to Success.
So try this:

• Make some prompt cards. These are small cards or pieces of cardboard about 7cm x 12cm.
• Write a positive thought on one piece such as "I am only going to think positive thoughts today" or "I will spend every moment taking action"
• Carry this card with you for a week and look at it at least every hour of each day whilst you are awake.
• Do what it says on the card throughout the day.

We all waste time. We all have negative thoughts rushing through our heads. To change you must really want to. And if you have something to help you it will be easier. I used to write on the mirror in my bathroom "You are looking at a winner" or "You will get that order today" when I was a salesman. The card that you carry is a vital tool. Look at it when you wake up and just before you turn off the light to go to sleep. Look at it throughout the day. Set the alarm on your smartphone to every hour and this will remind you and keep you focussed. It will be difficult and you will find that (a) your mind will keep dwelling on negative things and the bad things that might happen in your life (b) you will want to give up and think this is a waste of time. BUT DON'T GIVE UP. Because when you look back after just a week you will begin to see a change in yourself. It can be this quick.
Once you start having positive thoughts I promise you good things will start happening to you. Just like when you've been having negative bad thoughts nothing seems to have gone right.
That is the next step. Just concentrate on becoming positive this week.
If you are looking to get , change or upgrade a job this is certainly going to help. The other thing that will certainly give you the edge is by buying a copy of my e-book pdf self-help programme Just the Job. Go to www.gettingajob.org.co right now and order your copy. And get that job.
You can do it. You can be that one in a hundred. There is a job out there waiting for you.

Good Luck

Just the Job

Unemployed? Not happy with your job? Want to upgrade your job? 
Of course you do. You'd be in the majority. Too many people are out of work or on a zero hour contract or unhappy with their job.
But most won't or don't know how to find the job they want. They don't know how to succeed at interviews. They don't know how to persuade the person interviewing them to give them the job.
Mike Leahy's new e-book is called Just The Job and is available now and will take you through the whole job seeking process. Take a look at www.gettingajob.co.uk where, for a small investment of just £9.95 you can start you future straight away.

Getting a job isn’t just turning up at interview. The whole process is getting yourself into shape, having a process for finding likely jobs, being successful at the interview and closing to get the job offer.

Here are the opening paragraphs

I have been shocked that so many people I have met and talked with just do not know how to go about looking for a job and securing it. It seems that many think that the only way is to look on the internet. You can buy anything through E-Bay or Amazon, you can find out about anything through Google, but you can’t find a job so simply. This book will show you what you have to do and how to do it. It isn’t a magic formula that will give you a job. You have to work for it. Put the work in and you’ll get that job, money and self-respect. Remember! Getting that job is a full time job itself.

Redundancy, downsizing, cut backs, inflation, devaluation and internet shopping are all terms that have connotations for everyone but strike fear into the hearts of many workers because it could mean that they lose their job.
The changes in society mean that a job for life has completely disappeared even in banking and national and local government. So we now have lifetime learning and often the need to re-train for jobs. This does lead to problems where you might train up for the type of work you’d like to do then can’t get a job in that sector so you go back and re-train for something else.
And even when you get a job you don’t know how long it will last. Some companies just have short contracts that they keep renewing so there is so is no security there. Others just offer part-time jobs so you’ll not earn enough to live or you’ll have to take two jobs just to get a full-time wage. And some companies such as Amazon actually cut shifts when the staff arrive. So you get up early to start at say 5 o’clock and when you get inside and change into your boots then you’re told that there’s no shift. Companies go bust and the first thing the staff know is when they read it in the paper, see it on Facebook or go to work and find the doors locked.

Only buy this book if you are not afraid to take action. Too many people but programmes and never implement the ideas.



Sitting on a Scottish Mountain contemplating the state of the world. And tomorrow the Scots have a once in a lifetime chance to change the face of the United Kingdom. But will they take that step?

I've spent some great times in Scotland and this particular photo was taken several years ago on a senior management outward bound type leadership course. I can recall vividly the beautiful countryside and the hospitable scots. We went to a kaille and danced the night away. It was a great week. Just another part of the UK? But will that change and they go independent? Its going to be a close call. My opinion is that they will vote "No". Now I'm going to be proved wrong.

Written 9th September
Was he pushed or did he jump? Councillor David Phillips resigned as Leader of Swansea Council just a week after it was rumoured that he had lost the confidence of the Labour ruling group where it is claimed there was widespread unrest.

So who will become the new leader? And will they be able to turn the City fortunes around? Looking at those in the running it is difficult, if not impossible, to see a natural leader emerge: someone with charisma, who dresses and has the bearing that says "Hey Guys. I know what I'm doing. Lets work together and get the job done": someone who has an open face and voice that announces "I am working for you. Have faith and I will steer us through these difficult times and ensure that we go forward to make Swansea the city to love". I see nobody.

The councillors meet regularly in the Council Chamber. This should be an opportunity to make a positive effort for the good of the city, residents, business owners and other stake-holders. I highly recommend you take a visit. Sit in the Public Gallery and watch and listen. You'll see in-fighting. You'll be surprised and perhaps dismayed.

It does seem that there is no overall strategy for an exciting and vibrant Swansea. Just piece-meal projects. The SA1 Development is taking shape but looks half finished as you drive down Fabian Way. Ok. Perhaps the recession cut back on investment has perhaps stopped new projects. The recent new road layout over the 2 bridges is good and traffic keeps moving until there is a bit of a rush then some of the traffic runs block off oncoming traffic.

The huge amount of money spent on the Boulevard has neatly split the city and waterfront in one swoop. But, as I've heard "Its funded by European money so it doesn't matter" isn't a good reason for this project. Crossing from Wind Street is far from easy, particularly as the right turning traffic.

And I could go on . . . . .

Written Wednesday 17th September
But now a new Leader has been elected together with a new council cabinet. Will be see a difference? Do we now have a charismatic leader who is focussed on the community and who has a clear idea in his mind of a plan that will take Swansea forward.

Unfortunately I can't see it. It is understood that we have amazing beaches and views, wonderful countryside and superb creative sports facilities together with a friendly welcome and fresh tasty food. But we need to focus on what we have within the city and how we can drive Swansea forward to be that vibrant exciting city we keep hearing about but don't see. And being a councillor today should be a full-time job. The salary is sufficient. Do you think that any councillor should have a full time job outside the council? Do you think that it is possible to manage two jobs without either burning our or falling short.

The Swans continue their rise. What a boost for the city. And the only first division team in Wales. Not only that but their continuing success is great news locally. 

Finally I see employment is up again and unemployment down, down, down. But wages are falling behind. I still believe that the rise in employment is made up of part time jobs and many are zero hour contracts. These should be banned.

What do you think?

Be successful in Life

Back in the Blog Saddle

Back in the saddle with lots to talk about over the next few weeks.

Last year I started preparing my e-course "The 42 Day Challenge To Get a Job" Well I did move away from this project but am now back finishing it off.

And now I'm determined to finish this and get it out there for anyone who wants a workable plan that will help them get a job. There are still many people out of work but much more urgent is the number of people in a part-time job trying to exist.

The government unemployment figures are massaged to look good. Many groups of people who were once included as unemployed are now not included but worse, far worse is they count you as being employed whether you work full time or are on a Zero Hour contract. Is this fair? Should they count part time jobs as half jobs. It looks as if everyone is being paid for a full days work but the reality is that many people aren’t earning much and are on the poverty line.

If you are working voluntary or part time but want a full time job then this book is for you. You are on the first rung of the ladder. You can do better.

Beware of government unemployment figures but don’t worry too much about them. You must only be concerned about you and your job. The job that is waiting for you right now.

One of the very worse job deals is a “Zero Hours” contract. Yes folks. If you are working and they think they are overstaffed they can tell you to go home right away. If you are doing regular work of say 16 hours a week don’t expect this to continue. You may suddenly find you get no work for a week or two. And this is legal!!! But the good news is that this will come to an end soon. The government have promised (what! You don’t believe the government!).

The big problem is that you have commitments. You lose benefits because you are doing regular work and you become complacent. You think “I’ll soon be back on track again. I’ll be able to pay off those debts and get the water and electricity paid. Then bingo! It all stops. Sometimes there is no work but the hours should be distributed equally between all workers. In reality in many businesses there are favourites who always seem to get more hours or better shifts. That my friends is life.

 

So watch out for this exciting project. If you want a better job this can really help you. This is full of projects you can do to help yourself. Help you gain confidence, write a CV, be good in an interview, get motivated and have an Action Plan that you write for yours.

 

TOUGH TIMES

It is tough out there right now. We are constantly being told that things are getting better but have you found it easier? We read that the UK is now producing more than before the long recession was made official. I do find this difficult to believe. One major problem is that there are people making money out there but the gap between the Haves and HaveNots is widening all the time.

 

You can see it when you walk around town. Prices are dropping. People are carrying less shopping bags. More shops are being boarded up. And there is a growth in Betting Shops, Money Shops and Pawn Brokers. It's like going back to the Thirties.

 

 One street in Swansea. On the left Bookies and Money Shops: on the right a whole block of shops empty.

I see that Swansea Council last week proclaimed their new project "To make the City a vibrant exciting place". Some way to go. If you live in the city have you been asked for your views.

What do you think? Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

On a more cheerful note we have fantastic beaches, a First Division Football Team, busy theatres such as the Grand, Dylan Thomas and Taliesin all staging a variety of performances. And in addition there are the outdoor performances. We have the superb LC with a variety of pools and other facilities, the Marina, the Dylan Thomas centenary celebrations, the Waterfront Wales National Museum, Swansea museum and the very interesting 1940 museum (if you haven't been then I highly recommend it). The two multi-screen cinemas, a variety of pubs and eating places. There are events weekly including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution Race this weekend at Mumbles. There are sporting events at the University and the new campus is growing at a fast pace.

And views to live for. Not just the panoramic view across the Bay but the fantastic flower display, both as in this photo but also the hanging baskets.

 

I was at the Cenotaph on 4th August to take some video to commemorate the centenary of the start of World War One and was surprised and pleased to see the poppies. There are wild poppies sown and grown across the city, seeds given out by the local authority.

 

And whilst writing about the First World War there is an interesting exhibition at Swansea Museum including a life-like trench which you can walk through. Take the kids, they'll find it interesting and it might give you an opportunity to tell them about this catastrophic event that left over 900,000 Allied soldiers dead and hundreds of thousands of other seriously wounded. THis war has had serious consequences for the world ever since and I believe we are still suffering as a consequence. We went in as a world dominant Empire and came out as a debt ridden country.

Hope you've enjoyed. Look out for the 42 Day Challenge. And watch out for more.

 

Looking back I see that I've been blogging for over 5 years. At times very prolific but often nothing for months. So it's time to start again in earnest. Maybe twice a week every week and more when there is something particularly interesting I'd like to say. Well. Interesting to me - and I hope to you too.

So this is going to be a mixture of the things I've written across all my blogs.

So lets start off with the for ever on-going Boulevard (lets make this a waterfront city) project. Now almost through year two and Phase One not completed on time so merged with Phase Two, which I guess means the contractors aren't penalised for not finishing the Phase on time. And the Local Authority don't lose face.

The brochure says "Imagine how it would feel to live in a place where a vibrant City Centre lies within close and accessible reach of an award-winning coastline."

In February 2010,  Ann Shields  “On the waterfront” in these cities means vibrant markets, spontaneous performances, and happening social scenes". But little appears to be happening on the Swansea waterfront except in SA1 with the J Sheds and adjacent buildings. There are the small hotels on Oystermouth Road which, in todays leisure look climate should be knocked down and new attractive buildings that would be shops, upper accommodation, cafes, bars and attractions built. But would that take Swansea into the 22nd Century? I guess the planners want to leave us in a time warp of the 1950s. Ok. So they've gone ahead with the Tower, the Marina looks reasonable, the LC and Waterfront Museum, the 360 Watersport Centre, and a few buildings around Salubrious Way. But that seems to be it.

They say there will be new trees and works of art along the Boulevard. When? What cost? Who will see them? Will this be a visitor attraction? The millions that this has cost came from European Funding so I'm told it's not important to the city budget. How much European Funding has created long lasting full time jobs? How much European Funding has brought long lasting employment to the area? How much European Funding is being used for the real good of the community?

The key themes of this so called regeneration programme are:

• Creating a dynamic mixed-use City Centre
• Transforming Oystermouth Road and Quay Parade into a Boulevard. This will focus on environmental enhancements and improved links between the city centre and the waterfront while maintaining traffic flows. It will also provide a high quality, accessible location for private sector investment
• Enhance the character of complimentary areas such as Lower Oxford Street and other City Centre sites.

So far as I can see they have restricted turnings into some side roads and made it very difficult and frustratingly lengthy for pedestrians to cross. Why didn't they build an underpass and pedestrianise the area? You may be pleased the underpath has gone because it was dirty and sometimes dangerous but wasn't that the Council responsibility to keep clean and safe? 

I can't see where this dynamic mixed city will be. The Waterfront Museum and LC are as if an island. The city centre is Oxford Street and quite a walk from the Boulevard as is the Marina. A bit of a mishmash I'd say.

Enhance the character of complimentary areas? How much was spent on Oxford Street compared to the quiet street outside Morgans hotel? And Lower Oxford Street?

And looking at recent Waterfront projects I was disappointed to see that the new flats around the Marina are beginning to look work already. Some metalwork is rusting and the paintwork is looking worn. There is no real excuse apart from cheap products and workmanship. The salt atmosphere cannot be blamed. With new products on the market the elements should be tameable. And you'll see older buildings elsewhere in far better shape.

Looking at the new unemployment figures I am shocked by the high numbers. There has been a reduction according to government statistics but we all know that statistics can be manipulated to say almost anything. Things have been tight with businesses closing down, banks rejecting applications for loans and overdraft facilities, budgets becoming more difficult to manage due to price increases particularly gas and electricity and now more local authority unemployment and service cuts. Life is tough for everyone.



But it is worse for some than others depending on your personal circumstances and where you live. It also depends on your attitude and resilience.



So here's the nub. For twelve months now I have been running courses for unemployed people on an ad hoc basis. And during that time I have seen a range of attitudes and effort towards getting a job. In general there are certain steps that you can take that will shorten the odds in getting a job. And that's what I lay out in my forthcoming e-book that you'll be able to download shortly. That together with this blog and the opportunity you have to participate by asking questions and telling us about your experiences by commenting on any posts that I write.



In addition I have just started a new business in the last couple of months: a sandwich bar and café. A small café with seating for only 9 people but one that is now getting busier each week and will soon be breaking even. And I have worked for myself for over 30 years apart from a couple of very short periods so I have been in the deep end.



I strongly believe that there is work out there for you. It's just a question of finding the opportunities and exploiting them. Things have changed in our world. Technology changes daily and it would be hard for someone who had been asleep or cut off from the world for even 15 years to begin living in our society, they wouldn't recognise some of the ways we live. But for all that we, as humans, haven't really changed. We still bleed when we cut ourselves. We still feel anger, happiness, frustration and sadness. And that is how we can shorten the odds in getting a job.



So I'm calling this the 42 Day Challenge and challenging you to take this up through my book. Stay with me and follow theses posts over the next few weeks whilst I finish my e-book and publish it on-line. That will be the beginning of the 42 Day Challenge.

Dagwoods Sandwich Bar & Cafe

Am I becoming obsessive with food? Probably yes since opening up Dagwoods Sandwich Bar and Café a couple of months ago. It's one of the smallest cafés in Swansea with just two standard tables and two high ones. But we are now picking up custom from local residents, business people and students. One of my customers very kindly drew this cartoon of me holding a baguette and sharp knive. I'm getting an A3 size copy framed on the wall, hoping it doesn't become a target for darts or knives!!! 

We have found that many customers from the original Dagwoods are coming in and then coming back so we must be doing something right. Our meatball baguette is a full 11ins long and full of spicy meatballs covered in a cheese melt with a selection from the salad bar and choice of sauces (although the hot chillies sauce is favourite). The price is less than it was a year ago and there are more meatballs so this is a winner. I was fortunate enough to pick up the original recipe and so the tradition goes on. Many customers are now picking them up on their way to work or back home whilst others like to eat in and have a coffee. We serve filter coffee in individual cafetieres, latte, cappuccino or espresso and find they are all equally popular. I can remember when you had coffee black or white and usually instant. How things have changed. Are we becoming more sophisticated or is this a marketing ploy by coffee houses, or am I getting old?

 

The original Dagwood was a cartoon character from around 100 years ago who was in the habit of creeping downstairs and making a sandwich from whatever was available in the fridge. A "Dagwood" is still recognised as an enormous sandwich. Whether that is where the café name originated from or not I don't know but it started back in about 1985 so I'm guessing. Anyway it is a talking point. More on this later.

 

And later will include my views on social, community and other issues that are bugging me right now. Am I turning into a Grumpy Old Man!!

 

 

 

 

Swan TV

Swan TV. The first Show.

Tourism Swansea Bay Awards

And The Winners Are...

Swansea Bay Tourism Awards 2012

Celebrating the excellence and innovation from across Swansea Bay’s tourism, leisure and hospitality industry… 
 

Last Thursday night the Winning & Highly Commended businesses of the 2012 Swansea Bay Tourism Awards were announced at a prestigious and glitzy awards ceremony and dinner at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea. 

 

The evening was well attended with over 430 people from the finest tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses in Swansea Bay, celebrating their success since the last awards in 2010; guests included Steve Webb, Director of Visit Wales, both the Mayors’ and Leaders’ of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, the Regional Tourism Partnership, ‘so many to mention!… 

 

Becoming a finalist and then becoming a WINNER or highly commended business is one of the proudest moments for any business – demonstrating commitment and dedication. 

A complete list of the Highly Commended and Winning business is below or can be found on the awards website www.swanseabaytourismawards.co.uk.
 
Congratulations to all who took part!!
 
 Photos from the awards can be found on the Facebook page of All About The Image – click here. For those of you that don't have a Facebook account, photos will be on the Swansea Bay Tourism Awards Website later in the week - www.swanseabaytourismawards.co.uk.

If you would like to purchase photos please contact Graham Smith, All About The Image, on 07976 658572 or email
graham@allabouttheimage.co.uk

And of course SwanTV were there to capture the moment so watch out for the video coming up on our new website.

We are anxiously seeking university students to direct, be camera-men, edit and produce material. So if you want the experience just get in touch at ask@swantv.com

Lies! Damn Lies!

 
 I've not talked about local business issues recently and so it's time to come back on track. What affects each individual also affects each business because as money gets tighter or more available then that will be reflected on how they spend. Now I do think that we should be positive and look forward to improvements but we should still be realistic.

I think it's time to talk about recent events that affect us all. Utility prices have gone up. Unemployment and inflation have come down. Comet has gone bust but in the main there have been far fewer bankruptcies than we were expecting and in fact I believe that they are down on last year.

Apart from utility prices rising and Comet going (although this has been on the cards for ages) this all good news. Or is it?

Inflation falling! Did you know that amongst other items that gas and electricity has been taken out of the equation. So when gas goes up it doesn't affect the inflation figures. Aren't utilities basic costs with which we can't live? Aren't more and more people having to decide between keeping warm and eating? And this isn't just lower earners. Mid earners still have rising costs to maintain their usual standard of living so they are hit too. I don't believe that inflation is falling. 

Unemployment is falling! What great news. But then we were told that the take-up has been in part-time jobs. And David Cameron then went on to say that this shows there is a change in what people want - they don't want full time jobs!! What a load of rubbish. Ask anyone who is working part-time if that suits them. Some will say "Yes!" but in the main these are folk with a specific agenda: they might be mums with young children who want to work when the kids are at school.; they might be parents who want to share their time with the children: they might be older folk who just need to earn an extra because they've taken early retirement and have a good pension. In my opinion unemployment is not falling morally. It is falling because folk are forced into job shares and part-time work.

And a word of caution. It now seems that the credit rating companies aare recording "Payday" loans separate to other loans and banks are using this indicator as another excuse to block a loan application. I personally believe that Credit Unions are a great way forward. In America they are common-place. In the UK they are relatively unknown. When managed well they are a boon. Look for your local Credit Union. Start saving and they you can borrow on a rainy day. They are restricted on the interest they charge and are run locally for local people.

And how about small businesses. We've had promises of the government cutting red tape but has that happened? I haven't seen any evidence. I don't believe the banks are lending still. And possibly the reason is now that they don't have the resources. They have been given until 2014 by when they must have 10% of their total assets available and after recent events (that they have brought on themselves with having to repay bank charges, mis-sold "everything" and huge director salaries and bonuses (although many of their clerks on on very low wages) their coffers are getting empty!! Doesn't that make you feel sorry for them.

Many small businesses are faced with high, unrealistic rents and rates, higher transport , utilities and supplies costs, and struggling to employ staff who have what it takes - often as basic as a few social skills and able to read, write and do simple sums.

But at then end of the day, with the relentless hassles and sleepless nights, who'd want to change and work for someone else.

You can increase sales in your business whatever the size by offering better customer care. My next post will be 25 ways to Improve Customer Service and increase the bottom line - PROFIT!!

The Glittering Prize

SwanTV were pleased to contribute to the Dylan Thomas Literary Award ceremony by producing the video shown at the beginning of the evening and by following the finalist during the week as they were involved in different events including talking at local schools to inspire pupils.                       



Jamie Owen of BBC Wales hosted the event. We heard excepts read by each finalist from their book. 

Chibunda Onuzo read from The Spider King's Daughter. Born in Nigeria in 1991, she is the yongest of for children. She gradated fro King's College. London in 2012 with a first in History.  When not writing Chibunda can be found playing the piano or singing.

D W Wilson was born and raised in the small towns of the Kooteney Valley, British Columbia. He read from Once You Break a Knuckle. He is the recipient of the University of East Anglia;s inaugural an Booker Prize Scholarship - the most prestigious award available to students in the MA programme. His stories have appeared in literary magazines across Cananda, Ireland and the United Kingdom: and The Dead Roads won the BBC National Short Story Award in 2011. He lives in London.

Seating Arrangements was read by Maggie Shipstead. She graduated from Harvard in 2005 and earned an MFA at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Currently, she is a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Seating Arrangements is her first novel.

Tom Benn read an except from The Doll Princess. Born in 1987, he grew up in Stockport. He is a graduate of the UEA Creative Wrtiting MA and was a recipient of the 2009 Malcolm Bradbury bursary.

The White Shadow was read by Andrea Eames who was born in 1985. She was brought up in Zimbabwe, where she attended a Jewish school for six years, a Hindu school for one, a Catholic convent school for two and a half, and then the American International School in Harare. Andrea's family moved to New Zealand in 2002. She worked as a bookseller and editor and now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband. Her first novel, The Cry of the Go-Away Bird, was published in 2011.

It was no surprise to hear that the judges had a tough job selecting a winner, each book was a joy to listen to, and I would highly recommend reading all.

The winner was Maggie Shipstead and she was presented with a cheque for £30,000 by Hannah Ellis, grand-daughter of Dylan Thomas.

The evening celebrations were held at the Waterfront Museum, Swansea and this was a superb sumptuous setting for such a glittering prize.  
 

















This is a bi-annual event and will coincide with the century of the birth of Dylan Thomas.