It was my first VentureFest and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. When I started out on my own, this was one of must attend events that everyone seemed to be talking about. It promised so much, it was at St James’ Park and it was free. What more could I ask? I … Continue reading My first VentureFest
Bitcoin babble
Bitcoin is in a bubble. That is obvious to anyone who has even the passing interest in cryptocurrencies. Money is pouring into the currency faster than Noah’s flood. Cyberspace is filled with commentary on every fluctuation and stutter yet the majority of what is said is babble, fill or rubbish. My interest in cryptocurrencies is … Continue reading Bitcoin babble
North17
The first Socitm north conference has been and gone, It seemed a long way into the future when we first talked about it with Chantelle, Graham and Richard. Now we can think about the next one as it was a resounding success. Numbers were great and the content was great. Even the food, the atmosphere … Continue reading North17
Diversity of truths
The truth is something that has fascinated me for a long time. I search for it in vain yet it is an elusive creature. The truth is a unicorn, a chimera or an amalgam of everyone’s beliefs. It is a figment of our imagination. I have been convinced for some time that there is no … Continue reading Diversity of truths
Is there no news?
Is it me or is the news becoming dumbed down? The evening news broadcasts used to be sombre and stately affairs that would let you know of the important comings and goings around the world. Now they seem to be little more than tittle tattle and heart-tugging stories. The bulletins have become little more than … Continue reading Is there no news?
Who runs the North East now
In October, Northumbria and Durham universities updated their 2000 report ‘Who Runs the North East Now? Governance and Governing in an English Region’. It looks at the way that the public sector is lead throughout the region and, at times, makes grim reading. It seems that little has changed since the turn of the millennium, … Continue reading Who runs the North East now
Is open plan a bad thing?
According to the Harvard Business Review, it is easier to focus in a coffee shop than in an open-plan office. This is yet another attack on a style of working that has been very much in vogue. Walls have been ripped down and we have all been expected to work with colleagues as far as … Continue reading Is open plan a bad thing?
The power of social media
I use Twitter a lot. It is my way of keeping brand Phil alive and well. I know it works as people respond and always mention it to me when I meet up with them. As Carlos Fuentes said ‘We all need witnesses to our life to be able to live it.’ Occasionally though it … Continue reading The power of social media
Business development video
My forays into the world of video are getting better. I don’t know if I am getting the hang of it or just getting used to it but they certainly seem to be flowing better. Who knows, some day video may well be my medium. My latest has been to help out at Northumbria University … Continue reading Business development video
Sufferings of the world
‘You can hold yourself back from the sufferings of the world, this is something you are free to do and is in accord with your nature, but perhaps precisely this holding back is the only suffering that you may be able to avoid.’ I have always liked Kafka. His work describes the frustrations of being … Continue reading Sufferings of the world
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 