There is a lot of help for businesses out there, you just have to look. Much of it is free, either from local authority business development teams, associated organisations or online. Yet the numbers of people who are helped, in my opinion, is a drop in the ocean compared with the number of businesses that … Continue reading Targeting business support
The same three things
I must have mentioned this over and over again this morning. I was with Simon, a photographer living in the middle of Northumberland, blissfully miles from anywhere and talking to him about developing, or rather redeveloping his business. I have mentioned him before as he is someone I have the pleasure of being involved with … Continue reading The same three things
Respond to the question
Perhaps I have set myself too high standards but I have been disappointed recently throughout an interview process, not as an interviewee but rather as the interviewer. I have had the pleasure, or rather the misfortune, to sit in front of people who could not express themselves, articulate their opinions or construct reasonable answers to … Continue reading Respond to the question
Imagine a car
The opening speaker on day 2 of the Unit4 conference gave us his thoughts on the future of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). It was at the Conference Centre in Harrogate. I am not the greatest of advocates for ERP in that I don’t think grand systems solve anything and in the effort to combine all … Continue reading Imagine a car
Energetic buildings
Someone once told me that an introvert is someone who feels drained by engagement with people rather than invigorated. I’m not sure how true this is but since then I have taken myself to be an introvert. I like dealing with people, I am perhaps at my best when amongst groups of people yet afterwards … Continue reading Energetic buildings
A sociable enterprise
I was asked if I would take part in some research into what people experience when moving from the private to the public sector and vice versa. I am always happy to help out where I can with the local universities and having moved from private to public and then back to private I felt … Continue reading A sociable enterprise
Cyber = opportunity
By 2021, according to Cybersecurity Business Report, the number of unfilled jobs in cyber security will triple to over 3.5 million In the same period the annual cost of cyber crime is expected to double to $6 trillion. If cyber was a country it will, by then, be the the third biggest in the world. … Continue reading Cyber = opportunity
The challenge of CyberFest
For the last few nights, despite the unusual, and for me unbearable heat, I have been waking up in a cold sweat. It’s all Graham’s fault. Some months ago I agreed to help Dynamo develop a cyber work stream across the region. The aim was to position the North East of England as a great … Continue reading The challenge of CyberFest
Beetles
If anyone landed from Mars over the last week or so, they would think that where I live has constant wall to wall sunshine and is populated not only with humans but with millions of little black beetles. A normal British summer is two sunny days and a thunderstorm but this year we are having … Continue reading Beetles
Regional strength
I hate to be negative about the region in which I live yet sometimes a bit of reflection is good for all of us. It helps to address the problems we face even though the one I am about to talk about is well entrenched and long standing. I have mentioned it on several occasions … Continue reading Regional strength