Chairman’s Blog Thursday 1st August 2013
Another month, another meeting. Beautiful sunshine put a spring in everyone’s step and given the holiday season a good turn out with 24 present in all. Danielle in her role as trainee substitute for Kim and David Barbone of Sternberg Reed as a visitor.
Paul Booth stood in for Scott Griffiths this week posing very successfully as the Bear Grylls of Brentwood.
Graham Wright presented the Education Slot and emphasised the importance and value of 1 2 1’s.
The last months performance league announcements were made and modesty prevents me from saying more than the fact that yours truly was the winner.
Despite the warm sunny weather only 2 people were wearing shorts this week; Stuart Roberts with a rather understated black pair and Ed Crocker with a patterned pair that would have graced a Scottish Clan if tailored into a kilt.
The 60 second round commenced with Mike Rogers rising to his feet, pushing back his chair, and nearly obliterating the rather nice pot plant that rose menacing behind him. The distraction leaves me at a loss as to exactly what his 60 seconds contained save to recall that it had something to do with availability for mortgages for buy to let property.
Marcelle told of the stone of the month which sounded like “Perry Dough” which apparently is not only the stone for the month of August and beautiful green in colour but it also is relevant for 16th wedding anniversaries and star sign Libra…see I was paying attention!! I even know that they are found in meteorites!
Just to further prove that I was paying attention, Jaimie Harrison made reference to the Rural Community Energy Fund for community projects to cover planning structure design and feasibility studies.
Everybody pitched in with cheerful contributions advertising their businesses. When it got to Richard Reed he did not puzzle me about prices as he normally does. The cruise he was offerings to Venice was for £599.00., once again demonstrating the attention that I am paying these days to the 60 second round. What did confuse me however was why it was being offered to us. Surely a “fly” cruise should be directed at …..
Kim Redwood-Lee’s 60 seconds was spent praising Tina who had helped her last week. It’s always good to hear praise for fellow members and also that a member feels they should use their 60,seconds for this purpose. It says much about both members!
Kevin Radford who was selling Directors and Officers insurance, indicated that he was not scare mongering and then went on for 50 seconds to do just that. We needed Brian Painter to shake us out of our fear with references to a 16 year old girl who had needle phobia. I struggled with this, visualising a permanent state of irritability, until he made mention of dental work and then it all came together. Anyway, the outcome was good, apparently she had the dental work without flinching. She might have stopped flinching but none of us did when Ed Crocker rose to his feet and gave us all a serious glimpse of his shorts. He then told us something that most of us already knew, namely that Sat Navs. are useless and maps are far better in both getting you from A to B and making sure you always know where you are but his anecdotes are always worth listening to.
Jason Nortey claims that he helps people realise their dreams. Please feel free to comment in ways in which Jason has made you realise your dream.
John Probert is bidding to be the Bard of Brentwood with another poem about the benefits of his organisation. Very good it was to. I must request the Bard of Hadleigh to put some effort into his next 60 second and produce a poem of truly epic proportions.
Just when we thought we had enough of shorts, Stuart Roberts rose to his feet and claimed that hairdressers were creative and then pulled up his shorts to show his legs to all that were not turning away, creative or what!
It was left to Ed Crocker to produce the mantra of the week namely “amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic”. Given the amount of animals that the Ark had to hold presumably it was an even bigger vessel that the Titanic. Apparently this should be taken as a relevant warning to Kevin Radford and the insurance industry. Please help me get to the bottom of this.
The 60 second round was as good a 60 second round that I have heard. It was upbeat and everyone was positive. This upbeat mood filtered through to the remainder of the meeting.
David Plumley reported on the Synergy Team Meeting, Business to Business which apparently was intimate with its numbers but very effective. The 10 minute presentation was by David Plumley. He usually introduces the 10 minute slot but because of his own involvement he devolved this power to Brian Painter. It was probably his only mistake, a hypnotic performance made one of the more embarrassing documents that exists marginally more excruciating. It also used up most of David’s 10 minutes.
As usual however David produced a professional 10 minutes, explaining about the move to Cloud and how every one appears to have a silver lining.
The referrals and testimonials round was also positive. 25 referrals passed and in excess of £7,000 worth of business was recorded.
The announcements and reminders at the end of the meeting brought Howard to his feet with the Good Egg award for the month, this went to Richard Reed which in my view is long overdue. He has managed the Business to Consumer Group with great efficiency and great patience and has brought the group to the verge of the production of a leaflet to promote its members. Congratulations Richard.
Terry Maylin also, as usual, occupied the slot with his announcements and he provided further details of the Garden Party which is due to happen on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing as many people as possible. I have tried to arrange the weather and hopefully will be as successful with food and drink
I look forward to seeing as many there as possible.
Those who were at the first meeting of the year will recall that my new year resolution was to wean myself of the poetry as I had lost my Mojo and first Jaimie and now John and also JJB have all provided sterling efforts so I feel my job is done and indeed the mantle should be passed on.
Another great blog Aidan well done
Yes, another great meeting guys and gals with all members on top form for their 60 seconds.
A very tough call for Ed on awarding the oscar which came down to a two horse race between Tina for her sterling efforts to support Kim (whatever name she uses these days) proving how quickly she can step in as a virtual p.a. to help you in times of need and John for his poem to outline the benefits of using Utility Wharehouse – Ed made the right decision awarding this to Tina.
Well done to Richard for winning the JGE award and also to David for an excellent 10 minutes. Great meeting as always.
Its not very often that I miss a Thursday EBF meeting and it sounds like I missed a good one. I did think that i’d actually escaped hearing Brians needle story (i’m a phobic!) but he repeated it for me at the meeting at Billericay this morning. Lovely!
Excellent blog Aidan. Do you have a minion to type these out for you as you recline in your executive chair, gesticulating with a huge cigar?
It’s axiomatic that is was another good meeting.
Great blog. Congratulations to David for his 10 minutes.
I didn’t understand two thirds of it but the other quarter was interesting and as the Irish would say “it’s as broad as it’s wide.”
Howard
Not only the large cigar but the brandy and grapes (one of the five a day) whist my good lady slaves over the hot typewriter. Come winter and I will be wearing the pleated dressing gown.
blimey Aidan, You have put me right off my Walnut Whip