The “Brian Painter Experience” EBF Christmas Meeting

Chairman’s Business Networking Blog, Thursday 18th December 2014

Such is the enthusiasm for “The Brian Painter Experience” that 9 of us were waiting at the door to be let in at 6.30am.

The best turn out for many months. 25 members in all and all bearing gifts. This was of course Secret Santa’s day and the presents were duly displayed at the back of the room. Most had the recipient’s name and some even had the donor’s name which took away the secret part of it…..never mind!

Apart from the absence of the Ed Slot it was business as usual up to breakfast time.

In reporting on the 60 second round frequently I struggle for a theme but it was dead easy this week. There was hardly a member who did not thank other members for referrals during the year, wished everybody else a Merry Christmas and then looked forward to the New Year. Not only is it the season of goodwill but goodwill abounded…which is how it should be but it really was boring!!!, very little was said about our businesses or what type of referral we were looking for. Truth be told, nobody was really looking for referrals this week.

I therefore will simply draw your attention to one or two items of note which are not necessarily anything to do with projecting our businesses.

Gary Waskett said all was quiet on the insolvency front and that they were concentrating on solvency.

From a sartorial point of view Graham Wright sported a dark crombie overcoat that made him look like a solicitor or an undertaker. He once again advertised his “small moves”. Howard Bullock sported a different pair of shorts, very colourful, not that fetching, but largely through his efforts in excess of £600.00 has been raised for Cancer Research – great effort Howard. As if to applaud you even the weather held off being too vicious. Keeping to the sartorial theme, Terry Maylin sported a Christmas pully with all flashing lights and Paul Booth had his customary pullover exhibiting sexually deviant reindeer. Red noses had nothing to do with what was being practiced. We got no prices from Richard Read for holidays but he did recommend Madeira if for no other reason than there are either no or, very short queues at the tees (he was talking golf for the uninitiated)

Neal Lewer was “on message” telling of his customised units.

Brian Painter stood on a chair at the end of the room with Paul Booth. They has short dialogue revealing the acronym TBS means Toy Boy Syndrome. Presumably this is a short description of the greatest of all toy boys, Santa. Marcus Brown did have a shot at listing the sort of referrals he was looking for, companies with more than 8 employees or schools. He seems to be taking over where Ofsted has left off in cleaning schools up. His current victim is a school in Seven Kings. Keep your eyes open for failing schools.

If you are by now feeling bored with my description of what occurred in the 60 second round, is because it only reflects on many of the offerings. I was charged with awarding the Oscar and Terry Maylin got close with his explanation as to why in litigation you should always appoint a solicitor and he illustrated this with reference to a mediation that had recently taken place. Because I heartily approve of the message he was close to winning the Oscar but, fearing accusation of nepotism, I plumped for Alex Pink who looked totally bewildered, did a passable imitation of Uriah Heap in offering his thanks for member’s referrals and the fact that they had been nice to him over the year. The end of his message however was that if anybody wants to know more about his video business without committing themselves to any cost they should be encouraged to have a chat with him. Obsequy often prevails.

Perhaps the whole problem was that we were all so anticipating Brian Painter that we really just wanted to get to breakfast. However the meeting Secretaries Report revealed £15,835 worth of business written this week which is well on target. Well done everyone.

Following breakfast the eagerly awaited Brian Painter extravaganza began. An introduction of several one liners led us into the much awaited quiz. As usual it managed to be the subject of slight raucous objection but these were not so much objections to the answers but objections to the questions once the answers were known. It lived up to all of our expectations and it was almost 8.40 before we started the referrals round, I felt in deference to Brian Painters age and the effort that had been put in thus far that someone else was chosen to do the running, and who better than the man in shorts.

And so there drew to an end our last meeting of the year with the Christmas Dinner on Friday at Prezzo’s the last act of our group before the New Year.

As we have reached the last meeting of the year one or two points to note:

1. Over recent months attendance has been good and this must be maintained in the New Year.

2. Meetings have been lively and good humoured which is always an attraction to the visitors.

3. Recruitment remains important and the job of each one of us to get out there and find visitors to convert into members.This will be one of the things we will be tackle early in the New Year.

Finally as homage to Brian Painter. “enjoy the Christmas Festivities insuring that you all get well stuffed”.

Until next year.