Which is the right way?

I was a speaker on a panel called "How I got Started in business" at a Business exhibition in Guildford today.

The idea was to share our experiences of setting up new businesses from scratch, answer questions from the audience on the highs and lows of working for yourself as well as discuss things we would do differently if we were starting again.

Now back at my desk a question put to us by a member of the audience has remained in my mind. This lady is just starting out as a graphic designer and has done work, submitted it to clients only to be told that they will not buy her design after all.

This is awkward because the client gets to keep work that they have not paid for! On her part as someone new in business she is very keen to demonstrate the quality of her work as a way of getting new business in and is inclined to do the work and send it to the prospect/client!

She therefore wanted to know how to deal with such a situation. A fellow panellist is in the same line of work, his advise was ask for a deposit or payment upfront and as far showing off your work is concerned, simply use a portfolio. Sound advice I say!

I empathised with her, as I have to send off samples to retailers and some expect to keep them. I have had to learn to say upfront that I expect them to be returned should they decide not to place an order, and this has worked fine so far.

I also get invited to speak, mainly at local events to tell them about my work and the like. Although sometimes the people who invite me make a small donation towards my expenses, I never charge for these appearances as in my mind, they provide me with
•an opportunity to promote my business
•practice public speaking in a friendly environment, a daunting task at the best of times
•network with others and I often pick up new ideas and friends or even new customers


My Business Adviser thinks that I should charge as I am providing a service


What are your views on such matters?

Let Them Help Themselves out of Poverty part 2

Things have moved on since Monday, in unexpected ways. Previously I had written to the Surrey Chamber of Commerce to enquire whether they would promote our event through their literature, website or other means or better still would they buy tickets to the event. I wasn't sure what to expect as this is not a Chamber event. I was therefore surprised to receive an email confirming that they were Happy to promote the event, however they were not sure they would be able to take up a table.

Nathalie continued to contact her friends and colleagues and on Tuesday I learned that one of them is fundraising for this project through various golf tournaments. on Tuesday I received further good news, a popular African Journal called the Promota confirmed that they were happy to run articles to promote the event for free!

The generosity of people is trully touching!

Did they really make up an entire travel guide series?

I took my first trip to Madagascar last year and met a woman from Switzerland called Gabriel. She wanted to find an art gallery in Tana but her guide book did not appear to offer proper directions to the place. I was using the Bradt guide, so I suggested that she borrows my copy. I told her that it had not let me down so far.I had managed to find both orphanages I had to visit easily and that if that place is not listed by Hillary Bradt then it does not exist.

Gabriel joked that this could be true as the author of her Lonely Planet guide book didn't appear to have ever set foot in Madagascar at all. When I caught up with her later that evening she informed me that indeed the gallery feautured in her guide book did not exist!

This morning BBC Radio 4 interviewed someone (came in half way through the point) who was saying that the series of Lonley Planet guide books are incorrect and indeed made and that the BBC owns a share in these guides???

Have you ever used a Lonely Planet guide book, if so what was your experience?

March 2008

March was an interesting Month at Ethnic Supplies in one way or another, it was also a busy month that involved a lot of planning and brought new opportunities too, not to mention the challenges, the greatest of which was not having access to a fully functioning Broadband service

On the 1st of the month we had a memorial service for Dad and I had the toughest job of delivering the testimonials. This was a real challenge but it also gave me a chance to reflect on what sort of business man my father was, amongst other things. My father was unique in the sense that when he made a decision to go work for himself all he had was a strong conviction that he would succeed. This would carry him through the first month for you see; having set himself up as an architect he had no customers for a whole month, but he had this incredible belief that his luck would turn and it did indeed, in more ways than he could have anticipated.

As a new business Ethnic Supplies Ltd certainly faces some challenges will I like my father have the courage, patience or the self belief to stay the whole course? Someone told me once, as your travel to your destination it’s best not to think of the whole route ahead!


On 5th of March I was invited to participate in a road show by my local Business Link called “what is stopping you?” I appeared as a panellist and addressed local women trying to set up in business. What an incredible experience. I was especially touched by 2 women who walked up to me after the event and said that as a result of my appearance they were going to change their business idea and set up something similar to Ethnic Supplies to help women in the Gambia! What a success!

I threw myself into getting this project off the ground with the help of so many good and generous friends and Wow what a journey



The month of March also saw the launch of Surrey Women’s Enterprise of which I am a co-founder and Director. What started out as a support group for us women new to business ended up a fully pledged Social Enterprise registered with Company House. As our first event was due on 30th we had a mad dash to get everything finished. This meant late night meetings in Fetcham and Bookham, organising and sending off press releases, getting participants on board, handling objections Phew!

Further details at www.surreywomensenterprise.co.uk/

With all that going on in March by the 1st week of April I was truly run down and was down with the flue for a few days

Let Them Help Themselves out of Poverty

Sometime in February, I got call out of the blue from someone by the name of Ann McCarthy. She informed me that she lived in Shepperton and had just picked up the Surrey Herald and read a story about me and my work. "Is there anyway we could meet up and perhaps see if we can work together?" continued Ann.

That was Thursday, I met Ann on a Sunday at her home in Shepperton. I was blown away her dedication to her voluntary work in Uganda especially to the people in Ruhanga given her age (sorry Ann) The first meeting was a 4 solid hours as Ann took me through the last 4years of her life in Uganda, her challenges as well as her hopes. By the end of those 4 hours we had come up with the idea of this event
which will also be a show case of the work of the women in that village

The reason I agreed to get involved in this was because through Ann I had found someone that understands the principles of helping people to help themselves as being a more dignified way out of poverty. We went to work. I called on everyone I know. A good friend Nathalie Jamois of a http://www.abricot-production.com/ donated a website for the event.

Shahid Azeem from Channel 4' Millionaire Mission agreed to be our guest speaker,



Mirembe Campbellagreed to doante her time to host the event


A Uganda band also agreed to entertain the guests for free. We also had an offer for free advertising from Connect Uganda.com as well as UgPulse.co

So all that's left now is to sell the tickets to the event

How Was your day

How was your day?

We sometimes get asked this question and it’s easier to say “fine thanks” especially if you had a terrible day and don’t want to burden others with your “troubles”. For some reason the day that we are mostly likely to feel down is Monday. I don’t know why this is and will not even try to guess.
I had never paid attention to this “Monday thingy” until a friend pointed out to me on Sunday. I therefore made a point of “observing” my feelings on Monday (yesterday). I was in a really good mood all day, got on with all sorts of tasks including those I dislike. I went up to Chelsea at the end of the day to see an old friend and that visit was enjoyable.

When I got home I caught up with my email and discovered that Nathalie had set up a group on Face Book to do with a fundraising event that I am involved in as a favour to me. She and invited several people to join and 12 joined immediately. I was touched really touched by this and thought to myself what a really good day I have had. She is real gem that young lady

But things were about to change.. at 8.00 PM I decided to catch up with snail post and there it was.. a letter from BT stating that the monthly direct debit of £19 was to be increased to £96! Phew! I promptly got onto the phone to them to seek an explanation. I was informed that because I had cancelled my Broadband connection with BT I had incurred a charge of £476 exactly. I was livid, for you see having agreed to switch from AOL to BT they activated my line on 20 Feb, but failed to provide with the Hub to enable me to use the service, several phone calls and emails fell on deaf ears and today that equipment has never turned. I therefore cancelled the service and signed up with Sky. This saved me £20 a month too. I had anticipated that this would happen so had informed my Local Trading Standards office and when i mentioned this to BT last night the charge was promptly dropped!
Did that ruin what had been a very pleasant day? Only in part I was soon in high spirits again.
So how was your Monday? And How are you are today?