Kitchen-table Business Planning

This blog post is being written at my new seat-of-operation (well, for the last week or so!). Also known as my kitchen-table office.

I have to admit that the first month of freedom from work has been fun, and I've been able to utilise it to catch-up with people, do a bit of much-needed apartment cleaning... etc, etc.

Now, however, the lack-of-any-serious-routine bug has bitten.

SO - I have decided to look at starting my own business! Having been given the opportunity to do some work with a friends' PR agency last week, which allowed me to test my interest in the area, I've come up with a variation on the PR theme... more of which later.

I'll end this piece by saying: I am exhausted from the sheer energy I've used working on the rudiments of this idea... additionally, I am terrified it won't work... BUT I am excited. An interesting combo! Stay tuned ;)

Hmmm....

Ever had a moment which really made you think? As in, a pensive "hmmm" moment?

Clearly, these "moments" should be par for the course when one has just been made redundant, and is in the throes of re-thinking career / future etc... HOWEVER, when someone turns to you and says "how come you've never thought of 'X'?! It's so obvious"!

Now, to demystify the above: I'm an IR graduate, despite having wanted to be a journalist from the age of 14, up until I was about 16 and decided it might be a tad risky (or was it something to do with the fact that I reckoned I'd never actually get to marry Damon Albarn?!). On sound career-guidance, journalism changed to PR as I headed towards my final school exams, however, for whatever reason, I never chose it for my university course.

Which brings me to today; ten years experience later, in Operations, Administration, HR, Management... and guess what? I've realised that, yes, PR is actually where I want to be.

Thankfully I have had plenty of exposure to Marketing and PR through the prisms of the different roles I've held... however I am mildly terrified about how I'm going to manage this transition! Any suggestions are VERY welcome :D

The "R" Word

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggghhh!

Just needed to get that out of my system.

I'm officially unemployed for one whole week now - I had decided I might take a short break before I go full-throttle into the job-hunt. However, I have been bombarded (along with the rest of the general public) with the "are we/aren't we" out of recession debate... oops, that's right, we're technically NOT out of recession... and more importantly, it will be 2011 before employment stablises.

This is hardly heartening for those of us looking for a job!

Accordingly, I have adjusted my job-seeking strategy: send everyone my CV ... and keep thinking positively!

Wish me luck!

The only way is up!

OK... there is a good chance that anyone reading this will think I have lost my marbles... but I am genuinely EXCITED about what is ahead of me.

I now have time to explore all my options, I feel this will be a great experience, one I haven't had before!

I hope you'll join me on my journey of career re-definition!

:)

What to do next?

Any suggestions are welcome :)

I'm pretty unsure at this stage as to what the next step should be... there are options, which is the good news... but the main problem is the fact that I don't want to leave my beloved Mayo!

I am taking the very reliable advice of a good friend who has been through this very scenario in recent times, and am just going to remain in a "holding pattern" for the next week, as opposed to fighting what's happened.

What a difference a day made...

It's hard to explain the terrible truth of this statement!

I started this blog on Tuesday (two days ago!) and since then (yesterday), I have been informed that my Company, very tragically (and may I add, exceptionally unfairly) will have to downsize.

I am, understandably, devastated for all of us - including the management of the Company, who have worked tirelessly to build and develop the business.

Proud!

Really delighted for my colleagues in Network Mayo who were nominated, and won the "Businesswomen of the Year" 2010 awards.

I was lucky enough to be a winner and national finalist last year - it's a great experience.

Awards like this, and organisations like Network prove to me that working together can really help develop the grassroots of new business and promote those currently employed or employing.