Back to basics

One of my entrepreneur friends said to me recently: "If it was easy running a business, wouldn't everybody do it?" I have been having a good long look at not only where I add the greatest value to my business, but what I enjoy doing the most.

What I love the most is meeting with customers, hearing about their businesses and then discovering ways that we can support them in their endeavors. I've worked out that I am better "out" than "in". I heard somewhere that every CEO needs to spend at least 20% of their time with customers. I am looking to out-do this.

In realising that I just could not do it all, I have appointed a general manager to run the daily operations of the business, and I promoted from within. Jemma has been part of the RedBalloon story for four years ? and quite frankly was looking for the next challenge herself. I have found someone who thrives on detail ? when I just don't.

So what has this meant to me personally in just a few weeks? I've had more client meetings than I have in the whole year, I have gone two weekends in a row without doing any work. (In fact I have probably got about 20 hours back a week ? much of which I have spent hanging out with my children.) I am working in an area I know a lot about and am good at. So I am enjoying myself.

It's not just about how fast you are running, you've got to be heading in the right direction for it to have any value at all.

I've taken some of my own medicine and reminded myself it is all about the good times...