Sunday 31 August 2008

Great Publicity!

I was a little perturbed (miffed?) to read in today's Sunday Times that Katie Price had been nominated 4th in a BT Tradespace poll of Britain's 'most admired entrepreneurs'.

Naturally I had to find said poll - to find out where I had been rated of course - only to discover that it consisted of 10 choices of entrepreneur with just 119 votes cast, of which Katie received 9. Highly conclusive then...

But what great publicity for BT Tradespace!

48 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can only think they must have thought they were voting for the most "well endowed" entrepreneur.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely Stephen, she doesn't seem to have much else!!

Uncovered said...

Just to go back to the previous post and the point about negative comments... I'm afraid, Rachel you'll probably never stop receiving negative comments on your Blog for a couple of reasons.

First, the RLD's crash was high profiled due to your association with Dragon's Den. Unfortunately, there will always be people who will say, If you can't steer you own boat, don't give advise to other... Which is rubbish of course but that's just the way some people think, you just have to accept it.

Secondly, 'Business Nightmares' although probably very educational (I’ve not read it yet but I'm looking forward too), does have a pretty negative vibe about it from an outsider’s point of view, if like many people, who judge a book by its cover!

I really wouldn't worry about the negative comments. What you are doing now is very positive and productive and you know that.

The people who leave the negative comments probably couldn't run a bath, never mind a company.

Anonymous said...

I think you are being a bit unkind. She may not be an entrepreneur in the traditional sense but she has carved out a successful career for herself and made a fair amount of money in the process. You may not like her but you cannot deny she has been successful in her chosen field.

C

Anonymous said...

Oops I think my post crossed with Darans'.

C

Anonymous said...

Rachel

Like Daran, I refer you back to your previous post...

Its all very well to talk about positive energy, but you have to live it.

I wouldnt consider Katie Price to be an entrepreneur in the true sense, however, no one can dispute that she has made something of herself, even if we dont all identify with her or agree with how she has achieved her success.

This post isnt about Katie Price being on the list, Rachel, its about you not being on there.. so much for positive energy!

How about trying to see the postive side of what Katie has acheived rather than whining about not being on the list yourself?

Daran - I have read the book and its disappointing. Its nowhere near a serious business reference.

Roland said...

Sorry, Got to disagree guys. I will gladly eat my hat if it transpires that Katie Price is solely responsible for dreaming up most of her ventures. I think the idea that she is admired as an entrepreneur is a little stretched. Surely Katie is the brand, not the brains ?

Anonymous said...

First of all C, the Krays where successful in their chosen career!!
Secondly I doubt Rachel is bothered about not being in the list, as, this is a blog, it is about having a social conversation online is it not?

Anonymous said...

I think some of you guys missed the point. I think the point Rachel was making was that she is sick of the media attempting to usurp the true nature & identity of the word "entrepreneur". Seeking rather to replace it with some kind of freak celebrity people who are seemingly from outer of space. A bit like the new pretenders on Dragons Den.

Anonymous said...

I think the Krays were exceptionally entrepreneurial in a real sense (albeit outside the law). They managed labour and capital to achieve monetary gain.

Katie Price may not be an entrepreneur but she has undoubtedly been successful in her chosen career. Yes, she's had help but tell me what successful person hasn't.

I think some of you guys may be suffering from the British disease of resenting success. Personally, I don't like Katie Price or the Krays but I do recognise what they have achieved.

C

Anonymous said...

Well in an age where celebrity plays politician and politician plays celebrity, i guess celebrity can also play entrepreneur too.

And of course, as we have seen with Rachel - entrepreneur plays celebrity, also.

The word "plays" is the key and i think it is childish and irresponsible of the media to try and rank these people by profession anymore.

Frankly, i am more interested in what value they bring and whether they represent good role models for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Katie Price, The Krays and people like Alan Sugar and the other narcissitic ego-manics - DO NOT!

Get back to basics. If you must teach people. Teach them to add up.

Anonymous said...

Stephen

I agree that they wouldn't be my chosen role models either.

But...you can learn from people like them. Katie Price is for example a great self publicist and shares that characteristic with many conventional entrepreneur role models.

As for ego, isn't that both a cause and effect of success? People conveniently forget that chance probably has more influence over events than their talent.

C

Anonymous said...

Mr C, "I think the Krays were exceptionally entrepreneurial in a real sense (albeit outside the law)."
Absolutely!!

Anonymous said...

anonymous,
You can learn from almost every experience in your life, but that does not necessarily mean that what you learnt was of any value.

Understanding how big boobs takes you from rags to riches is at best irrelevant to most people and at worst down right ridiculous.

One can argue that as an entrepreneur you should use all the resources at your disposal.

Somehow i can't equate the word entrpreneur with people who through some strange fate have become rich.

To me an entrepreneur is someone who would start off with nothing and no one and make themselves rich through calculation, guile and sheer hard work.

Boobs, big brother, Dragon egos and freak shows just don't come into it.

Uncovered said...

I'm with Anonymous C on this one!

Anonymous said...

Stephen

I think your definition is a bit narrow to say the least. We tend to only know about the people who become successful. Are the ones who do exactly the same but by poor fortune fail not entrepreneurs too? Was Rachel an entrepreneur when rich and not one now RLD has failed? I think not.

As for Ms Price I think there are some lessons there. She dominates her market in exactly the way most entrepreneurs could only hope for. She is adept at managing her brand and who is to say she has not got there by your methods of calculation, guile and hard work?

When Rachel poses in a risque outfit for RLD to get more press coverage is she any different to Ms Price? Surely we must use the talents we have?

C

Anonymous said...

I am sorry i agree that katie price is indeed a success, in her field.
Rachel your book is dull and it is cross refrencing with other successful people, we think you need to hang up now, you are over.

David

Anonymous said...

An Entrepreneur is someone like Rachel who builds a brand from her kitchen table.

Not because she rides on the crest of a wave of fortune, ego and newspaper & TV hype like celebrities.

But because she created a brand from her mind, spent years actively getting the money in and had huge responsibility on her shoulders.

Those who fail in this quest - are also entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs are very special people. They are not "anonymous types" or types who can't get enough of themselves.

Anonymous said...

Katie Price is a success at getting her tits out.

Great success.

Anonymous said...

David, cross referencing is not a bad thing, as it is a good way that one comes to a solution, rather than just going with one item, suggestion. By Rachel cross referencing as you say, don't you think it gives a wider view over all. Thanks for cross referencing Rachel, if that it what you done.

Perhaps if we all get our t... out, well those who have them, maybe we will all become entrepreneurs, I DONT THINK SO!! And I don't really class Ms Price as an entrepreneur.

Rachel Elnaugh said...

Honestly! I go offline for a couple of days and all this has broken out!

The thing which I was highlighting was the lack of journalistic research before running with the story. 119 votes is not a conclusive survey. Nonethless it shows the power of PR in promoting a brand.

I'd like to say I have nothing against Katie, I think she has done a brilliant job of repositioning her personal brand, and yes I would love to have tits like hers!

In my opinion an entrepreneur creates value where none existed before therefore she definitely qualifies... I think you people don't understand that many of my Blog posts are tongue in cheek.

Finally, as regards my book, I have received so many positive emails about it I feel confident it has achieved its purpose and that was to inspire entrepreneurs at difficult times on their business journey. Despite the title it is actually a book about positivity, hope and optimism.

Anonymous said...

Aha, some of the postings from certain people may also be tongue in cheek, touche.

Anonymous said...

I been watching this lady for some time. Saw her on Dragons Den. She reminds me of a rattle snake i used to have. You never quite knew how it was going to approach you and you never knew how it would respond or when it would bite you.

She says things on here and then she creates affection and disaffection for her and then she turns it all around on you.

If this is how she operates in business then i'd be glad to not work with this shape-shifter.

Integrity is a very scarce commodity on this blog it seems.

Elz

Anonymous said...

Elz, "ive been watching, seen her on dragons den" yeah and, is that it, I have been fortunate to meet her, and my opinion is quite the opposite.
And by the way sorry to keep harping on about it, but you know, real impressions do make a difference. If you don't like what you read p... off. Cause I'll tell you what, Rachel is up to now one of the only people in her position who is prepared to meet and advise willingly, have I spelt that right!!

TheDLOG

Anonymous said...

Tits arn't everything Rachel!!

Rachel Elnaugh said...

Funny, I was speaking at the Ideal Business Show in Cardiff this morning and afterwards a man came up to me and said 'I'd like apologize to you' so I asked what for and he said 'I'd seen you on Dragons Den and read what the media had to say about you and now having heard you talk I realize just how much I'd got it wrong by judging you before Id heard from you personally.' Which was very sweet! I think the problem is we are too quick to judge based on limited information and most people also just have no awareness of how biased media reporting is, nor how edited TV shows can be.

Anonymous said...

theDLOG, I reckon she is well up herself. I reckon people like her only because she might give something to them. A bit like you. Why would she meet you - who are you? You must be after something.

She like pretends to not know what is going on - coming back from trips and stuff. Everything she says is designed to provoke some kind of emotional response and then she pretends that she is all above it. One minute she sounds like shes slagging Katie off, the next minute shes defending her and everybody else has misunderstood her.

Reckon she is probably one of FOUR things.
1. Mad.
2. Bad.
3. Sad.
4. Sick.

Maybe all 3.

Elz

Anonymous said...

Well, get it off your chest then Elz. Don't forget that this is "Rachel the Personas" blog.

Therefore, no need to ever get personal. You are only raging at Rachels image after all. Not at the real Rachel.

How stupid does that make you?

Anonymous said...

Elz, you have a bloody cheek, I am not after anything from Rachel, she is a lovely lovely lovely LADY, "why would she want to meet me" sorry to burst your bubble SHE HAS MET ME, so tell you what ask her why would she want to meet! Maybe she feels that I am a genuine person, which I hasten to add I AM.
Sorry to bring you into this Hani, but do you feel I am after something?

TheDLOG

Anonymous said...

Oh and by the way Elz, you can't even count, as you said that Rachel is one 4 things, then at the end you said maybe she is all 3.

TheDLOG

hani said...

No dlog not in any way. rest assured you are a very decent hard working and genuinely caring person, willing to give much more than you would ever take.

Anonymous said...

Thanks alot Hani.

TheDLOG

Rachel Elnaugh said...

Folks -

I think Elz's comments tell us a lot more about him/her than they do about me!

Anonymous said...

This has been a busy blog, with bad words against Rachel...
Just stope, live and let live Rachel has done well and is still doing well.

Blogs are a crazy thing,i never rite on them but i do here becuase all the negative people need to. "grow up".

Regards

Kev

Anonymous said...

Now I am curious about what these comments tell you about him/her?

Rachel Elnaugh said...

DLOG

Old Chinese Proverb say: 'Beware the one who keeps rattlesnake as pet'

Anonymous said...

Phew, thank god for that!!

Anonymous said...

old chinese proverb: the only thing that needs to be afraid of a snake handler is the snake themselve.

Anonymous said...

I think people get confused with the celebrity image vs. the business person vs. the real person. How they view Rachel, can differ wildy.

To a certain extent one image leverages the other, but with greater complexitity, comes the very real danger of mismanaging public perception.

I feel that many people are drawn to this blog through their need to seek help from Rachel for their business. But instead of finding the traditional business guru site spouting MBA drivel, they find an extremely complex, intensely driven and accessible human being who isn't afraid of showing her vulnerable side and taking criticism. Can you imagine the other dragons being so open?

I think Rachel is like marmite. You either love her or hate her.

I choose the latter.

So there...

Anonymous said...

sorry guys!!! I mean... i choose the former... Love her..

how awful am i?

Anonymous said...

Stephen, "Can you imagine the other dragons being so open?" Just to expand on this, not only dragons, there are others out there who proclaim to be helpful like Rachel, but trust me it's all lies.

TheDLOG

Anonymous said...

Stephen

I'm guessing you've got an MBA then...

C

Rachel Elnaugh said...

Oooh Stephen, yes you are awful - but I like you!

Interesting isn't it though how occasionally this Blog is carpet-bombed with anonymous negative comments as it was this morning...

This follows quite a vocal speech at the Ideal Business Show in Cardiff on Wednesday which was reported in quite some detail in the Welsh Press.

Am I being paranoid or is there a corporate smear campaign being mounted against me?

Anonymous said...

Yeah I reckon the whole corporate world is out to get you...er not.

You're a shameless flirt though and I have to say that's quite appealing!

Anonymous said...

Rachel, "Am I being paranoid or is there a corporate smear campaign being mounted against me?"
Er, I think it's called jealousy, but not on my part I hasten to add, go show 'em girl who's boss!!

TheDLOG

Anonymous said...

No anonymous, I don't have an MBA. But i made a lot of money, lost a lot of money and helped a lot of MBA's do their homework.

Rachel... if there is a smear campaign... let them bring it on.

Perhaps we could go digging in their backyard too.. If they weren't so anonymous of course.

Scaredy babies.

Anonymous said...

Stephen

Don't be hard on MBAs. It's just a qualification like any other. In my experience its the people who have them that are the problem and I talk here from first hand experience!

C

Anonymous said...

Hi Rachel, While I wouldn't do what Katie did (eg. boob job etc) just to get publicity, she has built a good brand. And we have to give her a bit of credit for that.

I know some writers were unhappy that she was shortlisted for a WHSmith prize.

Making money from ghost written books is fine. But accepting awards for something you didn't write is another matter.