I switched off my email for most of today so I could focus on completing my book (self-discipline to the max is now required to meet my publishing deadline, and email is SUCH a distraction when you are an author, darling :-)
But when I opened my inbox tonight I was delighted to receive a deluge of really nice, positive emails as a result of yesterday's Sunday Times Business article.
I've replied to a few (mainly those offering dinner or deals!) but am unlikely to respond to them all right now - so I thought I should just write a post to say Thank You, and apologise for not responding to you as quickly as I'd have liked.
I went down the road of recruiting a PA a few months back but decided against it, mainly as I wanted to keep everything really personal (and it's amazing how many emails start off saying "I'm sure you don't read your emails but...") - so, YES I DO read them all, but I'm getting to the point now where I simply can't respond to them all individually.
I watched the 'Monarchy' series last week and think that what I now need is a 'lady-in waiting' - so if you know anyone suitable please let me know!
Meantime, keep the mail coming...
Monday, 10 December 2007
Sunday, 9 December 2007
Differences of Opinion
Interesting as always to read the differences in opinion that media articles about me draw. Today's Sunday Times piece is no exception.
First, a negative email received this morning (what is it about being on TV that de-humanises you to the point people think they have the right to send you whatever nasty messages they feel like writing?)
"Hi Rachel
Have just read your piece in the ST...
Glad to hear you are getting back on your feet instead of your bike so to speak.
I was an avid viewer of the Dragons Den...I say in the past tense for a very good reason.
The main protagonists in this series...always appeared to be the most arrogant , conceited bunch of individuals.( including your good self)
My question to you is the following;
Was I being duped by a TV drama or was in fact the behavior of the so called judges on the program true to life ?
If the behavior pattern was true to life...( As I suspect it was) then you have learnt a lesson that should stand, somebody of your intelligence in good stead for a long time to come.
Sincerely"
The second, a really nice supportive message received later today:
"I just read Rachel Bridge’s article in today’s Sunday Times. Thanks for sharing with us again the emotion you felt during your battle to save Red Letter Days. I don’t doubt that anyone one of us would have done anything else in the circumstances.
I hope that your experience will eventually reverse the view that people have about business ‘failure’ (whatever that means). I hope in some way that as we develop as a nation of enterprise, we will all learn that the path is not as straight as some would have us believe and when we take the wrong turn because of our errors of judgment that it’s all part of our walk down that path. I hope that we will all learn that real failure only happens when we refuse to bounce back and try again because we have been so scarred by our experience fear has taken over.
I’ve struggled with the word failure particularly in the context of Rachel Elnaugh and Red Letter Days. To me the success has been the rise and development of your company, the fact that you pioneered a whole sector and the fact that you run the company successfully for 16 years. You didn’t fail Rachel – you took a wrong turn, you made the wrong decision (and even that is debatable). The real failures are the people who refuse to see the success of your achievement and the legacy that will remain with us for a long long time. I don’t think we need to wait for your obituary before we appreciate that.
As for things happening for a reason – you are absolutely right and as you say you are seeing a lot of value in what you are doing now. Somewhere in your epitaph the words ‘successful entrepreneur’ ‘legacy’ and ‘altruistic’ should appear. You name will always be engraved in business history Rachel and I’m sure you’ll be remembered for turning the tide not simply the so called failure of Red Letter Days."
One of the things I have learned post RLD (apart from those business lessons mentioned in the article) is that people's reaction is usually a mirror of the person who has written it. Nasty people feel the need to say nasty things; positive people always look for it in everything they say and do.
Thank God for the positive people!
Enjoy your Sunday.
Rachel
First, a negative email received this morning (what is it about being on TV that de-humanises you to the point people think they have the right to send you whatever nasty messages they feel like writing?)
"Hi Rachel
Have just read your piece in the ST...
Glad to hear you are getting back on your feet instead of your bike so to speak.
I was an avid viewer of the Dragons Den...I say in the past tense for a very good reason.
The main protagonists in this series...always appeared to be the most arrogant , conceited bunch of individuals.( including your good self)
My question to you is the following;
Was I being duped by a TV drama or was in fact the behavior of the so called judges on the program true to life ?
If the behavior pattern was true to life...( As I suspect it was) then you have learnt a lesson that should stand, somebody of your intelligence in good stead for a long time to come.
Sincerely"
The second, a really nice supportive message received later today:
"I just read Rachel Bridge’s article in today’s Sunday Times. Thanks for sharing with us again the emotion you felt during your battle to save Red Letter Days. I don’t doubt that anyone one of us would have done anything else in the circumstances.
I hope that your experience will eventually reverse the view that people have about business ‘failure’ (whatever that means). I hope in some way that as we develop as a nation of enterprise, we will all learn that the path is not as straight as some would have us believe and when we take the wrong turn because of our errors of judgment that it’s all part of our walk down that path. I hope that we will all learn that real failure only happens when we refuse to bounce back and try again because we have been so scarred by our experience fear has taken over.
I’ve struggled with the word failure particularly in the context of Rachel Elnaugh and Red Letter Days. To me the success has been the rise and development of your company, the fact that you pioneered a whole sector and the fact that you run the company successfully for 16 years. You didn’t fail Rachel – you took a wrong turn, you made the wrong decision (and even that is debatable). The real failures are the people who refuse to see the success of your achievement and the legacy that will remain with us for a long long time. I don’t think we need to wait for your obituary before we appreciate that.
As for things happening for a reason – you are absolutely right and as you say you are seeing a lot of value in what you are doing now. Somewhere in your epitaph the words ‘successful entrepreneur’ ‘legacy’ and ‘altruistic’ should appear. You name will always be engraved in business history Rachel and I’m sure you’ll be remembered for turning the tide not simply the so called failure of Red Letter Days."
One of the things I have learned post RLD (apart from those business lessons mentioned in the article) is that people's reaction is usually a mirror of the person who has written it. Nasty people feel the need to say nasty things; positive people always look for it in everything they say and do.
Thank God for the positive people!
Enjoy your Sunday.
Rachel
Monday, 3 December 2007
Success in Business Survival
Following on from my last post about the results of my entrepreneurial profiling test which drew lots of comment, here are the entrepreneur types who are MORE LIKELY to still be in business after the crucial and most difficult early first 3 years (together with my suggested reason why):
Alphapreneur (very assertive, highly ambitious and ruthless)
Bosspreneur (short term deal driven)
Dadpreneur (have built a lifestyle businesses out of a previous corporate existence where they were highly successful)
Passionpreneur (high energy, able to attract the right people and support to help them push through problems)
Sociopreneur (refuse to give up on their mission)
And the types who are LESS LIKELY to survive the first 3 year 'start up' phase:
Execpreneur (used to the corporate support system; build in way too much overhead early on instead of focussing on sales)
Mumpreneur (realise business takes a lot more time and committment than they first thought)
Safepreneur (give up when the going gets tough)
The above is not to say that these types cannot achieve business success - I'm simply highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each type. Two thirds of all UK business start ups fail; we need to try to find ways to reduce the failure rate.
Self understanding is a good start.
Alphapreneur (very assertive, highly ambitious and ruthless)
Bosspreneur (short term deal driven)
Dadpreneur (have built a lifestyle businesses out of a previous corporate existence where they were highly successful)
Passionpreneur (high energy, able to attract the right people and support to help them push through problems)
Sociopreneur (refuse to give up on their mission)
And the types who are LESS LIKELY to survive the first 3 year 'start up' phase:
Execpreneur (used to the corporate support system; build in way too much overhead early on instead of focussing on sales)
Mumpreneur (realise business takes a lot more time and committment than they first thought)
Safepreneur (give up when the going gets tough)
The above is not to say that these types cannot achieve business success - I'm simply highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each type. Two thirds of all UK business start ups fail; we need to try to find ways to reduce the failure rate.
Self understanding is a good start.
Slow Train Coming
Just recently I went to speak to the sixth formers at Repton public school in Derby about my experiences as an entrepreneur.
And I just received the following lovely letter from the Headmaster:
"Dear Rachel,
Thank you so much for coming to Repton today to inspire us with such a magnificent talk! The buzz amongst the boys and the girls this evening has been terrific - you certainly got through to many hearts and minds and persuaded your audience even more effectively through your message about the importance of giving rather than simply making money.
This has really made us all think and ties in so neatly with all we are doing at Repton. Thank you too for taking such a personal interest in the aspirations of the pupils whom you were kind enough to meet afterwards in The Hall. I am sure that you will have influenced all those who spoke to you in a very positive way and, who knows, maybe sown the seeds that will create an entrepreneur of the future!
Very many thanks once again for coming to speak to us, especially at such a busy time for you both personally and professionally.
Best wishes,
Robert Holroyd"
It just occurred to me that this is the first time a Headteacher has had anything positive to say about me in my lifetime!
And it has taken me 43 years to achieve it.
Enjoy your day!
Rachel
And I just received the following lovely letter from the Headmaster:
"Dear Rachel,
Thank you so much for coming to Repton today to inspire us with such a magnificent talk! The buzz amongst the boys and the girls this evening has been terrific - you certainly got through to many hearts and minds and persuaded your audience even more effectively through your message about the importance of giving rather than simply making money.
This has really made us all think and ties in so neatly with all we are doing at Repton. Thank you too for taking such a personal interest in the aspirations of the pupils whom you were kind enough to meet afterwards in The Hall. I am sure that you will have influenced all those who spoke to you in a very positive way and, who knows, maybe sown the seeds that will create an entrepreneur of the future!
Very many thanks once again for coming to speak to us, especially at such a busy time for you both personally and professionally.
Best wishes,
Robert Holroyd"
It just occurred to me that this is the first time a Headteacher has had anything positive to say about me in my lifetime!
And it has taken me 43 years to achieve it.
Enjoy your day!
Rachel
Friday, 30 November 2007
Scores on the Doors
I have been asked to let you have a full run down of the results of my Entrepreneurial Profiling Test so far, this is latest stats 1 September to date, now based on c2500 people:
Alphapreneur (money driven) 6%
Bosspreneur (control freaks) 4%
Dadpreneur (lifestyle orientated) 24%
Execpreneur (corporate animals) 33%
Mumpreneur (family comes first) 20%
Passionpreneur (driven by doing what they love) 2%
Safepreneur (risk averse) 6%
Sociopreneur (want to change the world for the positive) 4%
Ultrapreneur (ultra high achieving philanthropists) less than 1%
For more info on how the test works click here
Regards
Rachel
Alphapreneur (money driven) 6%
Bosspreneur (control freaks) 4%
Dadpreneur (lifestyle orientated) 24%
Execpreneur (corporate animals) 33%
Mumpreneur (family comes first) 20%
Passionpreneur (driven by doing what they love) 2%
Safepreneur (risk averse) 6%
Sociopreneur (want to change the world for the positive) 4%
Ultrapreneur (ultra high achieving philanthropists) less than 1%
For more info on how the test works click here
Regards
Rachel
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Re-defining 'Success'
And so we have the latest publicity stunt from Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis, proudly standing in front of their shiny new gas guzzling Maybach cars (the cost of which could each feed an African village for a decade), like two pin-striped dinosaurs still churning away on the golden hamster wheel of ostentatious wealth.
Meanwhile, the true Ultrapreneurs (think Branson, Gates, Gore and Buffet) are busy fighting climate change, re-distributing their wealth to fight third world disease and famine - as well as rescuing beleaguered British banks.
In fact, the results of my Entrepreneurial Profiling Test show that only 4% of the 2000+ people who have taken the test since September, profile as 'Alphapreneurs' like Jones and Paphitis i.e. people who are prepared to put their desire for money and the trappings of material wealth above all else, in their desire to achieve 'success'.
The remaining 96% would of course like to be rich, but are not prepared to sacrifice everything - for example time spent with family and friends, or risking everything they possess including their health - in the relentless pursuit of money.
So my question to you this Thursday morning is: which of the two groups in your opinion is the most 'successful' ?
Thursday, 22 November 2007
You can stop now!
All DVDs now claimed so please stop emailing - it took 1hour 23minutes; not sure if that is good or bad but at least I know someone is reading !!!
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