It seems like everyone is revelling in delight at the fact that billions have been wiped off the fortunes in this year's Sunday Times Rich List.
I am left wondering what it is about our society that absolutely loves to hear about other people's failure and misfortune.
Perhaps to make them feel better about their own miserably unsuccessful and uneventful lives?
About Rachel
- Rachel Elnaugh
- Bakewell, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
- ...is one of Britain’s highest profile female entrepreneurs. Having started her working life as an office junior, at the age of 24 she created the market leading experiences brand Red Letter Days on a shoestring budget from the front room of her home. Red Letter Days went on to generate over £100million in turnover in the 16 years that she ran it, and in doing so pioneered the UK's £250 million experiences sector. This earned her an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2002, as well as being short listed for the 2001 Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year award. In early 2005, Rachel shot to fame as one of the original Dragons in BBCTV's BAFTA nominated cult business show Dragons’ Den. After the well-publicised crash of Red Letter Days in 2005, Rachel became heavily involved in the Small Business Sector and recently won the IAB 'UK Champion of Entrepreneurship' award for 2008. Her unique Entrepreneurial Profiling Test was launched in 2007 and you can take the test free by visiting www.rachelelnaugh.com. Rachel's first book 'Business Nightmares' was published by Crimson in May 2008.
15 comments:
Seeing as many of these guys are my customers, I have a vested interest in seeing them prosper!
C
I am not really that interested in what they have or don't have, it is all about personality, you either have that or you don't. Having money does not make anyone a better person, in fact it can be detrimental, in so far as you can forget where you came from.
Leave these people be, do we really need to know to know how many millions they have, does it really make a difference to us anyway.
Good luck to those with money, enjoy it, that's why they have it is it not!!!!!!
dlog
If I think back to the days where money was really flowing for me (Red Letter Days making £1million profit a year and really not having to worry at all about money - and pretty much spending what I liked on anything I liked when I liked), I really didn't value anything nearly as much as I do now (when times are tougher - same overhead, less income).
These days I really appreciate every tiny thing, from gifts given to me by clients even down to a canape being offered to me at an event... I live so much more with an 'attitude of gratitude'.
Also, thinking back to those high wealth days, my biggest luxury in life was actually a day spent at home around my children where I didn't have to put on make-up and go into 'battle'. Hey presto I have lots of those days, now I am based from Bakewell and work 'virtually'. It's wonderful!
In our society we spend so much time chasing money that it's really easy to overlook the value in so many other (wonderful & free) things.
R
The reverse is also true Rachel - I have no money and constantly worrying when the next lot is coming in. I spent yesterday in London on a photoshoot and wanted to get some shots of the "Gherkin" and I sat and pondered what it would be like to be rich for a day. What would I do? And I came up with this list:
1. Dine in the fancy restaurant at the top of the Gherkin (purely for the fantastic panoramic you would get up there)
2. Have a makeover and a day at a spa.
3. Go shopping and get a nice outfit.
4. End my day on a helicopter ride of London (armed of course with my camera).
I would really love to do this and I would appreciate every second of that day.
I don't wish to sound smug but you can have both 'quality' time and money. You just need to good at managing the balance.
The key is to work hard at both and not let one dominate the other.
Lorraine, if its any consolation I have eaten at some very expensive restaurants and its the company that's memorable not the food.
C
Random Question - Does anybody know how I can trademark my website??
Have the "All Rights Reserve oc" etc... IS it free?
I hope somebody can help.
L
Well, well, well, 3 holes in the ground heehee.
Seriously, I actually agree with you 100% Mr C, absolutely, it's not the restaurant or so much the food, it is the company. There is nothing more rich and oppulent than dining or socialising with nice genuine people, and, money cannot buy nice genuine people, that's because they are genuine.
dlog
Thats Britain for you, build them up then knock them down and laughing while we do it.
Lorraine
Of course your wish list (which I have to say is admirably modest) can be achieved without being rich. You just need to find someone else to pay for it all...
C
Ere ere Mr C, sounds like your flirting a little on this here blog :-) :-)
dlog
PS: You don't need to find someone rich Lorraine, just walk into those places, with a friend and have drink once in a while, how does anyone know how much money the next man, or woman of course, has got.
Thank you for your kind comments - as for the Gherkin Restaurant, good company is not withstanding as I hate to dine alone - its the pure view from the top and the pictures I can take from there is the real reason. But not having money is only difficult for me as when my sons ask for things I have to say no sometimes. There are huge things that I value more than money, i.e. the life I have with my partner, my sons and going out with my camera.
However, its still nice to day dream sometimes...
Lorraine
There's nothing wrong with dreaming but if you want that stuff badly enough its within your grasp to achieve it (and I don't mean finding someone with money). Fundamentally, it is simply a matter of choice. There are lots of wealthy photographers (I have just today paid one of the blighters) so why not you?
C
Lorraine
Why not contact the manager/PR person at the Gherkin restaurant and say you are a photojournalist doing a review of London restaurants with panoramic views for Conde Nast, and could you make an appointment to sample their food and take photographs.
Do the same with all other rooftop restaurants in London - OXO, Hilton on Park Lane, Rhodes at NatWest Tower etc etc
Once you have eaten and photographed your way around London, write up your article into c2000 words and send it to Conde Nast with all your pics.
Not only will you have manifested your dream they may even pay you £500 (more?) for the article. That will buy you the clothes you want.
Once achieved, move on to your next article, this is the one where you review Health Spas.
Even better why not set up an Experiences Company - that way you get to experience everything !!!
I've done a lot of reading/research into wealth manifestation, and tried myself with mixed results. My big conclusion is that too often we confuse money with things; it's far easier to attract the STUFF we fantasise about than it is the hard cash. But all the things you want can come to you without cash actually being required.
And when you get into 'flow' in this way you will find the money manifests - because you have softened your vibration around it. Read 'Ask and It Given' by Esther Hicks.
Hope this helps!
Rachel
One of my favorite quotes from Andrew Carnegie is "There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else." It seems to apply here.
I, too, wonder why there is a fascination with the wealthy becoming the not so wealthy. While the image of Peter Jones selling pencils at the bus stop is one I think I could enjoy, it would mean he no longer employees multitudes of people. The rich have to flourish for the rest of us to survive.
Typical response from some. Let them lose it all so we can gloat.
Post a Comment