This in the made simple groups MD http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/Default.aspx?BlogDate=2008-04-30 en-GB support@janetsystems.co.uk support@janetsystems.co.uk Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:57:22 GMT Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:57:22 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blog RSS Generator Version 3.3.0.16726 In common with about 7 million others, I am afraid that I am hooked on the Apprentice (Wednesday nights on BBC1). For those of you who have never seen it or read anything about it, this is a programme where Sir Alan Sugar sets a variety of tasks for 16 aspiring “apprentices” who are competing with each other for a job with Sir Alan Sugar’s organisation and a 6-figure salary. Each week, as the series progresses, one of the contestants gets fired. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/36/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/36/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=36 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:56:51 GMT 0 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=36 Last year I read a really great book called Freakonomics. For those of you who like an interesting spin on conventional topics, this is a must read. It is written by an economics lecturer at the University of Chicago together with a writer from the New York Times and follows a series of Blog postings that the two of them made back in 2003. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/25/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/25/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=25 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:02:16 GMT 1 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=25 Over the years, I have made connections, friendships and alliances with people from all walks of life and in many different situations and I value all these relationships as part of my ongoing business development. One person who I met recently, Mike Bird, has kindly participated in a podcast and also provided a testimonial for our company formation service. He also writes the excellent “Bloomstorm Briefing” as part of his site www.bloomstorm.com. In his most recent issue, he writes an article about “living with change” making particular reference to the subject of timekeeping. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/35/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/35/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=35 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:07:48 GMT 1 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=35 I suppose the biggest event of the week, even speaking as an accountant and tax adviser, has to be the postponement of the Cheltenham race festival. The budget passed by with hardly a whimper, much as I suggested in my earlier posting. Apart from the fact that it was so benign and lacking in anything controversial, you have to say that anyone with a name of “Darling” starts off at a great disadvantage. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/34/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/34/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=34 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:27:19 GMT 0 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=34 I don’t know about you, but whenever I look back at old photographs of my youth and innocent years(!), I am struck by a number of things particularly:- · Who is that young handsome, dashing man with all that hair. · Despite all the hair what an awful look. · How could I possibly wear clothes like that. There is absolutely no question that what once seemed fashionable and trendy so quickly just simply looks naff. Our feelings at the moment of a particular incident are so different when we look back in hindsight. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/33/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/33/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=33 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:17:16 GMT 0 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=33 have been involved with the SME sector; (with emphasis on the S part) for almost 25 years and have always felt that generally, the small business in particular gets somewhat of a raw deal from government. On the one hand, they are saddled with the responsibilities of new legislation brought in because of the indiscretions of larger businesses, (Enron etc) and on the other hand, they bear the brunt of tax initiatives which were largely introduced to tackle far bigger businesses. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/32/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/32/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=32 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:46:05 GMT 1 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=32 Yesterday morning, driving into the office, I could literally feel the car being battered by the strong winds and driving rain. Reports on the radio from other parts of the country, particularly the south west were of 80 mile an hour winds, trees being uprooted and general mayhem as river levels rose and the threat of serious damage rapidly grew. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/31/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/31/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=31 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:38:44 GMT 0 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=31 In an earlier posting I wrote about the subject of business kissing and I have received some guidance from friends and contacts on this irksome and sensitive subject. Thanks to you all although I am no clearer than I was before. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/30/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/30/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=30 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:13:33 GMT 0 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=30 A recent article in The Times focused on the growing band of nomadic workers who are setting up offices in coffee shops in Britain. They have been labelled the “new Bedouin” by the media in America where the trend started in the coffee houses of San Francisco. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/29/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/29/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=29 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:31:42 GMT 1 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=29 Many of you will know that my “day job” is as a partner in a firm of Chartered Accountants. That means that I have an obligation to keep up with my professional education and development. Quite recently, I noted that the money laundering regulations have been changed again. http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/28/Default.aspx matthewm@madesimplegroup.com http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Community/HowardsDay/tabid/86/EntryID/28/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=86&EntryID=28 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:26:44 GMT 0 http://www.businessmadesimple.co.uk/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=28