All the world is a stage….

What a week! So far that is, as it is yet to finish. Loads of appointments and meetings. Arranging a trip to Switzerland. Last week of rehearsals before stepping on stage in front of an expectant paying audience. Oh and keeping clients happy and serviced as well.

Whether employees or freelancers we all get weeks where it seems there just aren’t enough hours available to do everything. In the end there are of course, although sleep is never quite given the priority that the body says that it should be.

The acting is a great release. This time I am playing a Victorian German Anarchist, as you do, and, as you can imagine, it has all been a lot of fun. Our audiences enjoy it too, and their appreciation is one of the reasons that I am so addicted to amateur dramatics. Of course I always remind myself that I am only as good as the next performance I give in order to keep my feet on the ground. Can’t have accountants getting ideas above their station….

Putting together the Swiss trip to promote our inward investor offering has also been enjoyable. I have been working with the British Swiss Chamber of Commerce  which has been very helpful in providing me with contacts for potential meetings.

Organising the flight has been a particular eye opener though. “Things ain’t what they used to be” is a common refrain from those old enough to actually remember how it used to be, and the airline industry is certainly an industry where nostalgia for a so called golden age can still bring a tear to the eye.

However the make up of the ticket price has astounded me, particularly as I am using some leftover airmiles to make the trip. After adding in taxes and surcharges my “free” flight is costing nearly £100. Indeed since it became a commodity product, for many people flying has been a pain. Add in the “enhanced” security set up that now exists and you can see why it isn’t only finance directors who echo that wartime staple “Is your journey really necessary?” 

Much like regular commuting though, frequent flyers learn to cope. You have your own rituals that start with your journey to the airport, through check-in (if you have to), security, café/business lounge (delete where applicable), getting on the plane, enduring the flight, getting off the plane, dealing with passport control and coming out at the other end. In short you just get out there and do it.

Closer to home it is great to see that in spite of the conflicting economic data there are so many business people out there working hard to promote their businesses. Whether it is through the efforts of the various Chambers of Commerce, or other business networking events, being seen matters. That is one of the reasons I am going out to Switzerland. Face to face meetings remain essential if you are to develop the right level of trust for future business relationships.

All the world is a stage and maybe we are all merely players. It can be tempting to see many of our activities as a chore. However we need to remember that we are so lucky to have the opportunities that we do and that we need to make the most of them and enjoy them as much as we can. Even if it makes sleep an optional extra…..