Opening the Chamber of opportunities….

I am writing this from a meeting room overlooking the lake of Zürich. Last night I enjoyed an aperitif from a 5^th floor restaurant overlooking this picturesque Swiss city, enjoying some splendid views before listening to a quality speech from former EU trade commissioner Lord Brittan, somebody who clearly knows what he is talking about when it comes to international business. It’s a tough life.

It actually could have been a really tough life. Trying something new is always a leap of faith. It involves an element of risk and moving out of your comfort zone. Without forethought and planning it may be a disaster. Even with planning and help there is no certainty of success. For me, as a naturally cautious accountant, trying to promote our outsourced CFO offering in a new market was potentially a daunting task.

Fortunately I had some excellent help from the British Swiss Chamber of Commerce (BSCC) and the team based in Zürich. Aside from organising a great event, they furnished me with contacts and introductions, and allowed me to use their office to work in when I had some spare time. Their encouragement to visit Zürich for the AGM, at which Lord Brittan was the keynote speaker, was a real spur to get me to move my Swiss project forward.

The whole experience brought to mind another recent meeting at Canary Wharf (again with panoramic view – if I was a photographer this would be a great job) as part of my involvement in the London Local Chambers initiative. This is aimed at publicising the existence of the 20 plus locally based chambers of commerce within greater London, chambers that have a real feel for local business opportunities, and which offer good local contacts as well as engagement with local government on business issues. 

People often see chambers of commerce as networking organisations, there purely to provide sales opportunities. However their real value is more than being a good way of building contacts and relationships that may develop into opportunities in the future. They can also provide an opportunity to contribute to a wider movement dedicated to increasing business and trading opportunities for everybody, particularly on the international side. This mixture of international and local knowledge and presence is a major reason why well run chambers continue to be the first port of call for organisations looking to develop new markets.

Was it worth the visit? Ah that would be telling, but there is a clue in the fact that I am really glad that I took the opportunity of visiting Switzerland for the BSCC AGM. You have to take a chance if you want to develop something new. However moving out of your comfort zone does not mean you have to take silly risks. There is a lot of help available and existing networks to work with. These are clearly no guarantee of success, but they make it a lot more fun trying, and who knows where it will lead to one day.

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…..