Well, folks, they’re at it again.  This time, they’re coming for small business owners with a so-called ‘landmark’ change to Statutory Sick Pay.  …They say it’ll help workers, boost productivity, and grow the economy. Yeah. Sure.  And I’m the Tooth Fairy. Here’s what’s really happening: No 1: They’re forcing small businesses to foot the bill (again). If your employee calls in sick, guess who pays?  Not the government. Not the World Bank.  You. 80% ...

The reply boys are looking old. Got this comment last week:  “Some of these wild claims are beyond ridiculous. What bullshyt. Come talk to me and I’ll skyrocket you to $25M and I’ll charge you a fortune and make you feel inferior.” Stuart Northampton  Ok, I’ll bite Stuart… First up, dollars?  Come on. We’re British. Next…   ‘Wild claims beyond ridiculous.’ In the world of Bezos and Branson, making a million is hardly wild.  Plus, ...

This struck a chord yesterday: “Twenty years in and running a business is still a grind. Some days I’m like, “I’m building an empire,” and other days it’s more, “Why the fcuk did I even start this?” Now, this guy was in his mid-forties and to the outside world, he was successful.  Nice car, nice house, all the perks.  But in reality?  He was worn down and burnt out.  Sick of tolerating all the ...

20 minutes late… All because some arsehole nicked the tokens that track times at Parkrun.  Now, Parkrun, for the unaware, is a free run. A bunch of good-hearted volunteers give up their Saturday morning so that people like me (and my 11-year-old) can enjoy a little fresh air and some self-inflicted sweat. No money changes hands. No contracts are signed. Just turn up, run for 5K, go home. But, this week due to the ...

To me, ‘staff’ is a dirty word. Not the fun kind. Yet despite my ‘don’t touch them with a 10 ft barge pole’ mentality, some men in this game are going to hire new employees this year. And that got me thinking…  To a conversation, I had a while ago with my old mentor, Dan Kennedy, a ballsy fellow hater of employees. And he shared his list of questions that he always answers, before ...