D-Day. We Will Remember Them.

D-Day.

I word /phrase that has the ability to make my blood run cold. I'm 33 years old, this year, so I obviously wasn't there. My I don't remember my grandfather who did fight in WWII and the other was only born in 1941.

I've never sat with a relative and the tales yet at the same time it feels so personal. So real. So close.

June 6th 1944 will always have a place in my heart because thanks to those brave soldiers, doing what they did, I am able to sit here freely and write this blog. Without fear.

You stood united, ready to fall

For queen, for country, for us all.
You fought for our liberty
And to give us a choice.Now we stand united to give you a voice.On this day of remembrance, we are joined with pride. For our heroes who fought and our heroes who died. In silence we hold memories dear, for we know not, brave soldier, of your fears. We stand today thankful for all that you gave, may you smile down from heaven and rest in your grave. May the survivors be blessed in the lives that they live. Because you deserve our all, for what you were willing to give.

So I stand here today, thankful for all you gave. I will remember our fallen, our heroes, our brave.

~ Dee Atkins x

The Sloth, The Hippo, & The Squirrel

When I first left school, I completed an electrical engineering apprenticeship with Fords Motor Company at their famous Dagenham Branch/training centre (Still to this day, one of my proudest achievements). So naturally, I spent the first 14 years of my work life in the recruitment industry... (Probably one of my biggest regrets. Don't ask.)

Anyway, during my time as a recruiter, I got to observe a lot of people and learn a lot about people's behaviours at work. Since becoming self employed and changing industries, I also got to observe a lot of networkers.

I've come to the conclusion that there are 3 kinds of people in the world.

The Sloth, The Hippo, and The Squirrel.

The Sloth is someone that does the bare minimum. They'll be the ones who do enough to keep their job, they fly under the radar most of the time and only really wake up if they sense danger or they need to go for a coffee/pee break. The sloth, in my opinion, isn't a team player and after a period of time tends to be the first to go if there are cut backs and are usually resented by their fellow team. They may be the nicest person in the world, but in the work place, they just ain't pulling their weight.

The Hippo is the plodder of the group. Now, many of you will take this as a negative. Absolutely NOT! I am a hippo and i'm very proud of this. Have you ever seen a hippo plod along? Those bad boys start off on a mission and they don't let anything get in their way. They just keep charging along until they hit their goal. Then they chill out and wait for the next assignment. Hippos are the bread and butter of any work team. They get things done, they are quite social so usually bond well with others and they can pick up some serious speed when needed.

The Squirrel is the go getter of the team. They get excited by the new and shiny, they chase after their goals and flit around all over the place. They are usually seen as the most dynamic of the group, are great at socialising and networking but they tend to get distracted easily, need constant new things to chase or they get bored and lose interest in things.

If I was going to hire someone it would be a hippo. If I was building a team, I'd have a heard of hippos and a few squirrels. A group of people that will keep pushing the company forward and a few that are dynamic enough to bring in new business.

Ideally we'd all be HippoSquirrel Hybrids with a tendency to "sloth out" on our days off. I'm not sure i've quite mastered mixing all 3 together perfectly but it's a goal of mine. In the mean time, I'll just keep Hippo-ing along.

I'd be interested to see what you think and even better, what you ARE!

Until next time,
Much Love
Dee
Miss Make It Happen
Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast

Yoga - The Truths (well mine anyway)

What do you think of when you imagine yoga? My initial response when asked this question was hippies, "peace & love, man", impossible bending and stretching, and something stay at home mums do... oh, and skinny minnies on a beach at sun rise.

HOLD ON! Before you all run off and form a pitch fork wielding mob, let me explain....

I tried yoga many moons ago and all I got from it was wind and (rather weirdly) cravings for McDonalds. I actually got up mid way through a group session, grabbed my stuff and walked out.
A later attempt at yoga meditation left me restless and moody. I couldn't find something at home that I could follow easily and if i did find something I couldn't find the 60-90minutes to actually get it done properly. Catch 22.

Fast forward to 2017, and a friend of mine explained to me about a company called 'Movement For Modern Life'. At the time of recommending them, I was almost at breaking point. I was so exhausted I could hardly sleep, when I did sleep I had regular night terrors and sleep walking/talking episodes, I felt stressed, depressed, my confidence was shot, paranoia was setting in and I was a walking disaster zone on the inside. To the outside world, I was a confident, happy, hard working, go getter.

I can almost hear you nodding as you read that. You too? Don't worry, you really are not alone. You'd be surprised how many people are feeling like this. A lot of your "perfect" friends are probably losing their proverbial on a daily basis.

Anyway, back to yoga...

I decided to sign up to Movement For Modern Life for a 14 day free trial. It's free, I couldn't lose. Now, to say I got a little excited was an understatement. This is a site for everyone. Not just the stereotypical Yogi but for people who want to do yoga at home - IN THEIR PJs!

THAT'S ME! THAT'S PROBABLY YOU! THAT'S US!!!!!

Next thing I noticed about this company is that they understand us. They realise that we don't all move, bend and think the same. There are literally 100's of videos starting from 2.5minutes upwards. Even I can manage 2.5 minutes in the morning.

I'm starting to get suspicious... what's the catch? Am I going to get hit with a £100 a month membership fee at the end of the 14 day trial? Will I need to sell part of my soul? Truth is, i'm about 6 weeks in now and I can't find a catch. The membership prices start at £10.99 a month. They even have a section teaching you about the anatomy and offer online classes for people with mobility issues. ANOTHER WIN! I have Ankylosing Spondylitis & RA, so this is something close to my heart.

So, I picked out some different classes in the 'beginners' section and gave it ago. Over the next month, I was genuinely blown away. The changes in my body, my head, my mood, my life started to show a lot quicker than I could have imagined. I was doing 2-10 minutes in the morning and focusing on relaxation techniques / breathing at bed time (usually 30minutes). Nothing "special", no difficult moves, no legs around my ears, just me getting to know... me and my body.

I was going to share my first 6 weeks with you in this blog but I decided I wouldn't do it justice. You'll have to read next weeks blog to find out more. On a seriously note, it's been a life line but this is me we're talking about so i'll tell you about the uncoordinated two left feet, my gurning because even the easiest poses are difficult at first, and how this journey has effected me on a day to day and emotional level. The only 'down side' to yoga is actually realising you're human... *rolls eyes*

(Yes, there will be pictures of me gurning.)

Until next time,
Much Love
Dee
Miss Make It Happen
Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast

**Please note, I have not been paid or influenced by MFML in any way in regards to my views on yoga, meditation or the company in general. This is a personal, unbiased view.**

Should speed cameras be advertised more clearly?

We'll get one thing straight from the off - I don't drive. I'm epileptic. The DVLA computer says no.

BUT I have an opinion on something road related and you're about to hear it. So buckle up and we'll go for a little ride through my brain map.

I don't think speed cameras should be advertised / sign posted. Why should drivers be warned that they're about to get snapped?

I do however think the speed limit should be sign posted more.

So, why don't we spend more pennies on advising the driving population what the speed limit is and less on warning people they're about to get caught for breaking the law.

We ALL know there are speed cameras the length and breadth of the country. Lets stop warning the idiots that want to break the law and start using their fines to fix the potholes.

Thoughts?


Adios,

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast

Customer Service - The Two Way Street.

Customer Service is important. Very important. BUT there are two sides to this coin.

Supplier to Customer.

Customer to Supplier.

We'll start with what everyone thinks of first when you mention Customer Service. How the business treats its customers - before, during and after a sale.

I'm a big believer of the 'long game' when it comes to business. I like to get to know people, who they are and what their needs are. This helps to create a relationship that not only makes things easier throughout the "business transaction" but also if there is a problem. If you have a relationship with someone then they are likely to see you as a human and any problems can be sorted peacefully and without stress to anyone.

If the business does create a problem for it's customer they should always apologise. This should be the first thing. Even if the customer doesn't expect it. A "sorry" can help a thousand sins. Some times problems arise where the company doesn't have control of whats happened (They sent your product and it never arrived for example). Keeping calm is key. Offer solutions and make sure that you sound like you care FFS! There is nothing that is going to tip an unhappy customer over the edge like an 'I couldn't give a hoot, i've done my part' attitude.

The flip side - How the customer treats it's supplier.
Now i'm a big believer that the customer is NOT always right. Those that have the belief that because they pay for something they are automatically right, are dicks. There, i said it. Because you pay for something doesn't give you the automatic right to treat a business or person with lack of respect. If one of my clients were to treat me like I see retail staff, for example, being treated, I would toe punt them in the fart box.
Shit happens and i'll do my best to help you but you WILL respect me. As I will respect the fact that you may have been inconvenienced and need help. But "Customer is always right" is like leaving your life savings with your toddler. You wouldn't do it. It's old school and it's shit.

A company I bought from recently had PERFECT customer service. I went on their site to buy myself some much needed make up. (The 30,000 make up items I already have are not enough!). Because they were experiencing a busy period they had changed their website to say "we're sorry but all deliveries have been delayed... orders may take up to 2 weeks to reach you". No big deal. I placed my order and went on about my day.

A week later, I received my package of make up goodies. A WEEK earlier than expected. I opened the unusually large package to find a note saying "We're sorry we took so long, please find included in your order some freebies". MAKE UP FREEBIES!!!!! And not those tiny little trial things you get but FULL size, beautiful eyeshadow kits! This was better than xmas. So Thank you TamBeauty.com, You showed us how customer service should be done.

For those that don't know - TAMs products are amazing. (and can be a 10th of the price of some of the big boys. *mentions no names...*)

Next time you come across a problem during a transaction, remember that both parties can be stressed by this situation. Show compassion, show kindness, offer solutions and be flexible. Customer Service is a two way street.

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast

Out with the old....

I've missed you guys! Although you've been keeping me busy reading all your mentions on my posts from last year. Thank you :)

At this time of year, like most other business owners, I start to plot and plan whats going to be happening for the year ahead. I sort out my personal / business space, throw away all the rubbish i've stored in THAT drawer. (You all have THAT drawer or cupboard, lets not pretend.) I start to make room for what's important and what really isn't any more. Do I REALLY need the receipt from last February for the pack of tampons? I think not.

Whilst we're all busy de-cluttering our drawers and cupboards we should also add something else to the "clean me" list - Our Friends. Yep, I said it. Sometimes people are much a source of clutter in your life as things are.

Now, I don't recommend disposing of your things and friends in the same way. I'm not sure my dustbin man would have appreciated me putting my friends in to 5 black bin liners and leaving them on the roadside ready for him to squash in to oblivion...

But you DO need to get rid of the neg heads. The ones who take and never put back in to the relationships. These could be people you met in school, the woman who works in the local cafe, a business associate. You need to collect people just as much as you need to collect tampon receipts, or whatever the male equivalent is.

Have you ever opened a cupboard in your kitchen and the next thing you know you're covered in plastic pots with no lids and other bowls and pans?

Life and even social media can be just like that cupboard. We keep filling it up and one day it's all bound to come crashing down on you. You'll have an old friend who, like the pot with no lid, used to close and be useful. You'd spend every lunch time together, you needed each other. Now, well, they're just an empty pot with no lid. The likelihood is, they feel the same about you too.

You've probably had thoughts about them. Thoughts that made you feel heavy and uneasy. You both know the relationship / friendship is over. Every time you see their face pop up on Facebook, you roll your eyes and keep scrolling.

Sometimes you just need to say good bye.

If you keep in contact to be polite, it might be worth having a conversation with them to say you feel you should go separate ways. If you haven't spoken to them in ages, just hit the 'unfriend' button on social media.

I do this a few times throughout the year and believe me, it makes you feel a whole lot lighter. After the initial shock of "OMG What have I just done??" dies away.

Anyway, let me know how you get on...
And remember, It's going to be ok.

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast

"Hello, Dee speaking, How can I help you?"

I've been thinking a lot about communication recently.

If we go back through the years, it all started with the grunt of a caveman. Then on to real words, cave markings, paintings, writing, courier pigeon, telephone, fax, internet chat rooms, pagers, text messages, and now social media. *and breathe*

We're a species that have developed our communication skills so much that we're no longer using the basics. Hands up, how many of you have actually picked up the phone this week, dialled a number and SPOKEN to someone? Scary thought isn't it. Especially when it is so much easier to drop a text, or write a DM or email.

We spend hours talking on various social media sites but when we meet face to face the conversation can sometimes be awkward. I found this happens much more with the younger generation. They're so used to interacting through a screen that sometimes they just cannot cope with the face to face interaction. It's quite sad really.

One of the things I love about my other half is the fact he talks. He'd rather pick up the phone and talk to me rather than sending a quick text. He's also a big advocate for penmanship. I love his passion for using pen and paper. I love pen and paper too.

eBooks make me a little sad. You do not need 500 books on a tablet. It's not like you can read them all at once anyway and there is nothing quite like the feel and smell of an actual paper book, in my opinion.

In regards to communication within your business, aren't we lucky? We're part of the instant generation where we no longer have to wait to get news about a contract or to get a project off the ground. It can all be done in a click of a button. The problem with having the ability to do it all, is that we can easily become overwhelmed. So, you have your job, then you have all the back office stuff that needs doing, all the social media accounts that need to be constantly looked after plus any bits and pieces that the day decides to throw at you... you're juggling all your plates perfectly... until the phone rings. Is it just me or does the phone ALWAYS ring at the most inconvenient time?

I've recently come across a fabulous solution. It's not a new idea, it's just perfect for any business that needs to buy a little time. That solution is Apples & Oranges. No, not the fruit, but a super duper call answering service based right here in the UK! PLUS you're not fixed in to a contract so you could just use the service in your busy periods / certain times of the day / When you're on holiday.

I've been in contact with the owners and what they offer and how they can customise their service is amazing! Here is what Dawn Davis had to say....

"Communication is what we're about - 21st century style!

One of the biggest problems when you're in business is ensuring that you NEVER miss a call, therefore never missing an opportunity, so that's where we come in.

Before we started this part of our business we kept being asked "do you have a telephone answering service", after a number of requests we started to think, why don't we have a telephone answering service? We decided to first investigate and then invest!

Every client we have has slightly different requirements, our policy is, the answer is 'YES' now tell us what you want and we'll make it happen for you."

You can get in contact with Dawn and the team via their WEBSITE.

I'd be interested to see how many of you actually look into this for you business so quote 'DAMMIH' when you get in touch. I'll be keeping my eye on you ;). If you'd like to hear what happened When Dawn and I got together for a MMIH Show you can find the Podcast HERE


Until next time.

Much Love

Miss Make It Happen

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast - YouTube - Tumblr