I have been running Talkmarketing for a number of years now and when I look back I can see the highs and the lows and trust me, there have been many.  However, from my experiences good and bad my biggest lesson in running my own business was when it went wrong! 

Let me tell you a story. I am one of those people who has to have a book and pen by my bed because my best ideas seem to come to me at night.  I write them down because I know that I will not remember in the morning. 

Many years ago, I dreamt that I was going to be very successful in a new venture.  I got very obsessed with the idea of delivering training for a specific industry sector. I got it into my head that this sector was my niche and my strength.  I then decided to market this great idea.  It took many hours to plan. It took so much of my time and effort that I did not notice that the telemarketing side of my business was slowing down.  Why?  Because I had taken my eye off the ball and was putting all my time and energy into my new idea. 

I almost forgot my core business was the telemarketing! I had become so obsessed with making the new idea into something tangible, forgetting that it had started as a dream!

Thankfully, I eventually realised and shelved the idea because, realistically, I knew it would have failed 100%. The whole debacle was a huge learning curve for me and luckily didn’t cause me to lose any clients or income but, through that experience I realised how close to the wind I had sailed.

I said to myself ‘stick with what works for you and you do best’.

It was a salutary warning but one that I have remembered throughout my time as CEO of Talkmarketing and hopefully has helped me make the company what it is today: a successful telemarketing consultancy that I am proud of.