A second career at your age? You'll need a love of social media ? and a marketing plan for that
My name is Geoffrey Wadhurst and I would like to welcome you to my blog. Entitled "Notworking", it details my journey into the world of networking and social media as I launch my second career, at the tender age of 50, as a business coach.
There was something of a "back to school" feeling in the air this week as I had what was my first proper business meeting since I completed my coaching course. And it was literally back to school for our 15-year-old son Ollie as we left the house together on Monday morning; I was getting in the car for my meeting in St Albans High Street while he was walking the other way to school. I reminded him that GCSE year was the "big one" and that he needed to break the habit of his hitherto undistinguished academic career and genuinely apply himself. "Yeah, whatever," he muttered before plugging in his iPod and pulling the top of his hoodie over his brow.
Writing a blog was the suggestion of my youthful bank manager Alistair with whom I had my initial meeting this week. A few months ago, of course, he would have viewed me as a colleague as I was formerly a senior HR manager at his bank. Now mostly state-owned and going through straitened times, the bank had to merge a number of divisions together earlier this year and, among many others, I found myself surplus to requirements after 28 years of service. Leaving with a satisfactory redundancy payment has happily enabled me to invest some of it in my coaching qualification so I can pass on to others my experience of leadership, people management and, indeed, life.
In a small upstairs meeting room at the branch, Alistair went about setting me up with my business bank accounts. A diminutive chap, he seemed to know his stuff although his shirt collar was several sizes too big for him. He's clearly seen his share of startups and was a wealth of useful tips: "Network like crazy," was the first thing he offered. "And you have to embrace social media," he insisted as he waited for the company's intranet to process my application. "Write a blog or something," he said. "Get yourself out there."
This all seemed like splendid advice. Then, as he clicked away at his mouse, he threw a question at me: "What's your marketing plan?" I had to admit that I hadn't given much thought to a plan as such. "You might find this a helpful start," he said, passing me a colourful package that resembled a DVD box set. "It's got everything you need ? there's a CD with loads of software for invoicing, business planning and stuff. And a template for your marketing plan."
So, I walked back to the car park with my Business Basics Toolkit under my arm (cost: �44.95 plus VAT) with a feeling that was a mixture of excitement and trepidation. This is the beginning of a whole new phase as my own boss, I reflected as I pulled up in the driveway.
"The washing machine's finished," said my wife, Sandra, passing me in the hallway on her way out to tennis. "Put the clothes out on the line while the sun's still out."
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/sep/02/notworking-blog-networking-social-media
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