I use Chat GPT a lot these days. It is a very valuable tool for gathering information that I can use to my advantage for the business. For anyone that thinks AI is evil, and will take over the human race, that’s as may be, but it’s very useful, when utilised correctly. I use it…
Tipping. No, not the lazy thing where people can’t be bothered to go to the local tip with their old tatty furniture, I’m talking about the type where you give a service charge. It’s been in the news lately, with much discussion about whether to tip, who to tip, and when. It’s a topic that…
Genius. That’s not my word, that’s The New York Times talking. That’s what they called me on May 1st 2024. I’ve been playing Wordle since it began, and I have a 99% track record of success. I’ve also been playing two other New York Times puzzles called Spelling Bee, and Letter Boxed. I have a…
Picture the scene. 1981, a 17-year-old me was working as a part-time cleaner in Woolworths in Colchester, after school and on Saturdays to earn some cash. My job was to use one of those electric upright floor polishers. I have to tell you that whilst I did earn money, I actually loved it. Running around…
Could this be the beginning of the end of civilisation as we know it? “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should”. No idea where I first heard that but that’s how I feel about the world of Artificial Intelligence. I’ve been getting increasingly concerned about the acceleration of AI, as more and more geeks…
I read a very interesting article in The Times this week about positive consumer optimism despite the cost of living crisis. Not only did I consider this great news for my Barns & Barges, but for the country as a whole. Read on if you’re so minded… Consumers are becoming more likely to spend on…
Lockdown. Remember a time when that word never really existed in common parlance? Here we are again at the 23rd of March. A date that is burned into the back of my brain for all eternity. It’s the date that my business was forced to close by the government, three years ago now. How long…
The world of work has changed forever. What do I actually mean by this? Well, years ago I was in the world of the office worker. I spent a couple of decades in the corporate world where the idea of working from home was completely alien. If you managed to get a job where one…
As I write, Partygate etc still rumbles on to decide whether or not all the FACTS we know that PROVE the big oaf was lying, actually prove that he was lying. Which we know he was, cos we were following the rules, which were really clear. We all understood them. Cos we are not stupid,…
I think on the whole, Social media is a good thing. I’ve used it massively to my advantage to build my brands and my business, but I don’t use it so much personally. The trouble is, it gives everyone a voice, for better or for worse. Often worse. My style that has organically grown somehow,…