The week ahead...too late to rely on employment

There comes a point when the quickest way to realise an income stream is to create one and not to rely on agencies, employers or adverts. With adverts I refer to the 'kin annoying habit that none technical buffoon agents have of posting a generic job description that applies to no-one and describes a job that could never exist. I refer to agents as I have found a number of agencies that post a job description that appears ideal with a contact name and number but make it impossible to get hold of them, yes Capita that's you. As far as employers are concerned, the whole recruitment process takes at least a month with another month to work before payment. With all of these factors in mind, also considering that nearly a year has gone by since Cerberus Satcom was created and first contacted Avanti at IBC last September. The business model has morphed and shifted a great deal since then to a point where it is mature enough to hit the market.

Alongside the Cerberus approach, which can only benefit the company itself in the early days, I have resurrected the franchise opportunity I explored seven or eight months ago. I do realise that a franchise is little more than an employment opportunity but in the current instance if I can sign this up with Sam and Bill working full time, supporting themselves with the franchise (which is fitness training/after school clubs for the 5 - 11 year olds) and turning sufficient profit to assist the family in even a small way then I believe we should proceed. I have run the numbers and there sufficient margin to give the boys a good head start provided they bust their arses for at least two years. We are meeting with them tomorrow and gaining an introduction to Steve Claridge, ex-England football international and ex-player/manager of Pompey FC. He is the celebrity front of the company and based in Portsmouth, which is unfortunate in that they have no franchisee in the region, that's where we come in ;-) There are even government backed schemes to help young entrepreneurs to purchase and run their first business even if it is a franchise offering. There may be good news tomorrow.

All of that said, I am, as my previous posts have mentioned, still applying for every vaguely relevant job available. Even though there has been, and indeed still is, a great deal of interest, nothing is happening in the time scales I need.

In a completely different vein, today was the Edstanator's ninth birthday. Nine years old! The cheese grater is no longer such a little munchkin with very distinct ideas and opinions on matters far beyond his years (although he does like my stories about Dave and Jeff the gnomes, don't tell his friends). As a testament to my wife, her greatest fear amidst the dark clouds of debt hovering on the horizon, was whether or not Ed would have a truly happy birthday. I can honestly state, with my testicles on a chopping block, that Emma is the most selfless individual I have ever met and without her belief I would struggle. But today was all about Ed. Emma made sure, by every means available to her, that Ed had the best day possible, which he did. Happy Birthday Eddy.

Tonight Beth is staying with my dad at the caravan site. I think there may be a boy involved as her personality has changed, for the better, recently, but we shall see.

This summer is going to be a life changing period for a lot of my friends and family, so I raise a (small) glass of wine and salute you all...'Fish and coconuts.'

The picture today is a drunk pig