ABC take on the Blues

Never hack-off your business partner

It’s been a mad month at the ABC, hence, I haven’t written lately, but thought I ought to play catch up with everyone, and let them know why it’s been so quite from someone who always has something to say.

Several weeks ago, I was on Kevin’s case about getting our new website and member’s area completed, when he took a telephone call from Jim Herrington, a business coach with Action International. Jim was trialling a new venture to see if business people could get the emphasis of needing a coach, if they saw why sports people used them. Kevin said, “Oh, Mark would love to attend.”

Bring your sports kit for a light coaching slot with Bryan Hamilton and Simon Milton the flyer said. Being a Tractor Boys fan since birth, this to me was an opportunity not to be missed.

The morning arrived and Matt, a good friend of mine who plays a lot of football, picked me up for the day ahead. I had managed to get two tickets from Jim, who had clearly stated, “There are only 20 golden tickets”.

We arrive at Portman Road training grounds where we were greeted by Jim, and another Action Coach. After an hour of networking, we were taken by bus to the Ipswich Town players training grounds, where we were met by Bryan Hamilton the Coach, and Simon Milton one of the former players. I thought, well, how hard could the light coaching session be?

Let me tell you, the best bit of it was seeing Matt’s face, every time I looked at him and saw his huge smile, it took away the pain. Luckily, Peter Green the photographer had the sense to take the photos before we trained.

The two hours came and went, and as we all headed back to the showers. Most of us agreed that the days of us playing football had been over for some years.

The day rolled on with a networking lunch, where we all got to know a bit more about each other. One person who springs back to mind was Kate McNally, the only woman to attend; whom we would find out at the end of the day was the business editor to the East Anglian Daily Times, she was such a good sport.

The last two hours of the day were taken up by Action Coaches; letting us know how they could help the business people, we come across every day in our businesses. They covers loads of great stuff, I took so many notes it was untrue. Some bits I’ve implemented into our business already.

The day came to a close, and Matt and I headed back to Bury St Edmunds, happily chatting about the day and the people we had met, and wondered how we could now help the Action Coaches.

I guess, the how can I help, was made easy when you look at the whole day. I have never ever played in a game of football, at any level, even school, as I did track. After a short while, I could dribble the ball around the cones, and soon came to understand that’s what a coach does; shows you how to do things you didn’t know how to do before. How many business people do you know who go through their business life not really knowing what they are doing? Maybe they need an Action Coach!

Well must go, I still have about 50 more blogs to do…

Speak soon

Mark Byford

E: mark@abcadvantage.biz T: 07979 080808
www.abclocal.biz www.abcadvantage.biz www.abcnetwork.biz www.mysplodge.com

P.S. Nearly forgot, the ABC marches onward and upward, with new members joining at all levels.