Stick to what you believe in
SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2010 By DOMINIC
It has been well over a month since I last wrote the blog when we decided between us that it would be interesting to alternate it amongst the team. Since that blog at the end of July, the summer has almost drawn to a close and business is gearing up once again for the final quarter of the year – traditionally a fairly busy time for us as clients return from their summer holidays and put financial planning back on their agenda.
Now that September is upon us, it is back to business as usual which means spending plenty of my time attending events in the professional and business community. I am fortunate enough to be invited to a wide array of different events hosted by businesses within our professional community.
Last Thursday, I attended the North West Leaders Dinner hosted by Insider at The Lowry Hotel. This was an invite only audience of regional business leaders and Xentum was delighted to be a co-sponsor of this prestigious event. Over two hundred guests had the pleasure of listening to guest speaker, Dave Whelan, founder of JJB Sports and Chairman of Wigan Athletic. His warm northern charm filled the room as he told his personal tale of rags to riches. Very few figures in business and sport have achieved his success and to have remained so grounded having done so is testament to his humilty and, I suspect, his northern roots. He displayed a great combination – he was evidently proud of his achievements yet he told his success story without a hint of arrogance. It is always inspiring to hear a rags to riches story and never more so when it is told with such candour.
One theme he touched on was the austerity of the war time generation. He recalled the weekly ration of 2oz of meat per person. This single fact alone served as a poignant reminder of the plentiful times that we now live in. My little boy, Jensen, who is three, probably eats that in a single meal. The austerity faced by the wartime generation coupled with the personal hardships many endured clearly built incredibly strong and resilient characters, of which Dave Whelan was a fine example.
Dave Whelan also shared a valuable lesson with us which he had learnt early on. His entrepreneurial career began with a stall on Wigan market that amongst other things sold pharmaceutical products which had previously been the preserve of a large chemist. After a few years of a flourishing trade, he was taken to court by the chemist on the basis that certain products were only permitted to be sold from ‘shop’ premises and not a market stall. After an initial victory at the county court, he found himself summoned to the High Court in London where he represented himself. He managed to win the right to continue to trade from his stall. The lesson that the experience taught him, which he shared with us, was that when you think you’re right, you should believe in yourself and not be afraid to fight your corner. It clearly paid dividends for him over the years.
When I reflected on this, it struck me that whilst Xentum is only a minnow in comparison to the business empires created by Mr Whelan, the idea of being determined to fight your corner is not unfamiliar to us. A large part of our role is to ensure that our clients receive the best possible solutions for their circumstances on the most favourable terms. This involves a fair amount of determination and focus, not least to convince clients at times that our advice really is genuine and worth taking. Whilst a far cry from being challenged in the High Court, I can certainly relate to the idea of not giving in and sticking to what you believe in.
Posted in: General Information