Sort of weeknotes (again)
It has again, been a while.
So what have I been up to since I left my last role you ask?
Many things. Broadly in 3 categories.
- Rebuilding my business
- Project managing the house renovations
- Writing a book, talking about the book and talking about the book some more
Rebuilding the business
After I left my last role, I had a surprising number of enquiries from folk in Wales asking if I could come and do some work with them.
I still just about had my company structure in place, I hadn’t quite managed to close it (ugggg paperwork).
So I got a new accountant, reactivated tax, payroll and VAT services (all shockingly easy) and started writing proposals and tender responses. Made some calls to people I’ve worked with before.
And it seem I have a viable business on my hands again!
One client contract is fully signed, a second is just imminent for signing, a third is a few steps behind that and a fourth is still in procurement (shhhhh).
Still working through with clients what I can and can’t say publicly. But hoping to give a fuller update on that soon and aiming to start up a blog connected to my company for that.
I’m working with some amazing people again and it’s all very exciting.
And very exhausting. I’m doing both hands on delivery and all the stuff you have to do to set up and run a business, managing current clients and future clients. Accountants. Procurement. Marketing. Tech and IT support.
Observation: procurement in UK Gov and Wales are making it VERY hard for small businesses. The number of requirements for certifications and schemes and audits are getting expensive and extremely onerous for small businesses wanting to work with government. Also the long lead times to get on frameworks makes it hard to contract with small companies. A lot of relying on bigger companies to act as prime, which of course, comes with fees (understandably). The whole procurement system needs a proper radical overhaul. Again.
House renovations
We are FINALLY in phase 2 of our renovation work. The main living space of the house is ripped up. We’re living elsewhere and commuting back home to work from our offices during the day.
I have half a new kitchen in a reconfigured bigger space that’s been properly thought through and designed. I cannot wait to start cooking in it again.
After Christmas, we’ll get a new master bathroom upstairs. The bathroom of my dreams. New floors in our bedroom and the living room. A new front door. New trifold doors in our kitchen. New upgraded and overspeed radiators downstairs. A new spiral staircase designed by our architect and built by a local metal working artist. Honestly, it’s a thing of absolute beauty. I can’t believe we’re grown up enough for such a thing.
We’re also replacing all the single glazed windows in the house, eight of them in total. This is going to make such a huge difference to heating the house in the winter. We’re being supported by Welsh Government’s Greener Homes scheme for the window replacement
We’re also hoping we can stretch that funding to also install solar panels and installation of a battery. We’ve had our first survey back and it’s exciting just how many panels they think they can get on our weird roof spaces. Really excited to take the first step towards getting ourselves off fossil fuels.
I’m project managing this work, managing all the finances and coordinating buying all the fixtures and fittings. On top of work. And living in not-my-house. It’s a lot.
The book
You all know about the book so I won’t go on about that again. But it’s having the impact we’d hoped it would. As a conversation starter with politicians and decision makers and what I hope is viewed as a support to those in the public sector in Wales who are working to change how things are done.
We’re quieter publicly, but busy behind the scenes talking and advocating.
Have a read of Transforming public services for a modern Wales, it's only short and published in both English and Welsh. And if you like what you've read, do consider dropping us a few pounds to help with our ongoing printing and outreach costs!