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My Week: Time Machine

26th May 2017
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Guten Tag folks. It was a tough week on both fronts, client work and FT Tower works.

Project Manager

Over the week I questioned myself whether the PM is the right person and whether he is value for money for FT Practice Ltd. His role is two-fold. Design/plan the layout of FT Tower and manage the implementation at the best possible price. He has failed on the second aspect of his brief.

Outside his design work, I am doing it all. Getting quotations and selecting the people who would undertake a variety of work in FT Tower.

Management

I have not discussed my concerns with the PM. The project is coming to an end (hopefully), if I raise anything now, my worry is that I will lose whatever good input I would otherwise get from him.

When I appointed him, I was incredibly busy, and I did not have a formal written agreement/contract with him. It would have outlined clearly my expectations. Come to think of it; he did not provide anything formal for me to sign either.

I thought after years of experience; I would NOT get the basics wrong. I did. It is now hitting me where it hurts – my bank balance.

Reality

The reality of the project hit me over the week. I started to have doubts. I asked myself whether I have made the right decision to move on from serviced offices. I have the comforts of a service office support function. At present, by paying rent and broadband costs, I do not have the worry about anything else.

Also, FT Tower is NOT perfect as it was in my dream. There is the dream, and there is damn reality where problem one is followed by problem 99! Resolving these involve throwing cash and even more cash. The worst part is even after this; it does work as you dreamed! Stupid real life!

Time Machine

If I got a time machine that only allows going back three months, would I put an offer on FT Tower? The way, this week has gone, the answer is a BIG FAT NO. Yes, I said NO!

Time Machine, unfortunately, is only science fiction and NOT science fact. I made the decision, and I HAVE To Make it WORK. Something in me knows that I will. There also that voice in me saying it is the right way to go despite my current reservations.

Health and Wellbeing

Neglecting my health has not helped. Aside from cycling that I love, there is nothing else I have done that looks after my body. In fact, some of my activities have an adverse impact on my health.

I think my doubts and me not so happy with myself is simply because of significant change and uncertainty. Like anything else, this too shall pass.

 

Replies (3)

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By mrme89
27th May 2017 10:48

Sucked in by the excitement, but now reality (money) has kicked.

This isn't a dig, but you've always been an emotive thinker. So this blog isn't a surprise to me.

I'm sure it'll all work out in the end, it always does.

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Replying to mrme89:
FT
By FirstTab
27th May 2017 11:40

Thank you for your response.

My blogs are about how I FEEL and my emotions. It is a key part of being a human (me) and my actions. The only difference is I have no issues in being honest and bringing these out in the open.

Leaving emotions out would just be another accountant's stiff upper lip type blog. For that, you just need to read Practice Excellence articles. Not my bag. Thankfully, there is room for all types on AW. Thank you Sift.

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By dbowleracca
31st May 2017 20:10

You have made the decision to move, and whether it is the right or wrong decision, you are now committed.

Your only option now is to really make it work - and by that I mean marketing the hell out of it to current and prospective clients and capitalising on the positive side of having your own premises.

Most decisions in life can be looked on with regret if you let them - should I have become and accountant? Why did I leave that firm? Could I have done better in that client meeting? Did I drink too much last night? And so on. I'm a big believer in looking forwards and not back, and using every decision as a lesson to guide future actions.

You took a big step in moving away from the comfort of services offices. That's a massive positive, and a decision a lot of business owners are scared to make. Hence why they are still small businesses 10 or 20 years down the line.

My only advice now would be to ensure you hold plenty of client meetings there, and prospect meetings, to capitalise on the money spent and create a great impression to clients and potential clients.

As someone once said "failure is not an option".

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