Your doughnuts are shite!!

As normal I find the classic line that will follow me i am sure.

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Crunch time!

Well what can I say, its countdown time. 

I have loved the ride, enjoy it even more if I succeed and become one of the faces for Entrepreneurship for  Sunderland. 

I think its only right that the face of Surreal however should be the Surreal Team. I love the image we generated for some PR recently. It can be disturbing as it looks so human but is not. Perfect for Surreal as we are all about What Do You See!

Fingers crossed and hopefully if we succeed the image will be a lot different in 12 months due to growth in the business.

Many thanks and keep voting

Ian 

Sunny Mondays = Happy Mondays!

Phew what a scorcher!!

How nice a weekend and hopefully it will be all smiles in the office today as the weather so effects the mood in office.

We had a really good planning meeting on Friday where I took all the staff to the Hotel Du Vin for a meeting and food. Shut the office at 3 and we stayed until 8. I then went home, the team stayed out till 3am, think I made the right choice!

Came up with some great ideas re business planning, costing and maximising margins which is so important these days. One of the suggestions from the team was 'Happy Mondays' the idea we have a meeting at 9am with tea and some kind of food an discuss everybody's weekends. The idea to get everybody into the mood before the work starts. 

Work wise, various stuff on the go at the moment and working on a marketing document that one of our clients wants to use to present us in partnership with its clients to help them maximise their potential. Its a win win as our client gets a kick back from all sales generated, they introduce we do the work. Simples!!

Just in an image from a sail we have been getting produced. The hair product company HERB UK has offered sponsorship of their sail FOC. Looking good and lets hope the Isle of Wight yacht race is a big success.

Ian

Back in the North East

To those who might be interested, sorry I have not been updating my blog. I had a very relaxing weekend and enjoyed the weather and a spot of gardening. I have the scratches and bruises to prove it.

I have also been in London for the last couple of days and struggled to get connectivity for laptop. I refuse to pay £18 for 24 internet access in my Hilton hotel. I think this is a total rip off and one of the reasons I prefer to use independent or smaller chains as they normally offer free Wi-Fi.

I was in London on business, meeting up with both Nike and Trevor Sorbie who we currently have projects on the go with.

As always, Trevor likes to go out for a few drinks so enjoyed a couple of cheeky ones in Harvey Nics 5th floor bar (he payed). Also got to see the new development in Knightsbridge that is nearing completion. The top floor apartments are selling for £100 million. How scary is that!!

Sitting at my desk now doing a lot of planning for the next development in the business. Interesting times, some great opportunities for growth as one of our blue chip client has asked us to look at a project that would take us up to 2011 with a six figure budget.

Well that's it, and thank you for voting for me in advance. If you have not placed your vote then get your finger out and help me become champion for 2009.

Regards

Ian

Late night

Had a great day at the Inspire conference yesterday. Thought Martin Lightbody and Matthew Riley were both, as the conference said - Inspiring!

Also had a good night. Maybe too good, as a little bit tired today and think I must have had cheese and crackers when I got in at 1.30.......

I say 'think', as I can't remember just what was on the kitchen bench this morning.

Was nice to meet up with the other finalists and see the diversity of businesses we all come from.

Blog short today as not to much energy and need fish and chips. Sure you all know that feeling.

Have a great weekend.

Ian

NHS Press Launch of My New Hair

Well the day has finally arrived. After 12 months of going through a tender process, the contract for the Northern Cancer Network to go live, with an Equality of Service delivered through the My New Hair network of salons, is in place.

An amazing achievement as nobody thought it possible to get this in place.

We like to think this is the famous five (we have 2 of the gang missing) who are driving the charity throughout the UK. Darren Stuart (Tribeca Hair), Ann Fox (Nurse Director for Northern Cancer Network), Trevor Sorbie MBE, Hilary Blackburn (My New Hair) and yours truly.

I know this has nothing to do with work, only that by being my own boss I can choose to support and spend as much time as I like to help launch this fantastic charity. Watch out, this is going to be big news soon and, lets be honest, we are all touched by the 'cancer' word with somebody we know or have known.

Work front... Another busy day with Derwentside Homes coming in today after being commissioned to deliver their Communication Strategy and the 'YouTalkTo' project.

We also had Gentoo in today filming for their company video about how the Communication Team works with creatives.... that's us!!

Looking forward to the main event tomorrow and have a nice new shirt ready for the days events.

Signing off until Friday

Ian

Surreal with Trevor Sorbie's My New Hair

Another good day today. Just had news from FHM (construction, not the magazine) that a brand we have been developing for one of their clients has been approved. So, all systems go as the site is currently under construction.

I have attached a couple of images of My New Hair. The charity is getting publicity in the region via the NHS in the North East. Trevor is again visiting us (he is becoming a big fan of the area) tomorrow to show his support. The tender process has now been benchmarked for launch across the UK.

The photo was taken when we handed over a cheque about 3 weeks ago for £6000 to develop the MNH website. I am one of a team of cyclists who raise cash peddling stupid amounts of miles to help cancer charities under the banner of The Tracy Crawford Foundation, named after our good friend, Tracy Crawford, who died of Leukemia. To date we have raised in excess of £10,0000.

My New Hair and you will see why we are developing a new website.

Cycle Ride For Life to see our fund raising efforts and some very dodgy photos.

I know this is not strictly a work orientated blog but thought it might let you see me as a more than just a business, which is exactly what Surreal is all about.

See ya