Barefoot Business News from Robert Ashton
| July 2011
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Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!
The BBC Proms has been putting music under the spotlight for more than 100 years. It's our annual opportunity to experience the might and power of professional performance. A friend of mine sings with the London Philharmonic Choir and described the tremendous feeling of belonging he felt being one of hundreds singing Verdi's Requiem to a full house last weekend.
JK Rowling described the magic of music in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It may be, as she suggests, 'beyond all we do here,' but it is only here because of what we do to make it.
For me the Proms is a metaphor for where we find ourselves today. As we wrestle with rising social disadvantage, a weak economy and rocketing fuel prices it's never been more important to work in harmony. Whichever way you look at it, man can no longer extract quarts from pint pots.
Government call it Big Society but I call it Big Reality. It's time to get in tune with our situation and accept that making the most noise is no longer the way to be heard. Government may see itself as the conductor, but we need to organise ourselves into the orchestra and choir!
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| I'm humming it but will you play it? | |
I met Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, three times over the past month. The most recent occasion was a 'social enterprise roundtable' at which a number of sector 'shakers and movers' were invited to discuss how Government could make it easier for social entrepreneurship to flourish.
As you might expect, I went armed with a checklist of ten things I think Government need to do. All are simple, practical and in my view achievable. The Guardian kindly published the list earlier this week. It's attracting a lot of interest. You can read it here. Please add some comments; I know that Government are reading what I write and your endorsement, or criticism will add weight.
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| Who's playing the piper? |
I've learned over the years that people get more from training and development when they pay for it themselves. Funded stuff, particularly where the funder does the recruiting, has at times presented me with the wrong people, in the room for the wrong reasons.
So when I developed my own 'Barefoot Academy' I intentionally priced it to be affordable. I also said I wanted folk to pay for themselves. The first two groups are recruiting now (Norwich and Ely) with others planned. But I must confess I underestimated two facts.
- The people I most want to help, those starting out or facing major career change, cannot all afford even the modest £100 + VAT per month I am charging;
- Funders are interested in supporting the programme because it is different, realistic and likely to deliver excellent value for money.
So, wherever you are and whatever your challenge, if you think joining my Barefoot Academy might help, give Jess here a call on 01953 605000 or email her to find out how you can get at least 50% of the cost grant funded.
Some of the grant funding is time limited, so if you're even slightly interested, do get in touch to find out more.
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| Money for nothing | |
There's no catch and it's not a fiddle. Ethecol Merchant Services CIC, the social enterprise I lead really does enable you to raise money and save money at the same time. Sally Chicken, of Ipswich & Suffolk Credit Union recently became the first to sign with Ethecol to raise money for the Suffolk Foundation.
Sally's organisation decided to accept debit cards, so that people could more easily make loan repayments. Her clients welcomed the opportunity to repay by card, some over the phone, saving the hassle of positing a cheque or making the trip into town.
Hertfordshire Community Foundation have also signed up. Their Director David Fitzpatrick explained that they'd be setting up an Ethecol Fund within the Foundation. 'This will receive commission on every transaction made though the Ethecol card terminals we set up. Half the money will be distributed as grants immediately and half invested for future grant-making'.
Hertfordshire Community Foundation are now actively promoting Ethecol as part of their fundraising programme. Why not sign up yourself, and perhaps be the first Ethecol client to support your local Community Foundation?
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| Sound travels a long way | |
I've recently had a couple of touching reminders that whilst my work is focused on the UK, people are influenced by what I say and write all over the world. A Senator in the Australian Government emailed me recently to say: "I have been reading your writing for a while, and want to encourage you to keep at it! I just want to provide some feedback... You nourish my soul"
And my best selling self-help book 'The Life Plan' has just been translated into Indonesian; further evidence of my global reach.
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Quote of the month
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'Social entrepreneurs are like swan vestas - anything abrasive can make them spark and their good ideas can spread like wildfire.'
Robert Ashton
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Sincerely,
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