Its been a while but in our defence we've been busy. Honestly.
2017 came and went in a blur. So where to start? Well there's always the usual housekeeping when you set up a new venture but Ireland is rightly lauded as a business friendly environment, so that was all pretty straightforward - and remains so.
Always conscious of what we don't know we took some time to hone and augment our skills. In January we could be found in UCC where digital marketeer extraordinaire - and a Cork City FC fan when it was neither profitable nor popular - Dave Alton offered much guidance and support. By the year end we had completed the truly excellent Harvard Law School Executive Education PON Global Programme; quite simply one of the best things we've ever done and an insight into what world class actually means. In between times, we brushed up on our French with a couple of terms with the good folk at the Alliance Francaise de Cork. As they themselves might say "Petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid".
Workwise, we simply got stuck in. We tried a few new things; most worked, some didn't. But no matter. There's always another day and always another opportunity. You're always learning. And so it proved. Work came easily and regularly. We even had the confidence - some would say the nerve - to turn down work. In truth there seems little point in doing something for the sake of it or if it doesn't excite or challenge you. Why bother? As always, it was and is about the idea. Change too. It's what motivates us. As does a challenge. Ever up for one, we steeled ourselves, put our best foot forward and renewed acquaintances with the world of public procurement; always an interesting and revealing prospect and one that tells you a lot about what's going on, if not always why. The opposite is true too. Delve deep and you learn a great deal about Ireland - the good, the bad and the indifferent, but little that we didn't know anyway. Nevertheless, we pitched in, fought our corner and carried many the spoils. This allowed us to draw on and develop most - though not all - of our services portfolio. That'll come in time.
What else? Well, we travelled widely both for work and pleasure. Georgia continued to intrigue and excite. Ambition, talent and optimism is always, always, a good formula. Closer to home we managed to visit nearly every corner of the country and see at first hand what is or isn't happening in rural Ireland; at turns a rewarding or sobering experience. The why and where is well understood, the how less so...
It's going to be a rough ride and we'll have fewer winners than losers. So where to start? We could do worse than admit the truth of the matter and take it from there.