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ICT Christmas Seminar Review Meriden, Coventry. 4th December 2024 |
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For our Christmas Seminar we returned to our customary venue in the heart of England. The Manor Hotel, Meriden, Nr. Coventry. This was billed as a special non-technical seminar to highlight the personal challenges and accomplishments of Andrew Norton and Neil Chamberlain, two of our long standing industry colleagues. We were pleased to add Steve Driver, as an extra speaker, who was to give us and enlightening and inspiring overview of his approach to doing business. |
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| Presentation No 1 |
A Year on the Sea Andrew Norton |
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Andrew Norton |
My wife Muriel and I set off from Cowes on 3rd June 2023 on this intrepid voyage. Preparing for the voyage required meticulous planning. There were so many things needed to equip the boat for a year away from home. The main items included:
The day before we set off the electrician was still on board and only then we managed to test the water maker for the first time!
On the first leg from Cowes to Portugal across the Bay of Biscay we were lucky to have excellent weather. The next leg from Portugal to Las Palmas we were harassed by Orca whales which was quite alarming. We soon found there was no more Tesco or Waitrose home delivery to be had. It was best to adopt a vegetarian diet. Any provisions brought on board had to be carefully screened for cockroaches! Throughout our trip finding fresh food was very costly. Four yogurts were $16 in the British Virgin Islands. We made our own yogurts, and bread and ate lot of rice and pasta.
From then on the journey was not so much about getting from A to B as we spent 5 months cruising the Caribbean Islands. What a blissful time that was. We found many anchorages to protect us from the wind. Customs checking in and out of every island was required by the authorities.
There were endless repairs and engine servicing required. You can never embark with enough spare parts for this journey. Every visitor who came to see us had to fill their suitcases with spares to maintain all our equipment. Just enough room left for a swimsuit. The return home had to happen one day. We came back with the trade winds and sailed home beating our way through the waves! The first leg was the Bermuda Triangle. We lived to tell the tale but experienced an impressive storm with a full night of thunder and lightning The last leg was Azores to Home: we knew we were in the right direction having to add a layer of clothing every day, waves crashing in, rain pelting down, one hour watch and one hour sleep in turn.
Andrew Norton. December 2024 |
| Presentation No 2 |
It is Solved by Walking Neil Chamberlain - Polar Instruments |
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Neil Chamberlain European Sales Manager |
Welcome to chapter 1 of my midlife crisis!
Fig 1. Mount Kilimanjaro - 5,895m (19341 ft) In 2004 I embarked on a personal challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. I undertook this as a personal quest to test and stretch my endurance and capabilities. It is named my first Misogi Challenge. The Misogi Challenge is a personal quest, inspired by the Japanese Shinto practice of ritual purification, where individuals undertake a single, challenging event each year to push their limits and experience personal growth. It involves doing something so tough, once a year, that it shapes how you live the rest of your 364 days. Kilimanjaro - A few facts
Fig 2. Kilimanjaro Climate Zones During the climb you pass through pretty much every climate zone as the altitude dominates the day and night time temperatures and the environment adapts to suit.
Fig 3. The 6 day trek The climb takes a total of 6 days from the initial base camp to the summit. We had porters to help with transporting everything from tents, food and even a toilet. Everything that goes up has to come down. It is most important that the environment is not polluted by the 35 thousand people who visit the mountain each year.
Fig 4. At the Summit This was a huge undertaking and will shape my life in the coming years. It was tough and I am pleased that it all went well. I am grateful for the experience and now I can tell people all about it on my safe return. Neil Chamberlain |
| Presentation No 3 |
What's the Plan Steve Driver - Jiva Materials Ltd. |
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CEO Jiva Materials |
First of all, I want to say it was my pleasure to speak at this event, it was also an honour to follow two great speakers who presented epic personal achievements. As a keen and long-standing supporter of the ICT it troubles me a little that the average age of the audience is creeping up and that too much time is spent reminiscing and reflecting on the past. This is not me having a rant, but what I would like to do in 2025 is get some positivity back in the industry, my presentation was the start of what I have in my head right now. Our industry is full of people talking about the “used to be`s” My message is embrace the change, find new business, find new opportunities. About me: Over the years, we older ones in the ICT have seen many changes and what I find quite bizarre is that there are so many of us still working and contributing in this industry when we don’t even need to work…It’s the passion, that keeps us in it. I have spent a small fortune on training myself and many of my staff, and it makes me quite proud when I look around the industry and some of the staff I have personally trained that now have good careers and good salaries. I referred to a book in my presentation, “who moved my cheese”, this was a life changing book for me.
Who moved my Cheese When my company crashed in 2004, I lost my order book due to a shift in the telecoms market to Asia, I was 85% telecoms, I had a t/o of £10m and suddenly without notice I lost £7m of orders….my cheese was gone. Nobody moved it, tech changed, landscape changed. This book was given to me by Jim Francey, I have since used it many times and gifted over 50 -100 copies to staff, friends and colleagues, its is a timeless story that could help anyone find their way. Another book that a dear friend gave me back in 2001 was a book called “Don’t just do something sit there”. The complete opposite of what our parents and grandparents yelled at us. “don’t just sit there do something” probably followed by something like you last so and so…..Again this book made me look at my life, busy running around all the time. The lady that gave me this book told me to sit and think, plan look at yourself.
Don't Just do Something - Sit There This book reverses many old acronyms that are now somehow out of date. Personally, I could not have survived business life without the friendships I have gained over the past 40 years. Emotional resilience, is something I have bucket loads of, but not without help. I have had life coaches, business coaches, psychiatrists and all kinds of paid help over the years. My close friends and family think I have the skin of an elephant and the strength and will of an Ox, one very close friend/customer actually said I was made of rubber. The truth is I have learned how to control my mind and emotions, I basically have a head full of folders, and I mentally file everything, I do delete somethings and I do have an archive if its needed.
I mentioned training, during the Spirit hey days, I spent over £300k on training, I engaged a company called Shirlaws, this was an incredible journey that lasted 14 months, we worked on roles and responsibilities and how to change the way we worked, moving from supply to service. I also contracted the best trainer I have ever used, a chap called George Constantoplous from SBR consulting. He cost me £170k to train myself and my team for high growth…Best money ever spent. The hook that made me use him was when he told me… “confused buyers don’t buy” and “confused sellers don’t sell” and your business is confusing. Let’s sort it out, here’s my card, and we did. I feel like I might have just written my book, and just might one day, this is just a small example of some of the good things I have done, there are many F**k ups too, which are also good learning opportunities. I am going to close by referring to some of my slides, the PCB manufacturing base in the UK has shrunk, that is undeniable, that does not mean it is dead. There are many PCBs still be assembled, designed, procured and there are many industries that use PCB technology…Batteries, wearables, metal etching, printed electronics, semiconductors etc. Steve Driver |
Fig 1. An overview of the vital extensive safety equipment
Fig 2. Our roughly circular route is shown on the map above.
Fig 3. Our impressive spinnaker sadly perished in a strong wind!
Fig 4. Celebrating with our first rum punch in Grenada
Fig 5. Fabulous Caribbean memories
Fig 6. Safe back home after a trip of a lifetime.
Steve Driver
Another book worth a read is “Mental Toughness".