Real Business

It's time Vince Cable proved himself – with a complete overhaul of debt-collection systems.

What would happen if people in government actually spent their time concentrating on improvements to the state of Britain? 

I’m not convinced we’re over the worst of this recession. In fact, I’m inclined to believe that all those headlines about economic growth figures came from pre-election government spin doctors, trying to persuade the British public that Labour’s policies had worked a treat.

Doing the BBC Essex Loud Women show on Friday was great fun.

We're approaching the end of the third quarter of our financial year – and we're way, way behind the targets I had set in our business plan, which is a bit grim to say the least.

Yet again, my week seems to be sunk by being more of a full-time HR director.

Exhaustion persists. If I disappear overnight, it will be because I have been pushed too far, leapt in my car and headed off to the continent to reflect on things – an action contemplated on the hour during past few days...

It is a fairly well established fact that the majority of women go into business for reasons other than, or at least in addition to, finance. For me, there was survival finance but the way of obtaining it was dictated by having two small children and wanting to look after them while working at the same time.

Not sure if I’m not sleeping due to extreme heat or simply over-exhaustion and pressure of work, but either way seems vicious circle of crawling into bed and then lying there too tired to sleep.

Feeling strain of key members of staff being away quite badly. Endeavouring to put a positive spin on it, I can safely say that it is an immense tribute to my head of woodwork, to find just how badly that department fares with him away.

One of our core values is accountability. Many people see that just within the bounds of putting their hand up to an error of some sort, but actually it is meant as more than that. It is a recognition of each person’s contribution having an effect on their lives and on their place in the company. 

Suspect it is sexist but accurate to say that I am one of many women who are heaving a sigh of relief this morning to wake up knowing that we are not going to have our week ruled by another England football match.

Not only has my son returned to Oz indefinitely (to be seen on Facebook swinging in a hammock on a deserted beach) but now my Second-in-Charge is down with anxiety attacks, which have plagued him for the past year or so.

I take time off from the ongoing HR crisis in the company to delve into the Budget.

Tempted to stand in the car park and scream the place down.