It’s a bit of an old cliché but when you’re running a business, no two days are ever the same.
One day you’re reviewing record performance but a few days later, you’re in court losing a procedural argument you thought you had covered.
In between, you’re juggling family, clients, candidates, hiring, and trying to keep yourself relatively fit.
This week, in particular, has been wildly dramatic!
My coping mechanism in all the chaos is ‘anchors’ – things I always make happen no matter what.
Monday morning team kick-off, Friday performance review, weekends with the family (mostly) and trying to do four evenings of exercise.
Because when everything else is unpredictable, those things help move things forward and keep you sane!
I’m not a 5am w*nker – but my week usually starts at 5am, because I’ve got three kids under four (with a fourth on the way in May).
Most mornings begin with chaos, CBeebies and getting everyone out the door.
By the time I’m in the office, I’ve usually done a few calls and the days have already begun.
Monday
Monday was a relatively quiet start. Time in the office focusing the team for the week ahead, working on my own deals and building momentum.
Alongside that, I interviewed potential hires for CMR and met with a marketing agency.
I’m fortunate to have a brilliant team around me – people who genuinely care, work hard, and keep things moving even when I’m pulled in different directions.
That trust is what allows me to step in and out of different parts of the business without everything falling over.
Home for 5:30pm for dinner, bath and bedtime – then out for a gym session once the kids were down.
Tuesday
Tuesday followed the same 5am start, but with all three kids in school or pre-school I was around for drop-off.
Later in the day the focus shifted to reviewing the business with our shareholder and accountant.
These meetings are always easier when things are going well, and luckily we’ve started the year brilliantly (by our own standards!)
I also interviewed further potential hires and met with a software provider in the afternoon – constantly looking at how we stay at innovative and attract top people.
I managed to meet my wife for lunch, before heading back into more BD and delivery calls.
Then it was straight into swimming with our eldest, followed by a 5k run once the house went quiet.
Wednesday
Wednesday ramped things up.
Up at 5am, then onto a 7am train to London to host a Making Tax Digital event at Tower Bridge for 20 clients and prospects.
A coffee meeting beforehand, the event itself late morning, then straight into another meeting after.
Days like that are full-on, but they’re important. They’re where relationships are built and where the business really moves forward.
Back home for 6:30pm, just in time to see the kids briefly before bed.
Thursday
Thursday I was up early for the gym, helped with the kids then into Manchester for a day of meetings with clients, candidates, and a founder we’re partnering with on a padel networking group.
Home again for dinner, and an evening of prep for Friday.
Friday
Then Friday, and our long-awaited court debut.
But before that all kicked off, we finally sold our house – so a flurry of calls with estate agents and mortgage brokers followed.
Then court. We’ve been dealing with a long-running dispute over unpaid invoices, and this hearing was to deal with a procedural point raised by the defendant – and we lost.
An expensive but valuable lesson – and only a setback, as the main case will be heard later in the year.
Friday night, though, brought perspective back quickly.
The business had still performed strongly – four deals done across the week – and we wrapped it up the usual way: McDonald’s and a movie night with the kids.
The weekends are mostly family, with the odd work call or email. Rugby, tennis, ballet – and trying to be present in amongst it all.
Sunday evening comes around, and I’ll spend an hour planning the week ahead. Reviewing the diary, setting priorities, and getting ready to go again.
The highs and lows of running a business are what make it so exciting – but it wouldn’t be possible without those people, my ‘anchors’ around me… the team and my family make it all possible (another cliche, but absolutely true in my case)
We go again tomorrow!
- CMR Jobs specialises in recruitment for the contractor payroll and accountancy.