Introduction

[Anonymous]

Hi,
I am Geoff who after many years of being a retail manager up to area manager, left to start my own thing, so that I could spend more time with my family.

I achieved that but not in the way I wanted! now my wife and family work too long hours on our buisness in the rural transport sector.

It started ok I bought a taxi and I was on my way, but the wife decided to get in on the act and we now have 6.

I submitted an idea to my transport authority a go ahead one for creative solutions of delivering rural bus services, using 8 seat taxis, I was amazed at the response, they loved it and submitted it to the Goverment who gave it a massive grant.

the scheme was put out to competetive tender early this year we tendered and have reached preferential bidder status, which means its both the lowest and best value tender.

shorter hours now a year off!

but whilst I may have good ideas about developing busness, and have a good track reccord, I still lack the expertise in corporate planning and the wider things a manager does not get involved in.

that is why I read here.

Geoff

[gj]

Hi Geoff

Welcome to the forum.

Well done on the growth of your business. Sounds like you could do with having your own "boot camp" - get away for a couple of days to think about the structure of the business - see if there is a way can you do what you are doing and still have more time with the family.

Also, will give you a chance to look at where you want to go with the business in the future.

Regards

Graham

[kyber]

Hi Geoff

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on making the transition from retail into your own transport business. Finding an opportunity such as you have that gets local government backing is impresive. I hope you enjoy running your own business. Your retail background will have given you many of the most important skills you need around the customer proposition, customer services and costs management.

The broader strategic stuff (including figuring out now what to do when things go wrong - not the least of which are dodgy insurance claims made against you) will be learnt gradually the hard way. It sounds like you and your wife make for a formidable team.

I am sure that this forum will help you think some things through. I hope you manage to find the balance between operational and strategic management. No doubt you have a terrific accountant who can guide you in the painful areas you know well but have less time for.

Best wishes for your continued success.

Stuart

[Ozzy]

Hi Geoff,
It does sound like you are doing exceptionally well and congrats on that!
There are many people from all walks of life on here who are all happy to pass onto you their experience, so enjoy your stay and I hope you find it of use.