Quite a few absences this week so lots of elbow room especially at my end sitting near our 10 minute presenter – litigator, Gemma Newing of Sherrards solictors www.sherrards.com “Is everyone afraid of me?” she asks quietly, to which I suspect the answer ought to be yes, but only if you are bad. With less than 24 hours notice, she gives an excellent presentation backing it up with hard copies of PowerPoint slides, very useful for what can be quite a complicated subject. Main point is “know your client” i.e. What is their business like? Do they operate out of smart offices or a dungeon? Where do the directors live? Know who you are dealing with before they owe you thousands. Have an up to date Terms of Business including an interest clause on late payment.

Chatting to Paul Ffitch, Tax Partner of Sayers Butterworth accountants http://sayersb.com/ on the way in to the RAF Club, he mentions that the end of tax year is almost a non-event with the really busy time being 31 January. From 6th April, people earning over £100k will lose their Personal Allowance at the rate of £1 for each £2 income over £100k and the other half of their Personal Allowance at the rate of £1 for each £1 over earnings £140k. In simple language, this equals a top Income Tax Rate of 60 per cent (who said Old Labour was dead?) but a single pension contribution can avoid this N.B. this has to come from earned income – not dividends.

Notable absentee is Gavin Morton-Holmes of www.destinyplc.com the intelligent pen people, who at 2 a.m. became the proud dad of a second child for whom he has dreams of being a great footballer. Substitute and well-known soundman Johnny Mindlin http://www.green-shoot.co.uk/ dutifully delivers the 60 seconds but has designs on the lad’s two-legged talents being directed to a different football team! Dad better buy the right team shirt in good time for the christening.

As always, diamond geezer Lewis Malka of http://www.joseph-sterling.com/our-diamonds.html gives an excellent 60 seconds with a story of an engagement which was on one week, off on the Saturday and “is alright now!” a couple of days later. He leaves attractive printed leaflets furnished by Richard Houldsworth of www.splattprint.com at about 24 hours notice reminding us of the hidden value in old jewellery etc. Richard also gives a testimonial for Louise Hassett, Corporate Sales Manager of www.delfontmacintosh.co.uk who arranged very nice tickets for a couple’s anniversary. Her own 60 seconds records a 95 year old gentleman seeing Avenue Q and they are doing lots of big birthdays at the moment. Avenue Q while finished now, will be back in June at a different theatre as Calendar Girls takes over at the Noel Coward theatre

Diver Mick CEO of www.wolrddivecentres.com subbing for Justin Beavis reminds us that WDC is 2 years old and that they need a web person for whom I am happy to refer a client of mine, who did an excellent job improving my own www.georgeemsden.co.uk site. Yours Truly’s 60 seconds recounts the story of a lady I met yesterday at one of my regular pension surgeries. After 12 years in teaching she has made a career change and has a 12 month contract with her new employer, thus being ineligible for any Employer’s pension contibution. After a 20 minute chat, I am able to send her a recommendation that afternoon showing the likely fund from the contibution she can afford. The company I recommend has charges of around 0.7% p.a. compared to others where they are nearly 2% p.a. – all of which can make a huge difference to the size of her pension fund at 65.

Fiona Gale of http://www.onlyconnectsolutions.com is working with charities and trustees to increase the return on their marketing. One charity dealing with mother and baby health & fertility ends up with a link to Dove soap. A chat in the interval reveals that her business is very much driven by ROI rather than a touchy feely (dare I say, guilt driven?) approach. A 1:1 meeting is obviously overdue. Her adventure holiday in India in November is already well-subscribed with two people from BRX Bond Street going.

Alexis of www.TheHappinessCentre.com/employeewellbeing.htm points out that how we sit at our laptops affects our efficiency and her trained staff know how to adjust office furniture so work is more comfortable & thereby more productive. Workplace assessments are their bread & butter work and as her strap line says, If you spot stress, the answer is Happiness!

For the Diary.

No meeting next week Good Friday 10th April.

Committee meeting following one 17th April @ 09.15 hrs

60 second presentation workshop £35 with video feedback 29th April with www.michaeldoddmedia.com

All Day Social event 21st May - Details (e.g. Belgium, France or whatever) from survey guru, Christian Ingerslev of www.danesoft.com to follow shortly

Have good weekend

George Emsden