I just spent a couple of hours cooking two meals, one for tonight and one for tomorrow in the company of a dear old friend, Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan, and like so many times over the years it struck a number of notes with me; and so a brief thought odyssey accompanied by Bob….

“They say the darkest hour is right before the dawn” (Meet me in the morning)

Someone really smart said that you can never be truly happy until you are doing what you were built to do. This got me to thinking that I can do many things, I do do many things, but especially in my work I haven’t always been heading towards what I am built to do. This changed last year when we launched a collaborative project to help people build their businesses. Nevertheless the change has been painful, but I think we are getting there.

“I can change, I swear, oh, oh, See what you can do. I can make it through, You can make it too.” (You’re a big girl now)

I’m sure you can see from the other entries in this blog that a lot of what I do leans towards helping others. I guerilla garden to help the community and I pay-it-forward to help individuals worse off than myself. The realignment of my work is to ensure that I carry all of this thinking through to my business – helping others grow, helping others help their customers. In Tim Templeton speak I think I am moving towards being a relationship-relationship person.

“then he walked up to a stranger and he asked him with a grin, Could you kindly tell me, friend, what time the show begins? ” (Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts)

Well it has already! As well as the initiative to help businesses grow I’m working on a cunning plan to help businesses appreciate their existing customers more, and to appreciate and be grateful for the referrals they receive in a more concrete way. Wouldn’t it be nice to meet past and future customers who say “I remember you, you sent me a postcard/gift/thank you note”? I had one of those today.

“Try imagining a place where it’s always safe and warm. Come in, (s)he said, I’ll give you shelter from the storm.” (Shelter from the storm)

This is where I am heading to, so tell me what you think. Business by kindness, politeness and attention to those that we meet is a great way forward. Matching this better to personal ways of doing things has to be my way forward.

“I can’t help it if I’m lucky.” (Idiot wind)

Thanks Bob, good to hear you again. Why no words from “If you see her say hello” you ask? I’m saving that for a tattoo. This is me by the way: