Are you prepared to live to 100 years old? Until now the only thought it prompted in my head was ‘Oh I’ll get a birthday card from the Queen!’ (Although Charlie will have to add that to his to-do list now). But after reading a very thought-provoking book by Lynda Gratton & Andrew Scott there are so many more aspects that didn’t even cross my mind. Am I financially prepared to support myself for that long? Mentally prepared? Physically prepared?…

“People try to put us down”. Roger Daltrey’s timeless opening line to The Who’s 1965 classic.  The people in question are older generations, sneering and lecturing the young mods of the 60s. Tearing around on their Vespa scooters and blasting out rock music. It’s a tale as old as time, and the distaste shown in return holds no punches. “I hope I die before I get old”. Obviously, an outrageous comment that captures teenage angst and frustration in its purest…

We have all been there. We have all made mistakes in our lives, whether professionally, or personally. These mistakes are on a scale from minor, to major, to the proverbial clusterf@4k. However, someone, somewhere gave us a chance to rectify or turn things around. Or, sometimes, the punishment for these mistakes, is ultimately that things are “over”, or “done or dusted”, or P45 territory, do not pass GO and collect 200 pounds. Mistakes are part of life, they are part…

LinkedIn, for all its flaws, is a pretty good way to find new books to read. After a recommendation, I ordered ‘Never Split the Difference’ by Chris Voss, the leading FBI hostage negotiator for over 20 years. It’s a masterclass in negotiation tactics written by a man who literally negotiated with terrorists for the lives of hostages. It’s an incredible read. The title comes from the notion that most people will avoid conflict at all costs and offer to split…

Hospitality is a unique industry. I am biased, but I truly believe that it’s one of the foundations of our society. It supports, and fuels everything around it, a bit like oil running through a car engine. The sandwich shop that feeds the workies their bacon rolls as the sun rises. The café that feeds the office crew on their quick breaks. The bars that fuel the sports fans on their way to the big game on Saturday afternoons, (or…