It went well and I was very happy with the outcome, I celebrated by popping into the gym before my next meeting with one of my Regional Managers, I managed to take in a 45 minute spin class. The cycle shorts reminded me, I really should try and lose some weight. The class was tough, it really was a challenge. Probably the most time I've spent in the saddle since the charity ride last year.

Yet another shower and back into work mode, to meet with my Regional Manager.  We had a productive meeting about his area and the networking developments and training events for existing customers to make sure they get the very best from the marketing platform. After the meeting I sat in the car and made a number of calls to the sales team and a couple of clients to see how they were getting on. A few more calls followed to try and arrange the next induction event for next week.

I then started the journey to home office to catch up on some planning work and on the way put a call into Andy, who is working at full pace to get the next developments to the site launched. His commitment is second to none; boy what I could do with a staff of Andy clones. I guess the budget for tea would need to be increased, but I'm guessing it would be worth it.

Arrived at the office late afternoon and things didn't quite go to plan, I received an email from a client who needed some attention and so that became my priority. Andy and I exchanged some more calls on matters relating to the next launch and some marketing material and then I got down to my planning.

I also spent a bit of time composing an all points email to the team to remind them about our mission and goals. I can't wait to see them really take off, I can almost taste their success. If they can just stay the course and remain motivated and focused. When I first started this journey Andy and I decided we were looking for superstars. We recruit people who may not be the finished product sometimes, but they have the potential. For me this is the biggest buzz of business, seeing others really make it, watching them develop, it's brilliant.

My top tips for the day:

As a business leader you need to be constantly working to increase or maintain your team's enthusiasm and motivation for the job in hand. Engagement is all important, try these simple tips:

• Be a facilitator – your team will feel engaged when they can see progress towards their goals or targets. Therefore you should provide a clear set of goals and resources in support of those goals.

• Make their tasks meaningful to them – in addition to your clear mission, let your people clearly see how their actions contribute to the company's vision and services to those all important customers.

• Reward and recognise results all the time – you shouldn't wait for the goal to be achieved before you show appreciation, do that each day for the positive work your team do.

It's the weekend and so I shall scale down my activity but I will still be working for part of the day. I use the weekend to catch up on planning and reading, I'm also looking forward to a bit of a sleep in for a change! 

Watch out for more tomorrow!

Up with the birds again this morning, yet another rush with no time for breakfast, although I had time to grab a tin of Ginger Beer for the journey into Norwich, for day two of the induction training. Arrived in good time, too good in fact nobody else was at the office and I didn't have the key to get in. No problem sat in the car and made some calls. 

In addition to the training we were also moving into our new office today at the business centre. The room looked great, until the desks arrived. That reminds me I must loose some weight, I'm never going to fit in the space given to me by Andy! Computers all installed, just waiting for the chairs to arrive so we can sit. 

The training went well as far as I can tell, we went through the sales process we prefer to use, the main rules of selling in a consultative manner and why it was so important to concentrate on the people rather than the product. 

After the training Andy and I had three one to one meetings with members of the team to deal with questions and issues, they all went well too. Before we left the office our temporary chairs arrived, so at least we'll be able to sit at the desks next time we're in. 

Packed my bag of tricks and left the office, the drive home went in a flash, as I spent the entire time on the phone talking to our sales team. One of our team had a good day in terms of sales and I am genuinely pleased for them. I remember how it feels to have a sales success, its such a cool feeling. 

Got home, went to check my email only to find it had all disappeared, a result of the office move. Never mind, time to pick up the phone and talk to the rest of the team. Called Andy and got the new email settings, got my email back on my iPad but not the Laptop, as I can't use this version of the software with the email server, going to have to upgrade!

More calls to sort out more inter personal politics, such a waste of time, but they will learn, I'm sure of that. It's 21:00 and time I sorted out my bag for tomorrow and found a bit of down time for a relax. I'm looking forward to next week back to planning tactical developments and strategies:

My top tips for the day:

• Rewind your day in your mind, if you want to be better at the things you do day to day, take time to rewind the events in your mind and play alternative scenarios to see how you could improve the outcomes.

• Fight selectively, if you fight your corner on every little thing that goes on, you'll just become white noise to those around you. Fight selectively, then you'll be taken more seriously.

• Success is not about talking, true success comes from knowing and doing not talking about it. Actions not words is king.

Tomorrow is another day and another opportunity to learn from those around me.

No time for breakfast today, I need to get on the road as I am working with Andy on induction, our first two full time office staff, a part time Business Development Consultant and maybe a full time one too. Note to self; must get the new office up and running for the new guys.

The journey in is a combination of traffic frustrations and making calls (hands free) to my Sales Team and Regional Managers, to get there day started on the right footing. One of the calls reveals one of our team is having some confidence issues and might leave us. I'm not going to panic, all my team are important to me but I have faith in them and we all have wobbles from time to time. I will call and see if we can re-light the fire.

Andy starts the day proper, by going through the product with the new guys. I've heard him do this many a time but each time is a pleasure because his enthusiasm and passion remind me of why I'm doing this.

Just before lunch I dip out for a quick dental appointment and make a few calls to the team, stop off at the gym. My Personal Trainer takes me to my maximum heart rate and now I look like a Swan Vesta! On the way back I'm back on the phone to try and rescue my shaky sales person, no luck they're not answering. I leave messages that I know they will pick up. No need to panic, we selected well and they will talk when they're ready.

Return to the induction course, update Andy and then take over and introduce the new Networking product to the new team members. Oh yes, they get it first time, brilliant. we finish in good time and the troops leave the meeting room. I pack up my things and walk to the Car to make more calls. 

Finally I get to talk to my faltering sales person, we talk, plenty of candour and we agree to meet and talk things over tomorrow. We both feel much better after the chat. Time to drive to home office and catch up on emails and administration. On the way I call my Regional Managers and andy giving them all an update.

Home, bring the bin in, walk the dog, get a cold drink, change and start the administration. During the admin take two more calls about business and call it a day at 20:30, time to relax.

My top tips for the day:

• Passion is everything, no passion no results if you can't get passionate about the job you're in you're probably in the wrong job!

• People will reflect your attitude so make sure you always have the right attitude. It should be no shock to discover, if you're negative those around you will be too. If you're happy they will be too, if you're sad they will be too.

• Never stop communicating, you can solve an amazing amount of issues if you just take the time to talk. Never think me always think them, see it from their perspective first and then yours.

Can't wait for tomorrow, a few challenges but it's going to be a good one, I can feel it.

Introduction

Just after I was appointed as CEO for new kid on the block ipatter.com, I thought it would be a great idea to mix three of my passions together, writing helping businesses develop and ipatter and share the journey ipatter and I take over the rest of this year in a blog, a mixture of an anecdotal diary mixed with business tips and hints based on the events of the day. We may even publish it as a book at the end of the year. 366 days of development and business intelligence.

This is your chance to follow the journey we have embarked on, in what might prove to be one of the biggest years in the history of ipatter.com. Firstly here’s a brief overview before we start the day-by-day journey starting from the 1^st of February 2012 through to the end of Jan 2013.

The journey so far

The founder of ipatter.com is a guy I have known, well since just after I left the Army, way back in the day, some would say so long ago that the Chieftain was a rank rather than a tank! His name is Andy Fisher. When we first met I was fresh out of the Army and just starting my first business as an Independent Financial Adviser in Norwich, Norfolk, England.

I had little business experience in those days, I had only been out of the Army for a year, I’d spent that working as a salesman for the TSB bank, selling pensions investments and insurance to their client base in and around Norwich. After that first year I decided enough was enough.

I seem to recall I completed the first year on about 140% of target and I worked out had I been in business for myself as an independent I would have earned more than double the amount they had paid me. So started my business career, full of ups downs challenges, victories, failures and a window into just what a paradox people can be, capable of great gestures of kindness and even greater gestures of hate toward their comrades in arms.

Andy and I met in those first few years of working as an independent. We didn’t really spend that much time in each others company, I guess we were both too busy doing what we did. Andy was successful at what he did and has continued that success in all he has done ever since.

Our paths went in different directions. I moved to London after one of my businesses developed into a software provider and was purchased by a competitor. Andy branched out into new opportunities, which saw him trading shares and dealing in property development projects.

Meanwhile I was travelling between the UK and US on a variety of CEO roles for a number of different companies in a variety of different verticals applying the principles that no matter what the product or service there is only one way to run a business, and that is the right way. My belief? If all the core skills are being covered the business will do well. If they’re all covered and constantly in perfect balance the business will be exceptional with sustainable exceptional results too.

I spent some time recently in the USA working as the CEO for a business that started its journey in the UK, as they expanded into the USA I was approached to take on the task of setting up and developing a sister company incorporated in the USA. I worked for the most part out of Pittsburgh PA and Houston TX. Once the job was done I came back to the UK and reestablished myself in Norfolk and set up my new business consultancy and the Rainmaker club.

A local Business Networking organisation approached me and asked if I would be willing to be one of their guest speakers and I was glad to oblige. It was at this event that I was to renew my friendship with Andy, who by now was in full flight on the development and launch of ipatter.

For the next few months we would see each other at events and pass the time of day. Andy persuaded me to sign up for an ipatter account to help me with my networking and establishment of a permission based contact list. That was exactly what I was trying to build up for the Rainmaker consultancy so I eagerly agreed to sign up. I found his passion and belief, founded on clear strategies to be contagious.

In all the businesses I’ve been involved in I’ve always had at the centre of my strategies and tactics the disciplines of marketing and sales, they are at the centre of all successful and exceptional businesses. For that reason signing up to ipatter was an easy decision.

In a very short space of time I was connected to and had connected to me some 700 businesses and was already reaping the benefits of the marketing side of the ipatter platform. I even did a special offer on my first book. While this was happening Andy saw me talk at a number of events and he began to hatch a plan.

I’ll skip the detail but save to say Andy approached me and we agreed I would work on a part time basis as Head of Sales and Marketing for ipatter using the last of my spare time. In my career I have helped over 250 businesses in one way or the other most on a pro bono basis. Now and again, and not that often, I come across a project that really captures my imagination. Andy and his baby, ipatter, was one such business. I found I really got it, more than that, it was a total match to my own vision and values.

A few months into the new position we agreed I would take on the full time role of CEO implementing the vision and strategies of the board and the day-to-day functions of the business. That was at the beginning of November 2011. It was a tough month with much to learn and much to do. December and January merged into one long series of recruitment events, induction days and online marketing road shows across the UK and then came February. Welcome to a year in the life of the CEO of ipatter.com.

• Build towards the outside not inward – Never waste your time deepening connections you already have with people you know, instead concentrate on those you haven't connected with in other teams, departments and business units.

• Go for diversity not size – Rather than concentrating on a massive network, concentrate on building one that's efficient. To do this you'll need to connect with people who are different from you and from one another.

• Venture past the familiar faces – Look for the people who are the hubs in your business, people who have worked on or with a number of teams and projects. Ask them to connect you with others in the business you've yet to connect with.

Performance reviews are important and they will tell us if someone is doing an adequate job, but they fail to reveal whether those people are doing the right jobs. This becomes a real issue when the people are only an average performer. Those not good enough to be your superstars in that role but not bad enough for you to want to fire them for lack of performance against the published standards.

The key is not to let these people limp along day-to-day in roles that are not right for them. Instead introduce "fit tests" at regular intervals that compare peoples strengths and interests with their current job description. For example, someone in sales who is better suited to marketing. Trust your own instinct if you sense there's a mismatch, be honest. You might help those average employees to become your stars.

Instead learn to expect these attacks and be prepared to counter them simply and with passion and conviction:

• Deliberate delay – Your adversaries may try to put off the discussion, ask for additional information, or delay decisions on your idea, thereby slowing the momentum. So you need to keep your audience focused on making the decision.

• Creation of confusion – Detractors will often present distractions in the form of information with attempts to link your idea to several others in an attempt to confound people. So you need to be clear about what your idea is and more importantly what it's not.

• Spreading fear – Nothing and I mean nothing will kill your idea faster than irrational anxieties. Know ahead of the game, what the fears your challengers might stir up and then simply be prepared to deal with them head-on. 

The planned expansion of the ipatter B2B networking and marketing platform across the United Kingdom and beyond continues to gain momentum with the announcement that they are now looking for and appointing part time business development consultants across the UK. Successful applicants can represent ipatter and help them expand their reach by selling accounts on a commission only basis as well as run regular B2B networking events in their area for ipatter.

Chris Batten, CEO of ipatter.com said, "This is a great opportunity for small businesses to get involved with the development of our business and at the same time leverage their own position. The model will suit many businesses but is best suited to those in a business advice or training role."

For more information or to apply you should contact Chris Batten direct on 0792 1141859 or email chris.batten@ipatter.com