Why paying on time makes good business sense

Goodwill is worth its weight in gold

My parents ran a small business - in fact they still do. Growing up with that made you very aware of the importance of goodwill in any business. If you look after someone, generally they will reward you with loyalty and when the chips are down, they will go out of their way to help you out when it's needed.

When you are working with long term suppliers or partners, looking after others when you can goes a long way. Keeping that 'goodwill bank' well in credit will enable you to run your business more effectively, more efficiently and deliver the highest quality of service because it means the people you have involved actually care about what they are doing and care about you, because you have shown, consistently, that you care about them.

If you pay someone late, you are saying you don't value them, or the service they have given you. If someone has done a good job, reward them by paying early and next time you will get as good a job, if not better. If you are known to be a consistent, timely payer, and you don't need to be chased to pay an invoice, most people will value and appreciate it. Then when you need to hit a deadline and they have two jobs on their desk, which one are they going to prioritise? If something needs a fast turnaround and they need to work late, or cancel a night out, they are far more likely to go out of their way for you if they feel like you have looked after them.

I have also found, time and time again, that economically this makes sense too. If you have a good client that treats you well, you are more likely to throw in some of the small extras you may have done along the way, or go out of your way to point out an error, or even a more efficient way of doing things. Wasted time and effort is in no-one's interest - efficiently run businesses are more successful and more profitable, which in the long run is better for everyone involved, be they a supplier of materials or labour. Suppliers and businesses can and do help one another where the relationships are strong, and all are stronger and more successful and secure as a result.

So, every chance you get, pay early. If you pay late, make sure you apologise and pay immediately. We are all human, we all forget a holiday, find a clash of deadlines or staff sickness means we perhaps miss paying a bill, but then it's about fixing it as soon as you can and if it's not the norm, people will be all the more understanding. If you have a cash flow issue, let people know their payment will be a bit late before the due date, and make an extra effort to pay the next bill early - letting them know you have done that to show you appreciate their understanding.

A little bit of goodwill goes a long, long way and you never know when you will need it.

Self doubt: the biggest fight

I hadn't realised that getting my black belt in karate would be such an emotional journey... 

Doing a kata competition as a green belt

I was so nervous I could barely get the words out... I finally responded as my name was called and held my breath. 'Shodan,' the examiner announced. One simple word that meant so much. It felt unreal. Shodan - 1st Dan Black Belt...

My journey had begun when I first started karate at university. After a 15-year break, I returned to training in earnest. I had a goal in my mind; black belt by 40. It was a tough, but not an unrealistic goal. At times I had felt on track, at others I thought I would never get there. One month I would feel I was really getting somewhere, then another I'd feel you have taken a giant step backwards. Looking back one of the biggest challenges was to get through those low points.

My first real glimmer of hope that my goal was reachable was 18 months earlier. I was paired up with someone going for a higher grade than me... suddenly I was being asked to do a freestyle fight. I landed a punch. One punch that gave me so much hope. Right on target, but with complete control to lightly touch my opponent's chin. It surprised me. Wow, I could actually do this! I stored that moment away and at numerous low points over the following 18 months I drew on that memory to give myself the boost I needed - it's something I've frequently used in the sport that remains my first love - sailing.

There was one more session before the big day. 'You're very calm,' commented one of the senior black belts. I was striving to be cool about it, but just how close my nerves were to the surface was evident when my movement in my kumite was commented on. It threw me, I felt I couldn't do it, felt I couldn't do what was being asked of me. But I battled with my self doubt, and remembered my Sensei's words from earlier in the week to just keep doing what I was doing.

My grading was set for June... At a black and brown belt course in Plymouth. I tried not to get too concerned about the grading itself... I had done the training, my instructor felt I was ready, and if I failed then, well, there was always the next course.

The day itself went by in a flash. I didn't hold back during the training session beforehand, having the faith that I was fit enough and prepared enough to give my all right through. By the end of the training session my gi was wet through - it was a brilliant but challenging session and I actually enjoyed it, taking the opportunity of letting the training push thoughts of the grading out of my mind.

I changed into a fresh gi and then my nerves started to build a bit. Breakfast seemed a long way away but I couldn't eat anything. I was very grateful for the bottles of energy drink I'd filled my bag with.It seemed like forever before we were called in for our grading... There were five of us, three up for their Nidan (Second Dan) and two of us for Shodan (First Dan). I was the only girl - which led to my first disaster. Assuming the guys had already gone in, I managed to walk in while the grading Senseis were getting changed! Red-faced I retreated quickly - but it didn't help my nerves!

The grading went by in a blur. I have no idea how I passed, I seemed to make so many mistakes but I just kept on going. Throughout I kept saying to myself, 'I want it!' When my hip delivered a jarring pain, when my calf cramped up, when I felt my body yelling exhaustion, I pushed it out of my mind and refused to listen.

Putting on my black belt for the first time

When it came to jiu ippon (a regimented one-on-one combat sequence) and I found myself gazing up at my seven foot opponent (I know, I know, he was probably only six foot), who was very good, but approaching it more with a competition style, rather that the intended aim of showing off his skill and mine. I almost let myself get psyched out by this, especially when he threw a mean kick at me. I remember thinking 'Oi! I didn't do that to you, I made my attacks very clear and made things easy for you. Now you're trying to make me look bad. I'm not having that! My next counter attack was more forceful, my shout louder. I felt my determination growing when it could have withered. I think that was the turning point.

To be honest I thought I'd already messed up, but told myself I had nothing to lose. That's what took me through to pass. I refused to let my mistakes bother me. Fought back against the nerves that had my hands shaking and had led to some silly mistakes. Fought against my self-doubt, any niggling thoughts that others were so much better than me and I wasn't worthy of the grade.

I walked back to the changing room and wanted to burst into tears. Part of me was convinced I'd failed, but I shouted back at that voice, 'Don't give up!' I had given everything. I hadn't delivered my best performance, but I had delivered the best I could on the day. I had no more to give. If it wasn't enough, well then I would be back to retake... I steeled myself for disappointment, but then came those magic words I'd waited so long to hear.

In the car on the way home, with my grading book freshly signed in the box labeled 'Shodan', I didn't feel elated, I just felt drained physically and emotionally. I had fought myself and won. Oscar Wild once said 'Be yourself, everyone else is taken.' I had needed those words to stand my ground. I was worth it!

Unsung heroes and BBC Sport's Personality of the Year

I wonder if sailing will ever manage to have one of its stars fully recognised in the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. Ellen came the closest when she finished runner-up, but despite his awesome achievements Ben Ainslie couldn’t even make it into the top three. It’s easy to see why; when cycling star Chris Hoy could boast of multiple Olympic medals from Beijing, Ben ‘only’ came back with one. 

The fact that sailing is a sport where there is only the possibility of getting one medal at each Games leads one to wonder how many more times Ben needs to win gold to get full recognition? Maybe 2016?

Of all the awards, it was the unsung hero award that touched me most; 70-year-old veteran boxing coach and fundraiser Ben Geyser was lost for words… but did you know that sailing had its own representative in the shortlist? Bowmoor Sailing Club president Don Cannon won the BBC West award - a founder member of Bowmoor SC in the mid-1970s, he has worked tirelessly for the past 30 years to ensure club users have continued to enjoy access to first-class facilities. Aged 75, he continues to play an active role on the committee and sails whenever he can. Having just been to my own sailing club AGM — which included something I’ve not come across before; a prizegiving to recognise some of the contributions made by club members behind the scenes — I was reminded how reliant we are as a sport on the support of volunteers. Huge numbers of people give their time and expertise to run our massive network of clubs and classes across the country… they make the sport what it is, and deserve every bit of recognition they get.

Part of the secret of full recognition comes through television coverage, and that's where our sport often loses out. However, sailing’s television coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games was recognised as 'The Best Sports Coverage by the Host Broadcaster' at the International Olympic Committee's ‘Olympic Golden Rings’ ceremony recently. I’m not quite sure how they figured that one out, but Ben’s commentary on the final Star race has to be one of my top moments of 2008.

As this is my first post of 2009, that leads me to recall a few of my other highs… winning the Primo Cup in the SB3; interviewing the Olympic team at the Dinghy Show; racing my 200 at the RS anniversary regatta; the second race on day two of the RS Eurocup in Lake Garda - a serious game of snakes and ladders, we were in tune with the shifts and somehow ended the day lying second overall; coming back from Cowes in a rib on an utterly still, black night; tight racing in the 400 during Chichester Harbour Federation Week; sailing on Alex Thomson’s Open 60 ‘Hugo Boss’; jumping back in an Europe dinghy again for the first time in years and last, but not least, the fantastic feedback we received from the first monthly issue of Yachts & Yachting.

Talking of unsung heroes, there is a huge team behind the magazine and each issue is a credit to them, and to all the magazine's readers. If you're one of them, thank you for all your support.

The right class selection for 2012?

What was it Will Carling so famously said about ‘37 old farts’? I’m sorry, but that quote came to mind after the recent ISAF conference and decision on Olympic equipment.

I’m sure there was a lot of good reasoning behind the scenes – there are some great names on the various committees, our sport is well represented in the Olympics, and we have governing bodies that tend to do the sport proud, both worldwide and with the RYA in the UK. But I can’t help feeling the Olympic equipment is stuck in a bit of a time warp, and feel particularly disappointed regarding the selection for the women’s events. Quite simply, for the girls, I don’t really see anything I’d really want to sail. While the men at least have the Finn (which by all accounts is fantastic to sail) and the 49er (an awesome boat which makes me wish I was bigger), to my mind, and for many other female sailors, there isn’t anything really decent among the women’s line-up.

I understand the desire to increase participation – and on that front the Laser has done a fantastic job in increasing the number of nations. But the Olympics are supposed to be the pinnacle of our sport; the athletes the best in the world. Other sports use the very latest hi-tech equipment, so surely the Games should be a shop window for the sport the world over? While I understand the compromise to be made in some areas, this could be offset with other classes at the very top end. Just imagine the impact a foiling class, for example, would have, not just for sailors, but also for non-sailors. I’m certain it would capture people’s imaginations.

There are plenty of possibilities, but for me the essentials should include the Laser and Laser Radial (men’s and women’s singlehanders – for accessibility), 49er (men’s skiff), 29erXX or other (women’s skiff), Foiling class (possibly open), multihull class (possibly mixed), and a men’s and women’s doublehanded dinghy… I have mixed views about the options when it comes to the other classes, so I’ll stop there.

Meanwhile I’ll just have to swallow my disappointment that London 2012 might not have the most spectacular sailing classes it could have done, and hope instead that by 2016 we will see a better mix.

To defend from ahead, or challenge from behind?

While the light winds were producing a high scoring regatta at the Olympic Games in Qingdao, one had to reflect on the contrast with the conditions at Skandia Cowes Week, where the breeze produced plenty of material for this issue’s feature on coping with gear failure! Somehow Cowes always seems to deliver at least a few days of big breeze, but it usually has at least one light day as well. Although I love the excitement of sailing when the wind is up, it has to be said that the best championships are those that encompass a variety of conditions and test crews across the wind range. In this respect Cowes delivered, although one could have done without the amount of rain, which meant regular soakings afloat and ashore.

I enjoyed a real contrast of sailing during the week. sailing on the J/92 ‘Neilson Redeye’ for a couple of days, with a big crew, fun racing in the J-Sprit class, and courses that took us on a tour of the western Solent. There was the extra challenge of a changing crew each day, with most of us not having sailed together before. Despite the rain and odd boat-handling mishap as positions on the boat were juggled, it was a lot of fun! 

Even the long days were to prove another contrast, as I joined Chris Darling and Alastair Shaw on ‘Darling Associates’ in the 90-boat SB3 fleet, where we were back ashore by lunchtime most days. Having won the Primo Cup earlier in the year, it was great to sail together again, and even better that we also had Sian to make us up to a four-man crew – a real advantage with the Solent to navigate as well as sailing the boat. A long, close-tacking beat up the Gurnard shore on Thursday morning will be one of  the highlights of my year. By then we were fourth overall, but had to suffer the pain of dropping to seventh on the final day… it’s always a shame when that happens as it tends to dampen what otherwise would be celebrated as a fantastic result.

How scary then must it be for those of our Olympic sailors going into the meal race in a good position… with a counting result that will be doubled, when the conditions are likely to be all over the place, it will surely be a case of  a lot to lose for the leaders, and an exciting chance to snatch a victory for those scraping into the top 10 with a lot of points to make up and nothing to lose. I’m not sure who I’d rather be…