Category: insights

Update#2: Talk Talk / Tiscali / Roxburghe Debt Collection

talk talk tiscali

What joyous news: TalkTalk and Tiscali could face fines after charging for cancelled services (scroll down and check the comments on this one—so many people affected) Telecom firms threatened with fines for bogus bills:

Ofcom has told TalkTalk to stop trying to collect any non-existent debts, including the use of debt collectors and threats of legal action. People must be refunded if, since 1 January 2010, they have paid bills that should not have been levied. And credit ratings agencies must be told to repair any damaged credit histories.

If you’ve been affected, check out my two previous posts below for how to respond and complain.

UPDATE 23.11.2010: Another Ofcom investigation launched.

UPDATE 28.02.2011: TalkTalk and Tiscali pay £2.5m refunds for bogus bills

Related posts: Update#1: Talk Talk / Tiscali / Roxburghe Debt Collection and Talk Talk / Tiscali / Roxburghe Debt Collection
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Caption Competition#1

caption competition

Pic taken at a recent conference I spoke at featuring myself and Tom. Leave the best caption in the comments and win the following Lomo ActionSampler (brand new and unopened):

lomo 4

Closing date for entries is 29th October 2010—judges decision are final and no correspondence will be entered into so sod off.

Apparently, Leslie Neilsen had the same problem (thank you Richard—taker of the pic):

leslie nielsen

AND THE WINNER IS: DAVID KLEEMAN FOR HIS COMMENT WHICH MADE ME GIGGLE THE MOST:

“How’s the wifi up there?”

THANKS TO ALL WHO LEFT A COMMENT, T’WAS FUN!

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Rework : Cheat Sheet

Rework is a fabulous book by those clever chaps at 37signals. A jumbo collection of short essays on how they do business. Above you can see my notes on each chapter. A condensed and concentrated version of the big takeaways which I thought important.

UPDATE : @jasonfried (author of Rework just tweeted my post out (hoping the servers will hold out with the increased traffic/bandwidth):

jason fried tweet

ANOTHER UPDATE : Check out the redux/remixed version Rich Gould did below—thank you sir.

ANOTHER UPDATE : Another remixed version by Kenneth Svenningsen—fantastic!

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Update#1: Talk Talk / Tiscali / Roxburghe Debt Collection

Talk Talk / Tiscali / Roxburghe Debt Collection

At the beginning of February I received a threatening letter and responded the next day with this (get yours here). Nearly 6 weeks on and no response. I contacted Consumer Direct and they have lodged a complaint with the Office of Fair Trading on my behalf—please do the same.

With this fresh approach we can then create a better result (*).

Related posts : Update#2: Talk Talk / Tiscali / Roxburghe Debt Collection and Talk Talk / Tiscali / Roxburghe Debt Collection
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Business Modeling

Business Modeling

When I first started little endeavour I was told it would fail without a business plan. Nearly four years I still haven’t got one and it’s done quite well (quite well=grown in profit/clients every year). You could argue it would’ve grown quicker or bigger if a business plan was in place—you’d be wrong!

You see business plans are just guesses at best and for us, staying fluid with just a core principle of “everything we do must kick ass” (another words never do a bad gig) has been enough to cement our pedigree and ensure success. That being said, it’s now time to get a little bit more serious about future direction and growth. Not one for a traditional approach I devoured the book opposite which is for those ready to abandon outmoded thinking and embrace new, innovative models of value creation.

Business Model Generation has helped me craft a ‘plan’ without writing loads and loads of stuff but instead mapping and drawing it all out—thank you guys.

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Oat So Good

oat so good

Earlier this year I got diagnosed with IBS after undertaking a series of horrible tests.

Straight away the docs wanted to medicate me although I declined as wanted to tackle the cause not the symptons of the problem. I asked for holistic therapy solutions and was told there are none. So I hit the books and with some advice from other people embarked on a no-wheat, no-dairy, no sugar. This sorted it all out.

One of the hardest things has been cutting out chocolate, bread and surprisingly replacing my Coco Pops, Frosties and Weetos morning habit. After trying porridge, fruit and other alternatives I found Oat-so-good—delicious, local (made in Wales) and has none of the evil stuff my stomach can’t handle.

Thanks guys.

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