I really do mean it.
When I say that I can’t.
Quite.
Fathom.
The media.
The Media.
Arguably, I work in (or at least ‘with’) the media.
I rely on certain aspects of the media as channels for the delivery of the carefully crafted brand messages I create.
Yet I really do mean it.
When I say that I can’t.
Quite.
Fathom.
The media.
My Businesses.
This, for example.
When I founded and ran 4 businesses.
Concurrently.
For 15 years through the noughties and after.
Winning 70 awards.
Selling millions of pounds worth of Brand, Marketing and Design Consultancy.
All of it intended to help my fellow businesses.
All of it intended boost the Regional and National Economy.
All of it meaning that I had to employ over 100 people to help me on my way.
The local newsroom never rang me.
Local Newsroom.
I rang the local newsroom a lot of course.
Encouraging clients to spend money with them as appropriate.
And working with great local PR Companies to help spread upbeat and positive news as it happened.
Through the local news channels.
Yet as I say.
The local newsroom never rang me.
For 15 years.
Until the summer of 2014, that is.
When they did call.
And they asked for me by name.
2014.
Hello
Someone said as I was handed the telephone.
Michael Owen? The MD?
They asked.
And I replied.
Yes.
That’s me.
How can I help?
The reporter continued.
I’m calling from The Chronicle. We hear you’re sacking 30 people. How do you feel about that? That’ll be quite a hit for the region. Would you like to tell us about it? Your side of the story I mean. Before we print anything.
I paused.
I had a strange swimming feeling in my head.
Just for a second.
Not an out-of-control feeling, you understand.
But the adrenaline was definitely pumping.
It was a busy time you see.
I was in the process of closing three of my businesses as calmly, as humanely and as sensibly as I could.
Taking on personal loans to cover redundancy payments that reserves could not.
Encouraging clients such as Virgin Money and Sage to, if possible, take the best members of my team on.
So the call threw me a bit.
Especially one of the words he used.
…sacking…
I didn’t like that word.
Sacking.
And as I say.
I really do mean it.
When I say that I can’t.
Quite.
Fathom.
The media.
The Pause.
But I didn’t want to keep them waiting on the line too long.
So after the pause.
Which extended to a full 15 seconds or so.
I worked out what to say.
Fuck off.
I replied.
As I gently popped the phone down.
And that was that.
