March 2014 we were invited to bid for a Trusted Trader project in Edinburgh. After a few meetings and the bid process unfolded, it became obvious we were going to win it. Then came the hard bit, delivering it 
Well it's been a fascinating process, with plenty of trips to Edinburgh which has got to be said, is an incredibly beautiful city if anyone hasn't been. I'm determined now to go up in non work mode and do some proper site seeing with the family.
We've met and are working with some great people and couldn't have been made to feel more welcome.
From a techie perspective it's been great fun, ironing out the challenges and getting our developer to turn my mad ideas from a project plan into real code. It's also meant we've gained a marketing manager and outsourced a proof reader when it became obvious none us is good at grammar 
But its really pushed us as a business which is a good thing, and made me realise we weren't being pushed enough. I think complacency can be a curse for a lot of smaller businesses. You have your regular clients, regular cash flow, everything's rosy, but you're just plodding along. Where's your strategy, what happened to your ambition and growth plan? Where's the fun?
This week the website went live to Edinburgh residents after a formal PR launch event, and the initial feedback has been great. We've explored new marketing approaches, tried new things and it's paying off. We've also been very lucky, we've had access to a comms team that have been incredible and allowed us to punch above our weight. The fires are firmly relit and now poor old MLS is starting to look a bit tired and dated. Or is that the techie just itching to make changes and interfere for no reason
We now have a very busy future ahead, an expo at the end of the month and more possible opportunities to explore.
Moral of the story? None really, not quite a good a name drop as Barneys "I'm working with 20th Century Fox" but it does show that even with the sometimes ropey infrastructure we have to work with, you can conduct business or compete anywhere in the UK or overseas, and against bigger and higher profile competitors.
Don't be complacent, be ambitious. Branson said everything has already been done. So pick something and just do it better. Great advice.
Anyone else need any fires relighting, or is everyone one else in world domination mode?
.. As I do think by the end of the year I will be made redundant if not I will be damn lucky.. I am thinking up all kinds of weird things to do ,but I would really like to find a good niche that can sell well e.g. underwear and make a go of it on Ebay. As as much as I like Pewter I don't think it will make enough for me to live on just yet , I would like it to but will have to see 
I am excited for the future for you, plus your success will send more work my way!
