Today I stepped on a Brown Snake and..............

For the last couple of months I've been working for a prominent agricultural exporter helping them with their quality assurance system.

A lot of in-field work is involved.  Unusually, I hadn't seen a snake the entire time - apart from the odd one making a mad dash across the road well ahead of the dual cab's new Mickey Thompson tyres.

And then I decided to step on one.  A Common Brown Snake.  Australia's second most venomous snake, known for being grumpy and aggressive.

Obviously I didn't know it was there and it clearly didn't feel the need to move on as I was walking towards it.  We were in the middle of a paddock, so it had plenty of space to get out of the way as it felt the vibrations of my steps.

The snake moved a bit as I stepped on it's tail, which caught my attention and I glanced down.

Oh crap.  THIS IS IT!!!  There's no way out of this one.

OK.  I'm behind it, not in front of it - which is good.  It can escape if it wants to.

But that leaves it room to fling around and strike if it feels threatened.

Do I jump back or slowly take my foot off and step back quietly?

If I jump back I might keep away from it's fangs if it's going to strike.  But that might startle it and seal-the-deal it will try and bite me anyway.

OK.  I'm going to slowly step away, moving further behind the snake - hoping all involved remain calm.  Sorry about your tail - no harm done.  Nothing to get angry about.

I gently removed my foot and slowly walked backwards.

The snake just lay there for a few moments looking at me and then slithered away in the opposite direction - not in any great rush.

Why it didn't strike me I'll never know - but who wants to over-analyse that one!

If you do have experience with snakes and might know the answer, I'd be interested to hear.

I think the snake felt a connection - some sort of bond.  On a trip to Vietnam I once ate the beating hearts of a water python and drank it's blood.  (see previous blog 'Be still my beating heart.......')

This is a custom to strengthen young males.  In Vietnam snakes also symbolise immortality and luck.

So perhaps the snake felt some sort of kinship.

Whatever the reason, today was my day.

That snake looked me in the eye and thought "not today sunshine, not today."

Or it was thinking "would you bloody-well hurry up and get off me."

Do you have a snake story to share?

An Australian Century is food for thought.

In My Opinion has gone global with a recent opinion piece published in International Director by The Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Here is the link:

'An Australian Century is food for thought' - International Director page 4 


A huge thanks to Suzanne Ardagh, International Division Manager at The Australian Institute of Company Directors for inviting me to write for International Director.

Why profit is like paying protection money.

Paulie Walnuts

The other day I wrote a blog about understanding the cost of time and the positive impact this can have on managing cash flow.

What are the chances someone acted on my blog and started developing a new cash management system to mitigate the cost of time on their business?! 

Anyway.

I finished my blog by stating that many small and medium enterprises in Australia were only one event away from running out of time.  In most cases a single event can totally side-swipe a business; hence my quote “everything seemed to be going so well” at the time.

Of course, it’s not ideal to keep operating a business that is only one event away from being in trouble – even if it’s an astute business totally aware of its position.

The idea is to grow out of this stage. **

Accounting profit is a numbers racket.  And like any good racket, profit is the ‘money’ you have to ‘pay’ to protect and grow your business.

Cash pays your dues.  Profit makes the business stronger.

Profit is something you never seem to actually have.  Its goes straight into the business.

Why?  It’s the cheapest source of money.  Profits are re-invested into new assets such as production capacity or IT capacity.

There will always be occasions when things are less-than-profitable for your business.  Not ideal, but this is temporarily acceptable with a well-managed cash position.  For example, Amazon made no profit for 10 years!  A bit extreme and not exactly temporary.

However, unless there is also a strong focus on how your business will return to a profitable position as quickly as possible, your business will remain in a vulnerable position and the 'racketeers' will come-a-calling.

It’s not easy.  Using up valuable resources to keep your business in a steady holding pattern, whilst at the same time also needing lots of resources to eventually break-out of the holding pattern is a tough gig.

So I hope that all helps.  In two simple blogs I’ve given you a new perspective on the cost of time to help understand the importance of cash flow.  And I’ve given a new perspective on the role profit plays on protecting and growing your business.

At all times avoid getting a visit from Paulie ‘Walnuts’ Gualtieri looking for protection money!!

**BTW- If a very mature business is only one event away from failure, then I suggest it has many other significant challenges that need to be dealt with ASAP.

Who loves ya, baby?

Hang on, this just doesn’t sound right.  How can someone be cheaper, yet more effective than a consultant?

It’s the truth.  And it’s fast-becoming the realisation of many small and medium businesses in Australia that have simply had enough of the ‘help’ they’ve been getting.

Here’s what they tell me:

      -          ‘I’m sick of feeling that I’m in a race to the bottom’.

      -          ‘I need help, but I want more bang-for-my-buck’.

      -          ‘Advice just doesn’t cut-it for me anymore, that’s why I’ve stopped getting help’.

Only a different breed of person would enjoy taking on the accountability of working under those challenging conditions.

They are out there.  They are the Kojaks of the business world.

Tenacious and tough, these people have walked the beat.  Forget office politics and bureaucracy.  They are candid - with heart and feeling.

There’s no consulting-speak.  Its man-in-the-street speak.

The type of person that throws the ‘book of consulting poetry’ onto the back seat rolls up the sleeves and says “let’s get this done”.

When the chips are down that’s who you want watching your back.

Someone that’s willing to transfer their knowledge and experience - that will deliver results fast; and close the door on the way out.

Who loves ya?  Interim Managers love ya, baby.

Vote for my blog and I will Pay It Forward

Vote for my blog and I will Pay It Forward.

It’s entirely up to you………..but…………….a vote for my blog could win some really cool camera equipment for my fledgling business.

Here’s the thing.  If my blog wins, I will pay-it-forward for every vote I received, by doing a favour for someone else.

Hold me to my task by subscribing to this blog page, as I will use my blog to keep a record of progress.  Progress updates will drop into your inbox.  I will complete my favours within 6 months.

Vote for my blog and keep me busy!

Here is the original blog.

http://jlofbalak.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/how-i-ate-beating-heart-of-snake-in.html

Here is the link to vote for my blog.  Do it now coz voting ends this Saturday 31 August 2013.

It’s quick and easy.  Simply tick Entry Number 11 and click submit at the bottom.

https://apps.facebook.com/126231547426086/rjijr