Three tips to improve your communication skills
I have an acquaintance who could talk/bore for Ireland. They never draw breath and allow anyone the opportunity to respond. It’s infuriating. Nowadays, we’re inclined to say that a person like this is on some spectrum or other. In the past, they were simply bad-mannered or full of their own importance, or both, perhaps? Someone […]
What are the ingredients necessary to be successful?
It was only recently that it occurred to me the similarity between the following two words: CREATIVITY ACTIVITY To be successful, it’s not enough to just be creative. We must also have the ambition AND the ability to turn creativity into activity. Definitions from the Collins dictionary: Creativity Having the ability to create […]
My client makes queuing a thing of the past
I was back in Lansdowne Road (the Aviva) recently to see Leinster v Leicester, a one-sided game with some good tries to enjoy. I was with my son and his son. All in all, an enjoyable evening, with one exception! There is still the difficulty of getting a drink or a snack without standing in a […]
Chatbots and wardrobes, the similarities!
If you have been reading my articles for a while, you will know I have a passion for helping businesses to tell their story. Let me tell you one of the most interesting and exciting business stories I have heard. I recently worked with a small group of researchers, preparing them to deliver their pitch […]
11 Whispers to Brighten Your Day
I would like to introduce you to a young man who is a member of my extended family. Lee Sheridan is a son, a brother, a teacher, a poet and most importantly, a person who gets things done while supporting himself and his fellow creatives. Lee, to my mind is a person who knows the […]
A Pitch – My Secret Sauce
I was with a client for a day recently, preparing six Startups to ready their pitches for an upcoming pitch competition. It was a good day, and I believe I was helpful to all the teams. We had some fun while I helped them be more confident about the upcoming event. My message to the […]
Story Telling for Business People
(Once upon a Time …) When I set up Aristo in 2008, I planned to offer myself to individuals and companies who needed to communicate better. I would be a presentation coach. The experience I had gained as a business owner for over twenty years would stand to me, along with my fifteen years of […]
Rest leads to Creativity – Hard work leads to ill-health
Rest leads to Creativity – Hard work leads to ill-health (As an Employer or Employee, which brings the most benefits?) I often hear people use the metaphor that the computer is like a brain. Unfortunately, I am not qualified to know if this analogy is correct. It seems to me that the computer has a […]
Retirement – Not For ME Yet!
Recently, I got a note from my Auditor telling me he was retiring. If I am honest, it gave me a feeling of “what you are doing, Andrew? He is younger than you, and you are working away with no plan to retire anytime soon.”. Hold on; retirement is not for me! I do not […]
A Christmas Passport to Enjoyment
My favourite description of Christmas is from “A Mother’s Christmas” by Hugh Leonard, published in a collection of Christmas Stories. I have been rereading “Christmas in Ireland”, introduced by Colin Morrison, every year since 1990. My mother who never went abroad in her life was the owner of a passport. It was called Christmas, and […]