2023 … “It was the best of times…”
It was the worst of times.
Huge thanks to all my clients ❤️ and friends ❤️ that have made 2023 the success it was. I truly hope I have helped you as much as you have helped me…
2023 was certainly a year when a LOT happened.
You don’t have to read this blog. It’s a big one and more a reflection on the past 2023. Before we get to 2024. Written for almost therapeutic reasons., As … for me 2023 was a heck of a year.
I don’t know about for you.
The ❌’s have added up.
And some of the ❌’s this year — have been big ones .
The losses started small. But then got bigger.
❌ Lost my phone. With all my data in it. Then lost access to my finances as someone try to steal my identity. Which was amazingly stressful.
❌Lost my flat in the marina. Which I had been trying to move to for 10 years. As the landlords gave “notice” a year early. As they gave the property to their son.
❌Lost my startup and job with Michal Wisniewski as we didn’t get our third round of funding. So YourFLOCK AI Coach couldn’t afford to pay me anymore. It felt like the end of the world…
❌Lost several friends. Some to illnesses. Some to time. Some for political reasons which I stand by.
❌Lost 20k of new work in 2 months. From my #keynotespeaking business from my agents for reasons I still don’t understand.
❌Lost my health. Gained weight. Became pre diabetic again. Had three health scares. One ongoing and perhaps unresolvable.
❌Lost my deep connection with my daughter. As I dropped the ball with her development into a woman as without realizing it I concentrated on work too much.
This last one. Is the worst of them all.
So 2024 is about #lifeworkbalance not #worklifebalance.
Life comes first… Work is coming second. No matter what.
However, to balance this out so it’s not all doom and gloom…
The gains ✅ in 2023 were amazing too.
And as you guessed, they are, mainly work ones …
✅I produced 7 new talks and keynotes and training sessions.
✅ I gained three agents for my public speaking gigs. So now on the books of VBQ Speakers and Pomona Partners and JLA Speakers.
✅ I produced #keynotes in person for companies and organizations like Co-operatives UK and Kellogg Company and Personio and Stone Group Ltd, A Converge Company
✅ I did remote keynotes for companies and organisations like the Institute of Internal Communication and The Stepstone Group
✅I did talks on #AI and #technology and the #futureofwork for events like Manchester Tech Festival and Co-operatives UK annual event.
✅I was on panels for events like CommsRebel and pro-manchester
✅I trained companies in #AI like Basecamp Skills and mydentist (UK)
✅I created a brand new course called the AI Marketing Course and had 30 people on the course. Am launching 4 more #onlinecourses in 2024.
✅I was on more than 17 different #podcasts and went on the TV or radio more than 24 times. Which is crazy. Much of this isn’t paid but it’s pretty cool.
✅I wrote more than 100 blogs and pieces of long form content for clients and for myself and created a newsletter about the future of work which now has over 3.5k people reading it.
✅I reached my goal of 20,000 followers on LinkedIn. And have around 30K combined on my X / twitter accounts…
✅ I wrote several pieces of “branded content” work for ideas and organizations I believe in. Thanks Pomona Partners for these. As part of #PR pieces gaining national and international reach. A first for me…
✅I wrote 5 new books https://futureofwork.gumroad.com
One on the future of work with YourFLOCK AI Coach
https://futureofwork.gumroad.com/l/HYBRIDANDHAPPY
One on AI and marketing and how to do it.
https://futureofwork.gumroad.com/l/MarketingWithAI
One on starting your own business using AI.
https://futureofwork.gumroad.com/l/theaiadvantageGPT4
Two on public speaking.
Overcome
https://futureofwork.gumroad.com/l/TheFearOfPublicSpeaking
Conquer
futureofwork.gumroad.com/l/HowToBecomeAnAmazingPublicSpeaker
Some of which were then sponsored by companies like DressCode Shirts.
✅I produced the Jan 2024 event #Future24 on Jan 17th. With 70 tickets already gone. With 8 amazing speakers. This event is here…
✅I co founded an idea to help teaching education in secondary schools evolve with www.aiteachercourse.com. With Janine Atkin and we have our first pilot starting in Jan. ❤️
✅I did my 20% allocated ‘free work’ for charities, social organizations, startups and universities. With £8000 worth of free talks, podcasts and panel appearances. ❤️ And gave away £3000 worth of AI training for black history month for “celebrating our sisters”. ❤️
And perhaps better news. That… Even with the loss of 20k I hit my personal finance goals. And went away on holiday 4 times❤️. And…
✅I had my most successful 24 hours of my entire life financially. Reaching a goal I had set 5 years earlier…
And the world of #artificialintelligence blasted onto the scene after 10 years of me talking about it. And it looks like that will change the world forever…
So 2023… You could have been better. And I know a lot of people had it a lot worse than I. And that I made some mistakes. And to be honest I lost a lot more than I would like ❌ .
But I gained a lot too. ✅
✅ 2023 taught me some valuable lessons. I don’t know about you.
Here’s to 2024 with better and deeper and healthier relationships with those I know, trust, care about and love. ❤️
With more of a plan. With #AI by my side. And maybe with more successes than failures. But maybe not… As failure is part of the process after all. ✅
And maybe just maybe…
With AI’s help — the world becoming a better place for us all. ✅
Huge thanks to all my clients ❤️ and friends ❤️ that have made 2023 the success it was. I truly hope I have helped you as much as you have helped me…
✅ Here’s to an amazing 2024. ❤️
