In Your Shoes - Steven J Innes

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I've been self employed for over 27 years now and love the freedom and flexibility that this gives me. 

For the last 11 years I've been promoting Synergy Worldwide. This came about after a health scare in front of 450 people at the Treetops Hotel in Aberdeen while on duty in my other role as a MC / Compere.

I started out as an MC / Compere by chance when an events company asked me to host an event a few years previous to that and it moved quickly from there. 

I'm lucky I love doing what I do and have a great variety in both sides of my business, and in the last year I've partnered up with my good pal Andrew Charlton from Hashtag Events to disrupt and freshen the networking offering a bit.  

My hobbies include playing golf ( 3/4 times a week ) and I support Aberdeen FC. I love doing anything connected with personal development and have started writing a book but this is definitely a work in progress..... 

Monday

As it was Easter Monday it was quieter than usual.

I'm normally found in either the Old Pier Cafe in Stonehaven or Cafe Cognito in Aberdeen and that's where I start my day. A call with Andrew from Hashtag to discuss the Dundee and Angus Expo event on Wednesday. Then onto a zoom call with Oyvid from Norway who's got a fantastic AI tool and I'm looking to utilise this in my Synergy Worldwide offering. 

Then it was off to Cruden Bay to play 18 holes of golf at the magnificent course just north of Aberdeen. I played with a guy who runs a Facebook page called the Scottish golf notice board and we are discussing ways of working together and for me there's no better place than to have our meeting playing golf...  it's my new office !! 

Then it's off to the care home to visit my 89 year old Mum before heading home to catch up on various bits of admin. I don't work a regular 9-5 role so my week and working days are rather varied and fluid, which works for me.

Tuesday

Andrew and I run an online networking session a couple of times a month and this Tuesday we had 68 on the call. This takes a bit of dealing with but it's all good, and it's great helping business owners make those connections and new contacts. 

A number of follow ups for me and then it's off to the post office to send out a few orders for my Synergy business. Although we have a subscription based offering I still look after a number of personal customers who I either send out or deliver the goodies myself. Whatever works best for them. 

A quick plate of soup at Cognito then its off to a meeting re a celebration dinner I'm hosting for Curl Aberdeen in June. Its their 20th anniversary dinner and I'm hosting it and doing auctioneer duties. Preparation is key with these events and I'm all about attention to detail so it's always good to meet prior to the event to get an understanding of how it's meant to run etc. 

A quick visit to see Mum then Tuesday night is our weekly business presentation evening for my Synergy business. With lots of people now looking for their own side hustle or additional income stream we run a weekly business overview to showcase what's on offer. Losing 80% of my income during lockdown made me flip my Synergy business from part time to a full time business.....best decision ever! So every Tuesday at 7pm it's online and it doesn't matter where I am it's important to show consistency and visibility. We normally have a training session straight after and then its off for a walk to relax and wind down. 

Wednesday

Dundee and Angus Expo today at the Invercarse Hotel so it's an early start setting up my stand and getting ready for a day of making new connections and speaking to lots of familiar faces.
I've hosted this event for Brett Jackson for many years and it's proved a great platform to grow business.  

Out of the hotel by 5pm and literally straight up the road to the Chester hotel for a golf networking event for a few hours. Met up with the guys from Underpin sports management. I'm supplying and supporting a number of their golfers and business ownwers associated with Underpin so it was good to meet up and see the guys. 

I'm getting huge interest in and around the golf market with Synergy so it's important to attend these events. You just never know who's going to be there....

Thursday

A morning of calls with Andrew and my pal Graham McWilliam. 

Graham was my very first Synergy customer and he's since joined the business side of it and it's fantastic working with like minded souls who are striving like myself to help others get fitter and healthier whilst growing a long term residual income. 

Another zoom call to the US with a connection in North Carolina who's never heard of Synergy but is fascinated with all things gut health. Crazy to think a company who's manufacturing facilities are in the US and has been trading for 25 years is still an unknown commodity in certain parts of the country. 

Final zoom call of the day with my Synergy partner Rudy from the US. He's coming to Scotland from the 5th to the 9th of May and I'm busy arranging meetings in Dundee and Aberdeen for interested parties wanting in on the business deal. 

We may just sneak in a few rounds of golf while he's here. All about that work life balance.

Friday

Lots of follow up to be done from the expo and previous shows. It's often 5-10 touch points that's required so it's just a case of making sure prospects are getting the relevant information and resources.  

Time to sort out what's required for the following week with the Edinburgh business show next Wednesday. I always invite connections to catch up at the show and arrange a number of meetings at the event. Almost like a pop up shop. With Hashtag Events we have over 20 shows a year and they have proved really productive in getting the message out there and it's my favourite way of networking. 

Management decision made Friday afternoon ....  the suns out and I'm reasonably well up to date with everything so guess where I'm heading??? Yep off to the golf course. It's my happy place and I totally switch off and enjoy the fresh air and the company of a few pals. 

I'm really blessed with the opportunities that I have and it's important to get a proper balance day to day and week to week. I never feel as if I'm working so just crack on and enjoy the journey. As my old pal Bert used to say "too many people go to the grave with the song still in them" "Time to sing and let everyone know your story".