So I got an email saying “Black Tie” event. I read it again. An awards night and HUM4NS had been chosen as a finalist! The Great British Entrepreneur Awards again. Last time it was Cre8ion that was picked, back in 2018, and no, we didn’t win, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless.
The funny thing was that around six months ago I had gotten rid of all my ties and suit jackets that no longer fit (weight lifting and an ever-expanding midriff had changed my shape completely). This meant that in order to be ready for the award appearance I would have to embark on the journey of acquiring a new outfit.
I had some patent leather shoes still, (I think that they were left over from the 2018 appearance) but nothing else remotely black tie apart from a dickie bow knocking around the house somewhere.
I had an incredibly busy couple of weekends and managed to forget all about my clothing predicament, then suddenly woke up on the Saturday before the Monday of the awards ceremony in a cold sweat. I leapt out of bed. My first port of call was to find somewhere I could hire what I needed. Back in 2018, my amazing wife had found a door to door hire company who drove to our house, picked up the cash and dropped off the suit! Unfortunately, four years down the line, they were nowhere to be found.
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I made a booking online to visit Moss Bros in Cribbs Causeway and when I turned up I was told that they were happy to measure me up but that there would be a two-week wait! I did not have two weeks.
That wasn’t the news I needed to hear. After trying on endless outfits in store, I started to realise that my shape had become a problem. Footballers’ legs are great on the pitch but not much use away from it! My self-esteem started to plummet as I realised that my trouser size had increased to size 42.
So, what next? Well, I could have shopped in John Lewis, M&S, etc, but I realised, that even if I found a jacket that worked, the trousers were going to be a challenge.
36” trousers had been my go-to size, sometimes 34”, but certainly not 42”! On the day of the awards (Monday) I got up early and went to my go-to trouser shop as a last resort. I rushed to TK Maxx in Yate and within 10 minutes I had found a pair of smart black golfing trousers made by Puma. They fit perfectly. 36”. Done. Trouser box ticked.
Incidentally, I had looked at suits the day before and I did find a perfect fit (only the top half). Lovely jacket but the trousers were a terrible shape and fitted so badly that I couldn’t believe they were part of the set that had been put together. That was in TK Maxx in Cribbs Causeway.
So, I’m in Yate with the trousers and with only a couple of hours to go before the train was due to leave for London, I headed back to Cribbs Causeway. Boom. First thing I see, the jacket and rubbish trousers, in the red label (reduced) section. Purchased. Jacket box ticked. I’ll find someone who needs a pair of large, rather smart dress trousers in due course.
I go to the shirt section and guess what? Three dress shirts in my size and they are all reduced. I pick one and it works!
Getting home I tried everything on as a combination and my self-esteem began to rise like mercury in a thermometer. The golf trousers were the best fitting trousers I think I have ever donned and my beautiful evening wear outfit was complete at a cost of less than £100.
I did learn a couple of lessons in the process (apart from to get the wife to do it next time, and leave her a bit more time).
ONE:
Conventional doesn’t always work.
Off the shelf doesn’t always work! For suits and in other areas of life too. What you need is various options. It’s the same with business. You need a framework within which to work BUT we everyone has to learn to occasionally colour outside of the lines.
TWO:
Find the right fit, don’t go by the size necessarily.
This is a life lesson in itself. I remember having discussions about suit trousers in the changing room with other footballers who struggled in this area! Thighs for real guys seemed to get ignored. Whatever you do, make choices around fit and not size! This is true for recruitment where you need to recruit around fit for your culture. For team players and for new clients.
THREE:
What is meant for one use can work elsewhere.
One of the smartest marketing methods is to see what works in one sector and try it in another. We are used to seeing packages in retail, but offering packages in the services arena makes your business more scalable and saleable.
FOUR:
Black tie is what you make it.
Olly, my HUM4NS business partner has been to a few more awards over the years than I have and he told me that not everyone goes in conventional outfits. After finding out the hire cost with Moss Bros, I can see why!
For most guys, finding a certain suit and outfit is the expectation but rather go with what works.
FIVE:
Constraints aid creativity
Doing anything at the last minute forces you to be creative, focused and flexible.
If you have ever worked in filming you’ll be amazed what goes on around the rectangle you end up seeing. Behind-the-scenes footage reveals many secrets! Smaller budgets make for more creativity.
So how did we do? Well, HUM4NS was a finalist. We didn’t win but we had some great conversations. I love winning (losing sucks), but we did get one win earlier in the year with HUM4NS in a highly competitive landscape (Start Up of the year – Rising Star), so I’m happy to just focus on IMPACT rather than winning any more awards.
It is nice to get recognition BUT, without sounding too cliched, the real reward is when people catch what you are doing and see the impact of it.
For me, it’s more about the memories and leaving lasting ones. I continue to build with exceptional people regardless of trophies (not just because we didn’t win). I want to focus on helping others win by aligning to their purpose and if I get some wood and plastic to celebrate it, amazing.
Lastly, I wanted to thank Simon Squibb and his talk before his “Purpose Award” presentation, which was by far the best thing that I heard all evening!
Life is about purpose, but how you get there may be uncomfortable, unconventional and at times unbelievable, but when you live for a purpose, you’ll always find a way.