Monday, March 30, 2009

1 day to go

Utterly exhausted. So much to do. Many less people on the ground to help tomorrow and when every person is needed to put in 110% a little encouragement and practical help goes such a long way. It's deadlines like this where you really see what people are made of. I'm so proud of my team - the Arbour guys have been putting in hard physical 12 - 15 hour days for 11 days now, way over what they are paid for. The Swinburne guys have been right there every day with busloads of students, interested staff helpers and bucketloads of enthusiasm, all in the name of good relationships with industry. Kris, my wonderful assistant and star plantswoman has dropped everything to do long days just for the experience. We've all asked other small business people to give up their time and hence money to contribute on the chance that some publicity may come their way, and even better, some more work out of it. Gary from Bentsticks must have put hundreds of hours into the fairy grotto - a pure masterpiece that will draw every child into this garden. Gerry from FormBoss has given some 40 metres of steel edging, fabricated with brackets which takes time in the factory. It all represents time and money. Yarra Burn gave 15 wine barrels that could have been sold for cash that could be much needed in this economy. Mark from Transrock sent an enormous amount of rock for our walls for free without hesitation - very generous for such a small company. All small businesses who rely on relationships with people to grow.

It's an interesting observation that when the pressure is on, the small businesses keep on giving and never give up, yet the small thing from the much larger businesses that makes all the difference - encouragement and thanks, recognition for effort over and above what was agreed - is just so hard to come by.

Why is it that transactions between little businesses are so easy and uncomplicated do you think? Why do little businesses just keep on getting up after being kicked again and again, just to see an agreement through to the end?
Integrity. It's a belief that professional integrity is just so important. It may be less profitable than being a constant taker, but regrets are fewer for us when we need to call on friends. I wish us all luck for tomorrow, that we get it finished, that we know we've done our best and that we're proud of what we've done. Well done my team, I'm very proud to have you all as my friends.

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