A January with five Mondays in it feels like it should be illegal
Wayne
The first month of the year has flown by...We all joke about January being a fifteen-week month, but this one has passed in the blink of an eye.
I saw in the New Year in the Lake District with my better half. We aimed to start the year as we mean to go on; by relaxing, getting outside more and taking photographs. We started off with the best intentions, a nice walk to Orrest Head Viewpoint. The summit is 784 feet above sea level with views south as far as the Peak District, but the best views were much closer, as Lake Windermere looked like a scene from Lord Of The Rings with the low-hanging cloud.
I’ve never been one for “Dry January” or such fads (we tried Veganuary once and that lasted less than a week), so I wasn’t surprised to find myself booked into the late-night spa slot on New Year’s Day with free drinks. We saw the new year in just how we wanted to, and it was nice to start January in picturesque surroundings.
We get a lot of new enquiries in the first month(s) of the year, which has historically been the case. This is most likely due to new yearly budgets being rolled out, and others deciding to leave things until the new year as Christmas dominates December. 2023 was no different, even surpassing January 2022 for new websites and applications booked in, which is a great sign and just what you need to get back into the swing of things.
Jake & I have been scheming and planning and thinking up ways to bring in new business in 2023. Part of that includes working with an external marketing consultant – which begins in February – and is something I’m very much looking forward to.
Historically we’ve been plenty busy from word-of-mouth recommendations, but I feel it’s time to start looking at other channels to advance the business up another level. I don’t know if it’s all this recession talk channeling my natural desire to challenge the status quo, but all the talk has made me determined to not only get through it, but to come out of the other side in a better place. We’re going on the offensive!
As part of our modest influx of new clients, I had a meeting at a quarry, which was a nice change of scenery on a bright winter morning. Expect more photo opps – although this one was taken from inside my car with the sun beaming down on me, so they will get better.
Finally – happy new year! We’re past that awkward time, two-or-three-weeks into January, where you don’t really know whether or not to say it. But if I haven’t spoken with you directly yet, all the best and I hope 2023 is a great year for you!
Andrew
Becoming a guitar-shredding, chopstick-wielding god...I met up with friends who live down in Manchester where we went to a sushi restaurant. I surprised myself with how well I could use chopsticks. The last time I used them, I was twelve and couldn’t get the hang of it. When I last had sushi, I gave up and just ate with my hands, so this month was certainly an improvement. It was a great night and I am grateful for the opportunity to catchup with my mates.
I’m finally making some strides in my guitar progress as well. This month I’ve finally managed to play the dreaded F barre chord consistently without it sounding garbage and muted. That’s a great improvement for me as I’ve spent over a year struggling with barre chords.
Getting close to the end of my apprenticeship and I’ve learned a lot about not only the software development itself but the workflow, planning and communication involved. I’m excited to see through to the end of this apprenticeship and I think the knowledge is going to greatly benefit myself and Twilo.
