LET’ S DO BUSINESS
continued from p13
COMING HOME
For a man whose career has taken him across the world, Stoke has never really left the room.
During our video interview, Stoke City shirts are visible behind him. He remains a supporter and still gets to matches when he can. His pride in the city is continued unmistakable from. p13
So there is something fitting about Downes bringing the lessons of a remarkable career back to Staffordshire for this year’ s Let’ s Do Business Expo.
More than 1,000 delegates are expected at Uttoxeter Racecourse for the Chamber’ s biggest annual business event, bringing together companies from across the region to meet, make connections and find opportunities.
At first glance, the challenges facing those businesses may bear little resemblance to the experiences Downes describes.
There will be no 55lb packs. No horizontal rain on the Brecon Beacons. No operations behind enemy lines. No doors in Baghdad with Saddam Hussein’ s most wanted men potentially waiting on the other side.
BUT PRESSURE IS PRESSURE.
A business owner fighting to protect jobs during a downturn knows what it means to carry responsibility. A manager making an important decision without all the information they would like understands uncertainty. An entrepreneur whose plan has failed understands the temptation to stop. A team working through rapid change knows how quickly trust and communication become important.
The scale is different but the human response can be remarkably familiar.
Downes’ answer is to prepare properly, surround yourself with good people, listen to them, take responsibility when things go wrong and keep moving.
Push yourself outside the comfortable. Do the difficult task. Keep improving.
And when the rifle slips down the mountain for a second time and every part of you wants to stop, go down and pick it up.
Because you may have more left than you think.
“ Everybody can push themselves a lot further physically and mentally than they realise,” Downes says.
Sometimes you only discover it when you need that extra gear. And Melvyn Downes has spent a lifetime finding his.
Melvyn Downes will speak at Let’ s Do Business between 10.30am and 11.30am. See the following pages for our complete preview of Staffordshire’ s biggest annual business expo.
DPC joins with Philip Barnes Uttoxeter
Stoke based DPC Accountants, part of Sumer, are pleased to announce the merger with Philip Barnes Accountants Uttoxeter, strengthening our regional presence and expanding the services available to clients across Staffordshire.
This strategic partnership enhances our ability to deliver exceptional professional services to small and medium-sized enterprises in the local community.
Philip Barnes Uttoxeter has built a strong reputation in Uttoxeter and Staffordshire, known for its commitment to client service excellence and deep regional expertise.
Come visit us at Let’ s Do Business!
DPC are exhibiting at this years Let’ s Do Business Expo. Come and visit us at stand A49 – we’ ve got a selection of treats available and we’ re more than happy to have a chat about any business challenges you might have.
DPC Accountants, Stone House, 55 Stone Road Business Park, Stone Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 6SR. Tel: 01782 744144 Email: info @ dpcaccountants. com www. dpcaccountants. com
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