So, twenty years after starting, at the end of the Eighties we had a big business. But it appeared to be rather dangerous to our health and it had never made money.
But it was a good business, it was fantastic fun and we loved it. Well, I did; I got all the interesting things to do! Barbara got the boring stuff.
The Company was unique, really, back then; producing so many words, pictures and events all aiming to draw people deep into a world I found to be quite magical and couldn't shut up about. But it was dangerously profitless. One wise old business friend said to me that whilst he knew many guys who had made gold out of shit, I was the only one that managed to make shit out of gold.
Brutally crude... but effective; he had a point, and we listened.
We had wonderful suppliers and very loyal customers but until we made a proper return we remained very, very vulnerable to any unexpected glitch. And we already knew there were plenty of those about.
Barbara suggested I take some time off to try and get healthy. Actually, she wanted me to stop coming up with mad schemes so she and the others could just get on and trade properly. Which they did. This meant we could now go out and recruit a management team appropriate for a Company our size.
Alex the Aussie came in as Marketing Director, David the Scottish Accountant came as Finance Director, Phillip came as I.T. Director, and Ade moved up from damp old Railway Arch 36 to be Wine Director. To head the team and take over from Barbara we recruited the man who had made Smallbone kitchens famous; Greg Hodder.
Barbara 'retired' to look after me and three boys (which she always said actually increased her work load) and became Co-Chairman with me. I didn't retire.
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