Houston, we have lift off!

Well, there I was, about 30mins ago wondering what to put in my weekly newsletter. I was thinking that I needed to put in what’s gone on in the world of Zzing this week but was aware that it was starting to sound very similar to all of the other weeks – nearly there, another proposal sent out, no news yet, fingers crossed on this tender etc. etc. I could see why my Mum and Dad were getting worried that I had made the right decision to go freelance.

Then BAM!

Email comes in.

I WON A TENDER FOR A PIECE OF MARKET RESEARCH!!!!!!

Yes, you read it right - my first ‘official’ tender won. An actual tender which I completed for a company that I had never met before and they decided that my approach to the project was the best one!

I am sure I am close to how Amy Williams who won the Olympic Gold medal in the skeleton this week felt – all that hard work (OK, only two months in my case, I know she has been training for years) has finally paid off. (That little jig I did last week when I got a contract and then lost it, I am convinced is jinxed so have remained firmly in my seat, just bounced up and down a lot.)

It’s one small step for Zzing, one giant leap to hitting the annual budget!

Actually, it has capped off a very good week. I met with a really nice recruitment agency this week and they are looking for help with their PR and Marketing. This company have grown to a very stable organisation over the last few years, are expanding with focus and want some help in raising their profile. I met with the MD who was a really nice guy and, if he likes my ideas and costs, I think he and his company would be a really nice project to work on. I’m also meeting with a construction company early next week to discuss some possible freelance work for them, again PR and Marketing. I’m hoping that my previous experience in construction and recruitment will help me win some work for both of these companies, looking at what they want to achieve, I know I can help – I have my fingers, legs and eyes crossed that they want to work with me as much as I want to work with them.

As I was up in London meeting the recruitment agency this week, I took the opportunity to pop in to Mum and Dad’s on my way back and also managed to invite myself to tea too – it would have been rude not too. I know Mum and Dad support me but they are worried that I have left a good job to start up on my own (that thought goes through my head on a regular basis too!) but I still feel that I have done the right thing (most days!) Especially today – wooop, woop woop! (Yes, still bouncing up and down in my chair, the neighbours must be wondering what’s going on)

I think I must be Lloyds TSB Banks best friend at the moment, they keep phoning me and asking for me to take part in some telephone research on their services, customer support, how they communicate with me. Obviously, being at home, I can take these calls and I think that as I agreed to take part in the first 5min telephone survey, I am on some ‘golden list’ which means that I am in when they phone and happy to take part. Mind you, I should have asked them to phone my friend Vicki from Tiger Ink for feedback, she has not had a brilliant time with Lloyds it is safe to say. In fact, I think if Lloyds called Tiger Ink and asked for a printing quote for all of their UK business, she may tell them where to stick it – well, maybe not, but she is really not happy with them. I think if I had been mucked around the way Vicki has been, the pens clamped by short wires to the cashiers desks would have been swiftly uprooted and placed in an appropriate place on the Business Bank Manager using a forceful upward movement!

So who knows what next week will bring? I know what this weekend will bring - bruises. Got a tough hockey match tomorrow with a very physical side that no one in the league likes playing AND on top of that, they have changed the match time from the morning to the afternoon. Right in the middle of the 6 nations rugby matches! Honestly, what were they thinking? England really need to win against the Irish to keep alive my dream of seeing the deciding match of the six nations live in Paris in four weeks time.

Let’s hope a few more tenders come good as if England win, the bar bill in Paris may be a bit high!

Right, best sort out my diary and work calendar for next week – this could be the start of something beautiful!