What Have I Been Up To?

In October I announced I was leaving Fujitsu, and I guess I have been quite quiet since then, so what have I been up to?

At first my intention was to look for another corporate employer but every time I talked to friends the same discussion happened, people thought I should be working for myself as an independent consultant on where Oracle could help an organisation achieve its strategy.

 I thought about it a lot, 25 years with one employer is a long time and it is amazing how much you take that for granted, but at the same time I have a unique set of skills which the ACE program, my old employer and UKOUG have helped me to hone and customers need advice to make the right decisions. As an individual I won't be implementing and am therefore not tied in any way to a specific solution; I can truly be that independent advisor. The more I thought about it, the more I realised this is really what I want to do, so I have spent a few months with a wonderful business advisor Lorna from Ledcom (as part of Invest NI business start program) and I start trading on March 1st.

 I never realised just how much was involved, I had everything from my old employer and have had to start from scratch, even the telephone and broadband at home needed new contracts, then everything from new phone, tablet, PC, bank accounts, stationery, website, email, UKOUG membership and even VAT registration! So I promise you it has not just been watching Jeremy Kyle (awful daytime tv) in my onesie!

 In the meantime I have had some minor surgery, taken advice of friends and had a break, diving in Egypt and catching up with friends over new year, and as I type this I am onboard an aircraft to the Philippines for more diving. I have been very busy with UKOUG leading the Ireland and AppsTransformation event teams and the most exciting for me Next Generation.

And I am posting this on my birthday via a scheduler as I intend to be at the bottom of the sea.

 So look out for my posting early march when the new me is revealed.