4pManagement Ltd

I’m happy to report my 4^th client. A large international agri-foods business who are moving into wet pet foods in Mexico. My company has been engaged to ratify the design and help to put in place the routines and processes needed for a successful start-up. If they engage me for all parts of the project, then with this and my existing work I will be 70% deployed in 2022.

In my first blog I mentioned when one door closes another opens, this has been the story of 2021. As one project has come to an end and I’ve dreamed of reducing my handicap on the golf course another opportunity has come up to help another company improve, so through 2021 there has been no “quiet” times.

Moving to self-employment was always a dream of mine, but like so many you get used to the security of the monthly pay check and to be fair the to my previous employer Nestle I was always given new challenges every 3 to 5 years so life was never boring. But now the time is right and I’m enjoying meeting new clients, understanding their problems, and helping them to find the solution that fits their needs.

In the week before Christmas, I also had an on-site meeting with a UK petfood company, I’ve delivered a proposal to help them on three projects, if they engage me then 2022 will be full- which is a great position to be in.

Working around Covid this year has been a challenge, getting into some European countries can change almost at the drop of a hat. For my Italian client the rules on quarantine changed 3 days before I was due to fly out, but I managed to move my flight and go in the day before the rule change and keep to the commitment I had made. It’s important to make sure your client is number 1 and this commitment has led to other engagements within their group.

Working from home is enjoyable, not answering 150 e-mails per day is liberating. Virtual meetings using “team” or “zoom” is time efficient. Spending time researching the best solution for my client is satisfying, but best of all is time on site. Face to face is often the only way to really understand the needs and my evolved way of working is to conduct an initial on-site study, to define down the brief, build a scope and start to develop an action plan that meets the clients needs. Although all my engagements are in pet foods they are all different and this is what makes the work special.

I now want to wish all my clients, OEM’s, colleagues, friends, and family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for 2022.