One step forward?

You’ve really got to have persistence when you’re trying to set your own business up…..and look at the broader picture and longer term, so you don’t get down-hearted at the little things that happen.

We’re really struggling to find a school to allow us to research their parents. But we’re still trying! I’m trying to get hold of the head at the school me and Ross both went to. I think my calls are probably being avoided, but I’m determined to get to speak to her. After speaking to the secretary, emailing in our questionnaire (with lots of suitable disclaimers to distance the school from any involvement or perceived recommendation of the business), then Ross following up with a call to the secretary to see if the head had approved it, we’ve just go nowhere. The secretary was quite shirty, which I think just isn’t on.

There’s no risk to the school whatsoever, and we’re even offering something in return – either a donation to the PTA, or my services in running some sort of enterprise workshop for the older children (I’m already CRB cleared for children’s work, so they should have no problem with that issue).

I will keep trying to speak to her. Other schools have said no, and glibly wished us good luck. But how can they mean that if they’re not prepared to help us. Frankly I think our old school has a duty to support their past pupils whenever they can. And hopefully I’ll persuade her of this!

Alternatively, I’ve approached our minister who is a school governor of the school that I’d quite like Luke to attend actually. She’s given me the name of the head at that school and said I can use her name as a ‘way in’. She’s not in until Monday so I’ll ring her then and see if she is more willing to help. There’s got to be a school out there somewhere.

On a more positive note, we had a really good meeting with Royal Bank of Scotland today. The manager totally understood our offering and is just our ideal customer. She has a 2 year old boy and is expecting another and we got on really well. So hopefully that will be progress to allow us to do some great PR – because I’ve got loads of fantastic ideas on that front!

And I still haven’t managed to get my car MOT’d – maybe tomorrow?