Beautiful Girl Wins Ukraine's Got Talent with Microsoft Surface

Writing about web page http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=vOhf3OvRXKg

Before you get too stressed about returning to work in 2010, take 10 minutes to watch this beautiful talent (8 and a bit minutes for the video, and about a minute to wipe away any tears without anyone seeing !).

It's Kseniya Simonova, 24, who won the Ukraine's Got Talent top prize equivalent to £75,000, with this innovative use of a Microsoft Surface.

I think she must have been inspired as a child with an Etch-a-Sketch, and a few years later, appeared as an extra in The Minority Report.

Grant's Rant © 2010

: 04 Jan 2010 12:10 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

24 Chances to Win Prizes with this Advent Calendar

Writing about web page http://bit.ly/HeartAdvent

See if you can win iTunes Vouchers, Amazon Gift Certificates, Web Hosting and Domain Names

Here is a few minutes of fun each day for you. Click here to Play

Good Luck!

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 02 Dec 2009 12:08 |  Tags: Advent Christmas |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Can you Celebrate St. Andrews Day in England?

Happy St Andrew’s Day

Am I allowed to celebrate St Andrew’s Day in Englandshire? Well I am half Scottish and part of the Melrose clan. So I will. Where’s that single malt?

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 30 Nov 2009 13:25 |  Tags: Andrews Saltire Scottish |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

My Model Answer for Prescribed Particulars, Annual Return

Follow-up to Companies Act 2006 has Simplified Managing a Small Business. Discuss from Grant's Rant | Twenti Twelve Tenders | Software Sussed | Marvellous Marketing | Insane Ideas

After my search around the forums and having a look at my Company’s Articles, I came up with this:

http://business2dot0.com/about/42-annual-return-prescribed-particulars-rights-shares

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 30 Nov 2009 09:46 |  Tags: Business |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Companies Act 2006 has Simplified Managing a Small Business. Discuss

Writing about web page http://business2dot0.com/blog

1 October 2009 saw the change over to the new Companies Act 2006 forms for filing at Companies House. I recently tried the secure electronic WebFiling service to submit my Annual Return.

Everything seemed to be straight forward. New names for a start – AR01 rather than the more cryptic “363a”, not to mention the saving of £15 on the filing fee.

What the heck does Prescribed Particulars (of rights attached to shares) mean?

Companies House don’t provide many clues, and a search through accounting forums to find a model answer that actually means something in English was a quite a challenge! So one for the Warwick Business School perhaps?

I suspect there is still some distance to go to really simplify small business.

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 30 Nov 2009 09:25 |  Tags: Business |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Where have all the free Prepare for 2012 workshops gone

Writing about web page http://business2dot0.com/news/events

Last week I was wondering where all the free prepare for 2012 workshops had gone. Well, Solihull Borough Council have answered my question.

This three hour workshop, which starts at 8:45am on 26 November 2009, is delivered by BiP Solutions, who normally charge from £75, £90, or £120 for such similar workshops.

The event is hosted by Solihull Borough Council in partnership with Business Link West Midlands, and funded by Advantage West Midlands.

So the event is not really free. We have already paid for it with our tax returns! If you want to get your £120 worth of tax back, please click along to here for more details !

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 09 Nov 2009 15:37 |  Tags: 2012 Business London Olympics Paralympics Tenders |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Opportunity to take part in Department for BIS Case Studies

Writing about web page http://business2dot0.com/blog/7-business-opportunities/38-bis-case-studies

SMEs are Invited to Particiapte in Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) Case Studies

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is updating the ‘Winning the Contract’ procurement eLearning course, and is looking for SMEs to participate in case studies to use as examples of the procurement process.

You only have until Monday 9th November 2009 to respond, so head over here for the invite

PS: This invite came from BiP Solutions … so I am being even handed after my last post !

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 31 Oct 2009 00:24 |  Tags: Bis Business Sme |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Prepare for London 2012 : Update

Writing about web page http://business2dot0.com/business-opportunities/london-2012-tenders

What has happened to the Free Prepare for 2012 Workshops?

For the last couple of years, until the spring of 2009, I have presented at free Prepare for 2012 workshops around the West Midlands – Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull, Stoke, Stafford, Hereford, Worcester, and West Bromwich, to name a few.

The free workshops were provided to help West Midlands companies get access to the tenders for London 2012 Olympic related business opportunities.

This was a collaboration between Advantage West Midlands, the West Midlands Business Council, various Chambers of Commerce, Business Link West Midlands, and of course The University of Warwick.

I talked about using IT to help track down these 2012 business opportunities – A 2012 Business Radar if you like!

The University also hosted www.ready-for-business.co.uk to sniff out and provide free access to these tenders.

So what has happened since Spring 2009?

Advantage West Midlands awarded a new contract to carry out this work with Business Link, a consortium of the Chambers of Commerce, and BiP Solutions Ltd.

So I can tell you the West Midlands Business Council were none to pleased about this. As I supported the West Midlands Business Council, it doesn’t look like I will be presenting at any future workshops either.

But the show has to go on, doesn’t it? Well I haven’t seen any publicity for these events yet!

The ready-for-business.co.uk site is still alive, and I have also put up a page on my website about London 2012 related business opportunites and news at http://business2dot0.com/business-opportunities/london-2012-tenders

I believe BiP Solutions will provide Procurement Training Workshops, and they also provide the www.supply2.gov.uk procurement portal, and the www.CompeteFor.com London 2012 contracts portal.

But more about that in another rant, as I suspect we (the public purse) have essentially paid £multi-millions for the same software that was already being provided.

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 30 Oct 2009 11:21 |  Tags: London Olympics Paralympics Tenders |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

WMG MSc Project Fest for Young Scientists

Writing about web page http://business2dot0.com/blog/13-warwick-msc-projects

With a record number of MSc students this year I have published a range of projects across several disciplines – eBusiness, Project Management, Supply Chain & Logistics, Engineering Business Management, and Digital Manufacturing.

Here is the list which I hoped would appeal:

1. Comparison of on-line marketing using Google and Yahoo
2. Is it possible to manage a business / engineering company with free / low cost software?
3. Using Twitter to launch a new product
4. Using Social Networking to encourange & manage collaborative projects
5. Using CRM or ERP software to manage operations and logistics in a SME / Engineering company
6. Best practice for Projects, Supply Chain and Logistics in the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games
7. Web based user interface / dashboard to manage logistics and operational control within Healthcare
8. What is the best Web Content Management System?
9. What is the best Shopping Cart for today’s e-Commerce requirements
10. Improving web-site design using eye tracking / mapping analysis
11. New desktop technology to improve file, document, and Enterprise Content Management productivity
12. Scientific testing of the Isaiah Effect in Internet Marketing

Well I guess it worked. 37 interview requests. 10 Interviews. 8 Applications. I now just need to decide who to accept. I wish I could accept them all.

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 30 Oct 2009 09:52 |  Tags: Masters Msc Wmg |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Crikey – 12 months since my last blog

Is it really 12 months since my last blog?

That’s not so good. I think a need to be given a good (public) thrashing with birch twigs. So here is an early new years resolution – must blog at Warwick more.

Grant’s Rant © 2009

: 30 Oct 2009 09:14 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem