Blackbob
Gerrards Cross,#2Consumer Comment
Tue, March 03, 2009
First I joined the organisation, like the disappointed subscriber, and paid my money and my annual sub ever since. That was back in 1997, 12 years ago, and given the support and benefit its been to me over these years, I would have been willing to pay twice as much. It's been worth a lot more than that to me and I just wish I had found it many years before I did. But I have given time to the ethos and ethics of the IIB; free time to struggling SMEs, and lots of paid time as well. I have a way of life which suits me I am very busy and engaged in many businesses, but I am having fun and fulfilment I never had before. Now this does not come down from IIB itself, but it is facilitated by them. If it were not for them I would not be where I am, and that really would be sad.!! I have mentored many new IIBers and have seen many who could not hack the sharp end, meeting new businesses for the first time, and struggling to know what to say; many felt disillusioned and incapable; and so dispirited they left the shade of the umbrella. Now that was not IIBs fault, they had expected too much spoonfeeding which is NOT what the whole ethos is about. You join as an experienced business man (woman) able to deliver value to clients who are mainly SMEs, and if you cannot deliver that, or find a way to moderate your attitudes to ensure that it is delivered then the IIb is not for you. I have mentored people who have gone on to buy their own businesses, rather than meet new prospects and thats fine, but don't blame the IIB; it offers you a methodology which works, and there are so many who have succeeded using it, that listening to those who have not been able to make it work will simply deprive many people of an oppotunity to take control of their own life for a change; to do some good for their economy, for local SMEs and for themselves. There are always pygmies in the scrub, but we don't have to listen to them; those of us who take chances and lead from the front just get on with the task in hand. So I rebut these accusations of Rip Off and encourage those making the accusations to have a good look in the mirror, and into their own hearts; did they really try?