 Profile
Hi & thanks for stopping by. As you can see, my name is Dave Clarke. A name doesn't tell you very much, so I'd like to borrow a moment of your time to tell you a little more.
First, though, what about you? Would you like to be connected to people that may be of interest to you? If so, please leave a message with the distinguishing characteristics of the people that you'd like to meet and an explanation of how you can help them. That will help me write an introduction that lays the foundation for a valuable connection.
I live in a village in Wiltshire with my wife, Kate. We have three children, Emily (11), Jack (9), Rosanna (7). The Community revolve around the church, the school, the heritage society, the village hall & the Pub! It's a great place to raise a family being removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, but not too far removed! If you would like to see beautiful countryside including the crop circles, chalk horses, and prehistoric circles of stone, Wiltshire is the place to be. See www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk for more information about Wiltshire.
People say that I am calm under pressure. There are definitely times when this comes in handy. One of those situations occurred a few years ago, when our son, Jack, arrived nearly an hour before the midwife showed up.
You know how someone who always appears calm and laid back may come across as aloof? Some people perceive me that way. It just takes a lot to get me upset. The other thing that people might say if they were criticising me is that I'm stubborn. When you are rock solid, it sometimes comes across as stubbornness, but consider this. When a rock is at rest, it takes a lot of movement to make it start moving. When a rock is moving, it takes a lot of effort to change its direction.
Do you like meeting people? Spending weekends away in remote places such as those owned by The Landmark Trust (www.landmarktrust.org.uk)? Swimming? Skiing? Football (soccer for my friends in the US)? Messing about outdoors? If so we have these things in common.
My hobbies also include family trips to the outdoors & new places. Time with children individually. Arriving home. The pub. Nights out (weekends away once a year) with Kate without kids! I also enjoy good books and good films that are entertaining, but work at different levels. Books like Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams and films like The Matrix, Lord of the Rings and Kill Bill. I enjoy good music played loud in the car where you will currently find tracks by the Manic Street Preachers, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Bob Marley, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Johnnie Cash, Ramsey Lewis, The Corrs, The Chemical Brothers, Radiohead, Prince Buster, Jimi Hendrix, Mozart, Travis, Paul Weller and Gershwin amongst a fairly eclectic mix.
Now for the work stuff.
Do you enjoy chasing customers, or would you rather show them the benefits of catching you to be their supplier? At NRG Business Networks, Kim Sharman, Martin Davies, and I help our membership profit from effective networking by building business relationships based on trust and knowledge. The tools that we provide to members include training, mentoring, and business lunches.
For free effective networking, advocate marketing advice, business development tips and information you might want to register for our free ezine at the NRG Business Networks Website, www.nrg-networks.com
Business owners need to be freed up from the frustration of doing everything themselves and the anxiety of constantly chasing new business so they can spend the time on the activities that relate to their core competencies - delivering the services and products that their customers need. I developed cs4b™, 'Common Sense For Business', to help business owners focus on their strengths and win more customers, build better relationships with existing customers, operate more efficiently, maximise margins and profitability, and be investor ready.
Some people are natural sales people. Not me. The feedback of business owners over the years suggests that many of them aren't sales people either. Rather than trying to be something that I'm not, my strategy was to educate individuals and allow customers to purchase what I offer. This isn't selling. It is simply helping friends meet their needs.
Telecommunication and technology solutions enable businesses to better meet their customers' needs. I worked with internet service providers and telecommunications companies in the business-to-business and business-to-consumer context for thirteen years. My background also includes sales, marketing, and general management experience.
See http://ecademy.com/module.php?mod=guestbook&id=42737&xref=42737 to see what others say about me on Ecademy.
Recently, a contact said:
"I was delighted to write a testimonial for you. It was a struggle to keep myself from waxing too lyrical! I managed to refrain from likening you to a zen master- but only just!"
If you got this far thank you and do get in touch.
© Dave Clarke
Finally I would like to share my favourite poem;
If by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
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