On Monday and Tuesday I am designing and delivering a Masters in Entrepreneurship Course at Staffordshire University.
I am writing the entire course content, designing the structure of the course, the modules, the teaching and the guest lecturers.
I’m creating the startup ecosystem that wraps around the course too.
I’m hosting free startup events in Stoke and I’m creating a membership community for Staffordshire based founders and business owners. As well as the physical space we will use for these communities and the course.
On Wednesdays I spend time on Made in Stoke which is a community of people who don’t currently live in Stoke, yet are from the area or have a connection to it. These are mostly successful/influential people who may have something to offer the City with time, talent or treasure.
All of this I see as part of my “Mission Stoke” where I feel called to actively contribute to the regeneration of my community.
Most of this is done through community building, I’m not starting a business around this yet and don’t see the need too.
In 5 years I want to look back across a dynamic and bustling city centre filled with innovation and entrepreneurship. I want to see new businesses, new confidence, new coffee shops, new bars and I want to say “I played a big part in that”.
Alongside all of this I’m writing regularly both here and on my blog where I write about Stoke and I’ve just finished my first draft of Jack the Lad.
I’m taking my writing up a level by creating a Patreon where people can support my writing and get access to regular CRAZY TALK
After two weeks of editing myself I’m going to work with an editor on my manuscript for JACK THE LAD.
The Patreon feels new and I am pushing myself in the direction I truly want to go in. A creator and artist working on an eclectic mix of different things.
I’m there for the Sanctus team when they need me. I check in with the Board, our CEO Al and our marketing team for support. from time to time.
I’m also supporting two different businesses. I’m kind of on their board. I check in with them once a month hold the founders accountable, advise, ask questions and champion them. I really enjoy this.
I have a load of emails I haven’t replied to that I don’t feel that bad about because I know I’ll get round to them.
I have a mate of mine bringing me a bottle of Sparking Wine to try on Monday. He’s got 1,000 bottles in his garage and I want to play with Routledge’s Fizz, a celebratory drinks brand where you can use a pen to write on the bottle as a momento.
I’ve got 6 prints of Stories that I want to sell to good homes.
I’m running 15 miles up Snowdon in May.
And now comes the deep breath, this is all the various stuff I’m doing. It sounds a lot, but I didn’t set an alarm this morning, woke up naturally at 09.16 and didn't get out of bed until 10.
Yesterday I lay reading Dolly Alderton on the sofa in the middle of the day and spent an hour doing some heavy lifting before the carpets get laid in the spare room on Friday.
Some days I feel bit “ahhh this is a lot” or "what the hell am I doing I need a proper job" but most days I shrug my shoulders and smile at how funny life is. How much is possible, how much fun there is to have, how much we can create from these stupid little metal screens we all have that are connected through magic in the air.
Some days I forget to have fun. Some days I have a big frown on my forehead. Some days I don’t exhale fully until 5.30pm
Less so though, I feel in flow and I smile a lot, there’s a lot to be thankful for.
I feel excited showing you all the lovely things I’m working on. I never really thought I was allowed to do this. I feel like a kid in a sweet shop most of the time.
I’ve accepted that this is me. A creative polymath apparently, which sounds like another nice label for me to collect.
I’ve accepted that half of the stuff I’ve talked about I will either fail at or get bored at some point.
And that’s OK too.
Here’s to a creative life :)
James x
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:)
Writing
Who am I?
Writer, founder, husband, always tanned.
Wannabe poet, imposter, taboo buster.
Thinker, philosopher, not a drinker
Joker, chancer, bad dancer.
shoulder chipped Stokie
champagne hippie
Asks questions,
the big ones
best ones.
Always
asking
Who
am
I?