Sell Yourself Everywhere You Go.

I have this saying that, you never know who you might bump into and more importantly you never know who they may know. We live in a modern day LinkedIn. It is important as individuals (not professionals) we sell our skills in normal conversation. That is the hardest skill many have, communicating. 

Here is a story that will go down as one of my favourite encounter stories.

On one occasion, in the early 1980s, I had to go to a meeting with investors in London and was running late. I jumped in a taxi, with the intention to use the time in the car to go over some paperwork. But the taxi driver had other plans. Looking at me in the rear-view mirror he said, “I know you. You're that Dick Branson. You've got a record label. Well, isn't it my lucky day. Fancy having Mr Branson in my cab.”

He went on to tell me how he was a drummer in a band, and offered to play me his demo tape. I had got used to people finding imaginative ways to play me their tapes, but this was a new one! Not wanting to be rude, I told him that I’d love to hear his music. “No, you look tired” he replied. “Tell you what, my mum lives around the corner. She'd love to make you a cup of tea, let’s drop in on her.

After a little protesting and a lot of explaining my situation, I gave in. As we reached the house, he put on the tape anyway. My ears pricked, as the words “I can feel it, coming in the air tonight…” came over the speakers. 

The driver turned around, and it was Phil Collins.