6 www.homebusinessnetwork.co.uk Issue 3
Alexander
PrOfiLE :: TAiLOrED ENTErTAiNmENTS
Garrett
Band bookings bring music to Nick’s ears
Which is just as well. He
project manages the booking,
COPiNG wiTH THE kiDS
recommending acts and
ensuring the contracts are in
place. “I find the acts and make
NEVER work with animals garden, protected by trenches, sure everything goes okay,”
or children, runs the old barbed wire and machine gun says Nick who charges a 15%
adage; but if you’re a home emplacements is ideal. If that’s commission of the booking fee
worker, they’re likely to be in not possible, I’ve found that for the service.
attendance whether you like it when the occasion brooks Targeting both private and
or not. The dog can generally absolutely no interruption, a corporate bookings he markets
be confined to the kitchen, but stern-looking notice on the mainly via search engines and
children are a different matter. office door (leavened with a word of mouth. “We get a lot of
In the early days, it is skull and crossbones) usually repeat bookings,” he adds.
possible to dangle a baby does the trick. Nick grew up in a musical
on one knee and operate a And a lecture on how family with both grandfathers
computer with one hand, daddy-needs-to-work-to- being professional brass players
I seem to recall, though it earn-money-so-we-can-all- and his dad a professional
may not be ergonomically go-on-holiday also carries drummer. It was while working
desirable. As they get older, some weight, at least with for his dad as a roadie that
though, children have a the younger members of
Nick Leigh: Noted a demand for band bookings.
Nick was first introduced to the
pronounced tendency to come the family. Beyond that, entertainment business.
into your office with a list of a notepad at the ready
By russ Greenslade coming to me asking where to
He worked on many events
guerilla demands (broken is always helpful; your
book bands. I thought it was a
at a wide range of venues from
Playmobile, toast stuck in DVD child can sneak in, silently
MOST people would rather have great opportunity to move into
theatres to night clubs and
player, etc) when you’re in the scribble their request, and
a live band playing at their party something new – but it is very
gained experience in what makes
middle of that all important you can pen your reply, all
than relying on an iTunes playlist, competitive,” says Nick, 27.
a successful event.
telephone call to the CEO of a while continuing the phone
but few know just where to go
global corporation. conversation uninterrupted.
to find one. Nick Leigh has the
Your frantic Of course,
answer.
❝
I know of lot of bands and have a lot of contacts -
gesticulations
He runs Tailored Entertainment
a lot of people I can call on.
❞
(finger across
❝
They learn to exploit
phone calls
from his home in Fareham,
lips, waving
your embarrassment
aren’t the
only issue
Hampshire – a booking service The booking service fits in
He took his first professional
away) are on the end of a phone, concerning
that provides everything from with Nick’s growing portfolio
work as a guitarist when 14
only likely to
choosing their moment
children you
DJs and dancers to comedians life of being a guitar teacher
and has since gone on to tour
make them dig have to deal
and compares, as well as bands during the day and playing
the UK, playing with some of
their heels in,
to demand money, credit
with when
and solo singers, for weddings, gigs with his karaoke band in
the biggest names in music
and forcible
cards and your autograph
working from
parties, banquets and balls. the evenings. “I know of lot
and performing to audiences of
attempts at
“After leaving university I of bands and have a lot of
more than 10,000.
eviction while
on permission slips for
home; there’s
the cunning
played in function bands and contacts - a lot of people I can
pressing the school trips overseas.
found that people starting call on,” he says. www.tailored-entertainment.com
cordless phone
❞
ruse of waiting
for you to go
to your ear can to the loo then
have ugly consequences. quickly stealing your place at SNAP SHOT
Fortunately most people the computer; children who
tend to be fairly understanding are off-school and want to Name: Caroline Deayton
when they hear a small child’s turn your office into Sick Bay
Location: Surbiton, Surrey
voice at the other end of the Central; staplers, pens, laptops
Company name: Remote Control
line; after all, more and more and other pieces of essential
Age: 38
of us have done some work equipment that disappear
Most useful item: Mobile Phone
from home at some point. around the house even when
Unfortunately, that leaves a you have resorted to printing
Home worker tip: Turn off the television and
minority of Devil-wears-Prada your name on them.
network like crazy.
ass-kickers – male and female In the summer holidays a
Web: www.remotecontroluk.com
– for whom the world of work more pressing question arises:
is sacrosanct and never to who is going to supervise them,
“I have only been seriously sitting at the
be intersected with the world ferry them round to friends’
computer since the beginning of July this
of children. Their reaction houses and prepare delicious
year, so not very long, but it has been in the
can be a withering silence, wholesome meals when you are
planning stage for about three months.
followed by an offer to resume up against the deadline for that
I offer a number of services – the main one
the conversation at a more all-important project?
is being a virtual assistant and providing
convenient time. Friends of mine who both
a bespoke and total PA/secretarial and
And as children become work from home once revealed
administrative service to clients, whether it
teenagers, they learn to exploit that they resorted to a rota
be for a one-off assignment or a longer term
your embarrassment on the system during the school hols: project. In this current climate, businesses
SN
end of a phone, choosing one would get up at 5.30 and may not be able to justify temp staff or extra
AP SH
OT
their moment to demand work through the morning while overheads, which is where a VA comes in.
money, credit cards and your the other looked after the kids; We also offer an event management
autograph on permission slips then they’d swap over from service and have contacts such as printers,
for school trips overseas. lunchtime until early evening. designers, space planners, chefs, florists, while and was made redundant in February
So what’s the best way to Chez nous we prefer to resort photographers, musicians, travel agents and this year. This made me have a proper think
keep your offspring at bay? to bribery: keep out of mummy private jets! Remote Control also offer deals about where to take my career and a friend
Clearly having a private place and daddy’s way for a few for corporate hospitality, such as discounted suggested I look into being a VA. If it all works
to work is a good idea; a hours and we’ll pay a visit to
theatre tickets, hotels and restaurants out, I want to be able to work my hours around
home office at the end of the Blockbuster at clocking-off time.
throughout London and tickets to all my daughter, who is six, and her very hectic
London’s major tourist attractions, sporting school and social life.
Alexander Garrett is a freelance writer and editor based in
events and concerts. There are a number of VAs out there but I
deepest Wiltshire. fastwords@btinternet.com.
Many of the offers and discounts I get are thought that the corporate hospitality and
exclusive or very hard to come by, so it is discounted tickets etc that I offer would put a
definitely worth contacting me if you are after slightly different slant on it.
something a bit different or wanting a smart My plans for the coming year are obviously
“Business these days is 24/7 thanks to the web, so
way to spend your money. to increase sales and contacts. I want to bring
make sure that you have Click to Chat capability on your
I have been a PA and executive assistant for my website to the attention of as many people
website and a full-time in-house or outsourced team to
over 10 years, which gives me the experience as I can, both on the VA side and also the
service the responses - one of the quickest way to talk to
to be a virtual assistant and have also hospitality side. I would like to be doing well
t
O
P

t
I
P
new customers!”
been organising parties, charity balls and enough for me to be permanently “remote”
Peter Gillett, managing Director, marketpoint weddings for the last few years. and maybe to even be considering taking
I have wanted to do something like this for a someone else on to help me out!”
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