Hey Pol,

Is it quiet out there now?
Hope so, this one’s a longer read, but I think you’ll resonate.

October and the first week of November bring so many events, it’s hard to keep up, isn’t it?
The clocks go back, great for the first Sunday, but pretty dull after that, right?

Halloween has really upped its game here in the UK since I was young (some time ago… more on that in a bit). There’s even a secret code now; a pumpkin outside means that house is welcoming. Me? I always seemed to find the one person who chased us away with a walking stick. I was never sure if they were in costume!

Then came fireworks, for those in areas where Diwali and Bonfire Night overlap, it can feel like ten nights of sparkle.

Now, here’s where my age comes in. Who remembers “Penny for the Guy”?
We’d stuff old clothes, prop up our ‘Guy’ in a pram, if you were lucky enough to have one, we used the one my Nan had to do her shopping (that’s another story) and stand outside collecting coins. These days, you’d probably need a card reader or crypto wallet!

And those fireworks…

• Rockets in milk bottles – running for cover just in case.

• Catherine wheels – holding your breath to see if they’d spin more than once.

• Sparklers – trying to write your name before your fingers felt the heat.

Simpler times, but wonderful all the same.

And as I think back, it reminds me that everything evolves; not just traditions, but how we live, work, and build.
Business is no different.

Where we heavily once relied on word of mouth, we now have digital footprints.
Where a handshake sealed a deal, strategy and systems now strengthen it.
Where things once took months, now they can happen in minutes.

It’s easy to feel nostalgic for how things were, and yet, there’s something exciting about how adaptable we’ve become.
We’re learning faster, reaching wider, and connecting in ways that were once unimaginable.

The beauty of business today is that it allows us to blend the best of both worlds, the authenticity of the past with the innovation of the present.

So, as we move through this reflective season, where clocks shift, nights draw in, and fireworks light the sky, it’s a good time to pause and ask: