In life, as in business, timing is everything. Looking through the diaries of all three Fish shows that each one is grappling with this challenging opportunity at almost the same time.

History is a great predictor of the past, the same as the rear view mirror in the car paints a perfect picture of where we have been, but the best drivers, as the best business people will testify, do just one thing. They focus, focus on what is important at that point in time. It takes discipline and a brutal honesty with oneself.

Focus is critical in business - perhaps even more so than timing which I discussed in my last blog. In this blog I want to keep it topical (and hopefully interesting!) so I am linking this post to Alice in Wonderland. Why? Well the white rabbit was always saying he was late for a very important date, wasn’t he? However, some people have a real knack for pulling rabbits out of the hat – see there is method in my madness!

How do they do that though? We did touch on it briefly last time out. They have a relentless focus. Focus is critical in business. In a world of endless opportunity if you don’t focus you will never move forward. For each Fish we now see the need to focus become ever more important. Timing is one thing but the focus to get things done a very different one.

Networking in business is so important. You may be wondering 'How do you break free in business as an entrepreneur and make a real success of what you are doing?' To overcome all the odds sometimes you just need a trusted network of friends, supporters or advisors.

In the film 'The Great Escape' there is a classic moment where Donald Pleasance says the line ‘I can’t see a bloody thing’. When starting out and running your own business it can feel like that at times. This is where we all need our confidents, those people we can turn to for some insight, some rational thought, a good slap round the head – (though this is not normally acceptable anymore!).

When should you take a salary from your business? So you are in business, the venture is just about starting to turn a profit, you have ploughed blood, sweat and tears in to it....now shall I start taking a salary and getting my ‘dough’ back? As Marcela asks in her post of 8th April, when should you take that salary?

I mean even the Joker said it in The Dark Knight, ‘If you’re good at something, never do it for free’. We know what became of The Joker, so when does it make sense to start taking something back?

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

Those now famous noises from the ‘24’ TV series clock, a perfect example in branding, the same with the telephone ring, but what should a new business like Matt’s in Fishbowl One do with branding?

Database management is something the Fish Three guys have asked about in their blog about databases, and this provides an interesting setting for my commentary this week. Continuing my film themed comments I have turned to Stallone & Russell in the ‘not-so-classic’ Tango & Cash.

Why, quite simple, to make a database work you have to learn to Tango in harmony with the rapidly changing legislation, and be nimble in spotting opportunity. If you can master that then the cash will flow.

In Matt’s post on Coping with Nervous Exhaustion he tells us a little about his road show and more importantly a lot about himself and his health - lessons to be learned from his business problems. Matt, like many new start-ups, has found himself living the ‘job’, not really breaking away and tending to do most things himself.

This is an age old dilemma, but the principles of business lessons apply irrespective of how big or small you are……now before you quote the Colonel in Avatar at me (‘Shut you cake hole’ – if you wondered) just bear this in mind: If Matt had spoken to an events professional prior to his road show he probably would have made money at all events. At worst case he would probably have kept himself out of hospital.

Reassessing the business plan can determine whether or not a business can still be successful in the face of failure. So in his 9th July post “RIP Sharabang Music” Matt gets somewhat emotional on us (sorry for being blunt Matt) & questions if his buses issue has really brought to an end Sharabang Music.

His post really raises two points for me:

Becoming a better sales person will help the business to succeed. The irony for Owain & Dominic relating to their blog ‘Better Sales People’ is the fact that they are looking very deeply at what they have done differently to create a sales ‘thrust’.

I say this, not to be contentious or demeaning to them - it is obvious that their passion and commitment to Head & Griffiths is absolute. I say this because, sometimes, you have to accept it is not the ‘doing something different’ that is critical, it is the ‘mass’ you develop over time.