Phoenix From The Ashes - First Post

I decided to create this blog to record what happens after a particularly life-changing experience.

Last month, our company went bust. It has been a huge roller-coaster of emotions - lots of people I really like and respected were made redundant - by me. God that was awful!

Then we went through a liquidation process which culminated in us starting again - much smaller, fewer clients, and within the first couple of weeks struggling to raise the start-up costs to establish a new office, phones etc. But surreally, just a few weeks later, the situation has somewhat reversed!

Firstly, our clients have been absolutely fantastic. We all predicted many would be frightened off or disillusioned. I wouldn't have blamed them! Leading up to the liquidation, we didn't feel we were at our best - that is until the clients told us the great work we had put in prior to that to get our service levels back up were noticed and really appreciated.

In the end, far more than we anticipated moved across. Less than 5% didn't. The sad thing is we had to look at all of those who had moved and really work out if we could cope. Hand on heart, we knew we couldn't handle as many with a trimmed down workforce.

So, we did the honourable thing and looked carefully at those we may let down if our responsiveness was less than they needed. We offered to help find other companies that could service them. I do hope it works out, because it feels just as awful letting clients go that you really like.

Then the next thing you know, the work comes flooding in! So we recruit another engineer. We didn't forecast that happening for quite a while. But the figures all add up. And this time we took proper advice before doing so!

So, not even a month after being liquidated things are looking rosey again. It's a strange feeling. It doesn't somehow feel right. A phoenix from the ashes company still doesn't sit right for me.

I have been negotiating with the creditors, and it looks like we have the ability to make an offer to repay them at least something. All the advisors assure us it's unlikely our homes are at risk, but for some strange reason, perhaps guilt that things are going well, I have a need to atone.

I have even looked seriously at going bankrupt. It feels like the right thing to do. But again, the advisors tell me it isn't right. Something clicks within me and I realise now that perhaps they are right. If I go broke, while it feels like an appropriate punishment, it will reduce our collective ability to make amends and maximise how much we repay.

So I'm feeling confident again, albeit with trepidation of the unknown.

Maybe I'm not doing things according to the rules, but I'm pushing creditors for an agreement, but they don't appear interested? Maybe it is just me. I really want to pay them back, but
apparently we can't yet.

I suppose I need to think about why I've created this blog. If I'm optimistic, I am hoping to record how we turned adversity into something positive. Maybe I'm surprised at how well things have been going and feel as though this will give hope to others in a similar situation.

Believe me, we have been in the depths of despair, but within a very short space of time, things have begun to look a little more hopeful.

So a quick thanks to a few people. Firstly, Angela for supporting me through this and being such a rock. Paul Hayes - what an absolute star! He worked without pay for a long time and really gave me a huge boost of confidence that this could work. To my Mum. For being there and continuing to believe in me.

To my brother for his understanding and financial support (the cheque's in the post!).

To Jenny and Paul at Solveo (with whom we share an office) - thanks for taking all the calls and your understanding. Oh, and for the fantastic systems you have written which has meant we can do far more in less time - vital when we have lost so many people.

To the clients without whom our resurrection would not have been possible at all.

It's a very strange business to be in is IT support. You speak to people only when something has gone wrong. People are stressed. They want an answer and often, a very fast one.

So we often speak to people when they are at their worst. Occasionally they shout. So we often feel as though clients don't like us. Even when we react and fix the problem as fast as we possibly can, you still remember the client's stress and wonder "did we make them happy? Or are they still stressed about it?"

How wrong we were about this. I suppose when you go bust, that's the ultimate test of how happy or otherwise your clients are. The dozens of encouraging emails and calls we got injected us with a hugely positive dose of adrenaline to spark this "phoenix" to life.

It proves the point that while clients sometimes, and rightly, lose their cool when reporting a problem, the fact we fix it well and as quickly as we can proves we're appreciated.

So here endeth my first ever blog post. Rambling though it is, I hope it sets the scene for what I hope to be a story with many chapters of hope.

UPDATE: 9th February 2008

Looking back at this first post, I can see the optimism and adrenaline I had at the time.

It was a happy ending, but there was a period during which we were certain personal bankruptcy was going to happen.

As events unfolded, we managed to get a reprieve after we thought it was game over and avoided bankruptcy. At the time of writing, we have really turned the corner.

All the personal guarantees were successfully negotiated and full and final settlements were agreed. On the personal front, the debt that followed us has been negotiated into a 10 year repayment plan - just! Personal bankruptcy has been averted.

PLEASE check through the articles using the topics or the Blog Archive.

I have tried to provide tips and articles based upon my experiences. At times, I have written in a bleak mood. In others, I have been celebratory after each minor victory.

For those who find this and are struggling, about to go bust, or in the process of recovering, please use these experiences whichever way you find appropriate.

I advocate seeking professional help, and emphasise that these are my experiences rather than specific advice.

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