A panoramic view from the found us office over Tobermory and the Sound of Mull.
Today is a splendid day for found us. Glorious morning up until 1pm whereupon I catch a lift to Craignuire to meet up with some fellow islanders. Back for a nice dinner this evening.
I have decided to blog on petercobley.com and not foundus.co.uk, but talk about found us, my 10+ year consulting business in advertising, marketing, and media.
What the scores on the doors, found us?
Well the business is 10 years old since inception on 28th February 2014. I am now 53 and back then was 43. A lot indeed a lot has happened to me, the business, life, the world.
Me
As mentioned I am now older, more experienced, wiser (Claire my wife may disagree vehemently), and have over ten years of running a solo business through economic malaise, COVID, world disorder, and anarchy, a move to Tobermory, Isle of Mull from Saddleworth, and last but not least an advertising industry that was over staffed and bloated and needs consolidation.
If I am also honest, and I need to be, those ten years were plagued with deteriorating mental health due to progressive addiction to alcohol, my OCD, and childhood trauma that finally was brought to bear and dealt with.
So I am right royally pleased with myself for having survived when the odds were certainly stacked against me, of my almost losing myself, and of having to bear cruel judgement by others of my addiction and being ill from it.
But, and we don’t always see past out strife to and beyond the but’s, I have a peace and serenity I’ve never had, and a clear view of the seabed floor like a swim off Mull, where I can see all shapes and things in real time. And my being able to see, listen, and experience the moment, not the past or future, is a true gift. I can dip my head under the surf and waves of life to see my gentle and clear waters beneath, and it is my choice to choose where I look. My view is no longer opaque with my life’s turbulence sullying the water.
Life and the World
There has been a lot happening over the last ten years of business and I oft wonder that if I’d had a crystal ball whether I’d have embarked on starting a business. That said the decline my business has seen is self inflicted. But I’ve also been subject to some bad players I suspect, a downturn in the market over which I have no control, and the simple fact of running an advertising business whereby if you don’t speak to people you get forgotten about, with advertising adhering sadly to the old adage of he who shouts loudest gets heard.
Yet I am always a big believer that in adversity one can see great opportunities in which to prosper (and this does not purely mean money) and in this present moment as I type in the office I am blessed with having come to the end of a long period of upheaval and shittiness, and can now embrace the what next, the fun and challenge of change, being able to re-launch and enhance (not re-invent) what I am and what found us is. I also have the beauty of choice honed by experience so allowing me to not to have to work with advertising arseholes. And believe you and I they are plenty apiece.
So, please don’t forget my little but perfectly formed found us which can offer some absolutely (excuse superlative) honest hard graft to help you grow you business and people. I love it, love working with nice people and companies, and live life with renewed vigour and calmness, of which someone out there, a business out, there will benefit from.
Say hello to founds us. And have a marvellous Thursday.
Looking South from the found us office.