Page 13 - CFJ_Jul26

InPerson

A week Y alarm goes off at 5.15am every the business is moving in the right direction.
morning. Breakfast is always the
Lunch is usually on the move. I rarely stop
in the office to eat. Most of the time I grab
same: protein granola with fat-
in the Mfree yogurt, a drizzle of honey, something on the go, whether I’m traveling
and a banana. I need something solid but
between sites or visiting a client.
quick before heading out. From there, I drive
There are a few calls I never ignore. My
life of... to the gym. Some mornings I follow my own wife’s call is top of the list. She coordinates
programme, working on strength or cardio,
school pickups, training schedules, and
or I’ll jump on a class if I feel like it. Classes
everything in between, so I always answer.
Dave start at 6.15am and finish at 7.15am, then I also answer every client call. You never
it’s a quick shower and straight into the car.
know when it could be something urgent.
Usually I stop for a coffee on the way to
Caldwell work and I’m in the office by 8am ready to Everyone else gets my attention as and
when I can.
tackle the day.
Evenings are a mix of family, fitness, and
Monday mornings are the busiest of the music. If I’m on school-run duty, I pick my
week, closely followed by Tuesday. Friday younger son up around 3.30pm and might
is lighter. I try to adopt a more European take the dog for a walk before tea. My sons
I am the managing approach on Fridays. If people are working usually have training or matches and we
efficiently, they should be heading home
try to work around my wife’s shifts as head
director of OSS mid-afternoon rather than dragging things of nursing at Stoker Hospital. If there’s no
out into the evening. If some lads are
Commercial Flooring snagging a project an hour and twenty school run, I might go for a run with the
dog or hit the gym if I didn’t make it in the
and this is how minutes from here and I notice they’re morning. Band rehearsals happen midweek,
juggling something else, I’ll take it off them
usually on Wednesday. Dinner is casual; we
my average and say, ‘Focus on getting the snagging done don’t usually eat together. By 10pm, I’m
properly and get home.’ Meetings usually
week unfolds happen midweek from late morning into the done and lights out.
Weekends revolve around my sons’ sport.
afternoon.
When I get into the office, the first thing One plays both football and rugby, the other
I do is check in with the team. I make sure just football. Fitness, gym work, and dog
everyone coming in knows exactly what they walks fill the gaps. We’re also big Crewe
need to do, where they’re going, and that Alexandra fans and try to make all home
they’ve got everything they need. For the games. Saturday evenings sometimes
people on the road, I double-check they’ve include meeting my brother for a few beers.
picked up the right materials. Once that’s We talk about running, fitness and gym life
done, they get on with their day and I move for a couple of hours.
on to mine. Sundays are more relaxed. Long dog walks,
Mornings are generally spent processing listening to music, watching sport and taking
purchase invoices, checking the numbers, a bit of downtime. Weekends are my chance
and making sure everything is handed to recharge.
Every week is a balancing act: work, family,
over to accounts correctly. I might tackle Every week is a balancing act: work, family,
sport and fitness. There’s always something
timesheets at the start of the week and clear sport and fitness. There’s always something
to keep me busy, and I wouldn’t have it any
any paperwork lying around. Occasionally I to keep me busy, and I wouldn’t have it any
prepare for site visits or meetings. Mondays other way. 
other way. 
are mostly office work, Tuesdays are more
are mostly office work, Tuesdays are more
likely site visits, and the rest of the week
likely site visits, and the rest of the week
tends to be whatever crops up, from
tends to be whatever crops up, from ON THE SPOT
client issues to chasing deliveries.
client issues to chasing deliveries.
The part of my job I like least is
The part of my job I like least is ∆ Lager or ale - Lager
dealing with risk assessments
dealing with risk assessments
and method statements. They’re
and method statements. They’re ∆ Football or golf - Football
necessary but boring. Every job
necessary but boring. Every job
∆ Cash or credit card - Debit card
seems to require one now and ∆ City break or country walk - City break
seems to require one now and
although we try to keep them
although we try to keep them ∆ Caribbean or Cornwall - Cornwall
simple, they always take extra
simple, they always take extra
time. The most satisfying part
time. The most satisfying part ∆ Dog or cat - Dog
of my day is invoicing. Watching
of my day is invoicing. Watching
turnover tick over, keeping ∆ Early bird or night owl - Early bird
∆ Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad - Breaking Bad
an eye on forecasts, and ∆ Curry or fish and chips - Curry
checking cash flow is strangely
addictive. There is a sense of ∆ Rolling Stones or Beatles - Beatles
accomplishment in seeing the
numbers line up and knowing
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July 2026
CFJ
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