personal

I lost my wallet

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Yesterday, I lost my Commes des Garçons wallet which I bought in Tokyo (2016). The DKK 500 and various coins is of little significance compared to the lucky Viking coin my son gave to me when he was in 1st Grade. It’s the first time that I have lost anything and I am extremely grateful that I live in Denmark. The Danish technology system is excellent and the ease of access made the process of cancelling my credit card and travel card so easy. Ordering a replacement identity card and driving license was no problem. The psychological impact of my loss is greater than the financial burden of the replacement cards.


In today’s world, possessions increasingly reflect who people are or at least how they would like to see themselves. How much we see our possessions as an extension of ourselves may depend in part in how confident we feel about who we are. I will never forget the memories attached to my faithful companion who was with me 24/7 for the best part of 5 years and I still live in hope that my wallet will be found and returned to me by a kind soul. Only time will tell…

Walk and talk

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Our “Amarminoen” tour began at 10.10am this morning outside DR Byen metro station on a 24 km hiking trail through beautiful forests, marshlands, beaches. We had sunshine and wind, it’s an amazing adventure ending with beers in Dragør (a picturesque seaside town). I’m so grateful to the Flanuer guys for welcoming me into their group and that I live in Copenhagen.

Where do I position myself in my own story?

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I think that it’s a universal human desire to be heard, to have one’s unique identity recognised and seen as worthy. Therefore, I have always made a point of showing an interest in the history, culture, and people of the the places I have visited. Believe it or not, I really do not like speaking about myself.

Last night I was asked the question, “What do you really do?
I replied, my mission is to inspire organisations by showing them how to simultaneously deliver happiness to their customers, employees and community in a long-term sustainable way. As I think the smartest selling tools add value to existing systems and processes, I do this by using the 4 D’s (discover, define, develop and deliver).

Little decisions become big decisions

We are constantly looking into the past, projecting into the future and creating alternative realities. Reality is as it is, you either argue with it or you can embrace it! When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is still to leave the world a little bit better for my having been here, as I have a wonderful life and I love it.

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“Your input determines your outlook,
Your outlook determines your output, and
Your output determines your future. ”
— Burrellism

SARS-CoV-2 (RNA)

Copenhagen (2200 N)

Copenhagen (2200 N)

According to the World Health Organisation
Most common symptoms are:
- fever
- dry cough
- tiredness

Less common symptoms are:
- aches and pains
- sore throat
- diarrhoea
- conjunctivitis
- headache
- loss of taste or smell
- a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes

Serious symptoms are:
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- chest pain or pressure
- loss of speech or movement          


And even though I have none of the above symptoms, this morning I received notification from the Danish Health Authorities that my PCR test from yesterday morning is “positive”.
Therefore, I am in self-isolation until 5th February 2021. Stay safe 😷.

It's all about discovery

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Nowadays, we are living in a moment in history where compromise is a dirty word, and everything seems to be about conflict and blame. The old phase, “my way or the highway” appears more prevalent than ever and I for one would like to get more people to face up to their own hypocrisy. Day after day I am trying to live up to the basic human responses - honesty, empathy, courtesy, patience and goodwill.


I know that the best strategies mean nothing if you don’t have the resources to execute them, fortunately, when it comes to myself - I am more than capable. I am analytical and “even” Stephen because of my balance. Some would say that I am skeptical of convention and pretence, others would say that I am wise, funny and gracious.


What are my priorities today? And, how will I be of service today? These are far more valid daily questions than worrying about what people think of you.

Kamala Harris

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Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as the Vice President of America later today, not only the first woman in history to hold this position but also the first person of colour. I salute you on this momentous achievement and wish you good luck in your endeavours over the next 4 years. Both Kamala Harris and I have our paternal roots in Jamaica ❤️.

Jamaica is known for reggae music (Bob Marley) and sprinting (Ursain Bolt). There is so much status attached to showing talent in sport and music that sometimes the rest of the world forgets about the opportunities we are denied due to the colour of our skin. My parents always told me that Jamaicans are entrepreneurs by nature because from a very early age you learn how to lead, delegate, problem solve and oral communication skills. I could spend the rest of my life explaining why - due to our ancestral heritage - I’ll save that for another day. Congratulations Kamala Harris.

Whistle to the mouth

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Nowadays everyone is harking on about authenticity! What exactly does authenticity mean? I think the only time when we are being our authentic self is when we are wearing nappies (diapers). And ever since then we have been faking it and the big question is why we fake it. This may be because when people see us they will judge us differently based on our appearance.

It’s not because this is our authentic self but it’s because it's the self we choose to put forward. So perhaps we could redefine authentic to mean consistent. And our consistent self is one that if you look at it from the back or look at it from the side - it’s the same. Our consistent self is the way we behave in front of our parents and in front of our customers. I think when we are consistent then we can define that as a version of consistency.

Future proofing our youngsters

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Someone asked me the other day about what I thought our youngsters should be learning in order to counter the threat of AI (artificial intelligence). Here’s what I think and not in any particular order:

  1. Public speaking

  2. Project management

  3. Negotiation

  4. Conflict resolution

  5. Critical thinking

  6. The art of selling

  7. Storytelling

  8. People management

  9. Customer service

  10. Marketing

Value based living

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Growing up in London meant that were raised to be polite. Back in the days when we tripped on the pavement or kicked a stone, we apologised. Intelligence to me meant emotional intelligence, and I think that this is being able to have a conversation with any human being using common sense and being street smart. 


I always wanted to experience success and significance. I wanted to fully understand about what I learned and more importantly acknowledged the understanding in the way that I actualised it in my life. I think that you have to prepare yourself to be extraordinary in what you do if you want to experience success and significance.


The old Chinese proverb says, “I hear, and I forget, I see, and I may remember, I do, and I understand.”