2017

2017 was a good year for me. I’ve managed to create a business model that allows me to truly put my customers first. I’ve set up some fantastic relationships with Suppliers & Broker, giving me wonderful flexibility. My biggest challenge in 2016 was to get customers enough prices to represent the market. Currently, I collect prices from 19 suppliers, which is a massive increase on 2016’s 12 suppliers.

Reflecting back on the last 12 months, business has been great, but I could have done a lot better. I played it safe. Either due to laziness or comfort, I barely tried to find new business and instead relied heavily on previous customers. This would have been fine had I had 1000.

One of my biggest challenges this year came in the form of Sky news, ugh. Now, I do really enjoy Sky News as a broadcaster but I seriously lost some hours. Whether it was from the constant rolling of terror attacks sucking up hours each time, the Grenfell disaster putting me off working for a week or Theresa May doing all things crazy – I’ve had enough. No more Sky News during work. What I lose in political awareness, I’m sure I’ll gain back in satisfaction from working hard.

My final criticism of myself for 2017, has to have been my lack of vision. Everyone is well aware that if you have a clear goal of where you want your business to go, your business is going to do a lot better than you winging it. I didn’t have one, this too must change.

2018

The growth in direct relationships with suppliers sets to increase in 2018, I’m hoping to get my supplier count up by a few more. Although I’m happy with 19 suppliers, I really do want to fully represent the market.

Addressing the problem of going out and actively seeking new business needs to be my main focus. It’s probably my most disliked part of the job. I don’t like to come across as someone needy or someone trying to sell something, however talking to someone new for the first time, it does tend to come across that way, unfortunately. I will attempt to spend one day a week seeking out new clients, but I’d like to change the methods. Previously I sought new business by cold calling. Although this works, it doesn’t create a good feeling in me. I’m going to attempt to get new business by marketing and giving people value by way of online content. It may not work or it may be slow but as I currently have a lot of existing customers it’s a risk I can afford to take.

As much as I don’t like to think it is, Sky News is definitely more entertainment than educational. I have an Alexa and a Google home which I can use to give me important news updates, so I don’t actually need to watch Sky News for four hours a day.

Slightly more important than seeking out new business, would have to be sorting out my vision. I have a lot of things that I want to achieve in life, however, my only plan for the business was to stay alive. My business is in its second year now and I’m delighted. Now I think it’s time to take it to the next level. My vision for 2018, is to double my income and to spend that extra income on educating myself in renewable energy and energy management systems. We live in a fast pace and ever-changing world. Sooner or later brokers and consultants, like myself, will no longer be needed. I’m not sentimental that’s just the way things work. Upskilling myself will both benefit my customers and my future.

I hope that by the end of 2018 I can be in a position where I help my customers pay less for their energy, use less energy and think more green.

I look forward to this year, all the best.

Hamed