No snoring!

Yesterday's Commercial Contracts workshop was a stimulating event, with a great set of delegates. We managed to maintain our unbroken "snooze free" record, even during the post-lunch session when the effects of the early start began to be felt. This might not sound like much, but those of you who have ever attended a legal briefing will know that legal terminology can have a seriously somnolent effect in the wrong hands!

I love Devant workshops. Because we limit the numbers, we are able to get to know each delegate during the course of the day and to learn about their business and commercial issues. The mixture of industry sectors often allows cross-fertilisation of ideas, enabling the spread of best-practice in commercial and contract management.

Our delegates yesterday were a particularly sharp bunch, with the highest performance yet in our Memory Game. This is a fun method we use to help delegates to remember the key contractual points to look for when reviewing or structuring a contract. As well as being entertaining, it helps delegates make the leap from being 'amateur contract reviewers' (who can read what is written down, and comment on it) to 'professional reviewers' (who can see what should be there, but isn't!).

So thanks to Darren, Janine, Kim, Sarah and Tony for your contributions and your enthusiasm. And thanks also to Simon, our photographer, who took some great images during the workshop. These will be appearing on our web site and publicity material in the near future - watch this space!

Keep out of trouble!

Those of you who have ever tried to dig your company out of a hole caused by over-enthusiastic deal-making will appreciate that the stress, expense and legal headaches associated with this thankless exercise are best avoided.

Companies have crumbled, projects failed and margins evaporated - purely because the deal-maker was not aware of the risks they were exposing the business to when they shook hands on the golf course, or signed on the dotted line.

If you want to avoid the pitfalls of dodgy contracts and poorly structured deals, sign up now for our Commercial Contracts workshop on the 26th April - there are only a few places left, and it will be the most valuable day you've spend this year. Don't think you can spare the time out of the office? You can't afford not to!

CONTACT ME NOW to book your place.

A new Financial Year

For many of us, April is the start of the new FY. The stress of wrapping up deals for the end of the previous FY is over, and for those who are involved on the financial side of the business, this is the time when all of those number must be crunched to find out how the company's performance looks on paper.

One of the great benefits of taking some time out at this time of year is that you can reflect on the successes and failures of the previous twelve months and see how best to target your efforts during the next year. I took a break over Easter to spend some time with my family, in Spain's Costa Blanca. The change of scene and of focus really helped to clear my mind, and has enabled me to look at Devant's future with a fresh outlook. We're now busy planning new training services that we can offer in the coming year - watch this space!

If you're keen to enhance your deal-structuring skills, to ensure that you hold on to more of your margins in the coming FY, sign up for our Commercial Contracts workshop on Thursday 26th April. There are a few spaces left, and some great deals available if you are able to attend.

You can share some of the highlights of the Costa Blanca by clicking on the slideshow below - great pictures, courtesy of my wonderful husband, Simon!

**CLICK HERE** to view