Colin Pearce at large!

Huge 20th Birthday party for Just Cuts

2010-07-23T16:50:00.001+09:30

The Lovely Christine and I had the privilege of attending the 20th Anniversary of the Just Cuts Franchise last Friday in Sydney. Just Cuts is the largest hairdressing franchise in the Southern Hemisphere, (top right) and one of my favourites with something like 270 locations.

I also got to MC the event (bottom right) and pay out Denis McFadden the founder (top left).

It was a huge night.

Denis and most of the franchisees had only heard me speak about The Lovely Christine at conferences and they doubted she existed, so Denis (bottom left) was pleased to find out she is real.

You won't believe this. And don't laugh.

2010-06-28T11:03:00.001+09:30

I dropped the Lovely Christine's car keys on the road yesterday and just as I turned back to get them I heard a wild noise and turned to see it was a nice Honda Odyssey making the wild sounds.

The driver pulled up to the kerb at the same time as it dawned on me that the car had run over my keys.

As I approached the car, the distressed driver was searching all over the back of her car to see what had fallen off or broken. Laughing a bit I said, "Do you think I could have my keys back now?" I thought they might have been caught up in her wheel trims.

Nope. The were all mashed and one was driven right into the tyre. Naturally when I pulled it out, the business end of the key stayed inside the tyre and the tyre hissed flat. So the poor driver had to call the RAA and I had to call the kids to come and bring us a spare set of keys. I also couldn't have got a cab home and got into the house to get the spare set because the house keys were locked in Herself's car and the key for that was inside the tyre. Top that.

This is nearly as good as day the Lovely Christine blended the rubber spout in the blender!

Frustration

2010-06-16T12:25:00.002+09:30

We went to Kapunda to Dr. Rosanne Hawke's place to celebrate the Queen's birthday on Monday. HRH wasn't there, but the cat was... do you remember?

Pussy cat Pussy cat
Where have you been?
I've been to London to visit the queen.

Pussy cat Pussy cat

What did you there?

I frightened a little mouse under her chair.

This marvellous fat and fluffy creature named Pepper Masala isn't allowed outside so he was staring at a mouse through the window just aching to get out and do it damage. For a fleeting moment I identified with him and then I identified with the farm mouse and then I gave up identifying. The cat didn't.

How do you spell sir-tiffy-cut?

2010-06-11T15:27:00.003+09:30

I called in to see my old mate Kevin Marks at Bob Jane T-Mart Fullarton today.
He is proudly displaying his new certttifficut – certitifitecte – certititifitiacate – certifififtiti– ahh! drats!

It's his awardd from the foooooty club he supporttttses. He loves it. It makes him remember the days when he couldn't kick straight either. But boy oh boy can he and the lads get your car wheels straight!
Bob Jane T-Marts Fullarton

223 - 225 Glen Osmond Rd
Fullarton, 5063, SA

phone	(08) 8379 0355
email	bjfrewville@tmarts.com.au
mon-fri 8:00AM - 5:30PM
sat 8:00AM - 4:00PM

David Hutton gets Heaped on

2010-06-10T13:34:00.007+09:30

Couple of weeks back I spoke to the ebullient crowd at the SA Office of Recreation and Sport's Community Clubs conference.

David Hutton (Development Manager at S.A.N.F.L. and former assistant to Chocco Williams at Port Power) was there and I couldn't resist the urge to stitch him up.

W.W.J.T.A. (What would Jesus Twitter about?)

2010-06-06T22:47:00.000+09:30

I spoke at The Source church (CRC) at Stirling this morning where Hans and Fiona Voortman are the Pastors. My topic was "What would Jesus be Twittering about and who would be his friends on Facebook?"

Colin meets Rick Carter

2010-06-04T23:13:00.000+09:30

Had coffee with Rick Carter, the Social Media Maven this morning. And then his even smarter daughter Nikki rolled up.

These two know their stuff. They said we were having a Twittup

And the aim of Twittering? Apparently if I had 20,000 followers on Twitter I wouldn't be asking the question. Neither would you.

OK. Let's open the account. I'm asking you to follow me on Twitter and occasionally re-tweet me to your own followers. Follow me at http://twitter.com/ColinPearce

Colin gets in a prickly situation

2010-05-27T14:12:00.000+09:30

I spent yesterday morning with Kim Syrus of Garden Gurus fame shooting a training video for pruning roses. He's a master (at being the talent as well as pruning roses).

Big learning was that you really can hack into a rose bush with anything from a machette to a back hoe and it will never stop loving you. Just be sure to take out diseased bits, broken bits and open holey bits where disease can get in. No 45º cuts, no cutting above the outward facing bud, no clearing the centre to let air in – you just end up with a big wide dumb bush!

Brock Harcourts get the gold

2010-05-24T23:17:00.001+09:30

Great fun this week with the best of the Brock Harcourts Real Estate sales teams in South Australia.

We covered Great Phone Skills, Selling isn't Telling and How to Speak in Benefenglish. No wonder they have #1 spot in the local Advertiser newspaper. They are keen, eager and determined - and great learners.

V.I.P. Leaders Boot Camp

2010-05-14T19:19:00.002+09:30

V.I.P. Home Services has been voted the No.1 franchise system for entry under $50,000 by Smart Investor Magazine.

On the weekend just passed we hosted the next generation of V.I.P. Area Managers, 30 of them, flown in for a Boot Camp. I say 'we' because I've felt part of the family since I made their first TV commercial back in 1980 when they had 16 franchisees. Now 'we' have over 1,000.

Talk about a great bunch.

Laughs, engagement, learning, discovery and refreshed loyalty piled high.

I met the man who stared down Charles Barkley

2010-04-23T18:12:00.005+09:30

At the Franchise Association of Australia convention in Perth I caught up with Australian basketball legend Shane "Hammer" Heal who was speaking on the program. His career highlights include representing and captaining the Boomers at a number of Olympics (1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004) and World Championships, playing in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs, and winning the 2002/2003 NBL championship with the Sydney Kings and being named MVP twice in the Greek League. He also stared down "Sir" Charles Barkely in a 1996 Olympic match.

Shane is a believer in franchising. He is a franchisee 14 times over, and loves everything about it. So much so, he owns his own store fit out firm too.

He says, “No-one ever succeeded at anything without passion.” From the age of 5 he practised on his own and visualised playing basketball for Australia. That’s where he learned to sink those famous 3 pointers, yet great as his game was, he still made barely 50% of baskets attempted. He just attempted more baskets! In his franchise stores he promotes four pillars, Extreme service, Quality, Efficiency and “Vibe”. He awards his team for cost savings and sales and profit increases.

Great Audiences

2009-05-29T18:50:00.008+09:30

Here are some snaps from the funny morning I had last week with the students at International College of Hotel Management in Adelaide. Dan Edmonds and the staff run one of the leading hospitality colleges in the world and the students are the right kind of people you'd want to employ. Just look at them. Thanks for joining us on the Kick List kids. I hope your ‘placements' around the world are fantastic experiences.

And the Toastmasters at District 73's conference on Saturday were hilarious. I had a great time with you all. How about that AV Desk guy Dominic, hey? What an upstager! Some of you wanted to buy books or CDs. Knock yourself out in the book shop. Whack this link.

I like it here.

2009-01-07T22:09:00.002+10:30

It's my birthday Thursday the 8th January.

I'm grateful to God for guiding me all my life in spite of my interest in getting off the track.

Holidays and Health

2009-01-04T14:18:00.003+10:30

Being sick for 8 days over Christmas wasn't my idea of a fun holiday.

I'm grateful for a couple of things all the same.

Family that cares is one.

If you're ever in any doubt about how sick you are (or a family member) you can't go wrong calling the 1800 0-22 222 number. It's a free medical help line provided by the government to improve health services and in turn keep people with trivial or uncertain issues out of Emergency rooms at hospitals.

The qualified nurses who respond appear to be carefully screened and the data bank available to them is superb.

I dips me lid to the government for introducing it.

Call Health Direct if you're in doubt about anything.

VIP – One of my oldest customers

2008-11-18T23:14:00.005+10:30

For three days in November I was working with arguably the largest franchise company in the country: VIP Home Services.

I've been associated with the company since their headquarters were in the sun room of the house across the road from where I lived back in 1979-80 when they had 6 franchisees. 28 years is along time to have known a client.

I made their first TV commercial.

Over the 3 days coming the management team met to draw up new plans, review relationships and get some fresh approaches to people and purpose and I was privileged to be there.

Congratulations Bill and Rose Vis who have weathered many a storm to still come through with sails fully set. Congratulations to the old stagers, John and Estelle Logan from NZ and the old stalwart, John Jones and Mr and Mrs Faithful – Paul and Wendy Robinson.

Just back from Coff's Harbour

2008-10-28T21:36:00.005+10:30

I can recommend Opal Cove Resort.

Hotels and nice locations are everywhere. What makes a hotel or function centre special for me is the people that run it and work in it. Opal Cove has that nice magic touch that makes nothing too hard to ask for. The food is really really good.

The towels could be thicker and the telly could work better but over all it's a beaut place. And of course Coff's Harbour is a choice spot.

I was there for a Business SWAP convention and we had a lot of laughs.

I got to do my favourite thing which is to be a funny motivational speaker – that's what it says on my website anyway.

Thanks SWAPPers and Guests. I'm alive. I'm well. And I feel Great!

Kimba, Iron Knob, Local Government and a Zucchini

2008-03-21T14:52:00.008+10:30

Update: Just back from Kimba on Eyre Peninsula (90 minutes West of Whyalla which is 6 hours north west of Adelaide – but only 30 minutes if you fly).

I spoke at the only conference of its kind - it’s the annual meeting of all 11 councils in that vast area. It was a laugh a minute and I was reminded again of the openness and genuineness of country folk. I had such a nice time I mentioned that if it were not so far from my home planet, I’d go there to live.

A couple of pictures:

Left to Right Top
The Whyalla/Iron Knob Road
Les: A citizen of Iron Knob who gave me a Zucchini from his garden in exchange for a Fox Proof Chook House book. I raffled it. The bloke who won it brought it to the dinner as his date.
Les with his tinny watching the traffic. I was his only traffic all day. It was 90º and he had a wood fire on to keep warm.

Left to Right Middle
Kimba scrub
Kimba Emus on the run
Kimba Bushland

Left to Right Bottom
Iron Knob-Whyalla Rail Line
Iron Knob

I meet some great people

2007-10-31T22:40:00.000+10:30

When I MC'd a book launch for Graedi Group Publishing I introduced Matthew Michalewicz to the crowd and settled back to be bored by yet another try-hard author.

To my enormous shock Matthew was actually an author who could speak as well as engage the audience. He's only 32 and most speakers have nothing credible to say until they're 40 but Matthew is one out of the box. I have undertaken to promote him in my coterie of speakers. I have heard him four times and been amazed at the way academics, lay peole and business owners flock around him to catch his wisdom.

What got me really interested was his story about inviting former President of Poland Lech Walesa to be on his board – and Walesa accepting.

Read about my latest find here.

Have some fun with OS Telemarketers

2007-06-20T12:57:00.000+09:30

Next time you get a telemarketing call from someone overseas, don't be rude or aggressive.

Play this advert to them instead.

Or use it as a model to make and play one of your own.

I made mine on the desk right here using Sound Studio and a few files from my iTunes collection.

Bit of a laugh.

Press Release: Colin Pearce and Saxton get it on!

2007-06-07T14:42:00.000+09:30

Huge Speakers Bureau - certainly biggest in the Southern Hemisphere with offices in Melbourne, Auckland, Brisbane, Johannesburg and Singapore and 3 in Sydney – opens in Adelaide.

On June 1 Christine and I went to the Melbourne office of the Saxton Group of companies and signed agreements bringing Saxton SA into being, with us at the helm.

Graham Anderson, Group General Manager released this statement: (He is not pictured anywhere)

"We are delighted to advise that Saxton together with well known and highly respected speaker and trainer Colin Pearce and his wife Christine, have joined together to establish a new Adelaide based speaker’s bureau – Saxton South Australia. Colin's company will be a shareholder in the new company, and Colin will be General Manager."

We had "ninks and dribbles" with the Melbourne team and then we managed to get Group Chairman Winston Broadbent into a shot with our Melbourne PA Danielle Trakal.

Christine said, "Over the years we have built many many wonderful client relationships but Colin – inventive though he is – can only deliver so much. Now we can draw on dozens of exclusive celebrities and speakers as well as a multitude of other trainers and presenters and maintain our relationships with our clients by delivering an endless supply of resources.

Colin added, "I was born for the stage and the production studio so I'm hardly giving that life away. It's who I am. Anyway, I'm just getting my second wind running out for the 3rd quarter, but perhaps now I am in a position to bring the next generation off the bench."

2007-06-07T00:24:00.001+09:30

The Premier's Pals

2007-06-06T23:00:00.000+09:30

Christine and I attended the opening of our mate Leon Bignell's ALP electoral office and community centre on Saturday June 2. After all there were free sausages on the barby.

The Premier Mike Rann opened the centre and presented 13 year old Lisa Kenney with an award for writing Leon a soul stirring letter about climate change.

We all had our picture taken together. Good old Biggles is there on the left, with the Premier right in the middle.

It thought it was going to be a bit hard to cope with the wall to wall Rudd lovin' reds, libbers, lefties and komrads! but there was nothing for a sheltered little conservative voter like me to worry about. In Biggles' typical style it was all-inclusive with his capacity to gather old, young, Neighbourhood Watchies, political 'otherlies', Mums, Dads, Fams, mates and strangers.

'That's what it's for!' he said, 'It's not just an electoral office. It's a community center... for the community. So have another sausage!'

Nevertheless, if you could look up close on my shirt you'd see that I wrote self preservingly on my name tag.

"COLIN PEARCE
Liberal Voter"

I think it protected me.

Colin

Nice testimonial from CQIB

2007-06-06T22:48:00.000+09:30

Convention Committee Secretary Kerry McCarthy writes...

'...we formally express sincere appreciation of your participation as MC and contributor to the education segments. You added genuine value and contributed to the success of our annual event."

Nice one Kerry! Thanks.

Colin

Independent Brands Australia

2007-05-21T14:13:00.000+09:30

Following CQIB Christine and I went straight to Vietnam for 4 days on the 14th May, (courtesy Ovations) where I spoke for the great folks in the IBA group.

It was our second visit to Vietnam, and our first to Hanoi. It's well worth the trip if you haven't been.

Motor bikes motor bikes motor bikes. I thoroughly recommend the book, 'Bikes of Burden' by Hans Kemp

Great mates, Lisa and Colin McInnes Smith were on the tour and Lisa spoke. We had a lot of fun off stage too.

Council of Queensland Insurance Brokers

2007-05-21T14:10:00.000+09:30

I had a wonderful time at the CQIB (Council of Queensland Insurance Brokers) conference on the Gold Coast on 3 –7 May.

I was the MC and gave a couple of stage presentations too.

Great crowd.

Great fun.

Great feedback.

We had loads of fun at the Sea World Dinner with a private show by the dolphin team.

EDITOR'S NOTE: You can have Colin give a presentation at your Conference. Click here for more information