Black Ice CPD

we used to tweet mainly about ice, and bar stuff. but this is Ecks so we're chewing names and taking bubblegum. and very occasionally ice

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

@EdwardJDavey @elonmusk are you going to take that from this clown? I mean, I know you dont engage much with this sort of attack but jeepers I'd shake a few pennies out of your rainy day jar and sue this guy into oblivion...

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

This is a serious one, for a change. Anyone with eyes knows @DiageoGB is in a piss or go blind situation right now, Buut, the twonks in suits have doubled down on stupid with this call. When youve only got a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Guinness is the only item in the basket that makes them any money at the moment, but when pubs have to charge 7-7.50 for a pint (provincially) and a tenner a pint in London, sooner or later people are going to stop splitting the G/whatever and move onto another Stout. And then another drink entirely. This bandsaw standing, white van driving old geezer gives Guinness 2-3 years then the market will stagnate. 5 price rises in 3 years. Seriously?
https://t.co/fb62J0ipEF

[Rupert Lowe MP @RupertLowe10]

Considering starting a business in 2026? Some friendly advice from someone who has experienced both success and failure - thankfully more success than failure.

I’ve built businesses, run businesses, invested in businesses. It is hard bloody work. Do not underestimate that. Long hours. No holidays. Safety net? What safety net. It’s on you. Take responsibility.

But here’s a few thoughts that you may wish to consider if you are thinking of going for it. And despite everything, the risk is still worth it...

Cash flow is everything.

Profit is nothing until it’s in the bank. Cash is fact. Plenty of good businesses fail not because they weren’t viable, but because they ran out of money at the wrong moment. Watch it obsessively. Chase your invoices. Do it politely, but firmly. You did a job, get your money for it.

Find an unregulated or lightly regulated sector if you can.

The modern British state has an extraordinary talent for smothering initiative with compliance, paperwork, and box-ticking. Regulation favours incumbents, not newcomers. The less of it you have to navigate, the better it is for you.

Avoid fashionable sectors.

If everyone is talking about it, your opportunity is already gone. The best opportunities are usually dull, unfashionable, and misunderstood. Boring often pays very well.

Be careful with import-heavy businesses.

Sterling is overvalued. If your margins depend on a permanently strong pound, you are exposed. This is why domestic businesses, particularly tourism, can still do well. It’s good news for places like Great Yarmouth, so a good place to invest if you are considering it. I’ll happily advise any businesses wanting to invest in our constituency.

Own hard assets where possible.

Land, property, plant, stock. Always worth something. Invest where possible.

Beware of experts.

Experts are trained to tell you why something can’t be done. Entrepreneurs are paid to find a way to do it anyway. Don’t outsource judgement. Trust your gut, and beware of the advisers trying to create a role for themselves.

Don’t grow too fast.

Slow, controlled expansion lets you fix problems before they become business threatening. Bite off more than you can chew, you’ll choke. One step at a time. Ask for help if you need it. Find good subcontractors and treat them well.

Control your costs.

Small leaks sink ships. Pennies add up to pounds, lots and lots of pounds. Good approval processes save pennies, which then save pounds. It all adds up.

Credit is suspicion asleep.

Cheap money hides bad decisions and turns small problems into awful ones when conditions tighten. Use credit sparingly, understand its true cost, and never build a business that only works if borrowing stays easy. It won’t. Things will change, I expect them to soon.

Know when to say no.

Bad customers, bad partners, and bad contracts can destroy a good business. Walking away is often the smartest decision you’ll ever make. Don’t get blinded by cash. Be sensible, take your time and operate with the right people. It may mean giving up money in the short term, but it’s often worth it. Play the long game.

Understand tax properly.

You don’t need clever schemes, but you do need competence. Poor tax planning kills more businesses than competition. You are going to get screwed. Just try to get screwed as little as possible. Easier said than done. Thanks, Rachel.

Reputation is an asset.

Especially outside big cities, word travels fast. How you treat customers, suppliers, and staff will follow you. It’s worth investing a few quid in showing your customers, staff and even suppliers how much they mean to you. A small investment goes a long way.

Keep decision-making tight.

Committees slow businesses down. Responsibility should be clear. Someone must own the outcome. With success rewarded, failure punished. Incentives matters. Take responsibility. If it goes wrong, take it on the chin. Don’t assign blame. You’re the boss. Own it.

Watch the markets.

The partially gold-backed yuan challenging the dollar is happening. The era of endless money printing is wobbling (don’t get me started on QE). Just how much in 2026 is yet to be seen. Precious metals will prosper again, and I expect them to do particularly well in 2026. Ignore this at your peril!

Use the digital age properly.

Technology allows small, nimble businesses to compete with giants. But don’t overly rely on it. AI isn’t that smart. Yet.

Most importantly? Train your staff properly and treat them well.

Loyalty, pride, and competence are built - and they repay you many times over. We have employees at our companies who have been there decades. Over 50 years in some cases. It matters, more than anything else.

Without these people, your business is nothing. So act like it.

Starting a business has never been easy. It certainly isn't now. But in business let's control what we can control, and not stress too much about what we can't. Monitor, but don't let it paralyse you.

For those willing to think independently, take calculated risks, and work hard?

The reward is still worth it.

We need a Britain of entrepreneurs willing to risk their capital to make things happen. THEY built Britain, they drive the economy, they create wealth and opportunities.

Done right, it will be one of the best decisions you can ever make.

If you are considering giving it a go, I sincerely wish you well.

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

@andrew_lilico @afneil Turns out this white van driving, bandsaw pushing old geezer wasnt wrong about the direction of travel, just didnt quite read the speedo right. Shouldve asked you for double or quits...😉

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

@Geniustechw Russia is 9000 kilometres west to east, its 5900(ish) miles across

Plus as previous replies its the way that particular map is drawn, ie Mercator

[Alan MacLeod @AlanRMacLeod]

We should have a system where we can only go to war through a popular vote, but everyone voting yes is automatically drafted into the military.

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

@afneil always enjoyed you on This Week. One thing that struck me about the Rachel Reeves thing:
What was her first concern getting into government? Holding meetings with business bosses? Getting around the Unions for straw polls on policy for the big costs (health/teaching)? Back-to-back Treasury briefs about tax burden/public finances?
None of it. She literally couldnt wait to rent her house and start making money from being a landlady. So much so, she shat the bed and did it incorrectly. Speaks volumes...

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

Look at the size of that moon! Photo pointless, always looks normal...

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

So, @TorstenBell PPE from Oxford. Of course he is. Said it before, I'll say it again we need to defund that place apart from maybe the science bit. Absolute sneering elite shitshow full of cleverness but no wisdom

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

@andrew_lilico @afneil Hey not at all, i drive a white van stand infront of a bandsaw most days so horses for courses.

Glad to be proven wrong in the macro, but all im seeing is clients and operators in my industry going to the wall. 100 quid has gone to Mary's Meals they do great work feeding kids

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

Jet Pilot https://t.co/zZYRi3Nr9K via @foodandwine

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

@RupertLowe10 I asked you ages ago what your thoughts on business rates were and I got back....absolute tumbleweed

Dont make out youre on the side of small business its just diatribe after diatribe on any and everything that pops into your head.

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

Maybe its different in other countries, but in the UK the age rating (U/PG/15/18) were shown in a little symbol on the video box. We used to play 'certif' (certificate) where you'd put a thumb over it and everybody else had to guess.

10, The Vineyard, 9 & 1/2 weeks were all easy. It was Red Dawn, Breakfast Club, Top Gun etc that would catch you out. Or Legend, Willow, Princess Bride if you were going for a headfake. Good times

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

This legend proves winners can turn their hands to anything, and theres life after boxing. #tysonfurey

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

We're a tiny company based in Manchester but act as a Bellweather for a much larger sector. I'll bet 100 quid of my money, not my company's, that the Q2 figures will show negative.

Goes to the charity of your choice. Same applies to you. Fancy putting your money where your mouth is?

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

Now this we're excited about https://t.co/mUg1B4wo9d

[Count Mysterioso🎗️ @MysteriosoX]

Guys, you've invented "holidays"

[All The Right Movies @ATRightMovies]

BACK TO THE FUTURE was released 40 years ago today. One of the most beloved movies of the 1980s, and the film that made Michael J. Fox a movie star, the behind the scenes story is pretty heavy…

1/45

[Black Ice CPD @Ice3MCR]

You figured out where the arson started at the Hotspur Press yet, or not really bother, hope we all forget about it, and it blows over? @manchesterfire @AndyBurnhamGM

#buildingabetterManchester #byanymeansnecessary