Cash for Kids Conference: A Blast from the Past!

This coming week promises to be an exciting one. I’ll be in Manchester for three nights, delivering my new Productivity Breakthrough Masterclass to a Vistage Group led by Chair Claire Farley. Then, I’ll speak at the Cash for Kids Conference and present my Mental Resilience Keynote talk.
 
Vistage is a global peer advisory organisation providing executive coaching, leadership development, and peer support for CEOs, business owners, and senior executives. My three-hour session will be tailored to high-performing executives eager to unlock new productivity levels.
 
Cash for Kids is a UK-based organisation supporting disadvantaged children and young people. Through initiatives like the famous “Mission Christmas,” it raises funds to provide toys and grants to those affected by poverty, illness, neglect, or special needs.
 
Sally Aitchison, MBE, the managing director of Cash for Kids, has an impressive radio background. Over the years, she’s run various successful radio stations, and it’s a pleasure to reconnect with her at this event.
 
 
It’s great to reconnect.
 
Our careers first intersected in the early days of my radio journey when I worked at stations like Metro and TFM in the Northeast and Hallam, Pulse, and Viking in Yorkshire.
 
Bauer Media Group runs Cash for Kids and is a significant player in UK radio with brands like Absolute Radio, Greatest Hits Radio, Jazz FM, Hits Radio, KISS, Planet Rock, Magic, Kerrang! Radio and Heat Radio. My radio background adds a meaningful layer to my keynote.
 
Speaking of radio, my journey into the industry is one I’ll never forget. After a professional basketball career with Sunderland Basketball Club, I transitioned to commercial management for the team before being headhunted by Manchester Basketball Club as general manager.
 
 
A significant career change.
 
From there, I pivoted into radio sales, joining Metro Radio in Newcastle, which was an entirely new challenge. Most radio sales executives come from a background in magazines or newspapers, but I arrived from the world of sports management. Despite giving it my all, I struggled in the beginning.
 
Although I had a natural talent for building relationships, I hesitated to ask for the sale, fearing it might jeopardise the rapport I had carefully developed. After three months without a single sale, my job was hanging by a thread.
 
At the time, my boss, Mike Lynch, decided to send me to a sales event in Harrogate as a last resort. In one of the rooms, I encountered a company called Video Arts, known for its innovative, humorous training videos. Founded in 1972 by filmmakers and business experts, including Monty Python’s John Cleese, the company revolutionised corporate training with engaging and comedic content.
 
My Eureka moment.
 
One particular video featuring John Cleese changed my life. In it, Cleese, playing an MD, is in a meeting with a sales executive. The meeting was going very well, and I recognised the relationship-building and patted myself on the back. But just when things seemed perfect, he stood up and asked, “When are you going to ask me to buy something?” The question hits me like a ton of bricks.
 
The next day, heart pounding, I put my newfound courage into action. I asked a potential client to make a purchase—and they said yes! That single moment changed my life entirely. Subsequently, I set a station record by hitting 19 consecutive monthly sales targets and then secured the largest contract in Metro’s history.
 
This experience taught me a crucial lesson about the power of mindset, which I now share in my talks worldwide. It’s incredible how a shift in perspective can achieve what once seemed impossible.
 
 
The benefits of a mindset shift.
 
Everything changed for me when I had a Eureka moment. Here are four key advantages of an improved mindset shift:
 
Increased Confidence: A mindset shift can help eliminate self-doubt, boosting confidence to take decisive actions, like asking for business or seizing new opportunities.
 
Enhanced Problem-Solving: With a more positive or growth-oriented mindset, individuals are better equipped to approach challenges creatively and view setbacks as opportunities for learning and improvement.
 
Greater Resilience: A mindset shift fosters mental resilience, allowing individuals to handle stress better, bounce back from failure, and focus on long-term goals despite obstacles.
 
Improved Performance and Success: When individuals adopt a mindset focused on growth and possibility, they tend to be more proactive and motivated, leading to better performance and achieving previously unreachable targets.
 
 
As I prepare for these upcoming events, I’m excited to share these insights, whether it’s helping executives boost productivity or inspiring resilience in the face of challenges. It will be a week of transformation and connection, and I’m thrilled to be part of it. 
 
 
Thoughts for the week. 

1. What specific challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you worked to overcome them?
2. How do you prioritise ongoing personal and professional development in your own life?
3. What strategies do you use to maintain resilience in the face of setbacks or obstacles?
4. This week, reflect on these three questions and observe what insights arise. 

 
Well, that’s it for this week. Have a wonderful weekend, and keep believing in your potential.
 
Warm regards

John

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