10 Years of Aide de MD, and why this picture?

Over 10 years ago I left a great job in the city to spend more time with my family. My mother had recently died, the ground was shaky and I felt the need to balance my family life with my ambition.

During this year off, I had been asked to help a few business owners (SMEs) with their infrastructure and staff management. After a year I realised that I needed some kind of plan as I had the bare bones of a new business. Entrepreneurial MDs needed someone to sit behind them, the sounding board, the “open to anything” strategic thinker, the devil’s advocate and always the confidant with no hidden agenda. Over a few coffees discussing names with my cousin (thank you, Ed!), we came up with Aide de MD.

The business was taking shape and I needed a picture to represent my idea. I chose the above picture on a whim and still love it. It represents the freedom of the outdoors, the ladder allows objectivity from above, the umbrella for protection, the water for life, the boat for escape, the sand for the millions of different opportunities, the man in the suit outside for balance and the diagonal leaning for perspective.

I’ve been operating for 10 years this month. With my very small but very effective team (thank you Sarah, Kristy and now Gill), we have run thousands of meetings, developed hundreds of business plans, chaired numerous management meetings and facilitated many workshops. I have worked with a wide range of highly skilled, time-poor, happy, challenged MDs/CEOs. I have benefitted from their trust and confidence to learn more about their unique businesses and how people “work”. I feel valued by my clients, some of whom I have worked with since 2006.

I am truly lucky to do what I do. Thank you for the opportunity. I look forward to another 10 years!