October 5th 2025 may not be a date that is significant for many but for me it marks the 30th “anniversary” of the very first training course I ran and got paid for.

I had set up Phoenix Training and Development as a partnership, as it was in those days, with my business partner, RIchard Sweet. We’d spent most of the summer setting up the the business, finding an office and finding some clients!

But on October 5th 1995, I headed to Slough to run a half day sales course for a local newspaper.

With that anniversary just around the corner I have been in reflective mood and thinking about what I have learnt in those thirty years and thinking what I would have said to my younger self. Here’s the first thing:

READ AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!!!

It has taken me years to recognise the importance of reading widely, not just specific management and/or leadership titles. Reading a widely range of books and research papers on all manner of subjects has given me a depth of knowledge and ideas I had no concept of 30 years ago. I guess it’s obvious to me now but when I first started just I backed my existing knowledge to develop course content.

There are so many amazing titles out there, I would say to my younger self and anyone else for that matter “never think you know enough”.

Any recommendations, gratefully received!