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Opinionated people = the bane of my life
Generally I'm a fairly relaxed soul and I try not to let too many things wind me up, but people with strong opinions who are keen to share and convert? Awful.
And I'm not sure what's worse: the young ones or the old ones. The young ones can at least claim passion and determination to change the world as their excuse, even if the arrogance is unbearable.
Personally, as I mature into middle-age, I've realised how little I know. The only sure thing is that anyone who claims differently must be an idiot.
I think Socrates said something similar, just slightly more eloquently...
Let's take dating sites as an example
They're either amazing or simply symptomatic of the worst attributes of modern society depending on who you believe.
I admit, as a divorced father, to knowing more than I should. The different approaches men and women take in their online dating is probably worthy of some proper academic analysis. But to classify them as good or evil - I mean, who knows?
They're probably unhealthy on a number of levels but there will be plenty of happy, fulfilled couples out there who would beg to differ.
I'm a fan of dating sites
As for me - well, two short stories which might explain why I'm a fan.
I started this business with my brother back in 2000. We were going to revolutionise the world of childcare. It wasn't a great plan, and the first couple of years were tough. But two men starting a nanny agency was newsworthy and we used to get amazing PR.
And then one Monday morning my brother announced that we had changed PR agencies. "Why?" I asked. "Well," came the enigmatic reply, "the new lady doing our PR also owns a dating agency - we get free membership!"
Sounds pathetic, I know
But as things transpired, the lady who ran the dating agency had an assistant. The assistant was looking for a new challenge, and when we launched Emergency Childcare she was the one who turned concept into successful business.
She's still here now, running the show...
And the second piece of dodgy dating serendipity? Nanny Share was a nice idea. In terms of margin and ease of operation, it's the best business in the Group by a distance.
But it was only because our Web Manager had been an active member of another dating site, that the idea was turned into reality so successfully.
As I said, good or evil - who knows? And now I'm heading back online...
Ben Black
