Oh boy, what a day!

The day started normally enough. Up at 6am. Off to North London for Monday morning Tai Chi. Feel that Chi flowing through me in the morning breeze. Yessssir. Bring it on!

Today was a big day. I mentioned in a recent post that I am back on the fund raising trail. Getting out amongst the VCs, pitching away. Today was a bit different. Unusually I had invited a group of VCs that I am talking to to come and see me as a group. And they had agreed. Wow! VCs leaving their palatial offices to come and see a mere start up guy. Who would have thought it!

Actually, who am I kidding. The guys were not coming to see me. We had arranged for one of the most important figures in technology today to join us for an hour and help us paint a picture of what the future of the online world looks like. This was a risk - getting this group of heavy hitting VCs out of their office and all in the same place for this meeting - so it was critical that it went well, but if it worked and if the guys "got it" it could have a big impact. Game on.

We arrived early for a pre-meet. Me and some of my colleauges plus Big Tech Guy. We spent half an hour chatting through what we were going to cover. I was getting excited. This was going to be one of those "moments" in a company's life. When I write "Garlik - The Book" this meeting would feature. In "Garlik - The Movie", Will Smith (playing me, of course, who did you think?) would be striding around the meeting room holding forth as the VCs looks on awestruck. Ohhh yes. I could see it all.

The VCs started to arrive in ones and twos. Square jawed and steely eyed to a man. We held them in reception as we finised our preparations. Big Tech Guy turned to me, made a final comment, turned sharply to my colleauge and suddenly shouted in pain. Only gone and twisted his back!

Suddenly, like a car crash, everything went in to slow motion (that will happen in the film too). Ambulances called. Health and safety types standing around looking terrified. Brows furrowed. Mice and men aft agleying in all directions. Fierce looking, tobacco chomping VCs milling around in reception wondering what the hells going on. Oh boy. Oh boy.

Well we did the pitch as best we could without poor old Big Tech Guy, who was in real pain. One VC said to me "So what happened to alleged Big Tech Guy, Tom? Eaten by the cat was he, eh? eh?" Another said "Awesome bluff, Tom. That takes some balls".

Oh well, you win some, you lose some. What do you do after a day like that? There is only one thing you can do really. Put on a brave face to everyone and tell them it could have been worse (how exactly may I ask?). Then go home. Put on pyjamas. Eat cornflakes with lots of sugar, turn Heart FM up to full volume, dance around the kitchen to I Will Survive and wait until tomorrow :-)