Essential Install June 2017 | Page 5

From The Editor’s Desk Supplement pages 6-7 Say Hello, Wave Goodbye All Things Media’s latest venture, the ED&I show, takes place in September at the NEC in Birmingham A bit of news first this month, our valued web editor and EI cohort Alice Gustafson is moving to pastures new, taking on a new role at The Cinema Designer. First up, it’s necessary to say a big thank you to Alice for elevating the Ce Pro Europe and Commercial Integrator Europe websites to where they are today, helping maintain the high standards on EI. I am sure many of you will have experienced Alice’s can-do attitude and professionalism and will recognise what a valuable contribution she has made to the industry, and as she is staying in the sector, it’s not really goodbye as I am sure industry events will ensure we bump into each other from time to time. Naturally we are currently working on finding a replacement, but the situation started me thinking about staff in general and how companies can best cope with the ebb and flow of staffing issues. Losing a valued member of staff is never easy, but it can also be seen as an opportunity. This has certainly been the case here as it has given me the chance to take a step back and examine how as a company we spread our work-load, allocate tasks and shape each member of the team’s role. All Things Media as a company is expanding again this year and in particular is putting on its largest ever event in the Electrical Design and Install Expo (ED&I) at the NEC in September. A national show for the electrical industry, this event will take a huge amount of time and effort to deliver; losing a member of staff actually provided the impetus to design our editorial and marketing efforts in a more efficient and focused way. The installation industry is just one of those sectors where flow of personnel and brands is a real feature. We have all seen people move from this distributor to that, or seen brands do the same thing. It’s a fact of life, but it’s how we deal with change that is important and seeing the opportunity in each new situation is the key. One of my favourite books of all time is sweeping science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert. Although set in a world very different to our own, it is a very human story that merges many themes, but one has stuck with me ever since I first read the book in my late teens. ‘The Sleeper Must Aw aken’ is a phrase used in the book and encompasses the concept that without change something sleeps inside us, without change we don’t grow, or learn. In short, change is what drives us to become who or what we really are. Worth remembering. EDITOR IN CHIEF: Daniel Sait, [email protected] CONTRIBUTING JOURNALISTS: Jordan O’Brien, [email protected] SALES DIRECTOR: Ian Kitchener, [email protected] PUBLISHER: David Kitchener, [email protected] ACCOUNTS: [email protected] CIRCULATION: [email protected] STUDIO MANAGER: Ben Bristow, [email protected] GRAPHIC DESIGN: Jon Appleton, [email protected] Essential Install magazine, Suite 14, 6-8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Chatham, Kent ME5 8UD. T: +44 (0)1634 673163 F: +44 (0)1634 673173 Whist we make every effort that everything printed in Essential Install magazine is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur. All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.