TA-DA!
It’s been a somewhat extraordinary year so far. I had grand plans for 2020 and those grand plans have not gone away as such but definitely taken a different direction.
I didn’t expect, for example, to co-conceive, run and market a worldwide campaign to help both the travel industry and healthcare workers during the Coronavirus Pandemic. My husband and I wanted to do something when the lockdown hit Spain in March (and not dip into depression). I should mention that in my other life we run a B&B Casa HIgueras . We thought, why not offer free stays to healthcare workers when travel restrictions are finaly lifted? It will not only help encourage travel back to Spain but crucially give hope to those working on the frontline. My Travel Pledge was born and after a few friends came on board and a press release was sent out it suddenly took off. I quickly designed a logo and set up a website. Nothing like working under pressure!
To date our campaign has had over 5,300 nominations.
We have over 80 properties worldwide offering free stays
The website has had 32.5k unique visits
The Campaign continues and we are still matching nominees with properties. We get about 100 nominations a day and its a full time job keeping the website and and social media up to date. Except… I have a few other jobs to be doing also…
For more information visit www.mytravelpledge.com
TA-DA!
As well as my day job of designing books, i have been working away…often out of ‘office hours’ on a very interesting start-up business called TA-DA! Language Productions.
I first met Michelle (the CEO and founder) way back in 2018 when she asked me to design a cover of a children’s talking dictionary. Well, I thought that sounded like a nice project. Learning a second language myself I thought its a subject close to my heart, often walking round the village with a dictionary or at least google translate. Also, now I appreciate that learning a language is a whole lot easier the younger you are.
It turns out Michelle and husband Bert had far greater plans than ‘just’ a talking dictionary and we are now on the brink of funding TA-DA! Language Productions and ready to launch us into the world. We have unbelievably designed and produced no less that 16 sound books in 5 languages using huge innovations in sound and paper technology to make books with the most incredible clarity of sound and recording many native speakers to create language learning books leaps and bounds ahead of any other on the market.
It’s been a mammoth challenge. And I have to admit occasionally wondering if it really was all worth it, but never for long because I’ve always felt this project would be a success. It has too many winning ingredients not to be. And a team that by some incredible serendipity has gelled and worked together (all be it from different parts of the world) incredibly well. I feel part of something innovative and exciting.
Another huge part of the process has been experiencing the challenge of a genuine Start Up business (based in Silicon Valley and everything!). One hears that phrase banded around too often. Everything seems to be a start up but to actually be part of it right from the beginning is certainly challenging but more importantly its EXCITING. I’ve learnt about pitch decks…and designed them, I’ve learnt about company structure and legals of building one from nothing, funding and of course i’ve learnt about OKR’s. You know what they are right?
We’re on a precipice. I’m not sure what’s next but i’ve got a good feeling about it. Watch this space…
For more information: TA-DA! Website www.tadalp.com
