Five Star Service, One Star Budget

I was asked to speak at a conference for the BBC at London Zoo. The event went well and we had an opportunity to sell books afterwards. My first book How to be Brilliant had just been published and I was delighted when my team informed me that we had sold out (always good news for a first-time author).

I said my goodbyes and left to attend another event. Here’s where a potential challenge occurred. Chris, the director of the department who had booked me, came over to the book stand, apologised for his delay and asked for a copy of my book. My team (by now one person) had to tell him that we’d sold out but we’d post one to him the next day. ...