Get to know us

This is a bit of fun really, we have compiled a list of little known facts about Mike, some interesting, some funny, some that are just a bit random and a couple that you may even think are bordering on the weird (you are probably right). We're sure that Mike will be adding to these as time unfolds.

Not a lot of people know that...
 One of his hobbies is bricklaying. Good enough for Winston, good enough for him.He can juggle, but only with three balls at once..During times of intense stress he has an imaginary pet pug called Roger (Who doesn’t?).He has been going to Tywyn in Wales on his holidays every year since he was 4 years old (along with other places of course).

He is dyslexic and has issues with memory and sequences; he cannot remember the words to a single song. Just as well if you have ever heard him sing.He travels the world to visit art galleries, he especially likes impressionist paintings. Van Gogh is his favourite artist, even though he was not an impressionist.The only food he absolutely hates is tomato soup — he thinks it is like drinking blood.His first business partner and mentor was tragically killed in a car accident.He suffers from the rare complaint of being unable to adequately differentiate beween the words ‘need’ and ‘want’. Eg. I need a new car, I need a holiday, I need a new iPad.He has a beach house in Wales which is his favourite holiday destination. Has he never heard of Thomas Cook?He got a First in Computer Science at what was then called North Staffs Polytechnic. He firmly believes in Poly’s and feels they should be brought back. He runs a blog—check it out : mikeames.wordpress.com He once mistook some German skin divers for sharks in the sea just off Menorca. Clean trunks anyone?

He prefers little dogs to big ones, especially Pekingese’s (he has two at the moment).He likes to drink tea out of a bone china cup and saucer at work. Bit of a cissy then.He values loyalty above all other virtues.He is attracted to flawed people, finding them interesting. No judgement if you’re one of his friends—he is much more flawed than you’ll ever be.He had chicken pox when he was 20, two weeks before his final exams and was not able to revise.His signature drink at parties is swamp water: pint glass with ice, bailey’s, vodka, gin, white rum and then topped up with coke. Drink through a straw to avoid the scum.He regularly cries at the end of Meg Ryan films, especially You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. Mind you Gladiator also brings a tear and Meg isn’t even in that movie.Does a fantastic dying fly when under the influence. Allegedly.His favourite decade was the 1980’s. From impoverished student to even more impoverished business owner, family man and householder. Laughs when he sees himself telling jokes on old family videos.He fell off his bike into the road on the A5 whilst cycling from Solihull to Tywyn.He was a long distance swimmer in his teenage years, racing over two miles.He was in the successful Cheslyn Hay water polo team of the early 1980’s.He woke up his eldest son with an old man mask and evil hand because he though it would be funny. Eventually even the boy’s therapist saw the funny side.In the 1990’s he lost his glasses on the A45 after ‘taking air’ through the passenger window following a big session the night before.His favourite funny CD is the Twelfth Man. If you like cricket you’ll love it.He was born at home in a council prefab. It’s not where you start….He had a poem published on Radio 3 in 1968. It was about a snowstorm and is available upon request.History is a passion especially ancient Rome. He thinks building a business is like building an empire but without the toga’s and nowhere near as many orgies.His favourite city is Paris. His wife hates it so they don’t go very often. Quel surprise!He loves tecchie things especially anything produced by the Apple corporation.He can’t stand clutter. A place for everything and everything in it’s place!He has a terrible voice and cannot hold a tune (even if he could remember the words).His favourite TV show is Boston Legal—he wants to be Alan but fears he’s Denny.He likes to fish for mackerel off his jetski and then immediately get them back to the BBQ. His record currently stands at 32 minutes from sea to barbie.

He can play the piano but only by sight reading. Very slow; specialises in dirges.He got a hole in one once, but spent a good 5 minutes looking for his ball not realising it was in the hole.Champagne is his favourite tipple. Good enough for Winston…Thunderstorms happen to be his favourite weather.He has a penchant for making up TLA’s (three letter acronyms).He genuinely does go a ‘bit funny’ every full moon. He also has to shave more then too.He was once terrified to learn he was swimming with a seal off the welsh coast.He does a brilliant (so he says) Cary Grant impersonation.He loves fires, has a coal fire at home, a log burner in his Welsh house and several assorted chiminea’s, braziers and fire bins.

He is a firm believer in the family unit—he would have liked to have been an Edwardian gentleman with 12 kids (and a nanny). Who wouldn’t?He once bought a new car having only popped into the garage to get a faulty wing mirror repaired on his old car. Now that’s impulse buying right there.He met John Richards, his Wolves boyhood hero, only to find he was about 4’ tall.He often gets up at 4.00am to work, believing the early morning is his most creative time.Whilst weighing out some corned beef for a sandwich he once mis-read 1oz as 10 ounces ending up with a sandwich a good 2 inches thick.He has owned two Austin Allegros in his time. The door fell off the second one and had to be welded on rather like the General Lee in the Dukes of Hazzard.He likes to paint and draw especially with acrylics. Nothing in the Tate as yet but he lives in hope.His favourite walk is along the beach from Tywyn to Aberdyfi and then back again after a fine lunch at the Britannia Inn overlooking the Dyfi estuary.He met his wife when he was at school (when he was 17—not recently).His favourite quotation is by Calvin Coolidge—’Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common that unsuccessful men with talent. Genius wil not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.He spent a good deal of his lower sixth year at school playing cards and so failed both is mock A-level examinations. In the end he got 2 grade E’s which was just enough.

Came second in a squash championship once and had his name reported in the newspaper as Mr Michael Anus—bummer!He keeps a stash of jellybeans in his office for visitors and people he likes. Don’t be alarmed if you haven’t been offered one—he probably doesn’t like you.He likes to ‘compete’ in sprint triathalons—not for the race but for the event (all losers tend to say that).He loves poetry, his favourite is ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling.Drives his car with the top down, even on days when sensible people wouldn’t bother.He once broke his toe in bed. No, it’s not what you think!He is a die hard Royalist. He even likes Prince Charles.His favourite biscuits are chocolate digestives.The first business book he ever read was given to him by his first boss when he was 20. It was called Up The Organisation by Robert Townsend. He still owns a copy.He prefers reading novels on a Kindle.When he goes to the races he picks his horses based on their names. Seems to win as much as anyone else though.He failed the 11+ and went to a secondary modern school. His best friend there ended up as professor of chemistry. So much for the 11+.He is all for selective education although not based upon one examination at the age of 11 obviously.He was predominantly reared by his grandparents; one set who were Catholic and the others being Methodists. Most things were a sin in one religion or the other.He once painted his bike in matt emulsion because he liked the colour. It required a major touch up after each time it rained.He used to be a labourer for a floor screeder. On average he would mix and barrow 10 tonnes of concrete floor screed per day. His weight was never a problem in those days.His favourite restaurant to have a business meeting is the Metro Bar in Birmingham.His first half marathon was in Bath where his finishing time was exactly twice that of the winner. Apparently he wanted to get his money’s worth from the event.For a short period of his teenage years he insisted on his family calling him Mr Thompson. There is no rational reason attributed to this decision. His mother was happy to comply.He loves to learn things—it is a compulsion that borders on the unhealthy. Once he has learned something he has to try it out as soon as possible.He takes a keen interest in politics. Somebody has to I guess.His favourite TED vide is Steve Jobs addressing the graduates at Stanford University. Google it—both very touching and inspiring at the same time.Loves travelling more than reaching his destination. Sadly the exact opposite of his wife.He runs his own charity for under achieving children called Starfish—more details at Starfish.org.ukHe has been known to get seasick in the bath-tub. Green is not his best colour.His favourite paper is the Times, although he does enjoy a naughty skim through the Daily Mail on holiday.Hates his life to have a routine, but is exactly the opposite on holiday. He calls these holidays Groundhog Hols: same thing, same time, every day.Whilst doing a maths, stats and computing degree he discovered he was rubbish at maths and stats but could just about ‘do’ computing. He immediately swapped to the computing course.He hoards building materials like wood, bricks and tiles believing that they will ‘come in handy sometime’. They never do.

He would like to be remembered as somebody who gave more than he received. Even if it was unwanted advice.He does not drink anything with caffeine in it. If he does it is like watching Norman Wisdom on speed.When he registered his first child he was so proud of him that he added his own name. Since his first two names were Peter Alexander that gave the boy the initials of PAM.He always wears Speedos on holiday even though this is wholly inappropriate.He would prefer to be buried than cremated. So much more civilised.Cannot stand people with bad table manners. People don’t just sit at a table to eat because they are hungry—there is a ritual to be observed.If he had to live anywhere in London it would be Bloomsbury. Like a village in a big city.Once spelt his own name wrong on an application form for Polytechnic: Micheal. The teachers put it up on the staff room notice board.He once hired a witch and a warlock to exorcise his new offices of a ghost. The cleaner had threatened to resign if something wasn’t done and you can’t get good cleaners any more.In 2006 he had a benign tumour removed from his parotic gland caused by smoking cigars and drinking alcohol athe same time. He hasn’t smoked since.He is afraid of confined spaces and water where he can’t see the bottom. Uuuugggghhh!He once met Prince Philip but expected him to be taller than he was. He voiced this to his companion a little too loudly and now fears he will never be Sir Michael.His biggest anti-climax was selling his business. He thought it was going to be like in the movies. It wasn’t. They spent the evening signing papers and then went home.He fully expects to live until he is 100 or die trying.