First of all i want to introduce a couple of new recruits. The first is a bloke who has introduced some well needed wit into the office. We have nicknamed him "The Wit". The second has added some well needed diversity to our organisation. We've got Indian, English, Polish and now Japanese.... now all we need are a few females! Our new Oriental recruit is "Hiro". Wit = Head of Trademarks, Admin etc. Hiro = Head of Internet Vending & other cash streams. Welcome Wit and Hiro....

Carrying on...

Viz seems to get wind of lots of stuff... The next was an evening where Richard Segal (At the time, the head of Partygaming - the biggest online Gambling site world wide).

Well, me and Viz, being shy as we are managed to ask the most questions in the whole group. Then at the end personally met Richard, got a photo and asked him:

Innovator: Is it possible that a new entrant could come onto the market and steal a big chunk of your market?
Richard Segal: No......Blah blah blah...
Visionary: Who is your biggest threat?
Richard Segal: No-one...blah blah blah.


Anyway, after bigging myself up to Viz about being good at poker, i came 3rd in the hundred+ entry poker tournement, while getting tipsy.... and won my next day's clothes.

OK everyone….

Am a little bit disappointed that some people are doubting that the blokes in the photo are actually us. Let me just tell you that if you are doubting those photo’s, then there are a couple more with far more influential people in them that we are going to disguise our faces on soon….

Let’s get back to telling you the story:

After convincing the family, finding Malta and meeting playmates we had to get the ball rolling on the software.

Options: Do it ourselves, use established piece of software and become an “affiliate" or get small Software Company to do it.

1. Do it ourselves: I’m pretty good at computers, but don’t trust myself to do something secure or totally reliable. The Visionary has assured me that he is good at many things. Software isn’t one of them. Not an option.
2. Use established piece of software – Our idea is so innovative that another piece of software just wouldn’t be able to cater for it. Also who wants to do all this work - only to give away any cash to big, rich software companies?
3. Get small software company to do it: Keep the rights to the software, start up our own affiliate schemes and give any “software money” to a small company that we get on with.

Funnily enough, we chose option 3.

The Visionary will probably explain how we came to the decision over the software company, and also why he didn't help me collect the bunk beds for the dorm... (ok he did help put them up.)

Viz?

Right guys (& girls)…. just to let you know, we’re in the process of setting up a dorm for everyone who wants to work with us in London… If you know us, call us… free accommodation, and great company! Not too much money though… sorry…look at it as a career break that could lead onto massive things…

Carrying on…

My girlfriend never thinks my ideas are any good… in fact I’d go as far to say as she is purposely negative just to wind me up. So its always good to give her a call, and totally fizzle out any confidence that I had. Called her, told her…it went quiet. She couldn’t complain! Sorry bubs. At that point I knew not to tell anyone else and keep it a secret.

“The Visionary” tried to tell his girlfriend, but he didn’t have one. So I think his parents passed the idea instead.

True?

We're going to tell you how it got to this stage. Starting with the day that I came up with the idea...

Start - 8pm - 10th January 2006..

"The Visionary" (hmmm..) had been trying to meet with me for ages...finally I relented. After a few hours of catching up, we started talking about plans. Back in school he was hard working and steady - certainly not one to break the mould but it soon became apparent that he wasn't looking forward to working in a "steady" job. He had one lined up at the time..

I, on the other hand, have grown up in a family where starting something yourself is the norm, although at that time I was working for a recruitment company as an IT Manager, which to be honest, is the best job.. short of working for myself..

We chatted. He told me a few of his ideas - but none of them stood out as unique or fun. Sorry mate! We were, however, pretty good at bouncing ideas off each other, and after a while I mentioned an idea for a casino. We found this so fun and surreal that it took about 10 seconds before we realised that the idea had true potential....

End - 6am 11th January 2006 - off to work at 8.30am.