Laughter, tears, classic cars, rain, and breakdowns…

Sunvil Holidays MD Chris Wright reports from last week’s AITO conference in Malta.

"I always look forward to the AITO autumn conference. Not only does it mark the end of an intensely busy period in the working year, but it always provides an excellent forum for an exchange of ideas and thoughts with like-minded, owner-managed businesses. This year’s theme of ‘Minding Your Own Business’ was of particular interest to me personally, having just taken over the reins at Sunvil.

Deb Merrifield at Radar told delegates that the existing customer base is the best – and cheapest – source of new business and talked about how important it is to enhance the relationship that you have with such clients. Grading your database and understanding the likelihood of each segment converting means that you can spend money more effectively.

In a round table discussion about concerns and opportunities, I found it very interesting that one of the greatest concerns was the distribution of wealth and the gap between the average wage and those at the top. There was also a feeling that, whilst the south was showing signs of recovery, the north and other regions of the UK were still lagging behind.

A lot of what the very academic Rhodri Thomas had to say made little sense to me, but his closing remarks about recognising innovation, supporting those who strive to innovate and allowing room for entrepreneurial behaviour were all very relevant and clearly apply to my business – especially his point about delegating and tolerating failure!

I have always valued Mark Hodson’s opinion when it comes to social media and he didn’t disappoint in his session on how to talk to your customers. His key theme was trust and the fact that people trust other people. So, you should always make use of your own team and existing customers, using their knowledge and expertise to gain the trust of new guests. Interestingly, those in the conference who hated the words "social media" took a very different message away from the session to the rest of us.

As always, Richard Carrick’s piece on ‘The 10 Universal Truths of Working with Entrepreneurs’ was energetic and thought provoking. For many of us working in businesses built by entrepreneurs it was a reminder that the things we sometimes hate are just a sign that we have an entrepreneur in the team. The main take from his piece was that having a good idea is one thing – it’s what you do with it that counts!

Business sessions aside, my personal highlight of the weekend was the keynote speech from Tony Harris of Race 2 Recovery (pictured). So often I come away wondering why someone has been asked to speak but Tony was an amazing choice. Reducing many to tears followed by peals of laughter, it was a real rollercoaster of emotions. His truly inspirational story covering his tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, through to taking the decision to have his leg amputated and then on to building a team to race in the Dakkar Rally, was delivered with humour and left everyone in the room re-evaluating their lives and goals.

Our hosts, the Maltese Tourist Office and all their partners, pulled off a great conference that really showcased their destination, one that many of the delegates had never previously had a desire to visit. A highlight was the superb collection of classic cars that provided the transport to the closing Gala dinner. Despite the torrential rain and a few breakdowns, it was a magnificent sight to see.

All in all a great conference that left me inspired and full of new ideas."