Who is Justin Bell?
Geek, Gourmet, Entrepreneur, Curious
GEEKism
I have been a geek all my life, one of my earliest memories was stripping down a broken radio to see how it worked and if I could fix it.
Like many people my age I got my start with computers in the early 1980's. The first computer I remember seeing in use was a sinclair ZX81, followed by BBC model B's at school and a Commodore 64 at home. I kinda lost interest for a little while after discovering girls, but came back to it with my first PC (a 486 with 4mb ram and a 210mb hard drive - windows 3.1 FTW!) I have been deeply entranced by tech ever since, and have combined that in my professional life to produce IT systems that just work (cos most people are not really geeks, and just want their IT to work! Shock Horror!) went from a single PC in business through peer to peer network, through Microsoft Small Business Servers in various incarnations, to shifting to the cloud. I believe that right now is one of the most exciting times ever for small business IT. I also believe that by following a few simple rules most small businesses can manage their own IT efficiently without the need for external IT help, even if they are not geeks!
I am working on a book, which should be ready to publish in September on Simple IT systems for the small business.
GOURMETism
Being brought up in a family where food is seen as so much more than fuel, certainly helps. I remember being taught how to cook various dishes by my Mother (Thanks Mum!) and not thinking it was anything out of the ordinary until I grew a little older and met more people, who didn't think too much about food. I worked in the high quality restaurant trade whilst at school and developed my interest further, thanks to a enthusiastic manager who encouraged learning and made the job interesting and fun (Stevie C you know who you are!)
I started work in cheesemaking at the age of 20 and was completely drawn in by the whole process, and how tiny, changes can make a masive difference the end result. Cheese basically has the same ingredients (Milk, salt, rennet and starter cultures) but can end up as runny gooey, gorgeous brie, or firm nutty piquant parmesan or anything in between. I have loved my time cheesemaking and creating a stable of award-winning cheeses along the way has been most rewarding too!
Of course cheese, various and fabulous though it is, is not the only food. so my tastes stretched further afield. I really love cured meats (bresoala, parma ham, york ham, pastrami, all the variants of Italian Salami's, lovely horseshoe shaped Chorizo. French Saucisson Sec.)
Cooked meats and cheeses really do need something to go with them and fresh, good bread, although quite difficult to find here in Yorkshire can be a joy in itself. Bruschetta are fab too, and I love a good oatcake! Gonna stop typing for a while, am drooling on the keyboard!
And then you really need something great to drink with this good food, and wines are fabulous and, like cheese, infinitely variable, each bottle can be new discovery. Fantastic Fizzies are wonderful. I do love a good bottle of Prosecco, Then of course there are a wonderful range of fantastic beers made in the all over the world. Spirits? a good single malt is a fantastic experience. Calvados is wonderful. and as for those exquisitely perfumed Gins (Bombay Sapphire, I'm looking at you!)
Good food like anything else is infinitely better when shared. Good food, good drink, good company. Bliss!
ENTREPRENEURism
My earliest entrepreneurial leaning were marked out at school when I used to make and sell fishing flies, and later on computer games. I have been involved inthe cheese business right from the lowest levels 20 years ago, to being a part of crafting a business, to get the best cheese possible out to the public. And that's the challenge I guess? It's all about creating something, not only creating cheese, but creating the organisation, the systems, the relationships to make that work! and it's got to be fun!
Whenever I talk about Entrepreneurs, I always remember a quote I heard a lot of years ago, but unfortunately, I can't remember who said it. If you know, drop me a line to enlighten me please.
The quote is "an Entrepreneur is one who has unreasonable faith, based on inadequate evidence"
CURIOUS... ism?
I absolutely love learning new things, I consider myself an autodidact, If I don't have the skills needed, I'll go out and learn them swiftly!