I embrace every business opportunity to the fullest.

Opportunities almost never arrive labelled. They turn up as the account nobody wanted, the client who is difficult on the phone, the meeting you were only invited to because somebody was off sick.

Half the people who look lucky are simply people who said yes to the version that looked like extra work in March and turned out to be the whole of the following year.

The other half had something ready — a portfolio that was current, a rate they could quote without going away to think about it.

Readiness is dull right up until the week it isn't.