Leszek Jakubowski

Happy New Year Everyone.

Here's to a prosporous 2021. 🍾🥂

I hope everyone had a fantastic festive holiday?!

Even though we are all far, distant from restrictions, I am positive everyone found innovative and technologically forward ways to stay connected with their loved ones.

2021, I hope will bring a clean slate, change for many business owners and opportunities beyond wildest dreams.

2020 certainly, has been a year none of us expected.

However the past year has allowed me to publish my first book, dive deeper into the past, connect with my family all around the world, receive a 'Best New Author' nomination and walk the (quiet streets) of Poland in answer to my many questions, which in turn, will form my second book.

I have enjoyed the highs and lows, and very much look forward to sharing the next year with you all!

Here's some of my 2020 highlights in pictures.

#2021

How proud I am to receive my Best New Author Long List certificate, amongst a list of entries from all over the world.

I waited nervously at the Awards Ceremony but unfortunately did not make it to first, second or third place. I was touched by all my reader’s good wishes and rest assured I am not disheartened in any way.

So now it’s back to the writing desk to continue my second book, a historical novel set in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, which I am convinced is going to be another winner!

After months of research and numerous recent visits to Warsaw, I have been delving into the who, what and where of my next novel.

Having amassed piles of photographs of Warsaw in 1943 and 1944, I have found black and white images of the where -

a street scene where my dad lived, a district with 80% Jewish people, before it was totally demolished after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The other image shows a view of the tenement house where my Mum lived of which 75% was damaged by bombs.

It's incredible the amount of history that can be found when you go searching for it.

As I continue to write my second novel on an equally important subject close to my heart, I am grateful for the in-depth research phase novel writing involves, as it has allowed me to walk the footsteps of my families past.

A behind the scenes look into my current world- listening to 16 hours of tapes which I have translated and continue to transcribe for my next book.

My wife, Beata and I taped my mother and father over seven years ago before they passed - asking them about how they fell in love during the war and what they did throughout the Warsaw Uprising.

These tapes continue to slowly form the basis of my historical novel, a story that follows two individuals through 1944 who met and fell in love during the war.

This approach to novel writing has its challenges as I have to live, breath and write as both characters, requiring me to get under their skin to share their story as it happened, whilst ensuring it's authentic and as true to facts as my research.

I have amassed piles of research - photographs of Warsaw in 1943/4, before it was totally demolished after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and historical novels and papers that go into detail of the events... All I need now is to translate my VOICE into a finished manuscript.

Wish me luck!

It's the final 24 hour countdown to the SABA 2020 Book Awards!

I'm honoured to be nominated New Best Author amongst a category full of talented authors from 11 countries around the world.

I really look forward to sharing the excitement with the judges and audience tomorrow night!

See you there.

https://youtu.be/tCGpDAfntzI

You Are Invited to SABA 2020 Book Awards Ceremony See what will happen at SABA 2020 Book Awards Ceremony. Buy your online tickets before it is too late! 65% discount offer end 21st November 2020. Buy them he...

Another glimmering review, this time from a local Federation of Small Businesses member, Jeremy Reeve, who enjoyed some downtime in Cornwall and read my book.

Thanks, Jeremy for sharing your thoughts and the snap of the well-travelled cover of my book!

"𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅!"

Happy Sunday All!

I hope everyone has a wonderful last weekend of November and are prepared for the festive season to begin.

I'm very much looking forward to being back with all my wonderful grandchildren in the near future. Even though I can't physically hold my grandchildren today, they continue to bring me bundles of joy from afar.

It's important to always look at how far you've come on your journey.

Only a year ago, I was sat at my desk editing 'Fighting for Survival', hopelessly reading, editing, re-reading and re-editing the manuscript to publish my first book.

The excitement of launching my novel was ahead of me, designing book covers, finding the right publishing platform and ensuring my personal story was shared in the right light. An incredibly exciting, yet nerve-racking time.

As with any work, it is always scary to share your blood, sweat and tears... especially when it's a story so close to your heart - a story many family members, friends, business partners and acquaintances relied on me to do justice.

A year on, 'Fighting for Survival' has been published for a little over eight months with hundreds of copies sold, five star reviews and a SABA book nomination for 'Best new Author.'

I am overwhelmed by my journey as an Author. I am thankful for the people I've met and the many kind words my community of readers continue to share with me.

Even though 2020 has been tough in many ways, it's a year that's made me appreciate the win's.

What is your biggest achievement of this year?

I read somewhere that one of the first things you need to do if you want to write a book is to establish your writing space.

I am very lucky that I have three places to write, all with different aspects that get my creative juices flowing.

Here's a glimpse of my “writing space”. Located in the centre of the beautiful city of Krakow, I can live and breathe the polish culture, that I continue to inject into my novels.

How is everyone getting their creative juices flowing this Monday morning?

With small and medium-sized enterprises as wealth creators of the economy and prolific providers of employment, it is important individuals continue to possess the inspiration, skills, stamina and courage to set up in business.

Now more than ever, small businesses need help and it's a big thanks to this great article from Entrepreneur Media that highlights ways small businesses can seek help in the present day.

Through the provision of help and support, one can only hope the entrepreneurial spirit of individual business owners are not extinguished altogether through these unprecedented times.

Support I continue to wish was there for the protagonist of my book, Tadek, when he suffered loss of his company, his brother and a costly fight against banks and the justice system, when his commercial dream was shattered by the early nineties recession.

I send my thoughts to all business owners feeling the continued affects of the coronavirus pandemic.

You will get through this.

5 Ways to Help Your Small Business Survive During the Pandemic Don't be afraid to ask for help, either for your business, your staff or yourself.

Nothing in life that’s worth anything is easy, and that couldn't ring truer today!

I'm so honored to be nominated for Best New Author in the SABA 2020 Book Awards!

As Fighting for Survival continues to inspire and share the message that life has throws its challenges, I continue to believe with an imaginative approach, and a large ingredient of toil, sweat, and tears, anything is possible.

https://lnkd.in/e8AP3uh

SABA 2020 Book Awards Long List SABA 2020 Book Awards Long List. You can vote for your favorite nominee. Voting closes 25th November 2020

It's National Novel Writing Month, known as the month where participants attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript between November 1 and November 30.

As you know, I have been undertaking intensive research to understand the uprising of Warsaw, which has involved visits to Poland, to scope out the locations (which feature heavily in the love story I wish to portray) as well as in-depth research into the history of Poland which Henryk Sienkiewicz historical novels continue to provide.

So if any of you are wondering how I will be spending my time throughout the second U.K. lockdown, you will find me using this time to delve deeper into the historical research to put my pen to paper in pursuit of publishing my second novel.

Happy Haloween - the spookiest 2020 I've ever lived through.

To wrap up another month of 2020 here's a reminder that in life, good things come to those who wait, but better things come to those who work for it. Whether that be relationships, marriages, or businesses.

May you all have a wonderful end of October, and I can't wait to see what the next couple of months of this exciting, tumultuous year has in store for us.

I truly believe;

'𝑻𝒐 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉, 𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆.'

A notion, I continue to follow as I read these Polish history novels in research and preparation for my next novel - a sequel to my business novel. The background story of how and where the protagonist of 'Fighting for Survival's' entrepreneurial journey started.

How do you continue to develop and learn?

Spending time with my family is incredibly important, especially as my grandchildren continue to grow up so quickly.

A wonderful day out with Ella and the family, and as you can see Ella was reluctant to let the day end! 🤣

I've always believed, the more creases in the book, the better the read.

It's so humbling to see 'Fighting for Survival' finding it's way into bags and carts worldwide as an essential read.

Grandchildren are like flowers, you never get tired of watching them grow. 😁

Small and medium-sized enterprises continue to be the wealth creators of the economy and prolific providers of employment.

My continuing concern for entrepreneurs is that individuals who have the inspiration, skills, stamina and courage to set up in business with dreams of success continue to face the insurmountable challenges that lead to business failure.

It is the entrepreneurial mindset to share ideas freely, and celebrate those so-called failures as a learning and growing experience, that the economy and businesses require to live on.

After losing my construction group to the 90's recession, it took an imaginative approach, bold actions, and a large ingredient of toil, sweat and tears to continue.

To all those business owners feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, I encourage you to keep inspiring.

A throwback from Beata and my recent trip to Poland where I explored the history of Warsaw in research for my next book.

Our love for Poland is great and I continue to be proud to be a part of the vibrant culture, which is fiery yet tender, volatile yet passionate.

A culture and country I wish to portray vividly in my next book.

With the U.K continuing to implement tougher lockdown measures, it seems businesses continue to suffer the after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thank you to Small Business Today Magazine for sharing my report on 'How to Survive Business Failure: Help for Small Businesses Through the Coronavirus Pandemic' - a very timely article for what continues to be a major topic within today's economic environment.

http://ow.ly/xFFj50BRlhq

How to Survive Business Failure: Help for Small Businesses Through the Coronavirus Pandemic How to Survive Business Failure: Help for Small Businesses Through the Coronavirus Pandemic 0 By Sbtmagazine-Admin on September 16, 2020 Business, Business Plans, Business Success, Small Business Leszek Jakubowski In the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic and the inevitable, economic impact resul...

Thanks to Caroline Mackay for her insightful and excellent review of ‘Fighting for Survival’.

It means the world to me to know my readers are finding value in my story, and the past experiences as a business owner I have suffered.

I hope Fighting for Survival continues to be an inspirational platform for business owners who may be feeling the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic in their business.

A wonderful Sunday walk to unwind from a busy week of storytelling, writing and networking.

The pandemic continues to restore our love for nature and the great outdoors.

Happy Sunday All!

How are you spending this crisp Sunday

There is no greater advocate of your life's work than the future generation.

Here's Olivia - 'Fighting For Survivals' number one fan.

In the words of Steve Jobs, never lose faith in your own capabilities.

When life throws you challenges, it's the strength, determination and your ability to remain positive that will enable you to start again or continue in your pursuits.

A notion I wanted to convey through the protagonist of 'Fighting for Survival' who after losing everything continues to find the strength to appreciate what he has in life and re-build his future.

A positive mindset continues to reap great rewards.

Do you agree?

With tougher restrictions enforced last night and the implications of a tiered lock down, my business report into 'How to Survive Business Failure through an economic recession' explores the remedial affects the Government should be putting in place to support small businesses.

A worthwhile read for small to medium size business owners who are feeling the impact of the coronavirus pandemic at this current time.



https://bit.ly/buisnessfailure

Help for Small Business Owners on Business Failure - Leszek Jakubowski Leszek Jakubowski, Author of one of the best business books, explores how to help small business owners through an economic recession due to covid-19.

Happy Monday All.

Here's a picture of Beata and me dancing to the vibrancy and zeal of life at a recent wedding we attended on my last research trip to Poland.

As 'Fighting for Survival' explores the fragility of life and business, there's one thing in life that we must always cherish - family and their continued support through thick and thin.

To those guessing at home, Yes Tadek did go on TV, and the TV interviewer blamed the societal factors for the collapse of the £7million annual turnover Sosinski Group.

Here's the Extract from Chapter 28, which recounts November 1st 1993.

Fact or Fiction?

Tadek appeared on local television after losing his business?
Extra points to those that can recount if the Television interviewer blamed the protagonist of the book or societal factors?

Hello to All the new Fighting For Survival Community members!

As there's a few new faces around here, I wanted to re-introduce myself. I'm Leszek, the author of 'Fighting For Survival.'

Having grown a successful group organically in the early nineties, which employed 150 people with a £7million annual turnover in 15 years. The group collapsed in 1991 leaving myself with personal debts to the bank of over £780,000.

However, I didn't let that deter me from continuing a successful career as an entrepreneur and international consultant, which spanned over four decades. I developed my own businesses and supported and promoted business development and entrepreneurship across Europe.

In 1991 I was the advisor to the Polish Prime Minister on enterprise culture and business development.

My story, “Fighting for Survival” is a behind the headlines story of the real effects of political policy and the recession – a vivid illustration of the human devastation caused by economic downturn. Something which continues to be prevalent in today's economy.

I wish to inspire business owners to never give up through my story and my novel 'Fighting For Survival.'

I hope you enjoy it!