Practice makes perfect

"There are many people who want to start rowing because I have come to the Olympic Games. We will start when I get back. We just have to wait for the boats to arrive."

So said Niger rower Hamadou Djibo Issaka who has trained for just three months for the men's single sculls, but never in his landlocked and mostly desert home country. Hamadou treads in the great footsteps of the Jamaican Bobsleigh team, Eddie the Eagle and Eric the Eel. Like them he came last and like them again he has gained a huge following,

His never say die efforts show the value of persistence and stretching to do the impossible. He has won no medals, but has still covered himself in glory and, more importantly has raised the profile of his sport both in Niger and elsewhere.

Indications are that many people in the UK facing redundancy are also stretching themselves by starting new businesses or becoming self-employed. Not all, in fact only a minority, will succeed - but those that do will trail blaze for others.

Getting the best premises without entering into expensive long term arrangements is often a crucial factor in early success, which is why demand for serviced office space is still holding up.