This report appeared in the Herald Express 5th May 2009 and is the message that we try to give - live the life!

A SMILE and a positive attitude should be one of the major weapons in a successful business person's armoury, Frank Sobey told a business breakfast meeting.

Frank, a former teacher, founded Harbour Sports as a watersports school and shop in 1977 with Julian Smith.

They were on the water all day every day in the summer season teaching windsurfing, hiring out equipment, running speedboat trips and aquasausage rides.

By 1990 Harbour Sports had expanded into Plymouth Barbican and grew into one of the biggest and best known shops of its type in the UK. In 1996 the Exeter shop opened at Fore Street in the city centre.

Though the windsurfing school is no longer operating, Frank still surfs, skates and skis and his philosophy is clear — live the life.He explained that if the boss of an organisation has a positive outlook on life, it could make a difference to how the staff feel, and just as importantly their customers.

"We are going through hard times at the moment and it is probably going to get a lot worse. But don't let it grind you down, come up smiling," he told the business people at the Innovation Centre at South Devon College.

"If you don't start the day with a smile you have set your mood for your day. What mood do you put the people you lead in if you come through the door looking like you have been slapped in the face with a kipper? What message do you give?

"If do you have bad, red flag days, tell them how you feel otherwise the message you send them may not be the one you wanted to give.

"You can make a difference, you can smile at the next person who is more likely to smile at the person they next meet. If you can walk in a straight line, breathe in and out and you can smile through your day, what are you worrying about?"

Press information from Harbour Sports – Paignton – Plymouth and Exeter

“It starts here!

Harbour Sports is totally dedicated in supporting the South West of England and proud to have the Support the South West of England logo slap bang in the middle of our website home page:

www.harbour.co.uk 

Clicking on the Proudly Supporting South West England will take you immediately to the South West England website (http://www.southwestbrand.info/proud-supporters.shtm) where like minded businesses have list their support.

In the words of the SWRDA found on their home page, “The South West of England is more than just a place. It's a people. It's a personality. It's an approach to business and life.”

In these days of economic gloom and doom we at Harbour Sports feel that we can all make a difference by working together, supporting each other and living life to the full!”

23/01/09

Laura Greets Aurelie

Photograph shows Aureilie Hoffmann (19) being greeted by Laura Parkes (19).*

*These are challenging times and the need to network is increasingly important. For many years Harbour Sports has worked very hard to attract young people from all over the world as short term staff to add vibrancy to the general ambiance within the shops and to encourage local young people to establish lifetime relationships globally.*

*The most recent arrival is 19 year old Aurelie Hoffmann from Lycee Carrel in Lyon France. Aurelie is working at Harbour Sports Paignton for five weeks in association with the Training Partnership in Torquay. Her placement is part of a European scheme called Leonardo. Aurelie says /“I think that the Leonard Scheme is very good and I am pleased to be here at Harbour Sports because they have made me feel so very welcome. It is a good chance to improve my English and to work in another country. We laugh at Harbour Sports and working with Laura is good.” /Laura, also 19, is working at Harbour Sports before heading off to Australia as part of her gap year. She says /“This is the joy of working at Harbour Sports because here they really live the life. People who call in at the shop are great to meet and Aurelie is also improving my French!”/*

Harbour Sports Exeter Graffiti Art

We had a team of 17 graffiti artists paint a 50 foot mural on the back wall of Harbour Sports Exeter!  Check out the video...

Harbour Sports staff wakeboarding in Sportsboat & RIB magazine

Luke from our Paignton store was pictured wakeboarding in Sportsboat and RIB magazine.  D2 Marine were testing the new Malibu Wakesetter VLX and needed a wakeboarder.  Check out the wakeboarding article

We do Bic Kayak hire from our Paignton store!

Harbour Sports Loyalty Card

Pick up a Harbour Sports loyalty card in store.  Every time you spend over £10 you receive a stamp.  Collect 10 stamps, hand in the card and receive £10 off your next purchase.  It's that simple

Cornish surfer Duncan Scott from Newquay defies giant waves alert

Check out the report on the BBC News site.