A few weeks ago I was invited by the team at Braun to attend a global event in London, hosted for members of the press from all over the world. It was a day I will never forget, for all the good reasons. When I accepted the invitation I really had no idea that – out of all the guests there – I would be asked (and only one to be asked) to go in a head-to-head contest in front of an audience against a Braun brand ambassador, who happens to be Formula One racing driver Sebastian Vettel! It was quite a surreal day.
The event was all about learning how to fine-tuning our lives. Learning how to get things done more quickly, efficiently and effectively. The morning kicked off with a hugely inspirational talk held by authors Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschäppeler who have written books on strategic thinking and decision-making. There was no fluff – they were straight to the point, giving us useful information and guiding us towards knowing how to focus on your goals in life. Now I have read millions of books on this and 99% of them were full of fluff and pointless information. These gentlemen were excellent. They knew how to capture our focus and attention simply by getting their points across quickly.
Next was to learn how to use an electric shaver quickly without wasting any time. I have to say that in the past I had a terrible habit of going over the same areas of my face over and over again when using a shaver, and this was simply because I did not know how to use them properly. It is a skill worth learning and mastering. One interesting bit of information I learnt is that every man has facial hair moving in different directions on their face. No two men are the same. Much like fingerprints, if you look closely at men who have beards, you will notice the flow of the hair on the face is different on every man.
Fashion stylist Joe Ottaway took us through his tips and ideas on how to dress and get ready. This was focussed on having a few staple pieces such as a blazer, shirt, trousers, smart shoes and knowing how to mix and match certain colours without looking like a walking disaster!
One of the highlights of the day was meeting and interviewing Sebastian Vettel! What made it truly enjoyable was the fact that there was no security men nearby telling us what we can and cannot do. It was all very laid-back and relaxed. I think there were perhaps no more than 7 people in the room and speaking to Sebastian was much like talking to a normal man. He was SO easy to talk to and approachable. Smiling at all times! I have been fortunate to have met many, many celebrities in my time and some of them can be quite intense. This was just a joy. I asked him about his dressing up and grooming routine and he said he likes to keep things quite simple. Sebastian doesn’t fuss over grooming products or clothes. I got a thrill out of the fact that he was a bit fascinated about my beard and asked what I do to keep it in a good shape!
We had a little tea break and mingled with other guests for a short while and were told that there would be a special event coming up. We were all gathered together, sitting on high stools. Joe Ottaway appeared and said there would be a contest coming up involving Sebastian and one lucky guest. Sebastian came over to stand next to him. We were all wondering who that lucky guest would be, and he then made the annoucement by calling out my name! It was going to be me challenging Mr Vettel! Head-to-head. Oh God! The challenge was to take a suit off the clothing rail and place it on the table, fold it away neatly in a precise manner (Joe showed us) and then place it inside a holdall bag. Whoever could do this the quickest would be the winner. When Joe asked, “Who would like to go first?” I cheekily pointed at Sebastian and said, “You are going first!”. One lady was armed with a stopwatch and timed him. He was very, very quick and so good that I sort of accepted that I was going to lose this. There were cheers and people naturally spurring him on! When it was my turn, I have to confess my heart was pounding a bit – I was competing against a man I greatly respect who is a world champion! All I could really do was my best. The whole thing felt like a slow motion. Every second felt like 5 seconds – there was no way I was going to win. I placed the suit on the table, folded it away – made a few adjustments to ensure it was neat and tidy. Once I was satisfied it took forever to place it inside the holdall bag – I remember the audience going “Ooooo!” knowing I was running out of time. When It was over, I breathed a huge sign of relief! It was time for the results. The lady with the stopwatch announced Sebastian took one minute and nine seconds. I remember thinking, “There is no way I beat that!” Then she revealed my time: one minute and one second! I WON. There was a big round of applause. Sebastian shook my hand and made a joke, saying his folding of the suit looked better than mine! I was given a bottle of champagne. It was an unforgettable moment!
We were later shown the range of products Braun has on the market and then British designer Jean Means taught us all about the art of gift wrapping! This is a skill I have always wanted to learn and master. She took us through all the steps and asked for a volunteer. Everyone seemed to be shy so I had put my hand up and joined her in wrapping a gift of my own. She made it look so easy (of course) but I surprised myself and don’t think I did too badly (see the photos above)!
It was a wonderful day filled with great memories and useful skills (particularly the decision making and shaving effectively) to take with me. I am very grateful to Braun for having me, and for asking me to challenge Sebastian in the contest! Thank you to Reece for kindly inviting me, and Ella for being such a darling by looking after me all day at the event.
