In the beginning…
It’s the 28th September 1998 and we arrived at the Financial Times building at 9am. We’ve only had two hours sleep the night before we caught the early train from Leeds, but we look good in our suits. After 8 weeks from John Claire saying ‘let’s do it’ we’re here. A few last minute, seat of the pants frighteners, such as Lycos not doing the cname change which would bring our search partnership to life; and me having to shout down the phone to Mr Spinks “Just get it f**king done or you might as well not bother” (It was 2am and I was high on adrenalin and caffeine – I apologised later.) But we’ve made it.
The press are gathering. They were told by Dixons to be here by 10 am – they weren’t told why except that it would be big. It’s 9.35 and Ajaz, Mark and I are suprisingly calm. Maybe because there is just no adrenalin left. We’ve expended it all to get to this moment. We smile at each other and make small talk. “you scrub up well” says Mark.
9.45 my mobile rings. It’s Steve at the office. The website has gone down and the FTP feed from The Press Association has corrupted and the website is unresponsive. The guys are already moving to the podium where we will address the eagerly awaiting press. I leave the room and call Steve. I remember appearing extremly calm, but I am shitting myself. I suggest some stuff and some of it works. The site is live again at 9.59 The door into the auditorium is now closed and I’m left outside. I can only listen. And I do.
At 10.15 the doors fly open and the hoards of press dash out to make calls, file their copy, and get their tapes back to the editing suites. Leslie has done her job brilliantly. She managed the press side of Blair’s campaign. Some say she was the reason he made it into power the year before.
We now have series of one-to-ones with the press. We are well briefed and we come across well. Don’t be arrogant, smile. When they ask what’s the catch. Explain it simply. There isn’t one.
We make the Luchtime news on the BBC. We’re the top story. Dixons revolutionise the way people connect to the Internet. The name? Freeserve.
Ajaz and I head into London for some well earned down time. We get a call from John Pluthero saying “you ladies need to help me, I’m on Channel 4 news in 20 minutes and it’s John Snow!”. ” Good luck with that” I jest, but I put down my pint and give him a 5 minute crash course on some of the technical details.
His interview goes well. John is very good. He just keeps going on that there is no catch, and they guy they bring in from Virgin Internet is lost. His eyes start to glaze over as he realises what John is saying. No more paying £14 a month just for the privillege of having an e-mail account and a connection to the Internet.
We’ve transformed an industry. And I’m right in the middle of it. And so it begins…
