The Time Doctor is such a great name for a business which taught us all how to make better use of the short hours we have in our day and even in our life. His name is Mike Gardner.
Today (Monday 19th November, 2018), I heard the news that Mike passed away on Sunday 18th November, 2018, whilst he was out running with his wife. Running was his passion. He was a proud cardiac athlete.
I still remember the day that Mike walked into a room at St. Andrews Hotel in Droitwich. I was hosting a networking and training session called Social Media Monday on behalf of a networking group called TLC. We gave free advice to small business owners how to better leverage their social media to get in front of potential new clients.
Mike joined the session, to learn I guessed, but instead he gave, he gave so much invaluable advice to the people in the room, so many nuggets and knowledge. Mike was a fountain of knowledge and what was great, he didn’t mind sharing it so openly with us all. He was a breath of fresh air. So many business people guard their knowledge like it’s the Crown Jewels. Not Mike, he shared all of his knowledge freely.
Business had been good to him, he used to say and his mission was to give something back to his local business community.
He took this even a step further, he volunteered to run a business networking group himself, called Coffee & Natter based in Bromsgrove to appeal to the surrounding small business community. He used to openly state at the start of every meeting that his mission by organising and hosting this event was again to give something back.
At every step of his business journey he wanted to give back. What an amazing and generous chap he is.
At one of the Social Media Monday events Mike attended he mentioned he would unlikely make it the following month as he was expected to receive a hip operation. A hip operation, he was a young man and I was perplexed about this news. I think most of you will know the story. It didn’t work out too well for Mike in post operation, he suffered a number of heart attacks. But he survived them all and managed a remarkable quick journey to recovery.
Mike’s incredibly positive mindset meant he kept a record of his journey in hospital and shared it openly on Facebook for everyone to witness and read. It was so inspiring to read about his recovery and also some set backs, his trips into hospitals and his journey to full fitness.
I guess if you call yourself the Time Doctor, time will inevitably catch up with you as it will with all of us. They say the best are taken early and there is no doubt in all of our minds that Mike was one of the very best we have all experienced.
RIP Mike Gardner.
They call you the Time Doctor
But you’re much more than that Mike
You definitely had time for everyone
You even had time for our plight
You told us we only get 24 hours
So decide how to spend it wisely, you said
You gave us free tips and ideas
And all because you just wanted to give back
Your love for the RAF was clear to see
The way you presented yourself was impeccable
We learnt so much from the way you conducted yourself
We’ll miss your teachings that’s for sure
Believe us when we say you’ve left a definite legacy
Yes Mike, you can be proud of that
Everyone who knows you, now has a bit of Time Doctor inside of them
Etched inside their beating heart