I learned early on that it’s possible with little more than self belief and consistent effort to make something valuable from nothing. Taking action is half the battle…
But it’s a thrill.
Especially when that “thing” provides value to others.
Our companies which were simply ideas to start with, today serve thousands, provide profits for our partners and ensure security for our staff and their families.
A charity I helped start to support Ukraine, which got off the ground because of a single tweet, has gone on, through our amazing volunteer team and incredible generosity, to garner nearly $4m in donations in its first year and save countless lives…
Ideas, made into “something” – which now support whole families, businesses and people fighting for their country. It flicks my switch.
Projects
The projects I’m working on right now.
How I got started
Aged 17, I walked out of my first full time job as a trainee electronics engineer to start my own business.
Many of my much older co-workers had been sitting, literally, at the same bench much of their working lives. I’d been there all of 8 months.
Despite the uncertainty and my complete lack of any experience in business, I knew instinctively that doing my own thing – whatever form it would take, was what I had to do.
That first “business” was really just a series of part time cleaning jobs (to pay the bills) but over time evolved into an actual going concern – Osprey Contract Cleaners, with employees, branding and “marketing”.
The lessons were many, along with loads of doubts and set-backs.
Above all, I learned that with self belief and tenacity, it’s possible to make something out of nothing.
Since then, despite a lot more doubts and set-backs, and mostly feeling like an imposter, I’m proud to be the catalyst for various ongoing commercial and charitable ventures that were borne this way.