Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head – Euripides approx. 400BC.
I believe that everybody is capable of greatness by using their own personal resources, along with everything that they have at their disposal. The hard part is to access these resources and to realise the assets that we have at hand. I use my coaching skills, business experience and wealth of knowledge to help businesses and the people within them grow and achieve their goals in a supportive, but challenging way.
I have spent most of my working life in the construction industry, building a business from scratch to a turnover of £6 million. I understand the frustrations, difficulties and pressures that come from running a business. I know what it is like to win and retain clients, manufacture a product, provide an offsite service, deal with staff – and all whilst having to keep to a budget and make money. I also know how all-consuming building and maintaining a business can be and the effects it can have on the people that you care for and your own health.
I was a member of one of the business groups I now chair for over seven years before becoming Chairman in 2016. During that time the access to speakers, ideas and advice, and most importantly the support of my group, have helped me achieve some of my dreams and lead a more fulfilling and rewarding life. For me, this meant successfully moving out of my business, qualifying as an Executive Coach and NLP Practitioner and getting involved in other business ventures.
Outside of work, I have a life-long interest in history, the way that history has shaped the world we live in and the lessons we can learn from the past. I am an expert on the D-Day landings in Normandy and I regularly take groups out to the beaches and battlefields acting as a guide to explain what happened on that day and to demonstrate what leadership actually is under extreme circumstances. I also have a lot of involvement in local sports clubs – I am Chairman of my tennis club, a rugby coach and referee, and like many parents, spend a lot of time on the sidelines of various tracks and pitches.