My Story
I was raised by a single mum with three children and three jobs on a council estate. Things were a huge struggle financially and with no dad, I didn't have much in the way of the guidance and found myself getting into trouble. Still, I loved cars and left school to work on them.
I've worked in the motor trade for 20 years and started my first business when I was 19. I was still an apprentice at the time but always knew i'd work for myself. I experienced my first round of pressure back then and couldn't keep up with a full time job, a part time business, and deal with pressures in my personal life.
So I stayed employed until I was 28. It was around this time I made a lot of changes in my life, and got into personal development in a big way. I had started up and worked on various businesses and projects to make extra money along the way. Then finally in 2013 I broke free from employment and started out properly in business.
The business grew faster than I could have hoped for and I was soon adding more staff, and more vehicles to the fleet. I was flying high...
But adding staff and a more vehicles meant one challenge after another. The pressure grew and grew, but I kept on keeping on. I kept smiling and telling myself "It will be ok next year." and this cycle carried on for four years.
It was a hard time for me. On paper I was living my dreams, but the reality was miserable for me. I had the brainwave that I was going to move to California and start my business out there. I went round for weeks telling people my great new plan. Everyone around me was excited about it. All except one.
I had a mentor type of friend in my life called John, who was in his late 60's. He agreed that moving to California was a wonderful idea, and that him and his wife love California, and would be the first to visit me if I go. But then he asked me "What are you running away from?"
I of course said "I'm not running away from anything, this is an exciting new adventure for me John."
Then he said "You're depressed, and I've never seen you like this Craig."
I was a little taken back by these comments.
John is someone I've always respected and he has only ever been kind and selfless when it comes to me. So my drive home was one of deep thinking and realising John was right, and i'd been in denial of it all for a long time!
I worked out I was trying to run away from myself. I was trying to run away from my business. I was trying to run away from what I had created. I was confused.
Then one evening I came across a video online where a guy said "No matter what you're going through, there is someone out there who has been through the same, and they have over come it"
I knew I had to find someone who could help me. I felt desperate and very alone. I had no one to talk to about how I felt inside. My family and friends thought I was doing very well, so I felt like I couldn't reveal that I was feeling really unhappy.
Around this time I came across a business coach that I worked with for four years thereafter. He helped me get focus, clarity and a grip back on things. Chris the coach would get all of his clients together a couple of times a year at different places in the UK for a weekend, and it was meeting these other business owners that helped me realise I was far from alone in how I felt and what I was experiencing.
It was those weekends away that got me into helping and advising others. At the time I had the most business experience in the group and it was the lessons I had learnt that aided others in their personal and business life.
After a few years Chris invited me to do a few talks at his weekend seminars and the feedback was staggering. I was making a difference, and I loved it.
It sounds cheesy writing this, but my greatest joy now is helping others. Its got me so fired up that I'm taking on coaching full-time.
Ultimately I'm results orientated, and work hard for my clients behind closed doors. I have very close relationships with most of my clients with some who prefer to keep things purely business.
I now live in a 300+ year old Thatch Cottage with my partner Kerri, and our dog (Naughty) Nelson. I have a great life that is balanced and I'm in control of all the areas I can be in control of. It took some years to get to this place in life, and its my rough journey that has been such a valuable experience.
You'll know when you speak to me I've been through it all!! But that's what has made me who I am today. I'm proud of who I am, and I couldn't always say that in the past.
Come on a journey to a happy and balanced life. A journey where you'll be surprised how easy change can be when it's done right.
Thanks for reading. Hopefully we'll speak soon.
Craig.
