Why Me? [III]

During 1994 I applied for a bank loan or mortgage, I don't recall which. As a fitness instructor I was not seen as a good risk so I had to get a "real job". In 1995, I was in my second year as a conductor for Regional Railways North East. I had almost decided to make the railways my new career. What I needed though was some sort of confirmation that there was a possibility of a promotion. I applied for a secondment to the management team in August [ish] of 1995. A little while passed before I received a letter informing me that, at the age of 37, I was considered too old to be recruited to the management team.

I was desperately disappointed - another career in ruins. My first action was to buy a Jobs and Careers press and look for a new job. On one particular page there was a small posting advertising a sales position with the Dale Carnegie organisation in Leeds. Having read his book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People", I decided I would give the job a shot even though my only experience in selling was to shout "tickets please" every five minutes on my train!

In January 1996 I started work with Dale Carnegie and began the process of learning to sell. Learning to sell was so difficult, and the fear of failure so prevalent, that it seemed almost every Friday I would decide to give up and get a "real job". By voicing my fears, I found people who were willing to help me to improve. Peter, in particular, was a great help. After a year and three months with Dale Carnegie, I accepted an appointment as a sales person and trainer [where did that come from?] with a company based in West Sussex. I made a great deal of money for them and a little for myself over the next two years.

In May of 1999, I decided to go out on my own. On June 10th 1999 I registered my own company, Lighthouse Training Ltd with Companies House and thought I was now the master of my own destiny. The truth is I have always been the master of my own destiny.