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UPBRINGING?
I was born on 12th June 1993 in Salford, Manchester. As I grew up, Life was a struggle. My father worked multiple jobs to get us all we could afford. I hardly spent time with my father growing up as he worked so hard, even on weekends. I was told we lived many places as we could only afford certain foods at the supermarket. My father used to take me to many places with as little of money we had. I remember my father buying me an Eddie Stobart Truck from Shell Petrol Station in Salford Quays, which still resides there. I loved Eddie Stobart, Trucks, gaming, seeing my father work so hard and getting me things, I wanted. My father worked for many people in Manchester and for me My Father Inspired me to Become a Business Savvy Entrepreneur. I still remember the day my father got me and my older brother a bike and scooter from Halfords as they were throwing some stuff away in the back. I still remember distinctively the design of my scooter with dinosaurs on. My father gave me everything any father would want for their child. My Father put me through one of the best private schools in Manchester.
While I was at school, I wanted to work so at age 12 I asked my father can I come work with you to see what you do as a job. My father took me and said You will not like it, it is very greasy, oily and your clothes will get dirty. I worked my way up from Janitor to Present Day as MOT Tester Class 4 and 7 For DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) in line with the Ministry of Transport and Now Business Savvy Entrepreneur.
I was earning £10 a day mopping the floor, making cups of tea and coffee for customers, and speaking to them while my dad was busy fixing them. Throughout my Journey Growing Up I learnt that to Earn and make the most money possible. I would have to wake up early, set a routine and follow a guided path in my mind, but use what I learnt being a janitor. I quickly set my mind to the phrase “Treat the Janitor with the Same Respect as the CEO”
WHERE IT BEGAN- Solopreneur?
After working for my father starting out at £10 a day, which was a lot of days to get to £1,000. I saved enough money up and decided I should give it to my mother for shopping and bills. Not to realise I could have spent it on myself for some much-needed clothes and maybe a designer belt. I love designer, but the price tag for me was an issue, why spend money on something to make you look good? What if I gain weight? Will it fit? What if I invest my money into something people want and make a profit then buy what I want with the profit made?
That is when my Brain Activated Business Savvy Entrepreneur Mode. I hope that is a thing because for me I saw it like a sixth sense. A way to Work Hard and Smart but utilise the money you have as a Risk to Reward Ratio. If you are thinking my maths must be excellent! Nope, I scrapped Maths with a C at GCSE Stage. I first started out at TkMaxx buying items worth the retail price on the label, Buy Low Sell Mid-High. The profits were amazing. Then I built my snapchat by adding stories to the Our Story page in various Hotspots around the city. Hotspots are locations that show up red as a bubble, where the most activities within a geographical location are taking place or people are attracted to its location.
I was driving around in a 2005 Astra with tons of stickers on the back to make people want to Snap my vehicle and tag me in Our Story- it worked wonders!
I built a client base of 230 regular paying customers straight from my phone using just snapchat!
Wholesale sprung into my mind in 2011. I bought a phone charger and realised it was of no brand, so how does the seller make a profit for something I feel is overpriced. I learnt from my geographical location there is a certain area where wholesaler’s sit. So, one day I pursued it.
I walked in like a Regular Joe off the block. That was my Mistake but also My Hunger for Success. Growing up from having nice clothes, not designer, the big guys *wholesaler’s* can quickly spot you off from the crowd from a mile away. Hook, Line and Sinker! The Rejection Phase. Starting out as a Janitor at age 12 I knew one thing; I was born to Stand Out. I walked the walk and began to talk the talk. I made a business Name, location, showed a picture of a to be location, just so I could find out the price of an item I paid for in the city overpriced direct from the source a wholesale supplier.
After numerous rejections, I made my Big Score by Becoming a Distributor of Wholesale Goods on Bury New Road in Manchester. I utilised my contacts through snapchat, built out on Facebook, Facebook Marketplace, WhatsApp and Gumtree. I was making 45 days of £10 a day Janitor wages for Investing my money the smart way. Some days it was quiet, some days it was busy. All in all, I enjoyed doing it. Customer satisfaction was key. Customers buy from me, I cut out the big sellers and become the middleman, the go to guy!
My Bills were paid, I had money to eat, fuel my car and some to re-invest and even spend on items that I wanted. My family were sceptical but every time I proved everyone wrong and made it work. I became a business savvy entrepreneur. I now know till this day what people need or want when they wake up. I learn, I adapt I source items which cannot be found. I become the Plug people want and need to still have money to spend in their own lives. I bring you Customer Service!
9 TO 5 JOB/Educational Pursuit
2009-11 I went to Pendleton College, became a team member in the college Basketball league. I helped stand my ground by fighting off racism and racial remarks others were facing in the games room, learnt American pool and made a deal to the racial haters. I beat you now then you leave and never show your face here again. I lose I will not come here again! By the Grace of God. I won each time. I became very popular in college for standing up against racism.
I was told by my BTEC Chemistry Professor I would not get into pharmacy at university, I would not make it far in life. In September 2011 I was given a conditional offer to UCLAN to study MPharm (Master of Pharmacy). I aced my exam, nailed the interview with the Dean. But realised after 3 years of struggling to pass certain topics and the day life of being a pharmacist. It was not my chosen path. After working as a dispenser at my local chemist seeing the same job in and out, I got bored. I taught the year before me the Law Exam in which the university broke it record and everyone aced the exam with the lowest mark being 89%. I left UCLAN and transferred after convincing my family I wanted to chase my passion, computers, engineering, software, and gaming.
I got accepted at the Manchester Metropolitan University in 2014 to study BSc Hons in Computer and Network Technology a 3-year degree which took me 4 years to complete. I had to pay £18,000 myself, I told my father I will work a job and do my wholesale business also and I graduated in 2018 with my degree and as a self-made entrepreneur who paid £18,000 without any financial support or handouts by selling items from the back of my car boot. While watching university friends enjoy Nando’s across the building I was in working towards my degree.
My first Job After Graduating – World Duty Free Manchester Airport Terminal 3
I nailed the interview passed my security exams and air safety, having worked there between 4pm and 10pm and doing late hours I learned a lot about myself, how to sell to people, how to engage with people on the move and become a team leader. I became the most popular guy at my terminal through staff and repeat passenger flyers.
My biggest achievement was to sell a full shelf of alcohol, even though I was forcefully placed regardless of the fact I am not supposed to be on alcohol for religious reasons. I sold £40,000 to Chinese frequent flying businessmen and families of the businessmen on connecting flight full of alcohol to celebrate their grandfathers 86th birthday. I was spoken about across the whole airport in duty free for my sheer hard work, passion, and enthusiasm to make people wanting to come back to shop. I left the job as there was no career progression and I was verbally abused by a former manager who decided it was okay for them to throw a dirty cloth in my face and make me clean without being paid to stay overtime.
Locum Dispenser- short and snappy, I worked for an agency at pretty much all the pharmacies scattered across the Northwest, Liverpool & Runcorn. I also worked for major pharmaceutical giants AAH, Mawsleys and others. In which my hard work was recognised and a special trip for being the best dispenser in the agency was offered to me. An all-paid expenses trip to cover and emergency 2-week shift in Edinburgh. I took it, From Janitor aged twelve to Locum Dispenser, Graduate, businessman sat living life in a top suite at the Marriot hotel. 3 weeks later I got a call from my mother, my father fell at his workplace in the most dangerous part of his job, The Pit – a large rectangular shaped pit around 5ft deep with metal outer framing. I left my locum job where I was earning thousands a month.
MOT Tester – I have worked with my father since age of 12 as a janitor, my own choice. While my older brother did not like my dad’s environment of hard graft. I loved a challenge.
After my dad fell in the PIT, I left my £3-5k a month locum dispenser job and worked for £1-1.5k a month to be by my father side. I took a few months of learning everything I already knew of the MOT Tester Trade and refreshed my mind. 6 months later I took my MOT Tester Course with Prestige Training in Media City, Salford. I passed with 90%+ and had the most difficult challenges ahead. Be examined by an MOT Inspector from the DVSA alone on a car on site. In which I nailed with only 2 Minors no Majors. Then booking an Inspector to come to my father’s business Greenheys MOT Station Moss Side Manchester. I nailed My Official Inspection with DVSA Inspector and became a Certified Class 4 & 7 Tester. I hold my MOT Testing License with no discrepancies and have passed the last 2 annual assessment CPD’s with 95%+. My father is proud. My family are Proud.
Working as an MOT Tester is a tough and knowledgeable job. I made it from janitor mopping a floor to MOT Tester for DVSA. After 1 year of working, I wanted to do something Major in my life to retire My Hero, My Role Model, and Inspiration My Father!
NHS- Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport
I applied for an IT Engineer role and was accepted by my manager Nigel Breddy in 2019 Always thankful to this man for giving me the job after being rejected 120x by NHS, if you want something keep chasing it, make it happen! I became the IT Technician working my way to 2nd Role Support Engineer, with the only person in the building with more qualifications than anyone else. I do not see myself different I am only human!
Covid 19 Pandemic – I am the Lead software systems maintenance technician with two tasks
1. Fix all hospital pcs and programme third party apps to work with windows 10 deployment
2. Unpack, boot over eight hundred laptops from pc supplier for Lenovo and other brands with hospital compliant software so staff can work from home
3. I picked up second line support tickets after finishing both 1 & 2 before my deadline for March 2020
4. I went above and beyond installing all the pcs for the theatres in the pandemic
5. Trained two staff
I left my job as I like lots of jobs, I finished all my jobs and colleagues’ jobs also. I was profiled for doing a professional job and sworn at by some staff. I knew I was destined for much greater.
I struggled to get a job due to someone at my last job willing to give a reference for having worked there.
Entrepreneurial Pursuit
If you cannot find employment, create it for yourself and work hard, eventually you will be the centre for others to become employed from. Torque VR was Born November 2019 After leaving NHS in September 2019 Months before deadlines were due having finished them months earlier.
To continue reading about my journey follow my blog – Torque VR - Journey of becoming an CEO
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