For those that have viewed my website, you already have a brief overview of my career to date. From where I started to where I am now as a sales agent.
I have been in the interiors industry for 44 years, and although I like my work, I can't honestly say that I have always enjoyed it. 44 years has been a long time working in the same industry, and along the way I have had many ups and downs.
In the main I consider myself lucky to have chosen an industry that has been good to me. I have met wonderful people, worked for some great companies and had the pleasure of being mentored by some great characters of their time. They gave me the knowledge, guidance and grounding that a young lad needed who thought that living was all about going out and partying with a carefree attitude and no responsibilities. I know some who still think this!
I'm from a working class background, brought up on a council estate who's parents worked hard and made sure we had the basics in life to survive. Don't get me wrong, we lived on a very nice council estate and neighbourhood, so i'm not going to pretend that we were living in a poor crumbling estate with drug dealers and gangs! It was working class with good honest people with none of the luxuries that can be afforded today.
On this long and winding road to where I am today I have been gifted with wonderful children and grandchildren, had some fabulous life experiences and travelled extensively, seeing parts of the world that some people can only imagine visiting. It's not gloating, it's just that I have been blessed with the opportunities to be able to do it. And in the main I have generally remained healthy throughout this time.
I have had setbacks, I have made some poor business decisions as well as the unforeseen business failures, financial hardships and the loss of close friends and parents. I have experienced the breakdown of family life and the loss of direction that most people will experience at sometime in their life, unless they are very lucky! But I have survived and none the worse and stronger for it.
There have been days when the dark cloud comes over and I have thought, what am I doing sitting in this traffic for 2 hours just to show a few fabric books, or do I really want to go out in this weather and sit soaking wet in my car all day! It happens, but you get on with it.
This work brings me Job satisfaction and the financial reward to be able to support my family doing a job I love. I get to travel the UK (sometimes abroad) and meet great people who have the passion for their business and what they do. I sell quality products that I believe in, and I am able to offer these products knowing that they are going to make a contribution to the development and growth of that person's business if they take them. If they are successful, then I can be successful!
What I am trying to articulate is that, when the opportunities are there, (in work and life) take them, nurture and enjoy them. There will be times when that dark cloud descends, and you are struggling to get motivated or stuck in that merry go round of nothing seems to be going right syndrome, but, take a step back, re-evaluate and then start again.
Remember, worrying about the things you can't change is taking your focus away from what you can!
Thank you for taking the time to read something that this time is all about me!
UK Sales Agent representing Sandberg Wallpaper, Art of the Loom, Rebel Walls and Simpson fabrics
John.
