Every Hero Has Their Origin Story

I was born on 10th November 1995. As one of five children, my parents worked tirelessly to provide for us.

My Father was an Entrepreneur who built scrap metal shredders around the world. His job meant he was often away from home. My Mother was a Nurse up until I was born. After having five children, she retired to focus on raising us. The work ethic and grit they showed, I now see in myself and all my siblings.

I went to school in Sheffield, UK. I was not a great student. I was smart but always underperformed. I saw school and exams as jumping through hoops and not about learning anything useful.

I left school with average A-level results and no desire to continue in formal education. I didn't want to continue on the education conveyor belt. I wanted something else but didn't know what that was.

After leaving school, I struggled with my mental health. Looking back, I believe this stemmed from a feeling of purposelessness.

My first job was at an accountancy firm called Shorts. When I started, my self-esteem was non-existent. I struggled to engage with the people and the work.

My manager reprimanded me at this point. It led to the greatest turnaround in my life. He said he would fire me unless I bucked my ideas up. He crushed my self-entitlement and told me that if I wanted respect and responsibility, I had to earn it.

That conversation changed my life. From that point on, I worked hard for everything I wanted.

Whilst at Shorts, I discovered a knack for writing code. First, it was Powershell scripts. Then, it was JavaScript. I taught myself Front-end Development and set about finding a job as a Developer.

In time, I got a job at cain&abelDDB, a London-based creative agency. In my four years there, I worked with incredibly talented people on some of the best-known brands.

The talent surrounding me was an inspiration. It gave me the hunger to develop my skills and build towards a career as a Freelancer.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt it was time to gamble on myself. The lockdown compounded a feeling of stagnation in my job. It was time for something new.

In 2022, I quit my job to become a Freelancer. Freelancing meant I could work from where I wanted, on what I wanted, and with whom I wanted.

It sounded great. I didn't foresee the struggles I would have to overcome. It has forced me to overcome my greatest weaknesses and insecurities. Doing so has helped me grow and evolve in ways I never imagined. Two years in and it is still the best choice I ever made.

Freelancing gave me freedom. I took advantage of that freedom and spent August 2022 working and travelling around Europe. On that trip, I met an Australian girl. When she moved back to Australia, I decided to follow her.

In December 2023, I arrived in Melbourne. Since then, I have continued to work with my UK clients and started to service Australian ones too.

The move meant breaking out of my comfort zone. Doing so offered a fresh perspective on all areas of my life. It presented another opportunity to grow. It is not easy, moving to a new country and building a business. It is one I am well up for, though. Watch this space!