Our first company was launched in 2005 – Will-Masters Legal Services and from this we introduced the first Will Video Company in the UK. We also launched a business services company on top of the Rockefeller Centre New York which has transitioned into The Business Mentalist, Ovation Business Multiplicity (consultancy, training and coaching) and Negco (a dedicated Negotiations Company). Here we use all of our experience to increase your bottom line profitability. We do this by giving you the knowledge and learning in how to present and market your business, products and services, sell using referrals and other techniques, negotiate to win, network both online and face to face and a term we have introduced called Business Multiplicity©… making one sale worth much more. Ovation Film Productions allows us to support our businesses and others by using the best marketing media there is. Finally there is Santa Claus combining all the learning, presenting, speaking, marketing, writing, storytelling, entertaining, acting and more to support 43 charities and millions at Christmas…do you Believe – you will HoHoHo
I accepted voluntary redundancy and invested in myself. You probably have training, skills, hobbies, things you enjoy and are good at. For me this was music, speaking, photography, filming, acting, entertaining and business. I decided to only do what I love doing and get paid for doing it. I work the hours I want to work, when I want to work and accept the clients and customers that I know will lead to success and satisfaction...for both of us. My business interests have allowed me to give back to others, help new business owners and support charities.
At the age of 30 I discovered that I could surround myself with the best business mentors in the world – Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Richard Branson, Andrew Carnegie, Dale Carnegie, Alan Sugar and even Charles Dickens, and many more. I didn’t have the benefit of a college or university education but at age 15 worked as an entrepreneur and mobile DJ (earning more in one night than my day job paid in a week). I realised while others studied, I learned that you don’t need an MBA to be a successful business owner. I took the creative thinking in how these and other leaders work to push my own limits. Big Ideas Wales has inspired me to help pay it forward to new potential entrepreneurs.
Being in business can be a rollercoaster ride of emotions. There are times when you can’t afford a holiday, can’t afford to be sick (like many I had Covid-19) and the recent pandemic has meant falling back on savings from the good times to support lockdowns. Many have lost their businesses and I have had to shut shop on a few companies. Having a diverse portfolio of companies has allowed me to ride every storm, even Covid-19. Unlike most companies I have used the global pandemic to rebuild, relaunch and to use the time to write, develop online shops for Christmas, design and develop new Christmas products ready for the Christmas season – there is a reason for the season. We have seen many businesses close during the pandemic and whether you own the business or are an employee for that business, either way there is a risk.
Being in control of your own destiny and business success is a wonderful feeling. You stand or fall by what you do, your services or products, how you market and sell. You will get knocked back or knocked down and you have to get up and push forward. Sometimes you have to invest in ‘you’. For me this is learning new ways of doing the same old business I call this ‘Taking It To Your Limit’. I constantly ‘look beyond the obvious to find the incredible’. This has resulted in being acclaimed the #1 Negotiator in the UK and #1 Santa Claus in the UK resulting in being on every TV Station and performing in front of thousands and seen by millions.
TOP TIPS FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS: While your mobile phone is charging, take a piece of paper and list all of the things you are good at (include everything). Don’t stop until your list is complete. Now place a tick against each of the items that you believe could generate money (doesn’t matter how much money at this time). From the list with ticks against – cross out the things that you are good at but don’t really enjoy doing. What you are left with is a possible business...your business. Here is an example. On my list was to entertain, present, speaking and talking to people and I ended up launching and owning a free business network called the BIG Business Network at the Principality Stadium Cardiff. For 2 years we had 187 delegates and moved so much business...and all this during a recession.
Video record yourself by keeping a daily diary (use your mobile). Do this for a month and watch them back in order to discover how your presentation style has improved. You will see this in the content, facial expressions, body language and how much more animated you are. Oh yes there are people on Youtube making 4, 5 and even 6 figure incomes simply filming and talking about their lives. Why not you?
At each of my sessions I ask every student to introduce themselves as an Emoji. This is a great ice-breaker but also when someone comes up with a unique emoji we explore further and we have fun doing this. As a lecturer and role model I will not remember everyone’s name but I will recognise them by their emoji.