Carl Matthews

In 1979 I started my career in engineering, with practical based training in an apprenticeship. I worked my way up the ladder and in 1988 qualified as an engineer.

My experience since qualifying has varied, as follows:

-    Since 1989 in electro-mechanical design & development engineer roles where concept clarification, design & development, and life-time cost analysis goes hand-in-hand. Several roles involved team-leader responsibilities, including workload distribution, hiring & firing. 

-    Since 1997 in project management roles where time, quality & cost control are equally important. Fundamentally man-management & project planning activities, involving; team-leading large teams of both employees and contractors, negotiating contracts, recording, controlling & forecasting finance, and overseeing H&S aspects.

-    Since 2008, self-employment, including; business preparation, learning about finance, keeping books & records, sales & marketing, where the responsibility for technical, financial, quality, sales & marketing, and all the obligatory elements of business rests on my shoulders. Project management took me international. 

Being self-employed allowed me to expand my horizons, and segue into other businesses and sectors.

-    Since 2017, property investing and developing, training & mentoring.

-    Since Jan 2021, a new enterprise delivering transport training across the UK.

Thanks to my training & experience I have a strong analytical drive and am thorough in evaluating situations. I like to gather all the necessary info before making decisions. Risk is always a part of business & life, but calculated risk means better outcomes and a better life.

Research before the event will confirm the success or failure of any venture. As the adage goes; “failing to prepare means preparing to fail”.