Back in 2008 I lost my well paid “comfortable” job, as the company I worked for went into administration.
With the encouragement of a few customers, I started Proactive Despatch from home, just little old me and some couriers that had also lost their livelihoods in the same way, at the same time as me.
As it was just me working from home, I had no overheads and pretty quickly was up and running.
Now i have to be honest a few weeks in, I thought I had cracked it.
Working from home, no longer having any responsibilities as a leader or manager any more.
It was bliss………
I thought to myself “I could get use to this”
For about an hour or two I thought I would be a one man band forever and it appealed.
No overheads = more earnings for me.
Then thank goodness I came to my senses, and asked myself three questions:
What if I get sick, how do I serve customers then?
Do I want to have a holiday at some point?
Do I want a business that works independently of me, or have I just bought myself a job????
I came to my senses
I started with one colleague then two and so we grew.
Yes, as a result over the last 15 years I have to deal with team challenges again.
But I have had numerous holidays, where the business has continued to run in my absence.
I have been reminded of this of the past two weeks when I have been wiped out with flu.
The business ran, the wheels did not fall off, the world kept turning.
I am so glad I came to my senses back in 2008 and decided I needed to build a team.
Led by Craig, Denise and Ross the team now run the business, and I am so grateful that they chose to work with me at Proactive Despatch.
Without wishing to come across as preachy, if you are a one person business, I can absolutely see the appeal in it.
But……
Bear in mind at some point you could get sick and what happens then?
– Paul Woods, Managing Director