Over the years, the progression of my career has been the most important thing in my life. I always strived to further advance my career by putting the companies I worked for first. That all changed 8 years ago when I became a step dad to two beautiful girls. That’s when my world changed forever – and for the better. I realised I now had two jobs. One was to be a father and the other was to be the best worker I could be. Fast forward 5 years and our son was born. So, with working full-time (which required a lot of travel), being a husband and father, and then a new baby boy – there was a lot to juggle. Then came something we didn’t expect. Our son was diagnosed with Autism. It became very clear to me at this point that priorities needed to change, and some big decisions needed to be made.
So, in 2017 I decided to leave my National Sales Manager’s role with a large national builder to set up a small home-business. My number one priority was to be a stay-at-home-dad to make sure that all three kids got the best care possible. During this time, I ran a small business (Spectrum Coach), coaching small residential builders in sales strategies and techniques on how to sell more homes. I built my network to seven national clients. It was great, however my desire to grow the business and my yearning to be the best I could be wasn’t totally being fulfilled.
A year later an opportunity arose for me to become the General Manger for my previous employer. After long discussions with my wife and working out the logistics of how that would work for our family (and still do what we needed to do to support all of them), I accepted the role. I thought I had made it! Great role, great financial security, and most of all I got to work with some of the greatest builders I have had the pleasure of working with. But even though this role gave me security and satisfaction, I realised that I had lost what was most important to me – and that was my time with my family. I wasn’t there to support them the way I wanted to. So, I quit! I gave up everything that I had worked so hard for, so I could focus on my two true loves. My family and running my own business.
This is when I knew it was the right time to re-launch Spectrum Coach. But this time, it wasn’t just to do ‘something small’ but to create a business that allowed me to be the master of my own destiny, and also allow me to have the work-life balance that I needed.
People often ask me why I would leave such a secure job with a “great title and great money”, and for me it’s simple, I wanted to have it all. I wanted to fulfill my passion for the building industry and to coach builders to success but also to be around to support my family. And that is what I call true wealth!
Spectrum Coach, like my wife’s company Spectrum Lawyers & Consultants, is named after our son being diagnosed on the Spectrum. And, as the saying goes, a child on the Spectrum is different not less, and so too is the pathway I have chosen for myself and my business. It may be different to where I thought I was headed 8 years ago, but it is by no means less. In fact, I believe Spectrum Coach offers me a spectrum of possibilities and I’m excited about what the future holds for me, my clients and my family!
To lean more about Spectrum Coach and our services, feel free to get in touch.