I, like most people
of my generation, was brought up to believe you found a good job and, if you
were lucky, you gained promotion as you worked , then retired and lived
happily! That was then but this is now, and it is said that most people
starting today will have at least five jobs in their lifetime! So how can we
prepare ourselves to cope with this?
I was in Education
for twenty years and then through circumstances had to change completely and
begin life at the bottom in the corporate world. It was learn and develop or go
under; I learned that skills are transferable and if you are flexible and
willing to adapt there is every chance that you will survive! However it is not always easy but nothing
worth having is and if you are willing to take a risk the rewards justify the
means.
I worked initially
as an Intern then as a Consultant and stayed four years and during this time I
set up my own company One4OneConsultants Ltd.
Working on the principle that I would rather work for myself and make my own
mistakes than work for someone else and be blamed for theirs! I moved on to
work as a Consultant for a High Street bank before branching out totally on my
own in 2004. I had learned a great deal and was to be given some advice that
was to guide all my future dealings, namely, don’t put all your eggs in one
basket, but rather, if you can, have three income streams.
I have followed this
maxim in various ways ever since; there have been failures and successes but
the good thing with three income streams is that if one fails you have another
two that keep you going whilst you search for a replacement. So how does this
work in reality for me at the moment?
I have my initial
business, One4One
Consultants, specialising in training and development; I work with a
partner on another Business, School Dynamics, developing
Inspirational programmes for Schools and Colleges and lastly I have my
Investment Business Karatbars.
Each of these provides me with an income stream and in the case of Karatbars, financial security, which is the goal for
which I have been striving.
One other model that
has governed my life of late is from Jim Rohn; for every £1 you earn, 70p goes
towards living, 10p goes into a savings account, 10p is invested and 10p is
given to charity. What a great way to live and a great way to keep out of debt!
I wish you every success in all you do!
Malcolm Watson
