Hope

9 years. 9 years since I took the opportunity to start a company that would grow to become Difrent. https://difrent.co.uk

I say opportunity, however it wasn’t really by choice as such. It came about because I faced redundancy. 

Redundancy which was handed to me when I was less than 2 weeks short from completing my 12 months of employment  

Redundancy which came after growing out a start-up and shaping it out. Taking it from a starting position of 3.5 people to 15 FTE within 11 months. 

Redundancy which far more importantly, coincided with the birth of my first child. At the time she was due any day and was born 15 days later.  

THE DAY EVERYTHING CAME CRASHING DOWN 

The day before I was told the news, I clearly remember waking up with a palpable sense of contentment, joy and excitement. Knowing my life was about to change yet being in a fortunate position to take on my increase in responsibilities as a new father.

Then it all came crashing down. 

I still think back and although it doesn't quite 'feel like yesterday' it doesn't feel all of 9 years ago either. 

I can still recall, with intricate detail, on the one hand, the owner thanking us for all of our efforts to date, on the other, that we would be let go and that unfortunately we would not be entitled to any severance package since had been there just shy of 12 months …

 It was like I had received a massive kick in the ‘you know whats’ - a deep sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Those feelings of joy and excitement were quickly replaced by chronic anxiety and despair.

 MY FAMILY WILL NEVER BE IN THIS POSITION AGAIN

I thought;” I’m about to have a kid literally any day now.”

I thought; “All that graft in the last eleven and half months had just come to this?”

Then …; “I am really tired of doing great work that are really for other peoples benefit.”

 I decided that I would never put myself and my family in this position again.

 AND SO, IT BEGAN

Now some of you may be familiar with the phrase; ill humour in the morning brings about a darkened day. So let's apply that to this story and how it turned it around for the better.  

I'm a firm believer that life is full of problems, but most, not every, most present an opportunity.

It is what you make of it. Each to their own of course, but that's my own view on it and how I see things. 

Perhaps God/Power of the Universe/Cosmic Unknown does work in mysterious ways. 

Perhaps everything does happen for a reason. Who are we to say either way? 

What we can be sure of is that nothing comes from wallowing in misery. 

THERE IS NO CHANGE WITHOUT CHANGE 

A change was needed. It would be time to go about it for myself. 

15 days later my eldest was born. Possibly the most joyous and precarious time I've ever faced in my life. 

Such circumstances can also spur a person on, provide the added incentive one needs to make a go of things for themselves. That's the opportunity that I wanted to take from it.

IF IT WAS EASY EVERYBODY WOULD BE DOING IT … 

Flippin' heck, starting a business is tough! No mistake about that!  

It's all well and good working in Corporate various with their accounts departments, legal departments, administration, HR, Procurement, Commercial and everything else that you ever need managed. Even smaller firms have somewhat enough bodies to spread the load. 

All of which had previously have allowed me to concentrate on the growth aspect; developing new business, enhancing relations, servicing demand, building out comprehensive networks.  

But actually doing it all yourself... well there's a challenge, and a mighty daunting one at that.

Scaremongers and friends kept telling me 90% of businesses fail in the first two years. Following that 90% of the remaining 10% fail in the next two. 

Low and behold that simply made it more of a challenge that needed to be overcome. Insurmountable? Absolutely not! Not if I had anything to do with it. 

We make our own luck after all, don't we?! 

Well should the worst happen then at least I'd look back and be able to look myself in the mirror. At least I wouldn’t blame the lack of blood, sweat, tears and toil. 

Yep, it was a tough time. 

A tough time that wasn't helped with then having to go through an acrimonious divorce and custody battle. Spending time in/out of court proceedings. Time that really wasn't available but needed to be made. 

Despair which I couldn't allow to manifest into something darker.  

Having spent money that, I didn’t have at the time on a barrage of lawyers/barrister and various proceedings in the first 12 months I decided this simply wasn’t sustainable. A problem... or an opportunity? 

GOT IT … DOING A LAW DEGREE WILL HELP 

Having done law at A-Level and being something, I was quite good at I decided to go with Open University and read for a law degree. Further education at the same time as starting the business.

I hear you … “I know what I really need having just started my business is to do a degree as well …” 

Most students were given a month to read manuals, on which we were then given a further week to write their essays on. Attending onsite each Saturday. 

Damn, I would've loved that time. 

But I quickly realised that I had to study differently as I was working on my business 7 days a week, on average 15 hours a day.

So, I had to adapt again. I found 1 Saturday each month to be onsite, 2 days to read - if that - and scribbled my essay down in a matter of hours. That was how I applied myself and I averaged 70% in the first two years. 

LIFE WAS GIVING ME LEMONS AND I WANTED LEMONADE 

Looking back now I wonder why and how I ever managed to additionally cram in piano lessons (1 hour per week), wing chun lessons (1 hour per week) and also wanting to learn a foreign language (Spanish). 

But I was adamant, life was giving me lemons and I wanted nothing less than lemonade. A tropical orchid island blend one at that. 

I was also stubborn in my wanting to bring the best of things that money couldn’t buy into my child's life. Things like music, language and self-defence.  I would visualise teaching her myself, sat on my knee at the piano or in the garden learning new moves or speaking Spanish whilst baking together. Not throwing her into a class but actually bring it into her life myself. 

 WHAT HAD INSPIRED ME? 

Was it positive mental attitude driving my behaviour? 

The law of attraction? 

Creative visualisation?

who knows... It could simply have been down to an acute lack of understanding of what is and what isn’t possible. Was it a stubbornness born out of believing I simply wouldn’t just lay down and accept how things were. 

I identify with being an idealist. One who always looks at the world as a starting place. Not really accepting things for how they are but more how they can be.  

Anyhow, enough of an insight into the personal side of my trials and tribulations, back to business as they say.

BACK TO THE BUSINESS 

Over the years, very fortunately, the business continued to grow. In fact, it has continued to grow year on year ever since its inception. In various ways.

I could no longer continue with the law degree and parked it after 2 years. The time available to study piano/wing chun and Spanish became less and less. 

Lessons in both life and business were being learnt very quickly and sometimes the hard way. One of the most successful periods came in the 3rd year. Success was also associated with a very harsh lesson. 

The business, not being on any of the right Government frameworks at the time, had partnered with a Consultancy to supply into a big Government executive agency. The Consultancy merely backed off all requirements to Difrent, which in turn would service the demand. 

Over the course of 15 months that client alone was responsible for 132 successful placements, out of 134 requirements. A successful placement ratio of 98.5%. Unprecedented in any time any sector any client. This was also borne out of a competitive scenario and continuously competing against other such organisations. 

Be it an unheralded success, the relationship with the Consultancy meant that they would have all contractors on their books, and we would have a split profit arrangement, albeit the larger share.  That seemed ok at the start but 15 months later it transpired that the Consultancy had had its most successful year ever I had calculated ￡9m of their increase in turnover came of the back of the business we had serviced. 

Whereas profit was a good thing, it came at a cost of an unfathomable increase in T/O to Difrent. A harsh lesson learnt indeed.It goes without saying that we quickly got ourselves on all of the right frameworks very quickly thereafter. 

We quickly learned our trade and built more commercially sound relationships with a wide range of consultancies; supplying full or part of the teams for their projects. This trade craft would go onto hold us in good stead as we grew and developed our growth strategy 

We were on the cusp of evolving into something genuinely Difrent. (Excuse the pun!). 

We were fortunate enough to bring on one of the worlds top 100 CIO's that year. Someone I had personally known for many a year, had worked closely and been good friends with.

HOW ARE WE DOING? 

In the last couple of years the business has grown from strength to strength. Still continuously growing year on year. 

We have found our market, we have developed our identity, our brand and grown out an immensely talented employee base. A base that ironically now allows for areas of Accounts, HR, Procurement, Commercial, Administration etc to be in good hands. 

We have implemented rigorous operations, structure, processes, models. 

A Culture. 

We have grown up quickly and through the success of which find we are not having to chase the market as we once had to. 

In fact, we've actually learnt how to say no, politely of course, to certain opportunities that are not what for us. 

We have become a company that has won numerous awards and are of genuine interest to others, be they competitors keeping an active eye on us/imitating us or for other reasons. 

And all have this has been achieved without having to take on any external investment = self-sufficient / sustainable growth

A TIME TO BE PROUD

With all that said, I stand here today and look out at Difrent filled with immense pride. 

Pride even in the circumstances we all find ourselves in, in this current climate.

Right now, in times like these, it gives me such satisfaction to tell you that our people are right in the thick of numerous frontline health projects that are having an enormous impact.

Whether enabling key workers to be tested quickly and subsequently return to the front line, re-engaging / supporting ex NHS employees on 111 or participating in the Emergency Volunteers Scheme 

Perhaps instrumental is too strong a word but non the less the fact that Difrent is in the thick of things right now is magnificent. 

When I founded the Company, I never thought one day we would be as involved to the extents that we are, in times like these, in the way we're being asked to.

Difrent is something I am incredibly proud of. 

The idea was for it to really have a chance to make a key difference in our world. Something that now resonates throughout our organisation. 

Whereas delivery is one of our core strengths it also complimented by wonderful beliefs, values and principles that have become ingrained in our business. 

Difrent brings out the best in all of us. 

It allows our stars to shine bright, as corny as that sounds, by being great at what they do. All whilst really enjoying the work they undertake alongside the people they do it with. 

Difrent is more than just a commercial entity, it has become the opportunity to give back and be rewarded for doing so. 

It is more than just one person; it is all of us that make up who we are and what we stand for.

Hence references to Difrent as ours as opposed to any one individual. 

It is the sum of all parts.

THE MAIN LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED? 

Looking back now, the 9 years have flown by. 

It has also taught invaluable lessons during that time. 

Life can be totally shit at times. It can unintentionally wipe you out, leave you face down in the dirt and in total despair. 

Even when its bad it can still get worse and sometimes, just sometimes it does. 

But perhaps everything does happen for a reason, perhaps it is out of times like that we grow, shape, mould and become who we are to be. 

Time has a habit of bringing about change. The days have a tendency to become weeks, months and years. 

Maybe a lot of us, especially during lockdown, are getting through it one day at a time. That will change. 

Something that can never be taken from any of us, even in the toughest of times, is hope. Sometimes, just sometimes, that is all we need. 

Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain, though your dreams be tossed and blown, walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart, and you'll never walk alone. 

Looking back now, I'm actually quite thankful that I was made redundant 9 years ago. How times change.

Sometimes I reflect on a film that has always struck a chord with me during tough times; Life of Pi. I could have been cast adrift in the middle of the open ocean, stuck on a lifeboat with a tiger and lived to tell the tale. Now that would've been some story.