I had no choice to hand in my notice from a job I loved in 2013.

42 years old, a square peg in a round hole,

I was essentially a failure heading into 2014.

My confidence was rock bottom.

I was anxious that I was never going to be successful in agency again.

I was worried what my parents, acquaintances and friends would think.

Why the hell did you walk out of a decent job, with nothing to go to?

Yet my wife said, “I believed in her when she handed in her notice six months before, and she believed in me”.

But those closest to, whose opinions you should listen to, are often those we don’t listen to.

I still thought, I best go back with my tail between my legs and become the oldest lister with an agency that would have me.

But something made me stop

So, I picked up the phone to Stephen Brown don’t ask me why, I had just seen some of his posts and thought, ‘he seems a decent bloke’

We agreed to meet at Kings Cross.

I had so many questions about starting my own business.

Questions which now seem so basic, yet at the time, seemed like an insurmountable mountains.

Stephen listened and gave me the answers, that in hindsight, I already knew.

He said, “Pick the phone up to some agents you know and ask them if they wanted help attracting landlords and vendors to their agency?”

So, with a lump in my throat, I called one.

And they said yes

A fluke

So, I rang another, he said, “let me think about it”

He was fobbing me off – yet he rang me back the next day and said yes.

I tried a third, the answer was no

But Stephen said, keep trying, which I did

And the next agent said yes

We weren’t going to have to go to the family and plead charity, maybe I had something here?

Stephen gave me the confidence to believe in myself.

Like he gave me permission to believe in myself

And over a decade later, look at me, helping 100+ letting & estate agents attract vendors and landlords to their agency and as a hobby, interviewing the great and good of UK Estate & Letting Agency.

That, ladies and gentlemen is the power of the mentor.

Mentors are human beings who encourage and support you.

They don’t tell you the answer, they ask the questions that guide you and help you to make the wise decision

Furthermore, they help you find your skills and inspire you to master what you are good at

They listen to you tolerantly (and with patience) and help to find a solution to your problems.

Mentors show you the path of success in life.

Mentors encourage you know your worth.

Thank you Jo (my wife) and thank you Stephen.