Meet Barry

About the Author

My earliest memory of business was going around knocking doors and asking neighbours if they would like their grass cutting. I was about 12 years old. So, of course, I had a bunch of friends with me.

 

Thankfully for me, the neighbours were happy to pay cheap child labour and I learned some valuable lessons in turning up on time and charging properly in those early years.

 

I started out brightly at secondary school but really struggled academically in the last few years. I really didn’t enjoy classroom learning and my early adventures cutting the neighbours’ lawns started me down the path to become a landscape gardener.

A bad start to life

So, I left school at 15 and went straight into full-time work. I worked all week and weekends too, just to make as much money as I could. I wasn’t shy of hard graft. I got that from my family.

 

I grew up on a council estate called Northfields in Leicester. I was lucky enough to be brought up in an awesome, close, life-loving, working-class family. The estate I grew up on gave me the ethic and attitude to face any challenge. I’m extremely proud of where I come from.

 

Over those first years after I left school, I dabbled with different jobs: export packing, shoemaker, roofing, you name it I tried it. But somehow it always led back to landscaping.

 

I was a landscape gardener (on and off) for 28 years. I’m pretty hands on and practical. I’ve won multiple awards from BALI national and principle to Marshall’s regional and national awards to CEO of the year. But a landscaper is not all I am.

 

My life has taken many twists and turns along the way. Marie and I had our first daughter when I were only 19 years old, and I found myself having to work all the hours I could to support a young family. The pressure wasn’t always easy to deal with (as you’ll discover in the book). But it was worth it.

Family first

 

I’m a huge family man. I have an incredible wife – Marie – and two wonderful children: Lorelle and Lexie and a cute-as-buttons grandson Chayse.

 

My favourite time of year is Christmas, which is the ultimate family time… I’m a bit of a kid when it comes to Christmas. I engross myself in the cheesy Christmas songs and make a huge effort to make sure everyone around me has a lot of fun. I owe that all to my amazing Mum who taught me the value of family and I love her dearly for it.

I was once asked by a client if I had any hobbies: I do. Spending time with my family. I enjoy it as much as you could ever enjoy your hobbies.

 

While you’re still trying to get your head around how someone who looks so young could have a grandson, I’ll tell you a little about my life, taking hard knocks, and never giving up.

 

Let me start with the best question you could ever know the answer to. It’s the first question I ask someone in an interview, and it always gets the most ridiculous answers.

Can the real you please stand up

“Tell me a bit about yourself… what makes you authentically you?”

 

When they hear this question, most people ramble through a list of past work experience and never really tell me anything about who they are, or what makes them unique. Yet we’re all unique. There’s only one of you, and there’s only one of me.

 

I really want to give you a peek under the bonnet and share a little slice of my life. I think that’s important before we speak.

 

I dreamt of being a professional footballer, but when it became obvious, I had two left feet and was better with a pint of beer than I was with a football, I tried my hand at being a rock star. To be fair, that worked out for a while: for seven years I was a touring musician playing badly paid, badly attended gigs in the UK and Ireland.

 

I loved the buzz and uncertainty of the music industry, constantly trying to sell myself to an audience. But it wasn’t to be, and I eventually found myself in the unforgiving world of artist management and co-producing music which appeared on Radio 1.

 

I booked bands for a festival main stage, held meetings with lots of record labels, and went to a whole host of glitzy music industry events. I still have many friends in the business today.

 

I’m sharing this because although I had no tangible success, I learned a lot of incredibly valuable lessons which helped me develop my own management and negotiation styles in my own businesses today. Working with musicians who have unrealistic expectations makes dealing with clients and their low budgets a breeze.

 

What I learned enabled me to build a business that allows me to do one of my absolute favourite things: travel.

I travel the world for work

I love travelling. I’ve been to so many places in the world and I have so many places still to visit. My favourite three places – for lots of reasons – are Olu Deniz in Turkey, La Cala in Spain, and Las Vegas.

 

Every year, I host a luxury retreat with my business partner and buddy Trevor “Toecracker” Crook in a beautiful location. You may say I’m lucky to have a lifestyle like this, but I say, no way, I made this happen and you can too.

 

  • I planned for this to happen and designed my life and business to support my personal goals.
  • I own the car I always wanted. I own a house I’m proud of.
  • I live a life I’m excited by.
  • I make my family proud.
  • What more could any person ever want from life?
  • I know the answer to that question.

 

I want to see others achieve the same thing. I push myself and my clients and employees and colleagues hard to get results, because I get huge pride from seeing a member of my team, a client or business partner succeed in life. It’s a huge passion of mine.

 

I own or part-own many different companies, all of which I put my heart and soul into. Every single person in those businesses has my full support, my full commitment, and will 100% achieve what they want from life.

 

But it wasn’t always like that. It hasn’t been easy. Nothing worth having ever is. For example, when I met my business coach for the first time, he asked me for an Excel spreadsheet, and I had no idea what that was.

Everyone starts somewhere, I promise

That was eight years ago. I had no idea what Microsoft was. That one embarrassing moment gave me the kick up the backside I needed to discover the secrets to marketing and growing a business successfully.

 

I could go on, but I’m sure in time we’ll get to know each other better and I’ll be able to share all of what I know with you on your journey. One day, I’ll be reading your about and be delighted I could help you in some way.

 

I know how important I am now. I know how important you are too. I want you to know you can make a difference, you are capable of amazing things, and with my help you’ll find what you’re looking for.

 

That’s a promise I’m very happy to make.

 

Warmly,
____________________________________________________________ Warmly,