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Graeme grew up in the North East and completed a degree and a post-grad degree in drama at the University College Dublin. When he finished, he decided to use his skills to help young people with learning difficulties, helping them to build skills, confidence and self-esteem. He went on to work as a Development Officer in the Volunteer Bureau helping to get volunteers to get ‘from A to B’. He moved on to accept a post as a Learning Manager and later became a Consultant with the Cumbria County Council.

Then Graeme suffered from a prolapsed disc, leaving him with constant pain and debility and lots of time to reflect. Following surgery he accepted redundancy and began to convalesce. He still has pain that he says is like having a headache all day.

However, not one to be defeated, Graeme says that this experience has taught him what it is like to be disabled, loose confidence and have to fight his way to fitness. This, he says, helps him to understand some of his client’s challenges.
He used his redundancy as an opportunity to set up ‘Futures’. Futures helps people get fit for employment. It is a holistic model that explores anything that would prevent an individual from working. He helps to up-skill, boost confidence and improve literacy and numeracy. He teaches clients the necessary skills to get a job and how to recognise when opportunities present themselves. He builds on what is already there.

He works closely with Furness Enterprise offering his services to all age groups on a 1–1 basis in a confidential and non-threatening environment. He is warm and respectful and on meeting him, it is so easy to see why he has such great success in getting people ready for employment and for the next step of their lives.

The Secrets of his Success?

Turn negatives into positives
“Shy Bairns get Nowt”
Get out there, be confident and seize opportunities
Good marketing
Professional conduct, courteous, respectful and safe
Listen well and never make assumptions
His advice to other entrepreneurs?

Don’t make excuses make it happen!
Opportunities come to those who make opportunities!
Identify what is needed to set up: skills, time and money.
Know what you can do and what you can’t.
Tap into other resources. “A few grey hairs count for a lot!”
I hope he wasn’t looking at me when he said that…:)

Posted by Kay Hebbourn on 28th February.