20 Years of Business Advice: My Journey from Burnout to Breakthrough

How do you capture two decades of experience in a single story?

How do you condense the lessons, the struggles, and the victories into just a few words? The truth is, you can’t—not fully. But you can share the moments that shaped you.

And for me, the past 20 years have been a rollercoaster of failure, discovery, and ultimate success as a business adviser.

The Breaking Point
For the first 10 years of my career, I worked relentlessly. My day started at 4 a.m. and didn’t end until I had put in 12, 13, or even 14 hours. But despite my efforts, success always felt just out of reach.

Staff seemed to work against me, profit was fleeting, and stress was my constant companion.

Eventually, it caught up with me—I developed an ulcer, I wasn’t sleeping, and I was utterly miserable.

At 31, that chapter of my life ended. Suddenly, I was left asking:

What now?
• Should I start another business and dive back into the madness?
• Should I seek the comfort of a stable job?
• Should I buy an existing business or perhaps a franchise?

I had no clear answers. My family watched as I wrestled with uncertainty. My children looked at me with trusting eyes, expecting stability, but inside, I felt like an empty shell. Without a business, I felt like I had no identity.

A Chance Encounter That Changed Everything
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a brochure for a business advice franchise arrived at my doorstep. I don’t even recall requesting it. And shortly after, a man named Jon called me.
To say I was sceptical would be an understatement.
“This is a load of rubbish, Jon.” “This is just a con—what could you possibly know about my business?” “This will never work.”
But Jon was persistent.

“Do you think every business owner works as hard as you did?” he asked. “Do you think they all have bad staff, no time, and no money?”
“Well… no, of course not.”
“Then let me show you the answer.”
So, I went to see him.

In less than five minutes, Jon revealed what I had been missing for years—the structure, support, and systems that could transform struggling businesses. It was a revelation. And suddenly, I knew what I was meant to do.
I was going to be a business adviser.

The First Steps Into a New World
Two months later, I was officially trained and ready. But enthusiasm didn’t guarantee success.
I was 31—practically a child in business terms. Why would anyone trust me to advise them?

For six weeks, I had no clients. Doubt crept in. But then, finally, my first client came aboard. As soon as I was out of sight, I danced in the street. It was the most incredible feeling.

From that moment on, it was about momentum. I networked relentlessly, hosted seminars, ran events, and slowly, the magic started happening. Business owners started seeing results, and word spread.

Transforming Businesses, Changing Lives
Some of the stories still stick with me:
• A woman who inherited a business and became a slave to it—we systemized and sold it.
• A sole trader drowning in work—we halved his hours and doubled his income.
• A locksmith working 80-hour weeks and losing money—we turned his business around.
• A man running a business from his car—we helped him build a thriving enterprise.
• Two brothers on the verge of falling out—we brought in structure and good people.
• A security firm that was financially insecure—we made it stable and profitable.
• A small home business that became a national franchise.
• A man juggling a job and a business—we turned his business into a cash machine so he could leave his job forever.
These were just a few of the businesses I helped in my first few years—and some of these clients are still with me today.

A Legacy in Business Advice
Over the last 20 years, I’ve trained and mentored over 80 business advisers, helping them grow their own practices. I’ve built two successful consulting firms with multiple advisers supporting multiple businesses. I’ve even developed a consulting framework based on everything I’ve learned. I’ve spoken at conferences, trained abroad, and achieved nearly every business goal I set for myself (though I’ve since set new ones).
But more importantly, I’ve built a life I love. I’ve travelled, spent time with my family, made money (and lost money), and—finally—I’ve slept.

The Ultimate Lesson
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

Your business should be designed around your life—not the other way around.

Mine is. And yours should be, too.