Case Study MR Photography
Deciding to go out on your own is not an easy decision and what you choose to do might not always work out in the long run, but that’s not a reason not to try… and indeed try again.
Michael’s journey into self-employment began back in the early noughties.
He was an ex-police officer who’d had to retire early in 1999 due to injury, and whilst Michael’s injuries were not profound, they changed his view on life, and he wanted to do something to help others.
So, after a few years deliberating what to do with himself, Michael decided he wanted to do something in the area of disability and access, supporting compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995.
Michael met with Paul Brown, who was working at Business Link at the time, and he helped him set up his first business, providing support around DDA compliance; auditing premises and supporting them getting up to scratch. Access2all was set and started to trade. Things went well and Michael was able to bring on some pretty high-profile clients including Newcastle United, Sunderland AFC, and Greggs (which was a story in itself).
However, the market started to saturate, and it was getting harder and harder to win the work, which was the part of the business that Michael enjoyed least, and in 2007 Michael had the opportunity to sell his company to a competitor, so he did!
Not one to sit around doing nothing, Michael took a job working for E-On in the gas and electricity supply market, and whilst it helped pay the bills, it wasn’t something that Michael enjoyed and after a few years, he decided once again, to set out and do something for himself.
As luck would have it, Michael bumped into an old colleague, now working at The Business Factory, who encouraged him to get back into the DDA market place. The market had settled down somewhat and Michael still had some connections, so he started providing audits and support once more, but it wasn’t going to be enough on its own.
Michael had always been interested in public speaking, he was already a member of Toastmasters International and had played a part in opening up their first group in the North East.
However, he wasn’t too keen on the way it was run and decided to set up his own speaking club, A1 speakers which in turn led to him setting up his own company – Speech Genius.
Speech Genius was set up to help people with public speaking, working with both corporate clients, schools, and individuals and Michael had ambitious plans. So once again Michael got in touch with The Business Factory.
“I explained to the team what I wanted to achieve, but instead of simply smiling and patting me on the back, so to speak, they suggested I put together a 12-month plan, detailing my sales forecasts and how I was going to achieve them.”
“At around the same time I was offered a job by the Red Cross, working two days a week to help set up a social isolation hub in Blyth. I loved working with people so why not. As part of my role, I had to come up with ideas and activities that would help bring people together, bring people out of their shells.I’d always had an interest in photography so, working together with a few friends who had similar interests, we set up a photography club, inviting professionals to speak and share their knowledge and expertise. This fuelled my passion for photography once more.”
“The work with the Red Cross came to an end in August 21, so it was time to again think about what I could do.
Speech Genius had pretty much wound down and the DDA projects were few and far between, but I still did some voluntary work. Indeed, I was fortunate to get a few days’ work a week from the Northumberland County Blind Association who had seen what I’d been doing with the Red Cross and needed help themselves, helping members get out and avoid isolation.
But it was time to do something that I wanted to do, something that I could devote all of my time to, and with my wife’s encouragement, I again got in touch with The Business Factory to see how they could help.”
“I was already becoming a bit of a master with my camera, but I was a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to all things digital.”
“The Business Factory provided support along with workshops and training. They helped me get my head around using social media and how to promote myself and my business online.”
“I’d registered domains before, and had become a bit of a whizz with Photoshop, but I’d never set up a website so I had one built by a developer.”
“Photography is a passion of mine and with The Business Factory’s help I’ve been able to let that passion shine through, and I believe that’s a massive part of my success. 9 times out of 10, I’ll have my camera with me. I’ll get it out, any opportunity I have, anytime I see something that catches my eye, a moment I want to capture, a moment I want to share. When you get it right, it’s a wonderful feeling.I love trying different things as you never really know what’s going to be popular with my audience. I love capturing the moment, but I also enjoy taking the images I’ve captured and use Photoshop, and the various filters and effects it offers, to create pieces of art.”
“I’ve always had a positive attitude. I don’t like to see problems, I like to see opportunities, I like to see solutions. As a one-man band, it’s great to have a sounding board, having someone at the end of the phone, at the end of a zoom call, or even face-to-face has been invaluable. They provide practical support not simply paying lip service, they keep you right, show you where you’re going wrong, helping you every which way they can.
But it’s very much about balance and now I feel like I actually have a business not just a hobby, I’m just lucky I love what I do!”
Find out more about the great work Michael is doing on his website.
Has Michael's story got you thinking?
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