- Your Digital Mentor in the Fast-Changing Online World
I am a sales and marketing professional with over 40 years experience as a self-employed entrepreneur with a wealth of knowledge in setting up and running traditional bricks and mortar companies as well as numerous online businesses.
The truth is, making money online is simple, but it is not easy. Forget the “get-rich-quick” crowd promising instant millions. There are no push-button shortcuts. What it really takes is a solid idea, consistent effort, and the persistence to keep going. If you stick with it, it works. Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can.
The formula isn’t complicated. Do the right things, in the right order, and keep at it. Be willing to adapt and adopt new strategies before the herd catches on. It takes time, effort and persistence, but the rewards are worth every bit of it.
The internet has given us the freedom to live where we want, work on what we want, and—most importantly—spend more time with our family. That’s the real reward. And if you’re prepared to put in the work, it can do the same for you.
My wife and I now live happily in mainland Spain on a small finca (farm) with two of our children, horses, chickens, a goat, five dogs and a cat. By the time you’re reading this, there’s a fair chance those numbers will have crept up if my wife and daughter get their way. Apparently, a donkey is next on the list.
Our income comes from a property portfolio we’ve built up in the UK and Canary Islands, along with several e-commerce websites selling both physical and digital products. I also take on consultancy and training projects when asked, helping companies grow by sharpening their sales processes, updating marketing strategies, and training sales managers and teams in direct and indirect sales.
I’ve owned plenty of traditional businesses over the years, but spotted the power of virtual real estate early on. I started buying domain names back in the early days of the web and, let’s just say, I still hold more than I’d admit to my wife.
I’d call myself an expert in online and offline marketing, though the internet changes so fast that I’m always learning something new. And that’s the point. The internet has opened up opportunity like never before. You don’t need a fortune to start, you don’t need to be a genius, and you don’t need to code or design.
I’ve been an entrepreneur all my life and have never held down what most people would call a “proper” job. Truth be told, I’m probably unemployable—though in my own humble opinion, I’m a fairly easy-going chap.
I started my first proper company at 19 and, by the time I was 28, I was running five businesses. Then, at 31, I lost the lot. Flat broke, I packed up and moved to Tenerife. My thinking was simple: if I was going to be skint, I might as well be skint somewhere sunny. And the Canary Islands certainly beat the grey skies of the UK.
That was my first taste of living abroad, and I loved it. Since then, my family and I have travelled the world and lived in some incredible places—the Canary Islands for many years, Russia, and even a year or so in Bali.
What drives us is the freedom to be location independent, and that’s exactly what working online provides. We can live where we choose, travel when we like, and still run businesses we care about.
There are still plenty of places on the list.
For us, the adventure isn’t over—it’s just getting started. Watch this space.
