You can’t do it alone!

As the summer is waving goodbye, I am looking ahead to autumn.

I love the autumn, the change in colour, the coolness of days, and starting to wrap up at night. For me, it’s a time and season to reflect. What’s next? How can we get better? What have we learned?

Last autumn I was walking away from a great job, a full-time position, working with great people, and much to their surprise (and especially my family) I had made the decision to finally “go it alone”!

The reasons behind the change was a build-up of curiosity, previously missed chances, age, some would even say stupidity! On top of all that, we were coming out of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic with uncertainty and worry still on everyone’s minds.

Nearly ten months on and the decision to step out into the big world has been a life-changing experience, mainly for the good.

I have probably worked more hours this year than I ever had, I have worked longer days/nights/weekends than I ever had before. I have had to learn about business, accounting, tax law, contracts, websites, etc. whilst doing the day job and being a father, husband, son, etc.

But the most valued lesson that I learned was, I was never “going it alone”! Out of this challenge and uncertainty an amazing team has emerged and developed in the first year.

As soon as I had made the decision, I was recommended a fantastic accountant, Steve Herbert @GMSM accounting https://www.gmsmaccounting.co.uk/

Steve’s calmness and professionalism were a relief. Taking me through the steps I needed to make the right decisions for the business and family.

We have had so many recommendations from clients, colleagues and friends that we have been able to secure work for the first year. And we look to build and grow into the next year.

When have secured exclusive agreements with some amazing partners that give us a full range of disciplines across rail infrastructure projects? From rail systems through to enabling works.

Most of all the input and support from family and friends. Giving me space and time to do what I have had to do (which means they have to do more without me). For the brutal and honest advice when needed. For their patience.

We now have an amazing in-house team of professionals. That doesn’t just do estimates!

We have not just completed stand-alone major tenders. We have added infrastructure and property assurance reviews and reports, that cover design maturity, cost certainty and risk management.

Our diversity in skills and people gives us a the ability to make a difference within our infrastructure and construction industry, from multi-disciplined rail and highways projects to complex civil engineering projects covering flood defence, clean and dirty water projects with some challenging commercial and residential properties in the mix.

We are developing some amazing data products using Power bi, detailed analysis making sure it is relevant and clean and presented in ways I would never have imagined. With the experience in our team we can also check that data, so that its relevant, is it enough and in some instances too much?

Reducing client risk and finding opportunities in scope and cost efficiencies.

We are build on the principles of honesty, transparency and continued improvement. We are doing something different, wanting to make a positive impact on our industry. It's personal.

But most of all I was never "going it alone". We are an amazing team.