A Change of Direction

A Change of Direction

Last Birthday, in May, I reached 'a certain age' ... 55.  And in conversation with my financial adviser, he pointed out that, at 55, I qualified to start drawing my occupational pension.

Now it didn't take very long before I started thinking about the potential of this.  Early Retirement looked an attractive proposition.  But having checked, while my pension fund had grown to a respectable size, it wasn't enough to fully retire on.  And besides, I'd probably get bored anyway.

But this was the catalyst to take a long hard look at my life.  Up to this point, it had been a good one.  And whilst, latterly, I'd enjoyed the 9+ years running my Print & Copy Shop business, it didn't give me a spark any more.  Also, challenged by a group of other business owners whether it had potential to deliver what I wanted in life, my conclusion was probably not.

By good fortune, in a mysterious Law of Attraction sort of way, I was asked at this point if I would consider selling the business.  I knew the answer before the question was fully delivered!  And after a relatively short negotiation, the deal was done.  The sale price was quite modest but it enabled me to walk away and concentrate on the next stage of my life.

As for that pension, I signed the paperwork and claimed that too.  My plan was to get my finances in order so that Suzanne, my dear wife, and I could plan towards our real retirement, in a staged way, in 5 to 8 years.  With a lifestyle to which we'd like to become accustomed!

So, stage 1 of the plan came into effect on 1st August 2013.  That was the date the new owners of Bedale Copy Shop* took control.  And a few days earlier, our bank balance was also swelled by my pension lump sum pay-out.  It all felt quite liberating!

But what next?  I wasn't short of things to keep me occupied.  I had several part-time business activities, our property investing plus a plan to develop a new business.  Not to mention our home, which had long been neglected of my time and attention.

*Now it's worth pointing out at this stage that I'd only sold the Copy Shop business, not the company - Community Communication Ltd.  So I'd left the Printing & Office Supplies trading activity but the aspect of our company activity relating to promotional products I still retained.  Not to mention my decade of business ownership experience and knowledge relating to Marketing.

It's this Marketing experience and promotional merchandise activity that excites me.  And it's a fusion of the two that I've decided to develop my new business and expertise in.

So, watch this space!

John Dunwell