This is my first ever blog entry! And it just happens to be my birthday today! Well I'm just going to keep typing and see what happens.

Did I ever plan to go self employed and start my own company? .... No I didn't. It just kind of happened. Since leaving school at 16 I have always been a very hard worker. I worked in construction from 16 to 22 and I qualified as a bricklayer on the way. I did enjoy it. But it became something I didn't want to do and I became someone I didn't want to be. I was bored with it and fed up of working so hard for so little.

I needed to get away from it all. So I did what every one says they are going to do but actually don't ..... I went to Australia!!! It really was the best time of my life. For the first time in my life I felt free from day to day work and stress. I ended up staying in Australia for 7 months. I toured all over, from east to west and north to south. I went alone which I now believe made me a much more confident person which has a big part to play in the set up of CW Courier Services.

After the 7 months in Australia I had to come home as when I was out there I recieved bad news that my mum had been in a car crash and was in a bad way. I flew home and spent the next few months caring for my mum as she was unable to get out of bed. All the time I was doing this all I could think about was .... what's next? Do I go back to Oz? Do I go back to the building trade that I hated? Do I do what most people now days are doing ..... Signing on? No!!!! I had a plan.

I sat down and thought what do I love doing? What do I enjoy? ....... DRIVING!!! I have always enjoyed that! So I thought about taxi driving, HGV, Courier firms. And I thought well I have nothing to loose here I'm going to set up my own courier firm!!

After weeks and weeks of reasearch into the idea I decided to go for it and take a risk. So I bought the van! Got the correct insurance and that's where the journey began!

I didn't know anything about business, marketing, networking, promoting. It was all foreign to me. But I picked it all up on the way with help from lots of people! I went to hundreds and hundreds of factorys, companies, etc just dropping in and handing a card, telling them what I can offer and how they could benefit from my services. Without even knowing it I was using one of the best marketing strategies there is!!

Then along came networking. Menta, Bestof, TGLC, Witbiz are just some of the organizations that I have been in touch with and joined their networking events. I found it to be a really good way of meeting local people who are interested in what I do and what I can offer. As well as having a laugh and making new friends! Social media: Facebook. Twitter. Linkedin. Youtube are an amazing way of keeping people updated with the goings on of your business and a great way of keeping your company fresh in their mind! So without any business education or experience within 9 months I believe I have picked up and learned alot about business! ......... Its Easy LOL!!!

So here I am now 9 months on 40,000 miles on, 190 jobs on, and lots of fantastic testimonials from all my repeat clients on. I am happy! I may not make fortunes but I am getting by. And I aim to grow within the next few years. Watch out Eddie Stobart!!!!!!

Chris Ward

CW Courier Services