Ex FX Dealer quits city to work on Saudi Royal Yacht
I was working as FX & Interest Rate Dealer in London in late 80s and decided to ESCAPE THE RAT RACE in 1991. Sold all my possessions, packed my rucksack, got a one way flight to Nice, pitched my tent on a campsite in Antibes and started walking the docks looking for a job on a superyacht.After 3 weeks washing cars to make some cash and doing some day work I landed a job on Donald Trump's old yacht which was now owned by a Saudi Prince. Also worked on 62ft, 80ft, 84ft sailing and motoryachts as chef, steward and deckhand well as doing a crossing as delivery crew from Palma to Gibraltar, then Canaries and then across Atlantic to Antigua!! Amazing trip!!
How I can help Esc members
They can connect with me if they have the urge to ESCAPE THE RAT RACE and use my experiences to show it can be done and it can work!! Also can help anyone looking for a job in sport through my websites under www.extremerecruitment.com
Currently...
Launched the first ski jobs website in 2000 that was powered by a CV database. Then in 2006 the first website for jobs in football on the internet. Now manage a network of websites for jobs in sports, leisure, travel and tourism.
Before I escaped...
Began career at BBC TV in accounts department in Shepherds Bush; left there to join oil company in their Treasury, then worked on yachts in Med and Caribbean and at EuroDisney as a waiter, then double hernia meant return to Treasury Dealing role in London, then decided to leave City for good and got into Gastro pubs, cooking, bar management and then got job running a hotel in ski resort called Val D'Isere. Then got job managing hotels for ski company and got headhunted to run all recruitment and operations for Thomson Ski & Lakes in 6 countries. Left them in 2000 to launch http://www.findaskijob.com/">www.findaskijob.com
My moment of truth...
Sitting in a Treasury Tax exam at Ally Pally in 1990... had a eureka moment and stood up and walked out exam.... didn't want a life as a dealer but wanted to get into hospitality.Also sailing across Atlantic from Med to Antigua was 1 month with time to think about what I wanted in life! Best thing I have ever done!!
And working in ski resorts, and running pubs, hotels and travelling... and running my own business... working in sport and helping people find their next job!
Planning for it...
Spent 3 months looking into ski jobs and nowhere on internet to look and apply for jobs and register CV and get job alerts etc...Worked closely with my sister on market research, website build and launched April 2000...
The worst and best bits...
Best thing: Working for yourself means its up to you to make it work and you are in control of your working day.Worst thing: not being with loads of people as I had done all my career...