Author: Emma Beal
Establishing Graham Precious Consultancy represents a very personal journey for Graham that spans thirty years. At sixteen years of age, Graham left school with little to no qualifications whatsoever. In fact, he admits that he hated school.
For Graham, he saw the first Monday where he did not have to go to school as a newfound freedom; one that he had hoped to be the first of many peaceful and stress-free days. Call it naivety or the ignorance of youth but it wasn’t long before Graham’s first, idyllically planned morning was shattered long before it had even started. Graham’s Dad was good at tough love and so it came as no surprise that he gave him first proper alarm call and moment of reckoning at 6:00am. Time was ticking already...
“You've got a week to find a job, son,
or I'll pack your bags for you.”
Acknowledging that it was tough love, which it was, Graham knew his Dad was serious and that it was the best thing that he could have ever done for him. It was an act of love. After just a week (and to prove a serious point) Graham had secured four jobs. His motivation was twofold; firstly, he needed to keep his parents happy and secondly, he wanted a car.
Fitting around bar work and shelf stacking in Sainsbury's, Graham was also working as an office junior on the fish dock in Hull for a local haulage company and on the evenings that he was able to, he played the drums in a band. Working so much really accelerated Graham’s drive and determination; Graham had set an intention to earn enough money to be able to buy his first car and he was well on his way to achieving it.
As the weeks and months elapsed and whilst his personal revenue was looking promising from all his hard work, Graham started to question his own skill sets. He was mindfully aware that his limited qualifications could potentially hinder him moving forward to where he really wanted to be.
Graham was tired of the mediocrity that surrounded him. He had vision and desires for a better, more successful future yet his peers did not share his positive ideology and new, growth mindset. His colleagues and friends were content but Graham wanted more...
As Graham grew up and matured through his early twenties after a year's 'sabbatical' in Catalonia, it wasn't long before he took his first leap of faith. Knowing Graham as I do, when he told me this story for the first time it didn't surprise me that this leap of faith was not without heart, courage or conviction.
In the late 80s, Graham had stepped into the world of insurance and whilst this provided him with a decent income, there was still something missing from his life and that was bricks and mortar. It was a chance meeting with an old friend in the pub one Friday night that created yet another catalyst for change within Graham. During the course of their conversation, his friend proudly explained that he had just built a house.
Graham's mind was racing... How do you do that? He thought... aloud!
With the help and guidance of his friend, Graham bought the plot of land next door and that was his first leap of faith.
In a very candid interview, Graham speaks from the heart and admits that he didn't know where to begin; because, essentially, he knew nothing about property. Graham knew that he needed to tap into those around him and ask for help... Something that he is a huge advocate of today.
The analogy to Graham's story is this:
"First of all, you have to be brave. Secondly, if somebody tells you about something, follow up on it. Thirdly, collaborate with people, work with people, use their expertise and accept that you don't know everything and you'll be successful.
That's the way I see it."
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