The Power of You

As I take some time at the end of the year to reflect on my slight change in career path, I can see many parallels to my late father’s career history and journey.  My dad had a huge influence on my career – he was the most inspiring person to me when I first stepped out on my own. At this next career ‘pivot’ in my life, I do miss his sage advice and positivity as I move outside of the role of larger agency ownership and management. However, his encouragement is still whispering in my ear, and I’ll be fully embracing this change in direction as he did when he took all his knowledge and expertise from the knitwear industry into the educational sector in his early 50’s. He tackled change like everything else in life, with integrity, passion and vigour.

My father started his career as an accountant in a sausage factory (there’s a quant gene in me after all). His energy, enthusiasm and dynamism as an employee and in life meant he quickly progressed in his career, which saw him getting an MBE from the Queen ‘mid-career’ for his work and role as MD of Grey Gordon, a textile company in Aberdeen. This career also earned him a spot in the weaver’s association as a Deacon and his photo will grace Trinity Hall for many years to come.

I vaguely remember going to the palace and the excitement of it all, but mostly remember the men with the funny hats outside the palace and the excitement of having knickers that matched my dress (I was only 5 after all). It was only years later I resented the fact that as the baby of the family and member number 5 that I wasn’t included in the ceremony or allowed inside the palace as only 4 could attend. I didn’t harbour that resentment for long thankfully.

I learned so much from my dad who has moulded me into the businessperson I am today. 

He had so many dreams, each weekend he’d have a new idea whether it was a buying property abroad, buying a caravan, or opening a newsagent, all a bit random but the family would all join in on his excitement of each prospect. However, we soon realized that it was a bit of a lottery as to which, if any, would come true. We coined these his ‘Sunday fantasies’ and as we got into our teens probably started rolling our eyes at his next mad cap idea, knowing it was unlikely to materialize. 

Nonetheless, what it did do for me was to ignite the interest in some of his passion projects for my own life path. He always wanted to start up his own company which he did several times over and each idea was brilliant, if a little ahead of its time – like Fuel Cells Scotland.

Having set up my own business in 2005, I know he lived his fantasy vicariously through me and I, in turn, channeled his energy and enthusiasm into the business. He tackled everything in life, whether it be business or leisure, with zest and dynamism, being a great role model. 

Like my own journey he found himself at a junction later in his career and demonstrated a great adaptability and flexibility to transfer his skills over to the educational sector, where he achieved many great milestones.

Prior to his passing away in 2019 my attention was drawn to an event I was going to attend called the ‘Power of You’, and the organizers really wanted to know what this meant to people. At the time it really perplexed me to put into words or express what it meant. Now I know that he taught me the Power of You – that is to bring your dreams to life, taking every opportunity you can along the way, and if it works out great, if not then move on to the next one. Don’t be afraid of being creative or ahead of your time, or even failure. Embrace change, as a new chapter in your career is nothing to fear. And most importantly, have fun while you are doing it. There are lessons for all of us here, in using what or who inspires us to maximize the Power of You.

He was and still is my hero in life and ‘the Power in me’.