I Can See Clearly Now...

I had always looked after my business. However, I had stopped taking care of myself a long time ago. Tearing through life at full tilt for as long as I can remember, it took sheer exhaustion and a moment of utter clarity to recognise that I was heading towards becoming one of the richest people – in the cemetery.

After a long hard look in the mirror I had to accept that the game was up. Something needed to change and that something was me.

I was successful, self-made and enjoying all the trappings of my achievements - to the outside world - yet an absolute wreck, on the inside. Unhealthy and burnt out, not only in spirit and mind, but also in body. It was time. I had to put myself first before it was too late and my life had spun totally out of control causing permanent, perhaps fatal, damage.

My journey of self-discovery has led me to a destination that has enriched my life in so many previously unimaginable ways. Now emotionally and physically rebalanced and rejuvenated I realise that this investment in myself has given me an entirely new-found love of life, that’s full of deep happiness and health. I now know how to properly reap the rewards of my hard-earned success and have been granted extended longevity along with many more years to savour with my precious family and friends.

I needed to be taught how to focus on myself and my wellbeing, and learn to have greater empathy for myself, and others around me. My body and mind have been realigned and I am reaping the benefits, and so is my business.

Sometimes it’s as if we don’t have time to think about ourselves –our minds, our bodies, our souls. How senseless is that? I have discovered that you cannot compartmentalise your problems. It’s essential to look at your life holistically to truly understand what’s at play and reveal the full picture.

With professional support, this is what I have managed to do. I feel like a new person living a completely enriched, vibrant new chapter of my life. It’s as if my body and mind have been expertly and gently dismantled, cleansed, fine-tuned, then polished and reassembled, liberating my soul. I now know that anything is possible – and I don’t have to desert myself in the process. This life-changing journey has left me feeling stronger, more youthful, focused and content. I am the souped-up version of myself, and feel extraordinarily grateful. My only regret is that I didn’t do this years ago…

Business Mentors: Andrew Inman, Chloë Garland, Alejandra Arteta, Angelina Giovani, Christopher Clark, Robin Rose, Sophia Petrides, Dana James-Edwards, Elizabeth Marmur, Iain Smith, Jeremy Cordrey, Martin Israel, Iandra Tchoudnowsky, Tim Levy, Peter Ibbetson, Claire Orlic, Judith Cocking, Sandra Hermitage, Isla Baliszewska, Claire Ashley, Dr Richard Davis, Sir David Lidington, Coco Stevenson, Talan Skeels-Piggins

Digital Director: Rachel Southcott

Business Development: Rara Plumptre

Public Relations: Pedroza Communications

Head of Sales: Daniel Barres

Advertisement Sales: Virtual Campaign Management

Creative Director: Mark Baker

Photography: Sam Pearce, Will Purcell

Print Production Tim Solway

Printed in the UK by: Printlogic incorporating Solways Printers, Kent, DA17 6AH

Website Development: Eprefix

As I contemplate this latest issue, I admit to finding trilogies somewhat appealing. We always aim to give our students a beginning, middle and successful end to their search for a meaningful career. So often by the time a candidate reaches us, they have endured the ancient Greek equivalent version of a series of three tragedies, finding rejections, one after the other. The launch of the Employability News Channel www.finitoworld.com might represent our tetralogy or quartet. We don’t intend stopping there.

My first meeting with Sir Richard Branson involved him greeting me at his Holland Park front door without shoes. This was in contrast to Fred Finn - the Guinness Book of Records’ most travelled man, who had flown on Concorde 718 times when we were introduced - and who wore shiny leather brogues.

Sir Richard had generously agreed to host a reception and unveil a £1 million cheque in aid of the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children, raised through a Readathon sponsored competition to promote literacy amongst pupils.

Fast forward to the event and I duly received a message that Sir Richard was arriving. I took the lift downstairs to the lobby and Sir Richard walked briskly inside. It was just him and me going up. He smiled and quietly asked; ”Will I do Sir?” It was the very first time he had been photographed so dapperly and the paparazzi had a field day. It was a lesson that great leaders listen and act, he is a class act to which all of us aspire but if that occasion was nerve wracking for a young man in a hurry to get on in his career, nothing quite prepared me for his 360 degrees acrobatic feat, which followed.

I accompanied Sir Richard to RAF Scampton to fly with the Red Arrows. It is a great honour to be invited to fly and he relished the occasion, although seeing him exit the Hawk cockpit after 30 minutes of extraordinary twists and turns in a full training sortie was nothing short of extraordinary. I was so full of admiration for the man who has inspired a generation, future generations and leaders and pleased to have kept my own feet firmly grounded, on the tarmac.

In this issue, we pay fulsome tribute to Jeff Katz, a former client, loyal friend and generous bursary supporter to students. He was a regular contributor to everything that we did and filed his last editorial submission a few days before his death. He worried about his pieces being edited. We reproduce Letter from an American without amendment and invite his many colleagues, business associates and friends to join in “never can say goodbye.”

The Kusnacht Practice is located on the shores of Lake Zurich and offers a holistic, 360 degree mind, body and soul rebalancing and restoration. Its state-of-the-art facility combines Swiss standards of excellence and cutting edge, innovative technology with world-renowned medical expertise. Each patient is treated uniquely and privately in their own five-star residence and provided with the highest standards of professionalism, care and confidentiality.

Registered Address: Finito Education Limited, 7/10 Chandos Street, London, United Kingdom W1G 9DQ

Finito and FinitoWorld are trade marks of the owner. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. All prices and details are correct at time of going to press, but subject to change. We take no responsibility for omissions or errors. Reproduction in whole or in part without the publisher’s written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

It was agreed at the meeting that the event should be Black Tie and a gold embossed thick invitation card was prepared. There was a bit of an aghast moment when I ventured to tell Sir Richard that if his guests were attired in Black Tie, there would be a certain expectation that he should be too.

I felt the wrath of his public relations advisers at telling a great man how to dress in his own venue.

I am grateful to Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee, for supporting my idea for Leg Up. Like the NHS volunteer scheme, we ask everyone who is employed to reach out and help one unemployed person back into work. As the extended furlough scheme draws to a close, we all have a responsibility to do our duty.

I hope that all our readers emerge from lockdown having had the vaccine and ready to grab the opportunities which await us.