Platform Magazine featuring Matthew Kimpton-Smith

I HAD A DEATH EXPERIENCE

Matt: I understand you run a family business, tell us a bit about your story?

Matthew: My parents set up a business at home with the statement of we won’t employ anybody that we don't need to get the work done so they subcontracted. This business now sells machines globally on the same model. I joined them and ran the business until 7 years ago.

Matt: So what happened 7 years ago?

Matthew: I was out on a 70 miles cycle ride with a local group. On the way back I was later told I simply keeled over sideways on my bike. My heart had stopped, I’d had a cardiac arrest.

Matt: So were you hit by cars on the road?

Matthew: No, but thankfully one of the drivers was a medic. He immediately pulled over and gave me CPR whilst my friends called an ambulance who when they arrived got a defibrillator on me and kicked me back to life.

Matt: So you had a near death experience?

Matthew: I would say I had a death experience!

Matt: So how has your recovery been since?

Matthew: The last six months have actually been the hardest. At first I was simply grateful to be alive. The biggest issue since has been the brain injury from the lack of oxygen and the subsequent loss of memory.

Matt: So have you returned to running the family business?

Matthew: No. I decided to be the best business owner I can be and support the team that are running the business to be the best they can be.

Matt: How else has the accident changed your life?

Matthew: I took stock, I suddenly had to stop and take a real look at life and what's important. It hits me every morning that I get to wake up and go and make a cup of tea for my wife. Just the fact that I've woken up, I can go downstairs, I can make a cup of tea, and all those sort of little basic things. I just go wow!

Matt: So why did you decide to write a book about your experience?

Matthew: I went on a retreat and three different people independently said you need to write a book and talk to Matt Bird. So I googled your name, saw your ‘Writing My Book’ course and signed up immediately. www.PublishU.com

Matt Bird founder of PublishU, talks with Matthew Kimpton-Smitha family business owner and author of Second Chance.

PLATFORM

Matt: What was it about the course that helped you?

Matthew: Everything! I remember you saying in the first session that is we trusted you and trusted the process we had an 80% likelihood of finishing with a book manuscript. You could however decide to the book your way but you would only have a 20% likelihood of finishing the course with a manuscript. So I decided that I would do exactly what you said and try not to be clever.

Matt: How would you describe it to others?

Matthew: I liken the course to building a house, you laid out the plans, you dug the foundations with us. Sao all we had

to do was put the bricks on, the roof and the windows, and all that stuff. But but if you just given us the building materials and say give me all the house, we'd have started making all sorts of a mess. And you know, the course for me, allowed me to write a book, there's no way I'd have got anywhere near without it.

Matt: What is your highest hope for your book Second Chance?

Matthew: My hope is that even if one person picks up the book and it helps them it will have achieved what I wanted. I feel that my job was to write the book as best I can and then see what happens when it gets into peoples hands.

EVERYONE HAS A BOOK IN THEM

Do you have a story or a message that you are passionate about communicating?

One of the single most powerful ways you can do that is by writing a book.

You may feel that what you want to write about has been written beforetrust me it has not. You have a unique upbringing, family, education, work and life experiences which gives you a unique voice much like the uniqueness of your finger print.

Who will read your book? Many of the people you know will buy and read your book because someone they know has become a globally published author. Beyond the people who know you is a world of people who can be inspired about your book.

So is there something you feel is holding you back from writing your book? Maybe a negative voice that says, ‘I’m not good enough’, ‘I’m not sure’, ‘I’m too busy’, ‘I’m not ready’ or ‘I can’t afford it’. It’s time to put these selflimiting believes on mute and declare, ‘Yes, I Can’.

A recent graduate said, “I never thought I would write a book, let alone in 100-days. Now I’m asking what else have I told myself I cannot do that I actually can.”

Another graduate said, “My children have seen me write and publish a book and are now growing up fully expecting to become published authors too!”

Writing a book will have a transformative impact on you and the people around you. So how do you get started?

I would like to offer you a free gift…

‘My Book Idea’ is a workbook that will enable you to develop your book ideas and choose which of them to use for your book. CLICK HERE

Then enrol in one of our upcoming ‘Writing My Book’ programmes to enable you to write your book within 100-days. CLICK HERE

I very much look forward to being your book coach!

By Matt Bird, Author of twenty books and Founder of PublishU