Starting a business on a shoestring.

[MrPatel]

This is a subject I've always felt really passionate about.

I don't have time right now but keep watching this space.

 

[MrPatel]

Ok, this is where my journey begins. I'm on the 109 bus heading to Piccadilly Manchester.

 

[MrPatel]

Ok , I'm on the X50 bus now heading to Trafford Park...the seat of the global industrial revolution, literally.

 

[MrPatel]

Ok I'm on my elevenses now...

 

[MrPatel]

Seriously though I hated school because all I ever wanted to do was work and earn money. I always skipped school and went to work at Demark Rd market in Moss Side for the Jews and the Pakistanis.

My Dad never gave a f*ck so long as I came home with money in my pocket.

 

[MrPatel]

After working at Denmark Rd market I figured out a way to undercut the market stall holders. I started selling identical products door to door in and around the vicinity..I made a paket..

 

[MrPatel]

Instead of ploughing all my profits back into expanding my little business I used the money to emigrated to the US - I was 18 at the time.

Once there all notions of starting a business went completely out of my head and I just went on an adventure that changed my outlook on life in general.

I lived with my aunt for about 6 months and she quickly became fed up of me being there so I bought a car and slept in that while holding down two jobs.

I finally got a job as a janitor in a tenement building in North St Louis which came with a free rent apartment...my luck started to change for the best after that.

 

[MrPatel]

I ended up in Englewood Chicago working in a machine shop - I was always interested in metal/woodwork while at school - those and PE were the only classes I would show up for so working in a machine shop was right down my alley.

 

[MrPatel]

I eventually got fed up and sold the only asset I had which was my beloved 1970 olds 98 and fucked off back to England.


http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/249/501/25620250001_large.jpg

 

[MrPatel]

It was 1990 when I arrived back in the England. I had an idea floating in my head to import American Football/baseball shirts into the UK - I quickly dismissed it as a pipe dream. I eventually enrolled in a biz admin access to university course a City College Manchester.

 

[MrPatel]

From day one at City College I started to develop my business plan. My aim was to start a business that didn't need capital. I knew at the time the banks wouldn't fund my plan because as I didn't have a credit rating.

An Import/Export agency was a perfect fit.