1 billion not out. Not a bad cricket score 
If you ever wanted proof that nothing is ever as bad as it seems, here it is.
6 years ago, I had to let all my team go, close my business and, just a few months later, go personally bankrupt.
This is something I’ve not shared publicly until now. The negative voice in my head, which I call the script, has always told me to keep this part of my story very much to myself. But, yet again, it’s time for me to say “enough”.
The end of 2014 and the start of 2015 was a very tough time for me. I’d done everything I could to keep my business going but the facts were staring me in the face. I’d lost so much money that it would have been almost impossible for me to turn things round. Just to be able to pay off my debts, I’d have needed to be bringing in £20,000 a month… which didn’t seem possible back then.
Luckily, I was given some good advice, and I took it. Personal bankruptcy was a huge step for me. There’s a massive stigma attached and it took me a while to get my head round it. But I’m so glad I did. It seemed awful back then, but when I look back now, I can see it’s one of the best decisions I ever made.
It took the pressure off me. It allowed me to start again. And for sure, I’ve made plenty of mistakes since then and learned the hard way, time and time again.
But it allowed me to rebuild with much less pressure. After going bankrupt, I focused on building up my WeDeliver.Email software. I struggled with my sense of personal value back then. I let everyone use my software for free for months.
It was only when Natasha, who’s now my amazing Customer Support Mananger, offered to help me start charging my clients that things started to take off.
I still remember her following up with each and every person who was using the software, and signing the vast majority of them up as paying clients.
Rhonda Latreille was my first ever paying client and I’m proud to say she’s still using WeDeliver every month, more than five years on. Thank you for letting me help you, Rhonda 
Fast forward to 2020 and I achieved a massive milestone – WeDeliver processed its one billionth email. That may be nothing to a major email provider, but to my small business, helping just a handful of clients get their emails delivered to the inbox, it’s a really big deal. It represents all the hard work I’ve put in over the last five and bit years to allow this business to become a success.
I can’t believe how much emotion is coming out as I write this. I’m truly proud of what I’ve achieved, and even more excited to see how things are going to develop over the next five years.
I’m sharing this today because a very good friend has inspired me to go public at last.
And, more importantly, I’m sharing my story to inspire anyone else who’s been through this, or is contemplating something similar, to say that you’re not alone. It’s ok to fail. Because it’s not failure. It’s just another chapter in the story.
From the bottom of my heart, I’d like to thank every single person who has given me their love, their support, their encouragement, their feedback, even the people who challenged me along the way.
I can’t mention everyone, but there are two very important people who believed in me without fail through this journey: my wife Insa who has loved, supported and inspired me for almost 13 years; and Natasha, without whom our “new” business couldn’t have reached a very significant 6-figure income.
It’s all part of the journey, and the bottom line is this: nothing has any meaning apart from the meaning you attach to it. No matter how bad things feel, there is always a glimmer of light to focus on, which will become brighter and brighter as time goes on.
To anyone who’s in a bad place right now: You’ve got this. It might take a while, but things will always improve. Keep the faith in yourself. You’ve got everything you need to succeed.
I love you all