“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover.” – Mark Twain That’s a great quote, isn’t it?

Business pages are hungry animals. I could, and will, write blogs in the future on the many trends in executive search. They are always helpful and informative I’m sure, but dear reader, can be a little dry for everyone’s first Friday back at school after the holidays. So, if you will, indulge my caffeine fuelled rambling for a couple of minutes, this one is a bit more personal.

At 50, many people are settled into the rhythm of their careers, enjoying the fruits of years of hard work. But for me, reaching this milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter. After years of working as part of an exceptional team at Dixon Walter, I’ve made the decision to step away from the security of an established role to pursue a dream that had been simmering for years, to launch my own firm.

Everyone struggles with change and I’m no exception. The last few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster. It’s been a wrench leaving my deeply respected colleagues of the last six years and I’m writing this at 0616 in the morning as sleep has eluded me again. My mind is on constant overdrive, part excited, part terrified but I feel alive and energised. My horizons are opening and I’m hearing, and loving, the call of the unknown.

There is a great movie you’ve probably never seen on Netflix called Chef. It struck a chord with me as it’s about a celebrity chef Carl Casper who makes the bold decision to leave his Michelin Starred restaurant job after clashing with the owner’s stifling demands. Faced with the choice between staying in a comfortable but creatively limiting environment or embracing the unknown, Casper chooses the latter, launching a food truck where he can cook with passion and on his own terms. It’s a feel-good, wry and charming film if you haven’t seen it.

Like Casper, I was driven by a desire for autonomy and the freedom to craft my own vision. The idea of building something from the ground up, of steering my own ship, had been on my mind for some time. Leaving behind a secure income, a respected position, and a familiar routine wasn’t easy, but for me, the personal fulfilment and the thrill of entrepreneurship far outweighed the comfort of the status quo.

I have worked and trained with an exceptional group of people, and I have placed some of the biggest CEO and C-Level roles in the public and not-for-profit sectors in the UK.

So, my food truck is about to open and it’s over to you! If I have ever helped you in the past, given you some good advice at key inflection point in your career or helped you find a new role or a great candidate please give me a call, it will be good to catch up.