Blindness Is No Barrier
I climbed into bed with Ebay in the hope of reaping a dividend or two to subsidise my income.
Perhaps I ought to mention at this stage that I am registered blind. I have a condition by the name of bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia, a congenital condition from which I have contended for the past 46 years.
Upon leaving school, I decided to entre university to read English literature, but ended up doing a dual honours in sociology and psychology instead.
Career prospects for anyone with a disability – let alone blindness – were arduous to say the least in the 1980s. We are talking pre-Equality Act days here, a time when employers could discriminate without fearing the ramifications and a potential lawsuit.
Somehow I always knew I wanted to run my own business. Therefore, after leaving university, I took a crash course in business studies with my local Chamber of Commerce and passed, whereupon I established a private tuition company teaching Braille and general disability awareness to primary and secondary school teachers working with special needs children.
From there I moved into the media and from there to Braille Transcription: a company which I created on the back of £3,000 and copious determination.
In time things evolved to the point where I was employing 24 highly skilled staff and earning an annual director’s salary worth a handsome 90K.
With an impressive portfolio boasting one or two well-known blue chip companies: Orange (France Telecom), Center parcs, the Ritz London and the College of Law, Gilford, I truly believed I’d made it to the top of my profession.
Then my marriage took a turn for the worst and I suddenly found myself financially embarrassed.
I’d lost just shy of a million pound.
I’m not one to sit on my rear end with my head in my hands , watching the world pass me by. Realising I needed to pick myself up and dust myself down, found me gravitating towards Ecommerce and Ebay where already I was well acquainted with all the success stories – and the not so successful ones too.
A firm believer in the preservation of good old English traditions, I decided to set up shop selling exclusive items of school uniform to the independent sector bolstered by a developing presents on Ebay guided by principles rather than just cash.
I’m working tirelessly to forge good relationships with my customers, with mutual respect and trust at the helm. Given the pace at which Ecommerce is moving, building and maintaining excellent relationships with one’s customers is crucial. Without them, the business would cease to exist.
To this end, I am eternally grateful to all my buyers - past and present. Finding like-minded individuals, who share similar ideals and beliefs, is what motivates me to continue.
A huge thank You to one and all.
Philip F-A
Ebay member All Shorts 2015
