Opportunities Ahead: Learn from the past, live in the present and always look forward to the future: Volume 4 (The Journey)

If life deals you a bad hand, don’t fold, take a chance; a good player will always come out on top. Craig Briggs was born on the 12th of July 1962, in St. Luke’s Hospital, Huddersfield, the second child, and only son, of Donald and Glenys Briggs. The birth of their daughter had been a joy. The arrival of Craig would make the family complete. Unfortunately, Craig was not a ‘normal’ lad; he’d been born with congenital feet deformities. Unaware of his disability, Craig got on with life as any infant would. His first birthday brought a gift that would change his life forever. A marvel of modern engineering, manufactured by J.E. Hanger and Co. of London for and on behalf of the National Health Service. Bespoke footwear gave him what the Vespa had given the youth of the fifties: freedom and independence. They weren’t quite as stylish as an Italian built scooter but he didn’t care. From now on, Master Briggs was on the move and no one would hold him back. Over the next five years a series of surgical procedures changed the way he moved. When the time came, his mum walked him to school like any other proud parent and his dad gave him his first and only piece of worldly advice. ‘If anyone hits you, hit ’em back.’ With one exception, his mind proved sharper than his boxing prowess. Academia was not really his thing; he found it difficult to concentrate on anything that didn’t interest him. In May 1980 he left college and entered the employment market. Margaret Thatcher was busy dismantling British industry and unemployment was running at a post-war high. He signed on to receive unemployment benefit and spent the summer lounging around the house watching the Wimbledon Tennis Championship on telly. As the tournament drew to a close, parental pressure to find work intensified. In September, during one of his many visits to the Job Centre, a job card caught his eye: ‘Wanted: trainee retail managers’. Five hundred and sixty applicants chased six positions. He pleaded his case at an interview and ended up being selected. After a two-week training course in the seaside town of Southport, he passed with honours, achieving the rank of assistant manager. When asked where he’d like to ply his newfound retail skills, he chose London, a city paved with gold. In October 1980, he left Huddersfield a naive child, and returned three and a half years later a wiser and more mature young man. A brief period of letting his hair down followed, catching up on lost time and lost youth. During these wild and hedonistic months, he met the love of his life and future wife, Melanie. His career in retail spanned six and a half years with five different companies but to realise his dream he would have to go it alone. Not long after his twenty-sixth birthday, he handed in his notice. His future lay in leather jackets. Unfortunately, no one shared this vision and his aspirations fell at the first hurdle. The prospect of returning to the retail trade pushed him into pursuing a different path. He reached a compromise and worked as a self-employed agent for one of the nation’s largest insurance companies. The job title, Financial Consultant, exaggerated the role. In reality he was nothing more than a desperate insurance salesman. Life was hard and the insurance industry ruthless. Trying to sell a product that nobody wants, and which by its nature will never benefit the payee, is not easy. Unlike most recruits, he managed to survive and learnt some difficult but valuable lessons. His ‘Big Break’ came when he was asked to invest in a fledgling printing business. The first year’s accounts showed greater losses than actual sales. Against all professional advice he jumped at the chance, re-mortgaged his house and bought an equal stake. By accident rather than design, he’d finally found his true vocation. The company was losing money hand over fist. The bank had taken a second charge on the partners’ homes and his investment was swallowed up in a black hole of debt. Just when things couldn’t get any worse, the bank called in the overdraft. While others worried, he applied himself to the problem. Through hard work and determination they weathered the storm, but casualties were high. After thirteen years of blood, sweat, and holding back the tears, he ended up owning a modestly successful little business. The time was right to begin his journey to a dream. Craig’s writing career began in 2004 when he was asked to pen a weekly column for an online magazine. Over the last few years he has written a number of articles for the Trinity Mirror Group and online publications such as CNN, My Destination, and Insiders Abroad. In 2013 he published his first travel memoir, Journey To A Dream. It tells the story of a turbulent first twelve months in Galicia. Since then he has added Beyond Imagination, Endless Possibilities and Opportunities Ahead to The Journey series. As well as writing, Craig is an enthusiastic winemaker and owns a small vineyard.