1986 – A gift of fate

During the summer of '86 I found myself in a paradoxical state of confused clarity. I was aware that my job was a well-paid one and that I could do it standing on my head. Simultaneously, I also knew the creative, inventive side of me was lying dormant and unchallenged; I was not being used or appreciated by anyone.

I was in the proverbial 'comfort trap'.

At that time, 'Colortrend' was the largest photo processing laboratory in Europe. It had provided me with a challenge that had lasted ten years, as well as an introduction to Sue, who was to become my wife for the next forty years or so.

As I walked from the car to my office, sunlight reflected off every surface and I was temporarily enveloped by a warm feeling of contentment.

Perhaps this feeling was due to the beauty of the morning, or maybe it was something inside of me that knew I was only seconds away from an encounter that would dramatically alter the course of my life.

The man who was working on the garden just outside my office window smiled as I approached. He had a kind face that invited comment on the beautiful day.

Instantly, we fell into a conversation as natural as if we'd known each other for years, and, what I learned from him over the next few minutes, not only stimulated my spirit of adventure but excited me in a way I'd not felt for years.

     Depositing my pigskin leather briefcase on the filing cabinet, I sat in silent stillness at my desk for maybe ten minutes whilst trying to digest the experience of meeting a man dressed in basic attire and Jesus sandals. A man whose words had challenged how I was spending my life.

Over the next few days our friendship developed rapidly as we each embraced the debt we owed to serendipity.

I soon learned, Tony wasn't simply a gardener doing a job, but an entrepreneur who owned a tool hire company comprising of two branches – one in Rugeley and the other in Hawaii!

Tony was different... he didn't see why anything should be impossible. He was digging the garden because he enjoyed it! He was packed with modesty, humility and kindness.

Unsurprisingly, I discovered that his mind and outlook were fertile ground to any new idea that even 'might' prove successful, and, like me, he very easily got excited about creative business possibilities.

I also discovered he had a big problem with a very large Swedish company who had recently appointed a new U.K.Managing Director. This man, by all accounts, had a well-deserved reputation for being a bully - and with manners to match.

Within days of his appointment, he proved this reputation to be thoroughly justified, by deciding to renege on an existing 'gentleman's' supply agreement between the two companies.

I recognised that this had upset Tony and suggested a possible way forward; We should visit Mr Nasty and appeal to his more reasonable side, also including a subtly veiled threat, pointing out that he might be turning a loyal customer into a powerful competitor.

One week later, we found ourselves sitting opposite him over a fifteen foot long rosewood boardroom table – and having a civilised conversation about the weather in Japan! (his previous job).

However, when we dared to quietly deliver our well-rehearsed message, like a pantomime villain, he burst into life and, throwing his head back, gave out an spine-chilling laugh that matched his six foot six frame.

Okay, so the gloves were off, and we went at it hammer and tongs ending with Tony and I threatening to put him out of business and storming out of the building. So much for subtlety and finesse!

We drove off with angry faces and bodies supercharged with adrenalin until glancing down we both noticed we were still wearing our very expensive brushed stainless-steel visitors badges in our lapels.

We exploded into a bout of laughter ending with Tony – still laughing - saying "well, what do we do now then"? Twenty miles later we knew exactly what we were going to do.

I don't know who was the most excited about the future, but it ended up in me quitting my well-paid job, and the two of us forming a new company aimed at manufacturing the machines that were so crucial to Tony's business. And, because Mr Nasty had been our supreme source of inspiration, we decided, it was only fair, that he should be credited.

We therefore named the company after him… KT Engineering!

These were truly heady days and working with Tony was a dream. Within a few months we had broken a world-wide monopoly on desiccant dehumidification that had been held by a real giant of a company.

We got on so well - whilst he provided years of experience, funding and inspiration, my time was spent designing and manufacturing. Rewardingly, we shared our joint successes, with delight and much laughter.

Working on our strategy was fascinating, and it gave us so much pleasure each time our goals were realised. We saw ourselves as a wild cat sneaking into the palace where a huge, overfed feline was sleeping – helping ourselves to its dinner - all the time being motivated by Mr Nasty and his evil empire.

Creating another company, British Desiccant Drying, then enabled us to offer a service of drying out and protecting buildings, ships, aeroplanes, submarines and produce.

Both companies thrived but, after five years of great success (and fun), Mr Nasty was sacked, when his company realised their error and overnight our bubble of motivation was punctured.

After ten years, we sold both companies which made way for other new ventures.

Tony and I would go on to spend forty years in business together without one single argument or cross word. We thought alike and were similarly principled.

Being a great humanitarian, at one point, Tony was inspired by a speech on world hunger made by American Senator George McGovern.

The result was that Tony told me he was going to spend part of his life setting up a charity aimed at feeding all the hungry children in the world (no half measures for Tony).

In 2001, relying on his own savings together with donations made by his two sisters, Tony delivered the first meals through schools in Malawi - shortly after naming it 'Mary's Meals'. The charity was based on a simple formula and could feed a child for a whole year for only £5.80.

For four years I was involved helping promote the charity through the making of promotional videos as well as exhibitions and doing presentations in the evening after work.

Passing on the running of the venture to another charity was a good move, as this left Tony the space to work on other new charitable projects. And, to the great credit of the new management of 'Mary's Meals' they did a splendid job of capitalising on the simple efficient formula, growing the operation amazingly, so that by 2023 it was feeding over two million children every single school day.

Together, Tony and I had a great adventurous journey, and I have many highlights about which to feel nostalgic, like: having dinner with ex-president Gorbachev and his interpreter, helping restore Windsor Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia, dining at Richard Branson's house and receiving top industry awards at The Royal Albert Hall. They are experiences that, for now, will remain locked in a small compartment in the back of my mind.