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Remembering good times in Dubai when Norwegians paid me & my boss 2 1/2% each of the company’s profit. Boss was 30 & I was 27,used to work from morning 8 till midnight everyday. We both came humble backgrounds. Used to do 10/12 charters a month. Lucky if we do that in a year now
To our advantage there were only 3 shipbroking firms in the entire middle east, so we basically ruled it. Now there are over 150 brokers in the region.
When I started working in Sri Lanka at 18 my 1st salary was Rs 1500 (USD 45) per month. I had no choice but to work. My father has passed away, mom was working had a younger sibling to look after. I still have that entire USD 45 for my mom. Didn’t moan and whine like libs today >
> kept on working some days used to spend 48 hours in the port wearing the same clothes making sure all our cargo has been loaded on the ships with bare minimum food of rice packet and bottle of water. Never ever complained about it, the company gave a motorbike to go around >
> worked one year. Japanese bosses based in Tokyo were impressed next I was on my way to take over a bit of a serious job in Kuwait after the gulf war. 19 years of age....worried as a fck but still have a sister and mother to take care of moved to Dubai (still war) and then to >
> to Kuwait. a salaried bumped from USD 45/- per month to USD 817 per month. Packed the bags and left Sri Lanka. 19/20 all you need was courage and confidence to handle big corp boys. Most boses were Brits in the org and playing cricket and rugby no doubt helped.
Again back to working long hours whilst arabs and brits left work at 4.30 and during 1st year recovered close to 700K in claims for damage to our shipping containers and equipment. Next three years three promotions and tons of recommendations letters. Arab big bosses were happy.
Started traveling around middle east & meets a beautiful woman in Dubai now no jobs in Dubai in the current org which means have to leave a good job with the govt & join a private sector back to 500 dollars less salary but to be close to future wife took the job moved to Dubai >
So in the past experience has been operational and risk management, new job more commercial starts making bucket load of money to the company so within 6 months company brings salary in line with previous job and next year offered 2 1/2% of company profits.1st tweet on the thread
Married has the 1st Kid, from one Norwegian firm to another but in Singapore loving it and salary bumped from USD 2000plus performance to USD 6000 plus performance. Packs the bags and leaves middle east to Asia.
Works for one year boss’s son was utter nut kind of Libs you get protesting in streets.He was an accountant and couldn’t understand commercial aspects of doing jobs for losses to break in to competition’s business. Left then and started on my own. 28 years of age in a new country
Good years shite years then some good years runs commodity and shipping business together and all while investing on the side. Starts a cricket club wins premier championship for 6 consecutive years had another kid sometime in between all whilst working 17 / 18 hrs a day >
> starts a small private investment firm on the side shipping markets collapse luckily had ventured into investments goes thru the end of commodity boom. back to roots starts everything from scratch moves counties and starts working 18 hours a day again :) life is about choices >
> even after getting good AL maths grades didn’t have money to go to a Uni. But working 18 hours day studied part time every evening. Get honours in everything I did.
1st IICL for container claims as 21 yr old - Honors
1st IICL for container claims as 21 yr old - Honors
Become one of the youngest Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers after passing qualifying exams getting membership then after 2 years to a fellow.
Did half a dozen other courses but finally in 2010 nailed a subject which I have never studied before with honors also getting highest marks in the cohort and getting accepted to BGS. Passed MSc in Finance with honors. All for a guy who started his career without a single cent.
All my school life and prior to working life was never easy, parents struggled to put three meals on the table but we never whined about it or moaned about, played sports with whatever they could give, studied, and enjoyed life. Don't get me wrong lot of kids in Asia still go >>
and certain other parts of the world go through even worst than what I had but they don't complain or whine like spoiled brats in the West who protest/complain about every little thing they can't get. Life is a choice make the best out of it....bless you all.
