For almost thirty years, my work has been about people: serving them, leading them, training them and, today, teaching them English. It started on a shop floor in 1998. Since then, I’ve managed teams, run my own business, trained apprentices across the UK, and today I’m in northern Germany, where I teach English to professionals around the world.

This is that story, chapter by chapter.

Chapter 1: Learning on the shop floor (1998–2008)

I learned what good service looks like by doing it, every day, in front of real customers.

Supervisor, Debenhams, Winchester · April 1998 – September 2000

My first supervisory role covered several departments, including the café and restaurant. I was named employee of the month, and then regional employee of the month, for customer service.

Supervisor, Topshop/Topman, Winchester · September 2000 – June 2001

I acted as Assistant Manager when the manager was away. That meant recruitment, training, rotas, window displays and stock, plus supporting other Arcadia stores when needed.

Assistant Manager, Madhouse, Southampton · June 2001 – September 2002

I ran the store day to day as key holder. I drove sales through coaching and smart staff placement, and handled recruitment, stock control and loss prevention.

Assistant Section Manager, Waitrose, Romsey · September 2002 – February 2008

At Waitrose I managed customer-facing departments with a team of up to 30 Partners. Three moments stand out:

• As store energy officer, I introduced new procedures that cut energy use, then built a training package to roll them out across the region.

• I trained the store's whole management team on new HR software for the John Lewis Partnership.

• As chair of the social club, I raised funds and organised trips to London and Disneyland Paris.

This is where I first discovered that I enjoyed training people as much as leading them.

Chapter 2: My own business (2008–2015)

In 2008 I took the leap and started my own business, and became part of the community around it.

Managing Director, Okewood Ltd, Romsey · March 2008 – December 2012

I built Okewood from scratch into two shops, selling ladies' fashion and homeware, plus a café. I was the buyer, merchandiser and marketer, and I built the website and social media myself. I hired local staff and trained them one to one, with product guides and regular bulletins.

Running a shop on the high street meant caring about the high street. Alongside the business I was:

• Chairman, Romsey Retailer Association (2009–2012): we lobbied Network Rail to move a major road closure away from Christmas, and brought retailers face to face with Tesco over a proposed supermarket.

• Executive Member, Romsey Chamber of Commerce (2009–2012): I helped create a town networking event and grow the membership.

• Chairman, Romsey Christmas Events (2010–2012): I introduced the town's lantern parade, which has grown every year since.

• Chairman, Romsey in Style (2011): a two-day charity fashion show for the Mayor's charities.

• Volunteer, Romsey Fairtrade Group (2010–2012): I organised the first Fairtrade event in Romsey Abbey, with over 200 guests.

• Deputy Chairman, Hythe Retailer Association (2007–2008).

I also organised the town's presence at the Romsey Show, which won best in show.

Shop & Café Manager, Canterbury Cathedral · December 2012 – March 2015

At the Cathedral I ran the High Street shop, Cathedral shop, café, audio desk and a seasonal kiosk. I led recruitment, training, appraisals and payroll. My proudest results were a big improvement in mystery shopping scores, work programmes with local schools and The Prince's Trust, and a new retail apprenticeship programme.

That apprenticeship programme pointed me towards my next chapter.

Chapter 3: From leading people to developing them (2015–2021)

In 2015 I turned twenty years of retail experience into a career in training and assessment.

Area Trainer – Special Projects, First4Skills, Kent · April 2015 – March 2017

I delivered retail apprenticeships at Levels 2 and 3, traineeships at Level 1, and Functional Skills in maths, English and ICT. I also worked as Regional Apprenticeship Manager, covering the south of England from Cornwall to Essex and up to Oxfordshire.

• I was chosen to trial a new traineeship programme. It reached 100% retention and led to a partnership with the Retail Trust to run 10 more programmes nationally.

• I was named a Values Ambassador for that work.

Specialist Skills Tutor, Royal British Legion Industries, Kent · April 2017 – March 2019

RBLI's skills department was brand new, so I helped build it: the learner journey, enrolment and daily processes. I designed and delivered courses in retail, customer service, business administration, employability and Functional Skills. Many of my learners faced real barriers to work, and seeing them move into jobs was life-changing for them, and deeply rewarding for me.

Sector Specialist Trainer, Learning Curve Group · April 2019 – December 2019

I delivered a Level 2 Retail Visual Merchandising apprenticeship built for Sainsbury's, helping grow its clothing and homeware departments. I supported apprentices in stores across London, the South East and Northern Ireland, through to End Point Assessment.

Learning and Development Facilitator, Co-op · January 2020 – October 2021

At Co-op I facilitated learning for colleagues across the business, online through Microsoft Teams. Topics included coaching, honest conversations, resilience and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, leadership, change management and feedback.

By the time this role ended, I was living in Germany, and a new chapter was about to begin.

Chapter 4: A new country, a new language (2021–today)

Moving to Germany made me a language learner myself, and that is when I found my calling as an English teacher.

In 2021 I qualified in TEFL and started hosting English events for Duolingo, welcoming learners from all over the world (September 2021 – January 2023). For a year I also rode for Flink, the grocery start-up, fitting shifts around my studies and events.

In 2022 I began teaching English as a freelancer. Today I teach adults and young learners, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), with a focus on Business English. Most of my lessons are online, with some in person.

English Language Trainer, Learnship · March 2023 – December 2025

At Learnship I supported professionals at major clients, including Google, Daimler and large banks, as well as small businesses expanding abroad. I designed customised language and intercultural training, from beginner level through to relocation readiness. The role ended when GoFluent acquired the company.

I have also taught with verytalk, and from 2023 to 2026 I held a telc English Dual-Level Examiner licence.

In April 2022 I set up my own Meetup group, Speak English with Simon, where people practise speaking English in a relaxed, friendly setting.

In 2026 I completed the Cambridge CELTA at Stafford House with a Pass A, the grade given to top-tier candidates.

What colleagues say

Qualifications

Beyond the day job

Volunteering has always run alongside my work (the Romsey roles are in Chapter 2).

• Retail Volunteer, RHS Hampton Court Flower Show (2018–2020): one of 100 volunteers chosen from over 400 applicants. A product I promoted sold 1,105 more units than the year before, an extra £6,384 for the charity.

• Volunteer, RSPB Dungeness (2013–2014): I welcomed visitors and created a new membership package for the reserve.

• Guest Interviewer, CATS Canterbury (2013): I held mock job interviews with international business students.

What's next