Unlock Your Riches

Hey there!

Great to see you again and well I thought it about time to let you in on what it is I actually do and more about who I am.

In brief I have had a number and very varied jobs and I didn’t spend much more than 18 months well in anyone of them – why? I didn’t know then, but I do now. More about that later.

I have had some pretty awesome experiences through these jobs and done some other things that many people wouldn’t get the opportunity to do.

I lived in Hong Kong for many years and it was there I worked as a dolphin trainer at Ocean Park in Aberdeen. Yes I was a dolphin trainer and to this day I can tell you a few stories from that experience! I even remember the names of the head honchos of the show… (Molly, Pinky, Perky, Toto). I also worked with sea lions (Gigi and Nelsen) and seals whilst I was at Ocean Park and became part of the daily show they ran 3 – 4 times a day. A whole lot of running around (got very fit) and a whole lot of fish preparation. It explains a number of reasons why I choose not to eat fish to this day.

About 12 months after leaving Ocean Park my husband and I moved to Australia. When we first moved here (over 5 years ago now) we lived in Sydney and I started looking for my first full time job in scuba diving. I was a trained instructor from a while back in the UK and re-trained as a PADI instructor in Hong Kong and thought Australia was great place to really teach diving. Needless to say there are some interesting and varied dive sites in Hong Kong… honestly!

Before I went full time instructing my husband Alan and I went on an awesome holiday in Vanuatu. We did a days diving there and just when I though I wasn’t good enough to be an instructor, I soon realised that day I had what it took.

I spent a good 12 months teaching scuba diving. I met some great and very enthusiastic (and not so enthusiatic) people. I got very fit again. Swimming up to 6 times a week will do that. It helps when you are doing soemthing you wouldn’t really call exercise. If diving is a sure thing, it’s one way to face some fears… another story for another time (my first ever deep dive and I freaked out; who knew you could be as afraid of depths as you can be of heights?).

Being in the same location teaching the same courses sadly took it’s toll and it burnt out my enthusiasm for diving and so I turned to the corporate world.

Yep a desk job. I wanted regular hours, sick leave, all the ‘normal’ things in life. I wanted my weekends back so I coulc actually see my husband! I started at a company as a temp at first. They liked me so I became full time. I started looking for other opportunites after 18 months in that job and moved into a big glass box where the Managing Directors office was behind me.

That was a scary move. I was so out of my depths (excuse the pun) I didn’t know where to turn. I was flailing about al over the place and for a good 6 months I really really struggled. I was directionless and could only point the blame on my boss. I soon learned I did not like this choice I had made and it soon became apparent it was having an adverse affect on my relationships (particularly with my husband).

I was staying in the office well after everyone had gone home. I was driving to work so I didn’t have to walk home in the dark. I became lazy as a result and angry sitting in the morning traffic. I was coming into the office before everyone else and really what for? All I could do was complain and end up in tears of frustration.

Something had to give. The new boss was restructuring the department. A few people were being asked to leave and so I thought this was my chance to get out too. I got what I wanted, I was let free and I skipped out of there a happy lady.

Needless to say this decision wasn’t taken lightly. It was a redundancy afterall however Alan and I had been planning to find an alternate income in our spare time. We had spent the past year learning about property investing and so I turned all my attentions to it working from home.

It became a full time job in itself. I took the odd temp job here and there to help with the bills etc, but I just couldn’t do it any longer. I just couldn’t work for anyone but myself. By October 2007 I finally shut the door on ‘The Other Boss’ and made my home my new office.

I haven’t looked back.

Property investing is much more of a hobby for us now as we are in the thick of 3 other businesses.

What I went through and the experiences I have had of transitioning out of corporate and into a work-from-home life I am sure I could have done a whole lot better.

This is where I want to be able to help others of you out there to do it too and not make the mistakes I did.

It is a leap of faith, it does take courage but I encourage everyone of you to at least start whether or not your desk job is what you truly see yourself doing for the next 5 years.

I applaud anyone who absolutely loves what they do. You have something unique and very special and I only wish I could have made the same of my experiences in my previous jobs.

I have learned not to blame everyone else for my misery; working for other people…  it was all my fault. I chose to be that way and I chose to react badly to the given situations and circumstances.

I was living life below the line, I was not taking responsibilty of my situation.

In October 2007 I put an end to that.

What I really want to do is flick on that switch inside of everyone that shows them there is so much opportunity to be had out there.

Instead of banging your head on the wall each and everyday, turn around, find and open the door. Choose a different path. You may not know where it takes you, but you can learn a lot along the way.

Be courageous, be different and be strong. This blog can help you find your way. It is a maze out theer and Ican help you with directions and a map. I’ve been there ad done it and I can show you how to.

Grab my free report to get you started. It’s up there on the right.

I truly wish you every success with your endeavours.

Antonia