1. Life is so sweet –
the second time around
Sutton businessman puts into practice the lessons
he learned about work and money.
By Phil Shanahan
Few people get the chance to live
their lives again and correct the
mistakes they made the first time
around. Fifty-five year old Chris
Williams from Sutton Coldfield is
a rare exception. His first attempt
at family life ended in divorce and
separation from the children he
adored, but had so little time to see.
He says he has learnt some major
life lessons on work, money, love,
family and time. Chris has a new life
partner, is a ‘geriatric dad’ and says
his happiness is complete. He hopes
his extraordinary story will inspire
others to make the right choices –
before it is too late.
Ten years ago, Chris Williams thought
he had it all. He was the owner of a
successful business employing 25 people
with a £4m annual turnover. He had a
lovely wife and three beautiful children
– two boys and a girl. He enjoyed all the
trappings you would expect from being
a successful international entrepreneur.
Among Chris’ prized possessions were
several properties, a flashy 4x4, two
high performance motorbikes and an
obligatory boat. He owned his business
premises outright and was deprived of
nothing – apart from his time.
And that was the problem. Although he
didn’t realise it, Chris’ finger was hovering
over the self-destruct button as far as his
family life was concerned. His jet-setting
had made him rich beyond his dreams, but
he had little time for family, friends… or
any of the important things in life.
Chris was far from happy despite being
envied by others. Looking back he says it
was inevitable that his marriage would hit
the rocks.
“I was working 80-100 hours a week and
my typical weekly routine was just crazy,”
he said.
“Nearly every Sunday I took the Emirates’
flight from Birmingham to Dubai and
would head off to see clients in Sri Lanka,
China, Morocco or the Philippines. I’d
come back every Friday and convince
myself that I was doing the right thing
shelling out good money to see my
family for the weekend. In truth even
when I was with them, I was always
thinking about business. I might have
been with them physically but my head
was thousands of miles away.”
The extent of Chris’ globetrotting
became blindingly clear to him when
he realised that in one particular tax
year he was just two days short of being
declared non domicile in the UK.
“I thought I had a business, but in reality
I had a job with the most demanding
boss in the entire world – me,” he said.
Chris’ company supplied textile
machinery to clothing manufacturers.
Initially the vast majority of his
customers were in the UK, but the
market suddenly moved and the
business was forced to reposition
itself in far flung corners of the world.
Chris had to permanently pack his
toothbrush. One week he was travelling
to Cumberland, the next to China.
His lifestyle inevitably put a huge strain
on family life.
“I found that my wife and I were no
longer lovers, just business partners.
We had different views, different ways
of operating and it was clear something
had to give. We’re still friends, but our
marriage was over.”
After moving out of the family home,
Chris took his 15-year-old daughter Daisy
on a skiing trip to Austria. On the peaks
he had his first ‘light bulb’ moment
regarding the futility of the lifestyle he
was pursuing.
“Basically she beat me down the ski
slope,” he said.
“I was stunned. It seemed that one
minute I was cradling her as a tiny baby
in my arms and the next she was all
grown up and able to ski faster than
I could. So many precious years had
passed in a blur while I was focussed on
making more and more money.
“It suddenly dawned on me that I had
missed my daughter growing up. The
business had stolen my life. It was a
horrible realisation and no money in the
world could compensate me for that. I
called my ex-wife from Austria and told
her I wanted to sell the business and
never get on a plane again unless it was
for pleasure.”
A few years earlier Chris had been jolted
by Robert Kiyosaki’s business book ‘Rich
Dad, Poor dad’ which highlights the
importance of accumulating residual
income streams to gain more time in
life.
The skiing experience with his daughter
encouraged him to act immediately on
the author’s advice.
Chris, then aged 46, sold his business
and reduced his outgoings dramatically.
He downsized to a smaller property
and got rid of the material objects he
had collected. He then focussed on
creating a residual income via network
marketing.
“I’m not being glib, but those material
things suddenly didn’t matter. I saw
them for what they are. I realised we
live in a consumer-led society. We are
bombarded with advertising which
convinces us we need things we don’t
really need just to impress people we
don’t even like.
“I realised what we really need in life
is the gift of time, time to spend with
loved ones and friends, time to travel,
to relax and also time to work on health
and happiness.”
A second light bulb moment galvanised

2. Chris even more. A close business friend
and confidant discovered he had a
cancerous mole on his elbow and was
dead within six months.
“That was a huge shock because we
were incredibly close, said Chris.
“He was a very successful property
developer. He kept saying just one more
project and I’ll give it all up to spend
more time with the children and do all
the things I have dreamt of.
“He did exactly that for the last six
months of his life. That was the best
time he ever had – despite his illness.
I was devastated when he died, but it
made me re-evaluate my own life.”
Through his business networking Chris
also met his partner, Tina. She was
also divorced and had no children. The
couple decided to take a year out.
“I’d always facilitated my children to take
gap years, but had never done it myself.
In 2011 Tina and I decided to take an
adult gap year. The two of us, plus our
dog Loli, set off in a motorhome to tour
Europe.”
On Christmas Eve the couple found
themselves in a Portuguese campsite
chatting in a bar with some new friends.
“I asked everybody what they would
choose if they could have any Christmas
present in the entire world, said Chris.
“When it came to Tina’s turn she simply
said ‘a baby.’
“That made us feel a bit sad because
Tina had suffered miscarriages in the
past and at 45 presumed her chances of
having children had passed her by. But
what neither of us knew was that she
was already pregnant as she said it.
“We were going to be geriatric parents
and we were beside ourselves with
happiness. The only explanation I can
give is that when you are travelling in a
motorhome and it’s raining outside… and
there isn’t even a TV for entertainment…
well things can happen. That’s all I’m
saying!”
The couple returned to Sutton where
Tina gave birth to a happy and healthy
baby girl called Libby.
And this time Chris adopted a
completely different philosophy to
family life:
“Tina got the baby she had always
dreamt of and I got the opportunity to
correct the big mistakes I made first
time around. I now put time and lifestyle
before money and material things. My
life is just so much better.
“Libby recently celebrated her second
birthday and I have videoed every ‘first’
with her. The first time she walked,
smiled, spoke, saw a snail and even the
first time she sniffed a flower. These are
moments money can’t buy.
“I have learned so much from my
mistakes and I can tell you one thing
– Libby will never beat me down a ski
slope!”
Chris is now urging all business owners
and company executives to prioritise
their lives.
“It’s vital this message resonates with
people because it can prevent lives from
being ruined. It’s that important. If you
are reading this, start valuing your time
over money. You can’t save time up for a
rainy day. Once time has gone it’s gone
and it can be devastating to learn that
lesson too late.
“James Dean once said ‘dream as if you
will live forever, but live as if you are
going to die today.’ The average lifespan
is around 80 – that’s only about 4,000
weeks which doesn’t seem quite so long
to me. Life is short. I hope there is life
after death, but it’s important to make
sure there is life after birth!”
Chris appreciates that everybody has
to make a certain amount of money. He
also understands the need to manage
low budgets. But he also insists that
even the lowest of earners can make
decisions to improve their lives.
“Start by making a bucket list of all the
things you would love to do,” he advises.
“It does not have to be things which cost
a fortune either. For example, watch
a sunset in your local park, go out and
study the stars at night. Fish in a local
river, catch a train 30 miles away and
then cycle back home, go for a walk with
only a compass and no watch or map.
Join the National Trust, enjoy time with
the people who truly matter to you. Live,
live, live…don’t work, work, work.”
Chris says a main focus should be on
keeping fit and healthy, something
which he ignored for too long in a life
peppered with unhealthy business
lunches.
“Whatever the size of your budget,
reappraise, slow down, get yourself
more time even if it means less money.
Travel and be with your family.
“It’s true the best things in life are free,
but if you don’t have the time to enjoy
them, they may as well cost you the
earth.”
His final words of advice will particularly
resonate with readers:
“Nobody has yet uttered the following
words on their deathbed: I wish I’d spent
more time in the office.”
Mobile 07957 8958161
Email chris@chriswilliams.biz
Picture:JamesBastable