Today, I am the guest speaker at a 'Business Boot Camp' in the heart of rural Conwy in North Wales.
The event is being organised by the Community Development Service of Conwy County Borough Council.
It is part of a rural business support project and includes a full day of workshops for North Wales SMEs.
The North Wales and Liverpool-based Daily Post ran a nice story about the Boot Camp.
See - http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business-news/business-news/2012/10/17/secret-millionaire-star-to-appear-at-llanrwst-business-boot-camp-55578-32045207/
Here is some of what business reporter Martin Williams had to say -
A SECRET millionaire will put budding entrepreneurs through a business boot camp.
Kevin Green – a star of the Channel 4 hit series – has been lined up by Conwy Rural Business Support as the keynote speaker for their event in Glasdir at Llanrwst on November 9.
With 429 properties in his portfolio, making him one of the UK’s largest residential property landlords, the former South Wales dairy farmer also runs Kevin Green Wealth which educates, motivates and inspires with real advice by someone who actually practices what he preaches.
The 48-year-old is looking forward to sharing the secrets of his glittering career.
He told Business Post: “Generally it is the person who creates a successful business. I cover things like successful business systems, but also the type of person you need to be, what is an entrepreneur.”
The event is being organised by the team at Conwy Rural Business Support, headed by Project Officer Anna Openshaw, working with Elen Rowlands, the manager of Glasdir.
Ms Openshaw said: “In addition to Kevin's keynote address, there will be a variety of workshops which aim to assist with different aspects of businesses.
“The day will be full of activity but there will be plenty of time to network during breaks, lunch time and between workshops.”
Kevin seemed certain to follow in father Alan’s footsteps at their Burry Port dairy farm, but after they locked horns in 1984 about how the farm was run, Kevin left home.
“I ran away from home in 1984 and became homeless. It was my decision and it was self-inflicted,” he said.
Two years later and stunned by the death of his sister Julie from lupus disease at 19, Kevin returned and was reconciled with his father.
In 1999 he was awarded a Nuffield scholarship to travel the world talking to business giants like Bill Gates and Sir Richard Branson, analysing their personalities and attitudes and what made them so successful.
“The purpose was to see how the corporate world had any particular relevance to farming,” he said.
When he completed his study in 2000 and began travelling Wales lecturing about what he had found, he had that “if they can do it, I can do it” moment.
He bought his first property soon after, using credit cards to bridge finance the deposit of a buy-to-let mortgage. After quickly renovating it and selling it at a profit, he bought a second.
He now has “clusters” of properties in South Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Kevin also cleared any debts on his dad’s farm, which now makes the family more money rented out than it did when they were milking.
Even though times are hard and banks are not lending to small business like they used to, Kevin, a father of three teenagers, believes “more millionaires are made in the recession than any other time” and added: “If you buy right you weather the storm.
“Research well and get trained, by experts in the market place, people who have done it, not just write about it. With me business comes first – I haven’t even written a book.
“I’m more excited by this market than before because it’s taught people to be cautious. Money is available if you know how to access it.”
For information, visit www.bootcamp4biz.co.uk.
