I left school and pretty much went straight into the corporate world. I grew up in a single-parent household with my Mum working in schools, and I felt the need to get a better understanding of everything else that was out there before committing to university. I started working at AXA, and eight years later I had carried out a variety of different roles, from IT to a PMO (Project Management Office) Analyst.
Fortunately, while this latter role was full-time, I had the backing to try my hand as a Business Analyst (BA). I quickly found that I liked the amount of detail involved with being a BA, giving it the edge over my other option which was to become a Network Engineer. The variety and broadness of BA work means you get to learn about a lot of different areas simultaneously. It led me to my current role as a Principal Consultant and Lead Business Analyst here at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence.
I really enjoy solving complex problems, working in what we call ‘the grey’, where you’re not really sure where you are and you’re trying to find a path forward that works. You’re constantly plotting different scenarios and potential routes.
Cooler than submarines
I was aware of BAE Systems even when I started at AXA – it’s difficult not to be drawn to cool things like submarines and naval ships, but it was only really until I visited Southampton to visit my girlfriend – now wife – that I really got to know the company.
I might not be working with submarines, but it doesn’t mean I’m not able to work on cool projects in Digital Intelligence. I worked with a government agency last year to decommission old predictive modelling systems on which the safety of many UK citizens depends. Upgrading visualisation systems and data processing technologies was fascinating, helping them extract the most value possible from available data, in a much more efficient and digestible way.
More recently I’ve been working on how we can support the beyond-visual line-of-sight drone market. Beyond that, I’ve also worked with other governmental departments through the lens of fraud analysis, helping to prevent fraud much earlier and more seamlessly.
A full trophy cabinet
I suppose validation for this cool work was being named runner-up in the Business Analyst of the Year award. There were a record number of entrants so that’s definitely an achievement I’m proud of, even if I didn’t receive a trophy for second place. That being said, I don’t really have room for a trophy thanks to my years powerlifting.
I was fortunate to break a number of British and nine World Powerlifting records, most of which I am proud to say have since been broken. I was also a three-time Powerlifting World Champion and competed in a number of Strongman competitions too.
Again, I think I got into power lifting thanks to my upbringing – my Grandad was a big influence, as was the popularity of wrestling (which I did with my brother a lot) and people like Arnold Schwarzenegger. From getting into CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting at 15, I discovered I was very good at deadlifts at a young age, I went into powerlifting and Strongman, but particularly excelled at powerlifting.
There are definitely parallels between my powerlifting background and the work I do now. With both, you have to be in love with the process and break down end missions into smaller goals, constantly building towards something but also remaining patient.
That balance of patience and aspiration has been vital. And, since stopping powerlifting, I’ve applied that to completing an Open University degree, and I’m now studying for my Advanced Diploma in Business Analysis.
But of course, there are also setbacks, and some are more severe than others…
Wiggling the toe
In April 2022, I woke up one morning and was paralysed. I’d had back issues in the past where doctors had given me a checklist of issues to be wary of in the future, and this late-night scare ticked all those boxes. I managed, mostly through my upper body strength and mental toughness, to get myself standing again. But after consultations with physicians, I was told to essentially behave as if I’d just had spinal surgery, to just lay down and let my body recover. The diagnosis was cauda equina syndrome, which is essentially compression of the spinal cord and nerves leading to paralysis.
During that time, I would set myself little challenges, and I tried to stay as positive as I could to make sure my mind stayed active and working towards something. I always think to that Kill Bill scene trying to wiggle her toe… which is ironic, as I couldn’t.
Two years on, there is risk of a reoccurrence and I’m unlikely to recover any more than I have, but if I can go three more years without another major incident, I’m back at the same risk level of complete paralysis as the rest of the population, officially.
That’s the next challenge and goal.
Seeking adventures
Goals will always be so important to me, and I actually make a point of publishing them on LinkedIn, partly as a point of reflection, but also as a conversation starter and ice breaker with new connections. I often look to connect with people that look inspirational, and I can see how their influence and expertise aligns with my own goals and aspirations.
The same has happened within BAE Systems, too, where I’ve looked to build relationships and open dialogues to learn as much as I can from different people and their experiences.
For me, setting goals isn’t just about achieving them. It’s about setting an intention and always working towards something. Again, this is something that Arnold Schwarzenegger was really big on, initially to be the world’s greatest bodybuilder, which he did. He wanted to be a movie star. He did. He wanted to get to a high position in politics. He did.
Everyone’s pathway is different, but you can learn so much from that approach to goal setting, and I’m fortunate that BAE Systems enables me to think big and to constantly improve.
You can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets. It doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges along the way, and it doesn’t even mean going at full tilt all the time. It’s about staying proactive because that’s how adventures are created. And it’s the adventures that I find far more fun than the end achievement a lot of the time.
So, get out there, talk to people, learn from others, gather information, enjoy that journey, understand that not everything will be perfect, and keep working towards the next goal.