Looking back ... I've had a great life, lots of experiences mixed with plenty of ups and downs!

I'm an early baby boomer born in South Africa and moved to Rhodesia as a youngster. My schooling was split between junior school in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and senior school (a three day train trip away from home) at Kingswood College in Grahamstown.

Then off to university to do a degree in economics. Later, in tandem with career changes, I did post graduate degrees in computer science, planning and finance.

Work started in 1970 with a short stint in the Rhodesian Government where there was lots of partying and a little work! So I suppose nothing much has changed in government employ?

I then returned to South Africa to start a traditional corporate career. The bulk being about twenty years working at a now non-existent textile factory (all the jobs were exported to China!).

In 1990 I had a life changing motor accident. While sitting in a stationary line of vehicles we were hit by a large tanker and trailer. Before setting out on his cross country trip the driver had consumed 5 quarts of beer and had fallen asleep at the wheel. In the ensuing accident and fire eleven people died.

After months in hospital and many operations over the next year my only lasting damage is impaired use of my right arm. I was told that I was lucky to have an arm. It had been saved by an exceptionally talented surgeon who had gained his experience, through patching up similar injuries, during the 7 day war in Israel!

The other lasting result was a very disillusioned view of corporate business. So after fully recovering I decided to go out on my own and meet the real world.

Wow! It certainly was an eye popping experience!

Since then I have been involved in starting up, buying, fixing up and selling a number of small to medium sized businesses with varying degrees of success.

After a number of years in “eight to five” jobs I'm now on my own again. Pursuing my dream of being an independent "digital nomad".

Being free to live and work from anywhere in the world. Being able to visit my children and step children who are scattered all over the world and to be able to spend time with my grandchildren. To do exciting and interesting things with them to leave them with fond memories of “granny and grandpa”.

I have also led a very active physical life, running marathons, competing in many mountain biking and road cycling races and board sailing. Two years ago I added to my scars in a road cycle race accident … the result was a smashed pelvis, 3 weeks in hospital and 3 months on crutches.

I was encouraged by my wife and friends to retire from competitive sport and to take up something “less dangerous”. Unfortunately in South Africa cyclists have the added dangers of lawless taxis and unrepaired potholes. So I'm now jogging on the beach and have taken up golf again after a 30 year layoff.

I am married to a very tolerant and understanding wife who takes my nomadic restlessness in her stride. Her passion andoccupation is the care of old (really old, much older than me!) people – a responsibility that only very special people can carry out with love and empathy.

I intend doing everything I can to make retirement challenging, purposeful and fun. I want to help people to see the exciting opportunities they can uncover through their own purposeful retirement planning and and hopefully assist them to achieve their retirement success.

Could retirement counseling be a good business opportunity?

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