I’m Jack Ritchies, the creator and writer of www.hungerandambition.com and I'm a grammar school boy from Yorkshire in the north of England. I was settled down in my mid twenties with a house, a Ford Cortina, a wife and a beautiful six month old baby all financed by a steady administrative job with a local company. So steady that I was likely to be doing the same thing at the same company for the next 40 years.
But the world was changing and an uncle suggested it was time for me to change with it and get into selling. But, he said, make sure it was with an international company that had first class sales training facilities. After much trial and error I was attracted to an advertisement for a multi-national office machine company.
"It’s easy – the only thing you need" is persistence said the sales manager when I was interviewed for my first sales position. Did I have the hunger and ambition to take the plunge? – dare I take the risk?
Yes I did and became an accounting machine salesman and have spent most of my working life in the tough, competitive and uncompromising world of specialty selling.
I stayed with this international company for almost four years and did well enough to be promoted to branch manager and district manager before an American conglomerate came calling. The challenge was to start a regional office in the north of England for their fledgling electronic business systems division. Over four years, from a single desk and a telephone I built the organization to three branch offices and set up the regional administration to support ten specialist salesmen I'd recruited and trained.
After many promotions I was eventually responsible for sales forces specializing in business machines, data processing, small and mainframe computers in the UK, Eire and Kenya. Then, providence intervened, with a state manager’s position in Sydney, Australia followed by National Sales Manager for Australia.
After ten years ‘Down Under‘ fate was not finished with me. I was appointed managing director for the UK Operation and transferred back to the United Kingdom with a bright, prosperous future.
Then, as so often happens, disaster struck!
The Australian parent company went kaput leaving me high and dry. So, at 50 years of age I started again, this time away from computers. I built a thriving promotional marketing company over the next 20 years before selling 20% for a six figure sum. Five years later, I sold the remaining 80% for an additional six figures.
I now spend my time Internet marketing with a particular interest in personal development, positive thinking, sales training, mind & body, spiritual growth and travel.
Having started the regional operations for two major international organizations with just a desk and a telephone I know a thing or two about personal development and sales training. Enough to allow me to start my own successful sales promotion company - a completely different industry away from computers.
Keeping fit and healthy in mind and body has resulted in a lifelong fascination with alternative medicine which I now pursue through my website www.CQ10.org.
For me, spiritual growth is really an integral part of personal development; an innate belief that keeps many people going throughout their lives. Whatever their religion, not everybody is prepared to admit to a God even though they accept there is some mystical Higher Power but without knowing what that Higher Power is or how to reach it.
Nevertheless, despite all our best intentions throughout our lives most of us, are at some time or other faced with the light, or perhaps the dark, at the end of the tunnel. Which is why I see Spiritual Growth as part of personal development.
Throughout my married life I’ve been helped and sustained in my hunger and ambition by a wonderful woman who is still my wife, my soul mate, my best friend and, above all, my rock. Together we have produced three remarkable children and now, nine grandchildren aged from five to thirteen – eight boys and one girl. Two of our children live in Sydney, NSW which gives us an admirable opportunity to enjoy once again the pleasures of living ‘Down Under’. And a wonderful chance to explore the world as we decide where to stop-over on our annual trips.
Life has been a great adventure and I've had many setbacks but whatever happens, whatever life throws at you, I have learnt one valuable lesson; you have to come back fighting and not lie down. It’s never too late to change your goals and climb new peaks of achievement, whatever your age.