I used to work in man cave but now make millions after teaming up with Apprentice winner… now I earn money from beach
A BOILER engineer has swapped working in his backyard man cave to managing a thriving business with a winner of The Apprentice.
Lewis Ward, a 33-year-old boiler engineer from Cleethorpes, now manages a company with a multi-million pound turnover.
His remarkable transformation began when he signed up for a mentoring course by Joseph Valente, the 2015 winner of The Apprentice.
Just a few years ago, Lewis’s heating and gas services company, Swift Heating & Gas Services Ltd, was a modest operation.
He was installing 20 to 30 boilers a year and had a turnover of £150,000, working entirely on his own.
Today, the company boasts 16 staff members, a new showroom in Middlethorpe Road, and is set to install 600 boilers this financial year with a turnover “well over” a million.
The turning point for Lewis was attending Joseph Valente’s Trade Mastermind tutorials.
“It’s been life-changing, things have happened so dramatically since I did the Trade Mastermind course,” he said.
“It was the catalyst to really get things going. It’s been so good for me; like having a personal trainer for business.
“I set up as a one-man band six years ago. I was plodding along, quite happy but a little bit frustrated as well. I went on Joe’s course and that’s when I started taking the business seriously.”
Joseph Valente, who has built a successful mentoring empire since his time on The Apprentice, expressed his pride in Lewis’s achievements.
“Well done to Lewis. He’s a great guy and I’m so glad things have gone so well after he did the Trade Mastermind course,” he said.
Swift Heating & Gas Services Ltd is now a leading boiler company in Lincolnshire, and Lewis has ambitious plans for the future.
With staff already covering regions from Lincolnshire to Yorkshire and the Midlands, he aims to expand nationally.
He plans to travel through Southeast Asia for six months next year, managing his business remotely from the beaches of Thailand.
He continued: “My company now runs itself so I want to go travelling for six months while the business thrives. I aim to make money while I’m on the beach.
“Middle management can run things while I check the figures on my iPad or laptop. I want to enjoy myself while I’m still in my 30s.”
Meanwhile, his mentor Joseph Valente continues to run his successful business after ‘firing’ Lord Sugar.
The ex-plumber, 34, axed his partnership with the tycoon after 18 months.
He said: “I didn’t want a business partner I was reporting to and a silent investor. I was looking for a coach or mentor who was going to teach me how to grow my business.”
Recalling their business split, Joseph added: “I was the first apprentice to buy Lord Sugar out and break up the relationship. I told him face to face.”
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, he recalls how the stress and shame of his firm folding two years later sent him into a depression — until that “mocking” tweet from Lord Sugar ignited his fighting spirit.
He said: “What sparked me into action was Lord Sugar. He shared one of the articles, ‘Joseph’s Gas Firm Blown’, and retweeted it saying, ‘You can’t win them all . . . “
“But actually, lockdown was the best thing that could ever have happened to my business because it forced me to go online as I couldn’t run live events.
“I started selling online training courses and doing virtual seminars. I went from losing it all to within three months doing £100,000 a month in sales from my apartment.”
He charges £15,000 for a one-year course and says most of the participants triple their income in those 12 months.
Meanwhile, a barman who worked for £4.50 an hour has revealed how he transformed his life and became a multi-millionaire.
Elsewhere, It seems not all The Apprentice businesses are doing so well, ex-winner James White’s recruitment firm has gone into liquidation owing nearly £200,000 – seven years after winning a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar.
Apprentice winners business advice
From Plumber to Millionaire Mentor: Transform Your Business with Joseph Valente's Advice
Joseph Valente, founder of Trade Mastermind and winner of The Apprentice, offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Mastering core business areas: Perfecting areas such as marketing, sales, recruitment, human resources, IT, and finance management are crucial for driving growth and maintaining smooth operations according to Valente.
Mentorship: Valente believes in the power of mentorship and continuous learning, advocating for gaining insights from experienced mentors to avoid common pitfalls and accelerate growth. His Trade Mastermind program provides comprehensive training in these key areas, drawing from his own hard-earned experience. Additionally, he highlights the importance of intense preparation, suggesting that thriving under high-pressure situations can make real-world challenges seem more manageable.
Pushing beyond entrepreneurial comfort zones: This is another cornerstone of Valente’s advice. He asserts that moving out of these zones can help transform a fledgling venture into a multi-million-pound empire. Celebrating successes is also vital; Valente believes in enjoying life’s luxuries as rewards for hard work, whether it’s driving supercars or traveling to exotic locations. He remains confident in the potential for exponential growth, with his Trade Mastermind program on track to become a £100-million-a-year business.
Additionally Valente offers a wealth of advice for individuals ‘looking to go from tradesmen to businessmen’ with his online Trades Mastermind course.