'I left school at 15 and was made redundant - now I have a million-pound business'

A school drop out who quit education at the age of 15 and was made redundant from his first job now runs a million-pound business.

But for him the unfortunate event was a “blessing in disguise” as it prompted him to launch his own business, GW Power Safe, which is now set to make a £1.25 million turnover.

Daniel Haley, 29, said: “It was on the cards for a while. I was working at the time as an electrical contracts manager.

“I was obviously absolutely gutted to lose my job, and I was more concerned about the people I was managing than myself.

“It does not have to be the end of the world though. I always think it is better to see it as an opportunity to start again, and that is what I did.”

Mr Haley launched GW Power in 2014, and started out with a team of three, the Hull Daily Mail reports.

In the first year of business, the company turned over £166,000.

Today, the company has 18 employees, and is predicted to turn over £1.25m in June.

The Hull-born director, who grew up on the Boothferry estate, spoke about his foundations in business.

“I left school quite early at the age of 15,” Mr Haley said.

“It just was not the right place for me, so I went and got onto an apprenticeship and then went back to school just to sit my exams.

“I think I left with a B in maths – I’ve always been good with numbers – and something like a D in English, and that was about it.

“I qualified as an electrician within three years, which was a year earlier than it should have been, and was asked to work in the office at my old company to cover for a manager who was off.

“That manager did not come back, and at the age of 22 I ended up taking that job on.”

Fast-forward to 2014, and Mr Haley had been made redundant.

He launched GW Power and began renting the office out he had worked in at his previous company.

Around a year-and-a-half ago – as part of the business’ expansion – Mr Haley moved to GW Power’s current home in Brighton Street, west Hull.

The business has been contracted for some large-scale projects across Hull and the region, but the director has dreams of expanding further.