Blind – but Martin saw opportunity

Jan 21 2008 by Iain Laing, The Journal

LOSING his sight was no bar to Martin MacDonald launching a successful business in Sunderland.

The 29-year-old from Ryhope had to give up work after developing cellulitis in his foot – an infection which then spread all over his body and led to him developing diabetes in his eyes.

By Christmas 2006, he had lost the sight in both eyes and faced an uncertain future, as he underwent laser treatment to try to restore his sight.

But it was while he was undergoing treatment and getting support from workers at Action for the Blind, that someone suggested putting his skills to good use and starting his own business.

Martin said: “I had worked as a manager for a number of years specialising in asbestos removal and demolition and even when I was really ill, I kept receiving phone calls from old contacts asking me to do work.

“I really liked the idea of working for myself and knew I had loads of experience of asbestos removal, but I thought it would be too expensive and didn’t really know where to start setting up a company.

“Then someone suggested contacting enterprise agency SES in the city, where there are experts who can offer free advice to people like me on everything you need to know to get started.”

Once SES operations director Kevin Marquis stepped in to help Martin, he pulled together a business plan and managed to help him get all the necessary funding to set up Mac Environmental Services UK Ltd, in the Pennywell area of Sunderland.

Since starting to trade in July this year, the firm has won work across the country, including a five-year contract with a large housing association and a major local authority. More importantly, Martin’s sight has started to return, which has given him the courage to look at building on his success.

He said: “The staff at SES have been brilliant – I really couldn’t and wouldn’t have managed to do this without them. They’ve helped with everything from market research and doing a business plan through to getting the money I needed to start out.

“The great thing is that although I’m now running the business, Kevin is still there to help with any obstacles I come up against. Having an excellent business advisor behind me has made the world of difference.

“It’s been hard graft – sometimes I’ve been working until 2am – but business is going really well. I’ve now got three vans on the road and a staff of five, a couple of which had been unemployed for 16 months before I took them on.

“I’m also looking to expand very soon and take on another 15 operators and hope to also have offices opened in Doncaster and London by the end of next year.”

SES business councillor Kevin Marquis said: “Martin is a great example of somebody who has struggled against adversity to launch a thriving business that will continue to grow and create valuable employment.”