The best job title I’ve been able to come up with so far, is a ‘parallel entrepreneur and development manager’.  Essentially I’m involved in a number of different things, and I keep very busy helping make things better.

Currently, my main business interests are as follows:

Hotel de Vie

This is a luxurious boutique hotel, that opened in Sept 2007.

I’m now very fortunate to have taken over the hotel from the original  owners, from September 2010 onwards (until at least Sept 2013).

I’m aiming to keep all the excellent qualities they’ve already established within the hotel (with around 85% of weekday travellers staying on business, and around 95% of weekend travellers staying as couples for a romantic getaway).

Please visit our hotel website for further information.

The Therapy Agency

This is a national agency of professional complementary therapists. They work across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  Predominantly providing massage therapies:

• into workplaces (ie 20 minute onsite massage),
• at events (ie in shopping malls and trade-shows),
• with individuals (in the therapists’ Therapy Room or Clinic, or mobile to the clients’ home).

I launched the Therapy Agency in around 2002, and now have around 85 therapists who’ve successfully completed our detailed application procedures, and work with us.

Photography by Jason Parlour

Having been very selective in finding the right photographers to work with over the years for various commissions and shoots, in late 2008 I purchased a professional level Canon digital SLR, to take shots of things I couldn’t justify arranging a shoot for.

Just a few months later I won the UK finals of Microsoft’s ‘Imagine Cup’, with a prize of £450 of camera equipment, some press coverage, etc.  I was fortunate to be entered into the top 6 from around the world, and so as an individual competitor, I competed against teams in the world finals in Paris.

My photography has expanded from this, focused particularly on ‘capturing the moment’ from events.  However, with my detailed understanding of Pole Dancing for fitness, and thus invitation to various events, I’m now regarded as one of the leading Pole Dance photographers in the UK!

Parlour Design

Having started designing websites in late 1996, I’ve been fortunate to watch a significant part of the growth of the internet during some incredible changes.

After designing various websites for myself and the businesses I was involved with; friends, colleagues and acquaintances started asking me to design website for them too.

My personal specialism is in the coding of the html and CSS (the bits that talk with the browser to make it display), and I focus a great deal on making the page validate, keep it accessible, keep it usable, and keep it high on the natural search listings of Google, etc.

As my design skills aren’t as fast as others I know, I therefore sub-contract out this element to some really great specialists I’ve been working with for years.  Similarly, when time is short, I bring in other coders, programmers and other specialists to make the site as great as it can, for accessible fair prices.

Purity Pole Dancing

Purity was first set up by a great friend of mine in 2006.  Although Jolene has never done the stripping side of things, she’s been performing as a podium dancer for many years prior.

Purity has now expanded quite significantly, with 3 additional teachers working in different locations across the South East, and over 100 students a week learning with Purity at any time.

For 8 months I managed the administration of her other teacher’s classes, and am still involved in assisting at various times (such as the development of digi-pole).

Other business interests:

I also have a number of other business interests in development, or part-time. These include Stress Reduction corporate training with Minutes A Day (also to be made into a book), professional complementary therapy training to others (such as Reiki and massage), and a new board game that’s already been tested by a significant number of willing volunteers!

In my spare time:

From 2002 – 2010, I co-ran a local Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme every Tuesday evening (although unfortunately I had to give this up in late 2010 to take on the hotel).

I’ve also been a Presiding Officer in most of the local, parish and general elections for the last 10 years, from my previous home in Reading.

I’ve also supported my business developments early on as a technology specialist and manager with various promotional jobs for people like HP, Microsoft, Sony, BT, Intel, etc. at high profile locations around the UK.

I’m also a regular gym goer, vegetarian cook, and keep active with other interests too like Yoga, diving, and Inversion Therapy!

Thankfully in general I don’t have to commute far, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink alcohol, and don’t watch much TV, so this gives me more time to do all the things above I do like doing!

You might also be interested in seeing some other ‘random facts’ about me on this page.

 

Some other links you might be interested in: