User:GRANCOUPE/sandbox

LAURENCE SACCO 1959 TO THE PRESENT

BIRTH AND FAMILY. Laurence was born in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom in September 1959 of an Italian father of the same christian name who was a British Army captain and later a businessman and Lillian an English mother. He had two younger brothers and an elder sister. There are two year age gaps between all the children in the family. THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER. His mother was a very ill lady during her short life after contracting a serious heart condition at the age of 18 years and dying at only 36 years old. Laurence was only 9 hears of age on his mothers death and it effected him, his brothers and sister very badly. Even to this day he admits he cannot get close to people as he states to that and lose that person is heart breaking. THE FAMILY WAS SPLIT UP. His father was struggling to bring the family of four children up due to having to work long hours to support them with the youngest being only five and the eldest, his sister 11 years of age.This led to his father having to make a difficult decision to split the family up to give them a chance in their lives. Laurence went to live with his grandparents in Oxford, the parents of his mother and his elder sister went to live with her aunty, her mothers sister. Laurence and one of his brothers went to school in Oxford from time to time during his younger years due to his mothers frequent admissions to hospital and had to live with their grandparents then. On his mothers death he returned to that school alone to complete his school education. FURTHER EDUCATION During the period whilst living with his grandparents and finishing school he continued studying for a degree at Oxford in mechanical engineering science.It was not long after a short spell employed as a graduate mechanical designer, he returned to university to obtain another degree in electronic engineering. It was whilst studying there he won the best student of the year award for performance and projects he undertook. He fitted in with his engineering studies his desire to study music and being able to play electric lead guitar. He later joined a band as lead guitar playing Hank Marvin and the Shadows tunes and a few other artists of that time. He made a few recordings of his band playing which he says because you ar copying an artists music there was no comercial market for it only at dances or social functions. THE DEATH OF HIS GRANDPARENTS Unfortunately when Laurence began his university studies both his grandparents had died whilst be was only 16 years of age. Laurence did not want to return to his birth town as by this time he had made new friends in Oxford. The only decision left to him was to become homeless and continue his studies. He many times slept rough in bus shelters or parks when had no money for food or shelter. He then decided to study during the day and work during the evenings either as a gardener or waiter. By his sheer determination he progressed to rented accomodation and then gone were the days for ever when he slept rough and had beans on toast for his Christmas dinner. He also learnt to play the electric guitar and played as lead guitar in a band to earn additional finances. This was later in his life to prove beneficial as now he owns a music academy. ON LEAVING UNIVERSITY. After leaving University he then returned to his birthplace in Windsor, Berkshire and took a position as a design engineer on ministry of defence projects. He worked on guided missiles and torpedoes and later on the Tornado and Harrier fighter aircraft. Soon after getting into the aircraft field he then worked on the Concorde in Paris, the Jumbo Jets in Seatle, USA and the A320 Airbus at British Areospace UK.As an Engineer he was involved in the design of life support machines and other medical equipment as well as printing equipement where he worked with the now famous Benzion Landa of the Landa Group. Laurence wanted to learn more about the business side so enroled on a further degree at night college in London to study Business and Finance from which he obtained yet another degree. EMPLOYMENT AS A DESIGNER After finding himself working working as a contract designer in a well known company on helicopter flight controls he saw the oportunity to open up his first business. The company was having great difficulty in getting qualified designers to work for them so he approached the HR department there and said he could get designers for them as long as they worked for him but at the same place of work.They decided to take his offer up and soon he was employing over 20 designers in tbe office as well as working there himself as their head designer. Laurence was only 26 years old at this time.The company then needed other staff like electronic technicians and thus he ended up employing over 55 of their staff. Soon he moved out whilst keeping his staff employed there and set up an engineering consultancy in a large rented office. It is here where his business and finance degree came into use. At this stage he was turning over some 4M per year and his personal wealth increasing. By this stage in his life he had 12 properties he was renting out and a large property as his main home. After all this management training and further study he became a chartered engineer. He was stll a very young 27 years old at this stage and said it was the way he had to fight to survive during his life what drove him. FATE STRIKES AGAIN Fate was about to strike him once again.The economy was in turmoil with massive inflation under the Thatcher government with sky high interest rates and property devaluations. Companies held ln to their money and did not pay their suppliers for long periods thus driving companies into liquidation and home owners all over the country being repossesed. THE LOSS OF HIS BUSINESS Laurence's business was hit bad, but he held on for another 5 years but the economy and housing market remained stagnent, he could not increase his overdraft to ride out the storm as the banks security, his properties were devaluing rapidly and his customers were not paying their bills. The banks refused to increase the overdraft thus Laurence could not pay his bills unless he took the customers to court and the courts were overfull with proceedings from the rest of the country and it would take months to get a hearing. He had to make an extreemly tough decision and close his company down or face ruin. Soon after this the banks froze his property accounts and sst about selling his propertiesto retieve their money kncluding his main house. At the end of all this Laurence lost 1.5M but did not go bankcrupt. He had just enough left to purchase another small house. Laurence did not take this lying down he set up several smaller businesses with his gained experience saying if you have several smaller businesses and you lose one you have the others but if you have only one large business and lose it that is final. HIS OWN SON DYING AT AN EARLY AGE Laurence and his family were deverstated when his son was diagnosed with blood cancer two years ago.His son just like his father fought this cancer very bravely and won the battle a year and a half adter contracting the cancer. Alas this was not to last long as a few months after being released from hospital and having hardley any immune system due the harsh cancer treatment he caught a very seriou infection. His son died just a few weeks before Christmas 2015. Laurence said this was worse than any of the fates he had endured over his life. Where is Laurence today at 56 years old..........6 small businesses having a substantial turnover as well he has 2 good houses and a millionaire plus once again. Hard work and determination can help you achieve goals in the end. But remeber the older you get you may not have the time to start all over again.

Life is like that, some have it easy others have it hard but if you have a hard life find out why and set about changing yourself.