Yesterday was a landmark day. I became fully self-employed. My income going forward will come from Creation IP, and intellectual property and business advice firm of which has a team of one (me) and network of thousands (you). My first steps relying on the skills I have developed at Marks & Clerk and Wobbly Williams are tentative ones. There is much to do but activities have to concentrate on supporting a family and raising money for Steven Gill.

The first day was fabulous. I spent much of it in my favourite coffee shop having a succession of meetings. A director of a law firm, a director of a production consultancy, a director of a product design business and a director of fundraising for a charity. More directors than a night at the Oscars.

I have gushed frequently on the support given to me by Marks & Clerk since I was diagnosed in 2007. And I’m going to gush again. They are magnificent firm who dealt with the exactly as you would hope you would be dealt with when catastrophe happens. Support, space and surety of employment. I cannot thank them enough for they have done. I will continue to publicly thank them when I tell my story and I will continue to send them business which my one-man band cannot cope with.

It was the hardest decision I ever made leaving Marks & Clerk. My leaving speech (I was never going to just say a few words) revolved around my relationship with Bob Naismith, the man who recruited me and supported me. When the story is written, he will loom large for giving me the freedom to spread my wings.

I left because my time had become unmanageable within the necessary procedures of a business of the size of M&C.

I launched with a low-key e-mail to my family and friends, and to my Wobbly network. There was much chatter and messages of support. The new website had over 400 page views and my LinkedIn profile was viewed by old friends and new. Such is the power of these websites, I could tell who looked and what they looked at. From this information I contacted a company who had read my profile LinkedIn and visited the website, and I have a meeting set up today!

So what does the future hold? Who knows. But it will be fun finding out.