"A colorful journey involving exotic locations and larger than life personalities." Kathy Denver, The International Review of Books
At fourteen years of age, Billy Houston arrived in Santa Monica, California and embraced the land of opportunity with both hands. This is his story.
From clandestine raffles with his schoolmates, to creating two of the most dynamic franchise businesses in history, Billy's tale is one of triumphs and tribulations, interspersed with the wit and wisdom of a natural-born entrepreneur.
Inspired by true events, Billy Houston Rags to Riches will take you on a journey unlike any you've read before - rooted firmly in reality, but with the twists and turns of a fast-paced financial thriller.
I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia before moving to Noosa, Queensland, Australia where I have lived for the past twenty-eight years. I commenced university in Melbourne but after a horrific car accident, then being tied up at gunpoint by a man wielding a sawn-off shot gun decided there was more to life than finishing my university degree. When I was thirty-five, I opened an accounting firm in Noosa, Australia.Fifteen years later, my accounting firm was listed by BRW magazine as one of the Top 100 accounting firms in Australia by revenue and one of the Top 10 fastest-growing accounting firms in Australia.
Whilst running the accounting firm, I established a surf clothing company with clothing retailers in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United States of America stocking my clothing label. After operating for three years, with the global financial crisis upon us, I closed this business at considerable cost to me and other investors.
I commenced one of Australia's first franchised insurance businesses for Insurance Advisors which morphed into becoming an Australian Financial Services Licensee. With a lot of hard work, this business grew substantially over a six-year period to include over 300 licensed advisors and accountants throughout Australia. The business won many national awards and was acknowledged as one of Australia's leading independently owned financial services licensees.
In June 2017, as the largest shareholder, the business was sold for twenty million Australian dollars to a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. In October 2017 I officially retired from corporate life.
I'm known in business circles as an entrepreneur. Most of my business ideas have come to me on my daily walks, when home, along Noosa main beach.I now spend half my life in Noosa and the other half in Thailand. A relaxed, stress-free, idyllic lifestyle.
I've now commenced writing my third novel.Feel free to connect with me at gregholman.com.au
