I set up Julian Church and Associates because I‘d felt in my previous position where I worked as a consultant, that I was bringing in the work, I was doing the work and then invoicing the work. If that was the position I was going to be in, I realised I could do that for myself. I could choose how I wanted my life, both professionally & personally, to grow.
From there I made the jump to actually set up Julian Church and Associates in 2001. It was important to me, personally, to make this leap with integrity. I went without trying to poach any clients, I looked to work with my existing networks, bringing new clients on board and from that the Julian Church brand just grew and grew.
We’ve developed as we’ve gone along these past twenty years and ultimately I was looking to extend my contacts and do my way of things. We, as a company, still hold the values that I held back then and it’s worked quite well so far. At Julian Church Associates we still feel that traditional core family vibe. Being the lead, the owner of Julian Church Associates, it’s like being a Dad. You are, ultimately, the head of the family, our employees, our clients, we become one big diverse family.
Running the business with the family is different!
When we first started Julian Church and Associates, I was working from home, the family was around us at the same time as we were working in the office. When I say “The Office”, it was initially the dining room!
This ultimately became the home office and as we grew, we had outgrown the “home office” and the natural next step was a move out into the town centre where we’ve employed more people and worked steadily since. It’s funny to think that during the pandemic, it came full circle and working from home became everyone’s new normal! I wonder just how many dining rooms became offices?!!
Working with the family means that I get to see my family when I want to see my family. Other times I’m drawn away, but a majority of the time they’ve really grown up around having Dad working from home. Even when I have been working away, I still make sure the family is kept in the loop as such in terms of what we are doing. These days it’s so much easier to be able to keep that personal family connection going with technology and social media.
Choosing to run my own business, means that I can help support them in ways that, maybe as an employed person I couldn’t have done. I’ve had the ability to run my own schedule and diary so I could be there for them as they’ve grown up. We’ve taken sponsorship at Fulham Football Club, and I even became a football coach for a while!
You ask me who Julian Church, the Dad is?
Julian Church, the Dad is the fella, if you like, who tells them no.
Julian Church, the Dad is the fella who helps provide the pieces for them.
I’d like to think that they get great support from me, in the choices that they make at the moment.
They’ve taken braver choices than I have in what they do.
I would hope that what I provided to them as the Dad has allowed them to grow to become the people that they’ve become today. As a Dad, you can only hope for the best for your family and your children and you can only give your best.
I am Julian Church and I am proud to be The Dad.
‘How To Start A Legacy Business – Julian Church’