My name is Rhys Adams, I am 30 years old and live in Derby in the UK. I’m always a very busy boy and I like to come up with new and exciting business ideas.
I have a little boy called Charlie who is 7 years old and is my shadow. We share many interests together including the PS3, Motorsport and Traveling. When he turns 8, Charlie hopes to drive go karts and hopefully he will be getting one for his birthday.
I am currently Director of a few companies including Cocoon Group Ltd and Derby Weddings. The majority of the ideas around the businesses have come from myself, but I could not have done anything without the help of the guys I work with.
I previously worked for Sunwin Motors in Derby, as Group Marketing Support Manager, working under the Group Marketing Manager; Matthew Ward. I loved my job to bits and the fact that I never knew what I would be doing from one day to the next, made the job feel very fresh and exciting. One day I could be designing leaflets the next day I could be fixing PC’s.
I always like to set my self targets to achieve, I suppose everybody does in a way but these “goal” help me get to the next level.
Outside of work I have always had mad business ideas, as mentioned above I currently run a business called Forklift Agency with my Mum and my step-dad Jeff. The company is doing very well and we currently have over 30 instructors.
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
I have many hobbies and interests including photography, computers, reading, traveling and motorsport.
Photography: I am really getting into photography, and have recently upgraded my camera from the Canon 350d to the Canon 7d. Still don’t know how to use half the features on it, but some of the pictures look amazing. I have also got a wide range of lenses for it including the Canon 100-400mm L Series lens, which I hope to be using at the F1 at Silverstone in 2011. I have also got a 10-20mm Sigma Lens, 50mm Canon Lens, 15-85mm Canon Lens and a few Telephoto’s. My next lens will be a Fisheye, as I love doing the really distorted looking shots, and the 10-20mm just can’t do what I’m looking for.
Computers: I bought my first PC when I was 16, it cost me £900 and was the cheapest one in PC World. I was a little bit late starting with computers, but really enjoyed teaching myself how to do things. When we finally got the internet at home, I taught myself html, I started my reading the source code of websites and teaching myself what all the tags meant. Then built my own websites using notepad. For some reason everybody comes to me for help with problems on the PC, but to be honest I just make it up as I go along.
I have recently got on the Apple band wagon, starting about 4 years ago with a Mac Mini. I mainly bought one as I wanted to go into Graphic Design, but realised how great they were to use. I now have a collection of them including a 24″iMac, 27″ iMac, Macbook Air, Mac Mini Server and loads of bits to go with them including iPad and iPhone.
Reading: I really enjoy magazines, especially those that keep you up to date with the latest gadgets and cars. I tend to buy Auto Express and Mac Format quite a bit. I also like reading books, with my favourite genre being Autobiographies. Duncan Bannatyne’s biography was a big inspiration to me, but have also enjoyed Chris Moyles’ and Chris Evans’ books.
Traveling: I really love to get around and every spare minute I have, involves me jumping in my car and going somewhere different. I love the Peak District, and its great that we are only 15 minutes away from home. But living in the midlands is a huge benefit as in reality, we are only 2 hours away from the coast. We also now own a Static Caravan in Wales, so its so nice to be able to escape the working life.
I have also been to Canada a few times, as my Dad lives in Montreal. Canada is a beautiful place and have been in both Summer and Winter, when it feels like two completely different places. Niagara Falls is fantastic and doesn’t look real, even when you are stood in front of it. I also really enjoyed Toronto. There are many things to do in Montreal, including the Old Market and walking around the Grand Prix track, winter is a little restricted due to the cold weather but it is fantastic to see the lakes frozen over.
My other favourite place is Berlin, my Grandad was born in the City in a small town called Karlshorst. Berlin is such a special place, and have watched it over the years grow into a very modern city. It is a must for people of all ages, whether you want a drinking break or a sightseeing tour.
Motorsport: I enjoy following motorsport and try not to miss the Formula 1 on the TV. I used to be a regular at Donington Park when my old boss had a box there. I have recently started going back to Donington Park, as I am a big believer in supporting the track for the future and it was such a shame when they lost the F1 contract. I have recently been to see the Touring Car Championships, really enjoyed this and my set of photos are on this website.
Cars: I really do love cars and working for Graham Rose at Balloon and Party Ideas was just the spark that made my life the way it is today. When I left BPI I went to work at Sunwin, in the Renault Franchise. I loved working in this environment and driving different cars. I now run Cocoon Vehicles with my old boss Myron Nykolyszyn and another guy called Paul Stone, and the passion for cars has grown. I am a bugger when it comes to buying news cars and generally get bored very quickly. I have had alsorts over the years, which are listed on another page. But at the moment I have an Audi S4 Avant and a Porsche 924.
