The Story Behind Startup With Adam

I’m Adam McCollough, and my story isn’t one of privilege or academic brilliance. It’s a story of getting into trouble, being told what I couldn’t do, and then proving every naysayer wrong.

The Early Days: Council Estate Kid to Entrepreneur

I grew up on a council estate in Buckinghamshire with a single mum and my two sisters. School reports called me “a dreamer” who “can work hard when he wants to” – both absolutely true. While others saw limitations, I saw opportunities everywhere.

At 12, I was delivering 60,000 carpet leaflets for £60, fingers numb with frostbite but determined to earn. But that wasn’t even my first business. Before that, I was charging kids 20p to dig for toys through my “Bubbly Shubbley” mystery jar (soap, water, and felt-tip pen ink – pure entrepreneurial genius).

Before I’d even left school, I was juggling multiple jobs: paperboy, supermarket worker, butcher’s assistant. I wasn’t afraid of hard work, but I was always looking for the next opportunity.

The £20,000 Lesson

I trained as a Carpenter but was laid off due to lack of work mid-way through my apprenticeship. I finished the college course whilst doing a lot of labouring and temporary jobs. Then came my first real business venture – and my biggest failure. At 24, I started Adma-Colour, a graphic design and printing business. I got a £5,000 grant and promptly wasted it on equipment I didn’t need, stock I couldn’t use, and a car I shouldn’t have bought.

Within two years, I was over £20,000 in debt and filing for bankruptcy. And believe it or not, the debt only got bigger after that – but that’s a story for another time (it’s all in my book)!

But here’s the thing about failure – it’s only failure if you don’t learn from it.

The Breakthrough Moment

The biggest lesson came when I discovered I could outsource my printing for half what it cost me to do it myself. Instead of slaving over a machine, I became the middleman, doubling prices and focusing on what I was actually good at – selling.

That was my first taste of leverage – just one of the foundations of every successful business I’ve built since.

From Bankruptcy to Financial Freedom

Fast-forward three decades, and I’ve built multiple successful businesses, including ToyDay.co.uk and CornishWhispers.co.uk. I’ve invested wisely in property and other ventures. Today, I live in Cornwall in my dream home with my gorgeous family and the freedom to choose how I spend my time.

But here’s what matters most: I did it all without external funding, investors, or unnecessary debt.

Why I’m Sharing This With You

I’ve started dozens of businesses over the years. Some failed spectacularly, others succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. I’m excellent at starting businesses (though admittedly, I get bored running them long-term).

That’s exactly why I’ve decided to share everything I’ve learned. You can avoid the mistakes that cost me well over £20,000 and years of struggle. You can build a leaner, better, bigger business in a fraction of the time.

The No-Money Method

Here’s what I’ve discovered: You don’t need money to start a business. You need a great idea and a plan to make it happen.

When I started that printing business, I didn’t need that expensive machine. I didn’t need new equipment, excessive stock, or a fancy office. All I actually needed was a second-hand computer and some design software.

Today, it’s even easier. You can start and scale almost any business from your laptop, with an incredible wealth of resources that didn’t exist in the 1990s.

What Makes Me Different

I’m not your typical business coach. I don’t sell “7-figure blueprints” or promise overnight success. I offer something much more valuable:

✅ Real experience building actual businesses (not just coaching others)

✅ Proven methods for starting with £0 funding

✅ Honest advice about what works (and what doesn’t)

✅ Free help first – my reward comes from your results

I’ve been where you are. I know what it’s like to have more ambition than capital, more ideas than resources. But I also know that’s exactly where the best businesses are born.

Why I Make Time For Mentoring

Being involved with the Peter Jones Foundation’s Alumni Programme has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey. There’s something special about helping young entrepreneurs navigate those early challenges – it takes me right back to my  Adma-Colour startup days. The advice, contacts and opportunities that arose from my mentor that I was assigned from the Princess Youth business trust was worth ten times the grant that they gave me.

After earning my business mentoring accreditation from Oxford Brookes University, I realised good guidance isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions, sharing honest lessons from failures and successes, and most importantly – listening.

These experiences constantly remind me that great business isn’t about fancy Linked-In style jargon or growth at all costs. It’s about creating something meaningful while staying true to your values.

Are You Ready to Start Your Journey?

Whether you’re launching your first side hustle, scaling a growing venture, or planning your escape from the 9-to-5, I can help you shortcut the mistakes and build something that actually works.

Because if a council estate kid who failed his 11+ on purpose can build multiple successful businesses and achieve financial freedom, so can you.

The question isn’t whether you can do it. The question is: are you ready to start?