From Homeless Footballer to Multi-Millionaire CEO: Inspiring Journey of Dean Forbes



by   |  VIEW 492

From Homeless Footballer to Multi-Millionaire CEO: Inspiring Journey of Dean Forbes
From Homeless Footballer to Multi-Millionaire CEO: Inspiring Journey of Dean Forbes (Provided by Financial World)

Dean Forbes, a former professional football player, has become a topic of discussion in the British media due to his rags-to-riches story. Forbes, who was once a talented footballer with dreams of reaching the Premier League, faced a series of challenges that led him on a path to success in the business world.

From Failed Footballer to Successful Entrepreneur

At 17 years old, Forbes had a trial at Premier League club Crystal Palace, but was ultimately rejected. This rejection marked the beginning of a difficult period in his life, as his family lost their home and his mother lost her job, leaving him as the sole breadwinner.

In an attempt to escape the high-spending lifestyle of his football friends, Forbes accumulated debt and ultimately had to leave minor league football for a job at Motorola. However, this change of pace proved to be a turning point for Forbes, who has now progressed to become CEO of Forterra, a major software company that was sold for $1 billion last year.

As a result, Forbes' net worth has skyrocketed to $40 million. In an interview with Business Chief, Forbes said, "I describe the start of my career journey as a twice-homeless failed footballer who found himself doing telesales to service a mountain of debt that he'd accumulated to keep up with football friends.

I’m really grateful for that debt because it meant I had to fail at football quickly in order to get into the professional working environment”.

Overcoming Adversity

Forbes' journey to success was not without its challenges. He had to leave home at a young age to provide for his family and work his way up in the business world.

He recalls, “Both times were very difficult for our family. We went into hostel accommodation and the second time, we came out of it by breaking up the family. I was of age so I left home and had to go and make my own way”.

Despite the difficulties he faced, Forbes has come to realize that his rejections in the world of football were for the better. He explains that he was not fully committed to a football career, and that his experiences have allowed him to grow and succeed in the business world.