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Success Stories
We’ve helped thousands of individuals from the Armed Forces community to start and grow their businesses. Here, we publish their stories – why they became their own boss, the challenges they faced along the way and how XFE helped them to achieve their dreams.
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Meet The Former Soldier that Built a Multi-Million Pound Communications Firm
PJ Farr (31) recalls how he was fascinated by the Army’s ability to deploy to some of the most remote locations in the world and
From Air Despatch to Airstream Events: meet Leeds’ house music mogul who is hitting the road
Jacob Kelly, from Leeds, has a new woman in his life. Dottie is American, a little older than him and they plan to travel together
Blind Army Veteran Starts New Chapter as Self-published Children’s Author
Being diagnosed with a visual impairment in his 50s didn’t hold John Bennett back from pursuing a dream to share the stories passed down through
Meet the Digital Consultant with an Innovative Café Car
Self-employment gives the freedom to blend very different businesses into your working day, as ex-military Joe Poole is proving with his new café car.
Meet the Young Entrepreneur Handcrafting Pet Products with Love
Madeleine Curry, from Cheshire, believes that what you put into your pet’s body should not only be tasty to them but also healthy, natural and
Meet the Military Spouse Creating Festivals with Fizz
Esther Wright, an RAF spouse from Shropshire, has spent 17 years working in event management and set up her new business to create the sort
The Conscious Coffee Company Grown out of Combat Trauma
Former soldier Nigel Seaman started his business Combat2Coffee in response to the rehabilitation and support he received for PTSD, which Nigel says “saved his life”.
Teamwork with a purpose: Uniting the Forces community through adventure and challenge
On 8th March 2019, in harsh conditions, a group of military wives summited the world’s highest volcano, Ojos del Salado, standing at 6893m in Chile.
Army Service Leaver celebrates expansion of his Local Honey Business
John Geden joined the British Army in 1983 as an officer in the Royal Military Police at just age seventeen. After his military service, John
Flying through Franchise: Meet the military spouse getting ahead in HR
Jane Fryatt, from Wallingford in Oxfordshire, started her HR consultancy business face2faceHR in June 2018 in order to have a more flexible working life around
From Gulf War Chef to Multi Entrepreneur
Steve Cooke, from Kinross, set up his first business in 1995, which is still going strong today. His barber shop, ‘The Barbers Pole’ in St
Meet the Ex-RAF Engineer Who Has Gone From Wings to Weights
After four tours of Afghanistan, becoming a father gave Ex-RAF Engineer Terry Holt a new perspective on his career, and he set about scratching the
No Barriers for Ex-Navy Precision Engineer
Icarus Originals: Designed with heroes to be worn by legends. Alan Lock, from Shrewsbury, lost his eyesight while serving in the Royal Navy. As
Ex-Army Entrepreneur Takes Off in Drone Industry
Steve Witchwood-Green from Castle Cary, Somerset has built on his experience in aviation to launch his first business in a growth industry. Steve (58) has
From Combat Medic to Comedy Improv Director
Fat Penguin Improv is an improvised comedy school, delivering workshops and shows at several venues across Birmingham, primarily at the Patrick Kavanagh Pub in Moseley.
