Chris's solar panel business is hotting up
Things are certainly hotting up in the business world for Chris O'Neill now he is on civvy street after more than 25 years in the Army.
Chris, from Ludlow, took time to adapt to life outside the forces and initially tried his hand as a farmer in Spain.
Agriculture proved not to be for Chris but his experience on the farm led him on the road to success.
"There was no electricity so I decided to use my resettlement grant on a solar panel and electrical course," he said.
"This gave me the idea and inspiration to start up a solar panel company in Ludlow since no-one else had, so I started Eden Power Ltd from my home in Brand Lane."
The rest is history, with 44-year-old Chris now finding himself busier than he ever was in the forces. Chris signed up for the Army in 1987, at the age of 17, and saw service all around the world, from Northern Ireland and Macedonia to Kosovo and a spell at the Army's Jungle Warfare Training Centre in Borneo.
He said: "I spent my last 12 months in the Army switching between running the company and dodging operational tours while my wife Sonya helped with the admin and marketing.
"I am now in my second year. I had no idea how busy and how much in demand solar panels were going to be. I have been busier and challenged more than I ever was during my time in the services.
"Since leaving, my solar panels have found themselves on many roofs from schools and farm buildings to swimming pools, stables and even Ludlow Methodist Church.
"Every job presents its own challenges and rewards and I am now in the position of expanding and taking on local employment.
"I am not a salesman and sometimes struggle to switch from soldier to businessman. In the Army, if I told someone to do something then they did it but it doesn't quite work like that in the real world.
Chris said the transition after spending all of his adult life in the Army and learning to deal with public was tough but he believed his customers now liked the fact that he did not wear a suit when he was doing one of his installations.
"I'm not sure if I do miss the Army," he said.
"The satisfaction of running your own successful company is second to none.
"Who dares wins, as they say."
Further information about Chris's business, Eden Power, is available at www.edenpowerltd.co.uk.
