Tim Cook

Director – Modern Workplace and Voice Sales Specialists

When our children were two and three years old, my wife and I decided to take a sabbatical with them and go travelling. We travelled through most of Europe in a motorhome, including Morocco and into the Sahara. We covered 28,000 KM on that trip. We then spent two months back packing in Sri Lanka.

It was great to be able to do that because I’d never had chance to go travelling after university. It look me longer than anticipated to finish my degree and so I’d run out of funds by the time I did and needed to go straight into work.

It was only in my thirties that I realised that I was dyslexic and that’s why I’d always struggled with formal education. Nowadays, I know that I develop best through experiential learning – I’m currently renovating a 1976 Porsche 911 Targa by following YouTube videos.

Colt were really supportive when I wanted to take a sabbatical and also when I found out I was Dyslexic. It was my boss at the time who encouraged me to get assessed. When I got the diagnosis, many of my past experiences really made sense.

These days, utilising technology helps a lot. Speech to text means I don’t have to think about my awful spelling and Microsoft’s immersive reader is helpful when I’m tired. I’m much more accepting of myself now. That comes in part with maturity but also in the knowledge that I’ve found an environment that works for me. Technology sales is an ever changing, dynamic environment and that keeps me motivated. I think I’ve overcompensated in other areas and I have other really valuable skills. The funny thing is, there are a lot of us dyslexics out there but it really doesn’t have to hold you back.

Tim Cook – Director –  Modern Workplace and Voice Sales Specialists