Just to add to the guy who got 3 c's and earns £100k - I too can encourage you all. I did an NVQ in business studies, after leaving school early, because I had a life instead of just working all the time.Now I own a bakery company with revenue of over half a million a year - quite the apple turnover.

... what are you doing on a consutant site aimed at recruitment?is it perhaps that no matter how much your bakery turns over, deep inside of you something wishes you would have stayed in school, gotten a degree, and had a more mentally stimulating job?

I think that is an odd point to make.You seem to be equating working with large companies as being intrinsically more interesting than small ones.Granted I can't imagine there is much to be done in the bakery industry that hasn't been tried before. But frankly the small businessmen I meet are a hell of a lot more interesting and creative than the grey corporate clones I work with.

I agree with '.ppt & me'. I don't see how that other poster was useful and who it helped. Obviously he/she is desperately trying to fill their spare time.

I don't know of any small business owner-managers who have the time to browse the internet at 15:46 on a weekday (or a weekend to mention it). Even franchisees are too busy for that.

and my intention was to encourage people in a similar position to myself. Making the transition into the working world can be tough, even more so if your academic results fall short of your ability.