How ejecting mid flight across the desert as an RAF pilot led to a career in property investment with Dave Ashley #3
Dave Ashley is the definition of life experience. He's experienced multiple tours of combat operations, broken his back ejecting mid flight across the desert, transitioned from pilot to flight instructor and made the successful switch to civvy street with his business, the Ashley Property Group that he runs with his wife Heather, specialising in portfolio building, property sourcing, land development and project management.
In episode 3 of Extrology, Lee Cooper interviews Dave, who takes us on his journey from a boy with a dream to flying in F 18, the incredible stress of combat, the transition from military to civilian life, the reality of a life turned upside down by a broken back, and the challenge of starting your own business from scratch.
Lee & Dave discuss:
Dave’s fear of flying to later becoming a fighter pilot
Making it in the military, and how you can too
Adapting to civilian life and business
Coping with life changing moments and injuries
How being regimented can help in business
How never being satisfied is a good thing
When to give up a long term career
Links & references:
Lee Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecooperrecruiter/
Dave Ashley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleypropertygroup/
Ashley Property Group: https://www.ashleypropertygroup.com/
Get in touch: lee@extrology.com
Episode highlights:
“The thing to take away from is anybody can do it, and you meet all sorts of walks of life, people who are fighter pilots, so if you want to do it, just go for it.” - Dave Ashley
“I learnt some amazing things, went to some amazing places, met some amazing people. Just fabulous, fabulous people from all walks of life.” - Dave Ashley
“You go through training, but then when you actually get out and rock and roll, the first few times that you're involved in it, it's quite scary to be honest. That eventually goes away, which affects you a little bit but you’re obviously doing the job to help the guys on the ground in our case. So we were flying, dropping weapons to save their lives really. And they're a long way from home in places like Afghanistan, so they needed our support and we did the best we could for them.” - Dave Ashley
“I wanted to be a Harrier pilot. So I became a Harrier pilot, and then I wanted to be a weapons instructor, so I became a weapons instructor, (which some people would argue is the pinnacle of being a pilot.)” - Dave Ashley
“I could have done anything I wanted to by that stage. And it was like, the next thing will be repeating myself, I don't really want to repeat myself. I've done a lot of being shot at. It's a bit irresponsible to keep doing that in my mind anyway when I've got little kids. So that was it. So I left the military at that point, I did my time.” - Dave Ashley
“You're helping save other people's lives and your wingman or your other colleagues that’ll also save your life at times. You kind of take that for granted really at the time, but it makes you pretty trustworthy.” - Dave Ashley
“The military gives you trust, determination and courage, and it's a big leap to leave the military and set up a company and then start paying yourself. I still find that at times, though, but the military definitely equips you with that, and the courage.” - Dave Ashley
“I've always been quite a driven person myself anyway, I went from being a door to door salesman initially to doing my levels to then the military and then working my way through to get where I wanted to be eventually, so just keep trying is the main thing, just keep going at it.” - Dave Ashley
“It went from all calm to about four seconds later when you’re in a parachute over the desert with a broken back, and I thought I’d lost my right eye at the time, burning aeroplanes and bits falling out of the sky, I was lucky to be alive.” - Dave Ashley
“I have to achieve every day. I think people say that ‘you'll never be satisfied in life’ well, I think that's fine. I think moving from the military to the civilian world and the business world, especially I found people who are very similar to me. They're not satisfied and they want to keep striving.” - Dave Ashley
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