A DAD has told how he went from claiming Universal Credit to raking in a seven-figure salary with the help of a charity loan.
Aaron Branch, 31, said he was “embarrassed” after signing on – which motivated him to launch his own digital marketing company.
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The entrepreneur, from Birmingham, grew up in a “rough” low-income area and found himself struggling to make ends meet.
At age 24, he found himself living in his girlfriend Holly’s family home while scrimping and saving just to get by.
But the cash-strapped lad was inspired by his troubled upbringing to do better – as it “put his life and surroundings into perspective.”
Aaron told the Mirror: “Because of where we lived, I remember always having to look over my shoulder when travelling to and from school.
“Me and my brother were mugged at the age of 13 at knifepoint, which really put my life and surroundings into perspective.
“It was challenging and unsettling to constantly have to look for safety.”
His misfortune with money then spiralled into his early 20s, seeing Aaron sign onto Universal Credit.
The 31-year-old explained: “It felt embarrassing having to sign on. It was hard but it was a means to an end.”
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But with the support of his mother – who encouraged him to “be the best I can be and make smart decisions” – he decided to launch his own business.
Being estranged from his father for over 10 years also gave him the focus to provide for his own family.
Aaron added: “I knew that if I applied the perseverance I had learned throughout my life, I could make my business succeed.
“I used that drive and determination to get me where I am today.”
In January 2016, while living in Holly’s family’s cramped living room, he created his digital marketing company, Social Agendas.
And just three months after entering the business sphere, Aaron was offered a £4,000 loan from the Prince’s Trust.
I knew that if I applied the perseverance I had learned throughout my life, I could make my business succeed.
Aaron Branch
The cash helped him to secure his first clients – allowing him to now run a thriving seven-figure business with an army of 20 employees.
The determined dad has now been able to travel the globe, buy his dream car and most importantly, provide for his fiancée Holly and their one-year-old son, Neo.
Aaron gushed: “It’s fulfilling to be able to provide for my family, but it’s something that I expected to do rather than an achievement.
“Looking after ‘homebase’ is and always will be priority number one.’
“I now have investment properties and was able to buy my dream car, a Porsche Macan GTS, last year.
“I’ve also travelled the world to places like New York and Dubai, which I never thought I’d be able to do.
PROGRESS
“I’m also very grateful to my fiancée, her family and my mum. Without them, this would never have happened.”
The successful businessman has even recently secured a nationwide deal with the police force and the Home Office.
Aaron explained: “It makes me think about how far I’ve come because in the environment I lived in my teenage years, the police were seen as a nuisance.
“I’ve come full circle and now I’m helping to attract and support new officers from the sort of demographic I was brought up in. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to be part of that.”
The humble entrepreneur now offers coaching and has written a book titled ‘The First 365’ to share his inspiring story and tips.
Aaron also recently appeared on Dragons Den with his business partner Zak Lloyd, 22, to pitch their new delivery app, Delivrme.
Although the pair were rejected by the fiery Dragons, he bounced back and secured pledges of a whopping £650,000 in just 24 hours.
He credits his success to being resilient, offering a “valuable” product for customers, learning from the greats and priotising the consumer.
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