Shropshire Star

'No short cuts to success': Shrewsbury entrepreneur's inspirational rise from exam failure to £1m business

Chris Turton freely admits his school days were difficult. Indeed, they were so challenging, he left at the age of 13 to be home-schooled and even that didn't appeal.

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Chris Turton.Picture: Laura Stanley

By his own admission, he was 'awkward' in those younger days, and eventually finished his education with no GCSEs to his name.

Yet Chris still had a spark inside him. He had ideas and a strong work ethic too.

He just needed to bring his ideas and best qualities to the fore.

Once he did, he embarked on an inspiring entrepreneurial journey which led to him founding Shrewsbury-based Ecommerce Intelligence.

He now runs a business with more than 50 clients and a £1 million turnover and he's a mentor for The Prince's Trust.

"I have almost self-educated myself, learning things that were of more interest to me," said Chris.

"School was difficult. For a lot of people, of course, it's the right way.

"There are many who go through school and finish all of their education and go on to achieve their goals, which is fine.

"But it's not the same for everybody. There are different ways to get the best out of young people.

"Where I was concerned, I was just a real pain as a child, someone who was awkward, who got into trouble a lot.

"It wasn't anything major but there were continuous little things and that would have been a frustration to others.

"Perhaps it was that I didn't like authority but the fact was I wasn't getting anywhere academically at all."

The last to leave the coffee shop