Ofopportunity
£50 loan from his mum and he was relentless in his pursuit of contracts, seeking out partial new builds and offering to glaze them.
He said: “I made a conscious decision that no matter how busy I was, I wouldn’t stop looking for work. I juggled but I was reliable.”
When CR Smith’s owner Bert Smith was retiring, he sold his shares to Gerard for £1200, left him the rent book for the building and walked away.
At 22, Gerard had a company with 13 employees and “established for 60 years” on the letterhead.
The company, who install windows, conservatories and doors, became a national institution when Gerard had a eureka moment in 1984 by deciding to sponsor the jerseys of both Celtic and Rangers.
He said: “Hardly anyone knew us. Six months later, everyone in the country knew us. I’m looking for another great idea like that, that was one of the best. If that hadn’t come a long who knows where we would be now.”
In February, CR Smith reported a 2.3 per cent rise in revenues to £21.9million for the 12 months.
The Dunfermline-based firm now employ nearly 400 people between their domestic and commercial arms and posted growth for six successive years.
Keys to Gerard’s success have been a good mind and a thirst to learn that, at 65, is unquenched.
He said: “I had no experience when I started but I would ask people. I’d read about someone successful and see them for advice.
“No one turned me down. Younger people should play on the fact that older people want to help them. I still do ask for advice but now I phone successful younger people.”
Attitude is key. Gerard said: “I won’t list my mistakes but if you have made as many as I have, there is no room for arrogance.
“Sometimes on reflection, I think I am smart, other times I worry that I am not at all.”
He believes a young workforce is the future success of a businesses and has employed some of the Hand Picked youngsters himself.
Courtney Haggart, 17, left school in her hometown of Dunfermline when she was 16 and felt her future disappear when she left her apprenticeship with a hairdresser.
She was offered a 12-week Hand Picked contract within CR Smith’s marketing department, a position that became permanent.
Gerard said: “If you think you can’t afford to pay a young person and train them, your business is probably not going to succeed anyway. You need every generation working in a business.”
Retirement is not for him. He said: “I enjoy being part of an organisation, being with people and getting on the road.
“As long as I am healthy, why would I want out of it? My motivation and satisfaction now is in helping other people to succeed.”