What do you do for a living?

Shoogs · Dec 3, 2023

Left school at around 16 as I wasn’t attending very much… became a Greenkeeper, taught Scuba diving to a wide variety of people, Skippered a few dive boats, built a few golf courses and then fell or stumbled into Mining around 30 years ago, went back to school to collect a few qualifications and now currently in Zambia, but also spent time in Tanzania, Madagascar, Laos, PNG, Indonesia and of course Australia. About to head back to Western Australia and take it easy for a while.
Landrover tragic with a 1996 CT 110 and 50th Anniversary 90 to keep me busy, have a Grenadier waiting in driveway.

Krabby · Dec 3, 2023

Wow. Pretty eclectic but fantastically interesting path that led you here-not unlike many members. There are very few straight lines from A to B Here. Maybe that’s what makes the forum such a great place.

I also share your Land Rover passion although I’ve sold my Series to help fund the Grenadier. I couldn’t part ways with a CT truck and TBH a 50th anniversary D90 might be too precious to sell. If I may ask, what is your game plan?

Shoogs · Dec 3, 2023

Krabby said:
Wow. Pretty eclectic but fantastically interesting path that led you here-not unlike many members. There are very few straight lines from A to B Here. Maybe that’s what makes the forum such a great place.

I also share your Land Rover passion although I’ve sold my Series to help fund the Grenadier. I couldn’t part ways with a CT truck and TBH a 50th anniversary D90 might be too precious to sell. If I may ask, what is your game plan?

Mate no real plan other than work less and travel a lot more, with a Grenadier, have seen a lot of Africa and Australia over a Defender wheel, time for a little more comfort.
For the Defenders I have convinced my wife they are a good hobby and investment, she kind of shares the last view. Neither require much if any restoration, and not really my thing, I am not very materialistic so someone will make an offer one day and they will go to another home for better maybe appreciation.
A drive on every other dry Sunday is probably there future, which is not what Defenders are for.

Tom109 · Dec 3, 2023

I too seem to have missed this thread.

For the past few decades I have worked for several small (by my choosing) international manufacturers in various industries - motion-control, semiconductor, advanced research, medical, mobile & industrial. It’s not important what I sold (widgets as my wife calls them) just that these technologies helped to advance their respective industry.

Now, well 18 months ago, I came face-to-face with my true place - the opportunity to align my experience and knowledge with a green tech startup in CO2 Capture.

Hobbies have certainly kept me grounded, not the least of them being old vehicles (Land Rovers in particular). But bicycles - building them, riding them and keeping myself off the ground - have been a lifelong pursuit that has kept me both fit and humble.

rovie · Dec 3, 2023

Tom109 said:
I too seem to have missed this thread.

For the past few decades I have worked for several small (by my choosing) international manufacturers in various industries - motion-control, semiconductor, advanced research, medical, mobile & industrial. It’s not important what I sold (widgets as my wife calls them) just that these technologies helped to advance their respective industry.

Now, well 18 months ago, I came face-to-face with my true place - the opportunity to align my experience and knowledge with a green tech startup in CO2 Capture.

Hobbies have certainly kept me grounded, not the least of them being old vehicles (Land Rovers in particular). But bicycles - building them, riding them and keeping myself off the ground - have been a lifelong pursuit that has kept me both fit and humble.

View attachment 7834831

Hats off! It doesn't always have to be an off-road vehicle. A BMX bike is just as much fun as it looks.

bazooka tooth · Dec 8, 2023

24 years ago I joined the Marine Corps for some direction, purpose, and much needed discipline. I was an M1A1 tank crewman primarily, having been a driver, gunner and ultimately tank commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Secondary jobs in the Marine Corps included being a martial arts instructor and teaching room entry at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. My last tour found me on embassy duty where I served at embassies in Sarajevo, Abidjan and Buenos Aires. After nearly 10 years of active duty service I got into government contracting, training others in anti-terrorism and law enforcement techniques for about 8 years before switching to the corporate side. Now I'm VP of Business Development. Hobbies outside of old Rovers and now the Grenny include shooting, working out, and discovering different music (vinyl records too).

Baron von Teuchter · Dec 8, 2023

I graduated with a Degree in quantity surveying, worked for 25 years in the energy industry: oil & gas, renewables and nuclear with odd forays into pharma and defence. Spent 17 years with Shell in some interesting and some not so interesting places.

Bought a farm in 2006, most of it leased out for for commercial Christmas trees, low income but low maintenance and, once retired, it’ll provide beer and diesel money.

Started a consultancy firm in 2017 and help clients who don’t have their own project teams. Lots of Nuclear and carbon capture stuff, still bits and pieces in oil&gas and some life science stuff. Mostly around cost estimating projects in their early phases but some economic analysis, planning and risk stuff. I still do some surveying just because I like it and usually on a favour basis - if I set out levels for a farmer making a new slab for free he’ll clear my road of snow for free in winter or let me borrow a big tractor when my little one doesn’t have the balls for a certain job

Pat · Dec 8, 2023

I too seem to have missed this thread.

For the past few decades I have worked for several small (by my choosing) international manufacturers in various industries - motion-control, semiconductor, advanced research, medical, mobile & industrial. It’s not important what I sold (widgets as my wife calls them) just that these technologies helped to advance their respective industry.

Now, well 18 months ago, I came face-to-face with my true place - the opportunity to align my experience and knowledge with a green tech startup in CO2 Capture.

Hobbies have certainly kept me grounded, not the least of them being old vehicles (Land Rovers in particular). But bicycles - building them, riding them and keeping myself off the ground - have been a lifelong pursuit that has kept me both fit and humble.

View attachment 7834831
Nice narrative and great hobby.
You could work for Ineos instead

https://www.ineos.com/sustainability/climate-change/carbon-capture-storage-and-use/
Btw my son was filming the Greensand CO2 capture pilot.

LeftCoastOverland · Dec 8, 2023

Right now I’m a full time Adventure Dad/Husband. I’m currently unemployed (willingly) just wrapped up a 2.5 year stint flying helicopters on Maui, Hawaii. The reason for leaving Maui is due to my plans to emigrate with my family to Australia. I’ve held a passport there for the last few years, and now just in the last week my Wife and Son’s permanent residency visas have came through. We sold our home, and most of our large possessions to free up our hands for the move. I’ve ordered my Grenadier to be our family’s touring rig, and the plan is to take delivery of the truck in March of ‘24 at SLRV expedition HQ near Brisbane. When we’re ready, we’ll then head south along the eastern seaboard stopping along the way and exploring places we’d like to settle. The plan takes us all the way down to Hobart Tasmania. Naturally along the way I plan to make contact with several helicopter operations in the area to see about gainful employment. We’re currently spending time in California for the holidays with friends and family until we ship off this February. It’ll certainly be an adventure and a half for my small family, but we’re all looking forward to the move. If anyone in Australia knows of helicopter operators looking for a solid 3,000 hour pilot, drop me a line. And for the rest of everyone here, wish us luck! Thanks for all the contribution. I learn something new here everyday.
-Rick

thuchton · Dec 9, 2023

What a great thread to find! I have enjoyed reading all of the posts and decided now that I have read them all I would submit as well.

I have spent my entire career in the outdoor industry. I spent time as a fishing and hunting guide, rock climbing guide, challenge course facilitator, led some great river trips and have been working in the summer camp industry now for 30+ years. Camp is one of the greatest career paths I could have ever found. It has afforded me the ability to stay working in an outdoor setting filled with adventure and a fair amount of travel as I am a frequent keynote speaker for conferences and universities around the country.

My main job right now is the CEO of a large camp and conference center in Texas and I live on 570 of the most amazing acres you can imagine. The Grenadier will be right at home in this space for sure.

On top of being in the camp industry I am also a professional photographer (sports, nature, and landscape) and a professional voice over artist. These two side hustles are great as they take me to fun new places to shoot photos or I get to learn about a great new product as I am recording a commercial or book. With the college football bowl season coming up I will be on the sidelines of some fun games here in a couple of weeks with cameras in hand!

In my spare time I volunteer as a firefighter/EMT and serve on the local volunteer fire department and I am the head of the Emergency Services District board that provides emergency services such as fire departments to the local rural area. When I graduated from high school many moons ago, I thought this was going to be my career path. Then I found out that summer camps are real jobs, and the rest is history!

thuchton · Dec 9, 2023

Krabby said:
I’m not sure if this thread will interest anyone, but I find peoples‘ careers and life’s professional journeys interesting. I’m not interested in your salary, corporate perks, bragging rights, or you simply trying to plug your own business, but what do you currently “do?” Or retired from? Or have done? I know @Stu_Barnes has lead an interesting life!

My Land Rover club is rather small but we’ve come from all different directions. We’ve helped one another out by sharing our various vocations and careers.

My path is a bit crooked. Made it through half an engineering degree but fell in love with journalism. Graduated with from Uni with a camera in hand and entered the newspaper and magazine business as a photojournalist. Shot for a few years, became an editor and department head and … burnt out by working too hard, for too little in a thankless, dying industry.

I managed to put all those math and engineering credits to use though, earning my teaching certificate and becoming a middle school (grades 6&7 so 12-13 YO) math teacher. I ultimately (and thankfully) escaped math and came full circle - I now teach photography and digital design to high school kids. I’m in my 20th year and can’t wait for summer!

So what about you?

Again, if you guys think this is lame, I’ll just can the thread. But we’re a true global community who’s diversity makes it great.

A fellow photog I see! It is a dying industry for sure. But it sure was a fun ride for a while!

Stu_Barnes · Feb 17, 2024

Perhaps its time for a little about me,

Well the family is from the North West of the UK Barrow in Furness and Liverpool/St Helens, we moved to South Wales when I was a child in the very early 80’s and I grew up there in a small market town in the Wye valley surrounded by farms and woodland. Most of my friends families had 'working' Land Rovers and in the classic farmer style, when they eventually gave up the ghost they then became part of the local topography. I must be one of the rare people that have never driven a Land Rover (series or defender) on a real road. Its all be off-road and farm tracks.

When I finished school I won a scholarship with the merchant navy and spent the next 20 years crossing the globe, living in OZ, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden & Italy between and during projects as well as a few other places that I spent time in for extended periods.

Finishing up with the Merchant navy after working with Cruise lines, Gas carriers, Ferries, Rig supply boats, Bulk carriers and ROV vessels amongst many others I side stepped into the luxury yacht industry. There I operated, managed and represented the build of various large yachts (up to about 300ft LOA, that one is for you @Jean Mercier ) This was the first time my path crossed with the Grenadiers Designer, Toby Ecuyer and ironically would not be the last. Before anyone asks, no I haven't worked for Sir Jim, but I have worked of some pretty well known individuals that I'll not get into here for obvious reasons. Monaco GP, Cannes Film festival and various regattas were the order of the day.

(yes a Unimog can tow this)

I always had an affinity for machines and cars in particular and became pretty active in the Lotus owners club and forum https://www.thelotusforums.com/ this is where the template became apparent for me that a small volume manufacturer can have a direct and purposeful link to the enthusiast base.

Flashing forward a little I met my now wife in Peru during a charity fund raising trip with the adventurists and after crossing the Andes twice in a mercilessly unreliable Chinese rip off of a Honda (google Lifan) and a lot of flights back and forth to the States (Bremen to LA is not a fun commute 3-4 times a month) immigrated officially and gave up the marine engineer mantle for husband, dad, office manager and latterly forum dogs body.

I got bak into Land Rovers in California as part nostalgia (wasn't going to be racing in track days any more, nor could afford to financially support that rabbit hole) and part necessity as my eldest wanted to go off-roading and unbeknown to me COVID was just around the corner, this turned out to be a fantastic idea. and instrumental in keeping us sane and cohesive as a family.
There are few vehicles capable of doing everything I needed and within my budget with competence here so the Discovery 4 / LR4 in the states was bought, classic Defenders and Series vehicles are obscenely expensive over here and importing is pretty difficult to California. After a while I started to put together videos for people, helping them with their LR4 maintenance and fielded a lot of questions from members of the SOCAL Land Rovers Owners Club and trouble shooting rather more than I expected.

That brings me to the Grenadier. Several years ago when I first heard about the project and then with the impetus that followed I was searching for a Grenadier community that wasn’t reddit or Facebook. As we know this didn't really exist, so after picking the brains of some tech savvy friends this pulls us right to present day. Here we are with a vibrant community of likeminded souls as well as global car club put together from the ground up for a vehicle that didn't even exist in real terms yet…..

I still can’t believe that a forum wasn’t created for the Grenadier before this one, its baffling, but I do know that its communities like this one which keep a vehicle platform alive and 3rd party manufacturers interested, encouraging them to develop products for this emotionally important (at least to me) vehicle.

Ok, time for a cup of tea. I've a video to edit with us, Greg and a few new friends.......

(@Jean Mercier LOA Length overall)

Eric · Feb 17, 2024

Stu_Barnes said:
Perhaps its time for a little about me,

Well the family is from the North West of the UK Barrow in Furness and Liverpool/St Helens, we moved to South Wales when I was a child in the very early 80’s and I grew up there in a small market town in the Wye valley surrounded by farms and woodland. Most of my friends families had 'working' Land Rovers and in the classic farmer style, when they eventually gave up the ghost they then became part of the local topography. I must be one of the rare people that have never driven a Land Rover (series or defender) on a real road. Its all be off-road and farm tracks.

When I finished school I won a scholarship with the merchant navy and spent the next 20 years crossing the globe, living in OZ, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden & Italy between and during projects as well as a few other places that I spent time in for extended periods.

Finishing up with the Merchant navy after working with Cruise lines, Gas carriers, Ferries, Rig supply boats, Bulk carriers and ROV vessels amongst many others I side stepped into the luxury yacht industry. There I operated, managed and represented the build of various large yachts (up to about 300ft LOA, that one is for you @Jean Mercier ) This was the first time my path crossed with the Grenadiers Designer, Toby Eucyer and ironically would not be the last. Before anyone asks, no I haven't worked for Sir Jim, but I have worked of some pretty well known individuals that I'll not get into here for obvious reasons. Monaco GP, Cannes Film festival and various regattas were the order of the day.

View attachment 7844421

(yes a Unimog can tow this)

I always had an affinity for machines and cars in particular and became pretty active in the Lotus owners club and forum https://www.thelotusforums.com/ this is where the template became apparent for me that a small volume manufacturer can have a direct and purposeful link to the enthusiast base.

Flashing forward a little I met my now wife in Peru during a charity fund raising trip with the adventurists and after crossing the Andes twice in a mercilessly unreliable Chinese rip off of a Honda (google Lifan) and a lot of flights back and forth to the States (Bremen to LA is not a fun commute 3-4 times a month) immigrated officially and gave up the marine engineer mantle for husband, dad, office manager and latterly forum dogs body.

I got bak into Land Rovers in California as part nostalgia (wasn't going to be racing in track days any more, nor could afford to financially support that rabbit hole) and part necessity as my eldest wanted to go off-roading and unbeknown to me COVID was just around the corner, this turned out to be a fantastic idea. and instrumental in keeping us sane and cohesive as a family.
There are few vehicles capable of doing everything I needed and within my budget with competence here so the Discovery 4 / LR4 in the states was bought, classic Defenders and Series vehicles are obscenely expensive over here and importing is pretty difficult to California. After a while I started to put together videos for people, helping them with their LR4 maintenance and fielded a lot of questions from members of the SOCAL Land Rovers Owners Club and trouble shooting rather more than I expected.

That brings me to the Grenadier. Several years ago when I first heard about the project and then with the impetus that followed I was searching for a Grenadier community that wasn’t reddit or Facebook. As we know this didn't really exist, so after picking the brains of some tech savvy friends this pulls us right to print day. Here we are with a vibrant community of likeminded souls as well as global car club put together from the ground up for a vehicle that didn't even exist in real terms yet…..

I still can’t believe that a forum wasn’t created for the Grenadier before this one, its baffling, but I do know that its communities like this one which keep a vehicle platform alive and 3rd party manufacturers interested, encouraging them to develop products for this emotionally important (at least to me) vehicle.

Ok, time for a cup of tea. I've a video to edit with us, Greg and a few new friends.......

(@Jean Mercier LOA Length overall)

I'm orginal from Barrow-in-Furness, Walney Island in fact. Left in the 90s. When you left in the 80s I'd be working for North West Water

Zimm · Feb 17, 2024

Commercial/Industrial electrical contracting.

Stu_Barnes · Feb 17, 2024

Eric said:
I'm orginal from Barrow-in-Furness, Walney Island in fact. Left in the 90s. When you left in the 80s I'd be working for North West Water

It’s a small world, we had family on Walney as well.

It used to be great as a kid watching the submarines being built. Now they’re built in sheds for some reason

AMD66 · Feb 17, 2024

Served in the Met Police-1984 and then Northumbria Police. Left the service to read an Environmental Engineering Degree just to see if I could. I could !
Became a Headteacher in 2000 and eventually an Executive Headteacher running multiple schools.
I also worked in a number of additional roles, Ass Director Schools, school improvement officer etc at a strategic level across the north of England.
I have always owned Land Rovers and off road vehicles as I like to get my hands dirty and use them.
IG is almost perfect timing for me, I’m fully retired. What IG offered is a vehicle I would have built, if I could ……only better !
I use my IG to get out and about in all weathers and conditions. The vehicle allows me to access remote locations to undertake my main interest, long distance target shooting.
That’s me.

Jean Mercier · Feb 17, 2024

Stu_Barnes said:
Perhaps its time for a little about me,

Well the family is from the North West of the UK Barrow in Furness and Liverpool/St Helens, we moved to South Wales when I was a child in the very early 80’s and I grew up there in a small market town in the Wye valley surrounded by farms and woodland. Most of my friends families had 'working' Land Rovers and in the classic farmer style, when they eventually gave up the ghost they then became part of the local topography. I must be one of the rare people that have never driven a Land Rover (series or defender) on a real road. Its all be off-road and farm tracks.

When I finished school I won a scholarship with the merchant navy and spent the next 20 years crossing the globe, living in OZ, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden & Italy between and during projects as well as a few other places that I spent time in for extended periods.

Finishing up with the Merchant navy after working with Cruise lines, Gas carriers, Ferries, Rig supply boats, Bulk carriers and ROV vessels amongst many others I side stepped into the luxury yacht industry. There I operated, managed and represented the build of various large yachts (up to about 300ft LOA, that one is for you @Jean Mercier ) This was the first time my path crossed with the Grenadiers Designer, Toby Eucyer and ironically would not be the last. Before anyone asks, no I haven't worked for Sir Jim, but I have worked of some pretty well known individuals that I'll not get into here for obvious reasons. Monaco GP, Cannes Film festival and various regattas were the order of the day.

View attachment 7844421

(yes a Unimog can tow this)

I always had an affinity for machines and cars in particular and became pretty active in the Lotus owners club and forum https://www.thelotusforums.com/ this is where the template became apparent for me that a small volume manufacturer can have a direct and purposeful link to the enthusiast base.

Flashing forward a little I met my now wife in Peru during a charity fund raising trip with the adventurists and after crossing the Andes twice in a mercilessly unreliable Chinese rip off of a Honda (google Lifan) and a lot of flights back and forth to the States (Bremen to LA is not a fun commute 3-4 times a month) immigrated officially and gave up the marine engineer mantle for husband, dad, office manager and latterly forum dogs body.

I got bak into Land Rovers in California as part nostalgia (wasn't going to be racing in track days any more, nor could afford to financially support that rabbit hole) and part necessity as my eldest wanted to go off-roading and unbeknown to me COVID was just around the corner, this turned out to be a fantastic idea. and instrumental in keeping us sane and cohesive as a family.
There are few vehicles capable of doing everything I needed and within my budget with competence here so the Discovery 4 / LR4 in the states was bought, classic Defenders and Series vehicles are obscenely expensive over here and importing is pretty difficult to California. After a while I started to put together videos for people, helping them with their LR4 maintenance and fielded a lot of questions from members of the SOCAL Land Rovers Owners Club and trouble shooting rather more than I expected.

That brings me to the Grenadier. Several years ago when I first heard about the project and then with the impetus that followed I was searching for a Grenadier community that wasn’t reddit or Facebook. As we know this didn't really exist, so after picking the brains of some tech savvy friends this pulls us right to present day. Here we are with a vibrant community of likeminded souls as well as global car club put together from the ground up for a vehicle that didn't even exist in real terms yet…..

I still can’t believe that a forum wasn’t created for the Grenadier before this one, its baffling, but I do know that its communities like this one which keep a vehicle platform alive and 3rd party manufacturers interested, encouraging them to develop products for this emotionally important (at least to me) vehicle.

Ok, time for a cup of tea. I've a video to edit with us, Greg and a few new friends.......

(@Jean Mercier LOA Length overall)

Thanks for the explanation of the abbreviation Stu, but I guess your name is also an abbreviation (Stuart?)

Nice international career by the way

And you misspelled Toby, it is Ecuyer, not Eucyer.
Ecuyer is probably a French surname, means squire, or somebody at the service o a prince.

cjsmith · Feb 17, 2024

After college and law school became a trial lawyer because other forms of the practice seemed boring to me. Have tried jury matters in criminal law and civil law in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Did that for 40 years. At some point during that time, I thought I should join the Service before I became too old, so I spent 10 years as a law enforcement boarding officer in the Coast Guard Reserve on weekends and two weeks each summer. I think that was the best job I will ever have had. Tried to retire from the practice of law several years ago, but now work 3 days a week as a legal consultant to the National Guard so I say I am semi-retired. Like everyone here, I am smitten with the Grenadier and admire what Sir Jim has done. However, one day I say I am out and another day I wish I had one. Whether I end up with one will depend on when my pre-order is built and whether I can be convinced it is a reliable vehicle.

Stu_Barnes · Feb 17, 2024

Jean Mercier said:
Thanks for the explanation of the abbreviation Stu, but I guess your name is also an abbreviation (Stuart?)
Nice international career by the way
And you misspelled Toby, it is Ecuyer, not Eucyer.
Ecuyer is probably a French surname, means squire, or somebody at the service o a prince.

Thanks for that @Jean Mercier , it saves him from sending me a DM for the correction

bradshow · Feb 18, 2024

A lot of great careers and stories shared on this thread. I think I have the most boring job out of everyone. I’ve worked in risk management at a large bank for about 10 years. Also have ownership in various businesses. I’ve never been a huge car guy but I fcking love my grenadier. I get excited to drive it every day.

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