“So I found myself in a choir with three Andrews, and naturally gravitated to the nickname “Andrew the Bearded.”
Bachelor of Science, Bachelor Honours in Mathematics, Masters of Engineering in Chemical Engineering, blind, sole trader. If Andrew’s email signature doesn’t capture your attention, his stories will.
If you ever wander the streets of Newcastle, you might notice Andrew smiling back at you, chatting with passers by and selling copies of The Big Issue. Andrew has been selling The Big Issue for years now, which explains the ‘sole trader’ in his email sign off. At the beginning of his sole trading career with The Big Issue, there was a smaller issue he had to overcome. After studying for a never materialising career in science and math, he never imagined himself selling anything at all.
A friend, who worked for The Big Issue in Newcastle, saw me at lunch. He said to me ‘Andrew, I really think you can do this!’ This was enough to overcome my reluctance to do anything with sales. He gave me three free magazines to start and I sold eight in an hour.”
After coming away empty handed from his first sales job (vacuum cleaner sales), you’d be mistaken to think that Andrew used this new experience to cement himself as a sales natural. But, Andrew felt there was a bigger issue at hand… “Do I go back and buy more, or go home satisfied?” For the record, home won. “I’m my own boss.”
The next day Andrew went back and stocked up on copies. From that day on, he has been ‘his own boss’ and has since squashed his initial concerns about following a career in sales.
“Being blind, I give my sales-pitch to anyone who passes. In either, or both, directions. Regardless of whether they have already said “No” or “Yes”. There is nothing like a cheerful already-customer! I show my white mobility cane - indicating my credentials, as a marginalised person - you can only work selling The Big Issue if you’re homeless, marginalised, or disadvantaged.”
You can gain a lot of confidence from meeting new people everyday and sparking conversations on the street but for Andrew, it has impacted his life in many ways beyond becoming more confident.
“It turns out I’ve learnt a lot more since leaving university studies, like, real world stuff - making and maintaining friendships, small talk, dreaming, goal planning and navigating cultures. With Schizophrenia, I’m learning to hold multiple versions of the world in my head at the same time.”
Andrew has met more people since selling his first three copies than he could have ever imagined. Sharing stories with the people he meets, he’s found an authentic sense of gratitude for them. Believing that we can always learn from each other and our experiences.
“It may be small to someone with a high income, but receiving a donation of a $50 note, can really make a day. Or, when someone identifies to me that they’re homeless, I can reach into my bag and give them a resource card. Nothing beats that genuine smile of relief... someone does care.”
Andrew, who often describes himself as ‘a blind man with a big bushy beard,’ has embedded The Big Issue deep into the support he receives and the lives of his Hireup support workers. The way Andrew receives support is unique but works well for him.
“I like to make best use of my support workers. There is a lot of waiting time between potential customers. I’ve found that I can ask my support workers to read to me, carefully choosing material that is also of interest to them, works well. Incidentally, one of my support workers, Maat, was my friend long before NDIS came on the scene. He’s the friend I’d hang with anyway. Being able to hire him through Hireup means that we can give, and receive, more deeply.”
It would be fair to say that Andrew is much more impressive than his email signature. If we could attach words to his already illustrious sign off, we would add… compassionate, heartfelt, storyteller, sales extraordinaire, living his good life.
“I see myself as immensely powerful, but not well directed. A good life is where I get the support to focus and collaborate. I have so much to give. A good life is where I’ve found the people willing to receive.”
