For years, my professional identity was tied to the world of IT sales, recruitment tech, assessments, software, targets, meetings, airports, PowerPoints, and LinkedIn profiles that sounded far more corporate than the person behind them – if interested see the corp me here ttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paulthompsonikirupeople/
And that chapter has given me plenty. Great people, experiences, opportunities, and a solid career that’s lasted over 27 years!!
But if I’m honest… it stopped feeling like me a while time ago.
Somewhere along the way, I realised the moments I enjoyed most weren’t sat behind a screen. They were outside. Building things. Creating spaces. Working with my hands. Talking to real people in my local community instead of another Zoom call with “Can everybody hear me?” “You’re on mute!”…
So over the last few years, what started as a side project quietly became something much bigger.
First came The Tidy Garden, a local garden maintenance business focused on helping people keep their outdoor spaces tidy, manageable and enjoyable.
Then came Root & Bloom Gardens, which has grown far quicker than I ever expected. We focus on garden makeovers and soft landscaping, transforming tired outdoor spaces into gardens people actually want to spend time in.
And honestly?
I’ve never felt more energised by work.
There’s something deeply satisfying about standing back at the end of a project and physically seeing the difference you’ve made.
No jargon.
No slide decks.
Just real transformation.
So this is me officially leaning fully into it, full-time – no more IT!
Less corporate strategy.
More compost strategy.
Less pipeline reviews.
More patios, planting and pergolas.
I’m grateful for everything my IT career gave me, but excited for what comes next.
Turns out success can sometimes look less like a corner office… and more like muddy boots and a van full of plants 🌱
