Testimonial

Welcome to my website!

My website reflects my unexpected journey, after letting out my lifelong 'secrets' in my autobiography, and me beating the challenges and coping with the hassles of being born with Spina Bifida.

My story describes my business and family career going 'up', whilst my spina bifida symptoms were taking me 'down' - an interesting contradiction of emotions and experiences. I am SO touched at the IMPACT from my speeches, and similarly for those who have read my book. See 'reviews' on this website.

In 2005, I had the most unexpected experience when I was honoured with the MBE at Buckingham Palace 'for services to business, and charity work in Kent.'

I was appointed as a 'Kent Ambassador' in 2002 - speaking up for Kent, where I live in England.

In my speeches, and book, I recount my entrepreneurial and personal journey, giving 'take away' tips for success, made easier with the love and support of my wife Mandy, my best friend of thirty six years, and for the joy (and constant encouragement) of my four 'children' who not only send me frequent messages before each speech 'Go dood, you are going to be great!' - but also invite me (and Mandy) to be 'groupies' at their concerts and gigs.

I hope you find my website inspiring, and thank you for your interest.

Do click on the 'reviews' and 'photos' and links and if you have not yet ordered my book please click on ‘The book’ at the top of this page. If your organisation seek an inspirational speaker, please contact office@grahamwebb.co.uk

And always remember - It CAN be done!

Latest News

• Tell people that you are great - Yangcheng Evening News article
  
  

  British Council invited Mr. Graham Webb, a legend from UK, to deliver talks to university students and the general public in Guangzhou. He told his own true story. He was born with Spina Bifida, which caused incontinence and lifelong pains in the back and legs. He grew up with a kind of shame and was regarded as "bone idle" by school teachers. He dropped out at the age of 15 and received 62 rejections out of 62 job applications. He started career as an apprentice for a barber without a better choice.
  
  I met Graham Webb in the speech. He loves laughing. From his smile you couldn't believe that he is suffering from disabilities. However, if you carefully observe, you will find that his shoe heels are in different height because his received surgeries in legs. He must rely on pharmaceutical spray to relieve foot pains. But his laughter was very infectious, and humorous.
  
  When Graham was 20, he opened the first hair salon whilst his illness continued to worsen, however, his owned more than 20 chain stores 10 years later. In 1989, he found Graham Webb hair products, product sales in 2002 ranked fourth in the U.S.
  
  Graham Webb believed that the key to success is to go your own way. He believed that each person has their own shining points. Everyone can be successful, as long as you identify your own talents and work hard.
  
  Webb wrote his autobiography "Out of the Bottle", he hoped that this book could help more disabled people to gain self-confidence and enthusiasm. When being asked about how he thought about the challenges for university graduates to find a job, Graham thought that it was lucky to find out where the problems lied. He said: "I did not know before I was 32 that what disease I got, but after being diagnosed with Spina Bifida, I began to look for specialists and hospitals and got great improvement by receiving surgeries. Similarly, if you know where the problems are and then break the big problem into a number of smaller problems. You can solve the problem by tackling the smaller problems one by one in the end. "
  
  In addition, Graham believed that university students should maintain a positive and optimistic attitude and should learn how to market themselves. He said that everyone has their own talent and young people should find their own shining points. Young people should recognize and use their strengths and have the courage to tell people that they are great. At the same time, young people should try new things. Big success always starts with small success, Graham said.
  

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• Born with disabilities couldn't stop your success - Information Times article
  
  

  On a charity talk last Friday, we met Graham Webb, a British entrepreneur with incontinence. He talked about his life and family, and shared his Entrepreneurship. You couldn't image that he was born with disability because of his humor, optimism and success. You may even want to ask, "Does disability have any impact on you?"
  
  Graham used his life story to show us that your body may be born with disabilities but your mind should not.
  
  Invited by Cultural and Education Section of British Consulate-General, Graham came to Guangzhou to share his entrepreneurial experience. Founder of the company which was the fourth-largest hair care products in the U.S., Graham wrote in his CV " Born with disabilities, Drop out from school at 15, Got 62 rejections out of 62 job applications." But years later, Graham became a successful entrepreneur.
  
  In his speech, Graham showed his bag, with both her daughters' CDs and family photos in one side, and catheters in the other side, his little secret.
  
  Graham suffers from Spina Bifida that makes him incontinent with deformed feet. School was an ordeal. Even today one of his vivid memories of childhood was the dread he felt when school uniforms went from winter's black shorts to the white shorts of spring. With white shorts it was harder to ignore the constant dribbles and he became adept at pretending that he hadn't noticed that his shirt tail was hanging out. Graham couldn't find out what disease he got until he was 32. Before that, he saw many doctors who wasn't only able to indentify the real reasons of his problems.
  
  He used the word "Crazy" to describe his continuing medical treatment for more than 30 years.
  
  Graham didn't like revealing his disability until 2004 when he wrote a book called "out of the bottle". For the first time, he talked about the facts of getting Spina Bifida. Actually, you can't see any difference between Graham and other able bodies during the speech. He said, in the past, he chose to wear dirty shoes as he was afraid of leaking the secret of his deformed toes. He later received bladder surgery and leg physical therapy. After a number of major surgeries, he finally returned to Normal but he still has to rely on catheters. Graham also showed us that his left and right legs were not in the same length.
  
  Graham didn't focus much on the pains of disability but on sharing his entrepreneurial approach in his speech. He talked about pursuing personal dreams and making others happy. After 62 job rejections, he worked as a barber's apprentice and later a salesman, selling rice pudding. He also talked about setting his own band as the drummer, the dream of his life.
  He learnt from these experiences that the uncertainty can be a good thing. As long as you are well prepared, you will catch your opportunities.
  
  Family plays a key role in Graham's success. Showing his family photos to the audience, he told the audience, " Doctors told me that I was unlikely to have any children, but I have four. "All his four children become musicians. Family-first and love of others are Graham's keys to success.
  
  Graham donated all the money generated by the book sales to help people with disabilities achieve their dreams. Graham couldn't help broke down into tears when talking about receiving his MBE at the Buckingham Palace in 2005. He said, " it was truly my great honor."
  
  Graham now seems to live a very good life with successful career and supporting family. What does he think about his disability? Graham said frankly, "I don't think that disabled people should be marked with disabled labels. There are many kinds of disabilities. For example, if someone breaks up with his/ her boyfriend or girlfriend, he/she could be emotionally disabled. If everyone has a kind of disability; can you tell who is disabled? "In his point of view, disability should not be a reason for not living an optimistic life.
  
  Enduring the pains of disabilities, Graham had tried to hide his secrets. However he dared to pursue his dream by breaking through the bottleneck in a positive spirit as the title of his speech, "It can be done!"
  

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• South China Morning Post Article
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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