Blog & News

Life After Oil

Tue 12 April 2016

Category: Guest Contributor

Article by Bill Verkaik

I originally trained as a Petroleum Geologist, and was lucky enough to study under Professor Bob Stoneley at Imperial College.

I have worked for quite a few companies, Shell, Halliburton, Petrel and Schlumberger to name a few and was steered towards geological and seismic software development.  I also enjoyed volunteering for the PESGB – as a contributor for the newsletter news section.

However, after 20 years in the oil business, several management buyouts and with a growing sense of disillusionment with living in London I decided my time with the oil business was drawing to a close.   I was turning 40 and I desperately wanted to try something new.

Back then, I was living in South West London.  I would typically be travelling away on business for up to 2 weeks in every month.  One week it was Azerbaijan or Nigeria, and the next day I would be at a school disco or child’s birthday party.

One day, I was asked to give a talk about being a geologist by my son’s class. The reception I received from the children was overwhelming – I was amazed by the enthusiasm and knowledge the children had for fossils.

I decided to test this further, by running a rock and fossil stall at my son’s school fair. On the day of the fair, our stall was swamped with children and we sold out in an hour!

For the next year I continued in the oil business and then one day I was given the chance to leave my current job.  I realised that this was actually my opportunity to do something completely ‘different’ with my life.

I had a life-long ambition to run my own business and it was now or never. My time in the oil business had given me plenty of business experience, from sales, to marketing, IT, staff management, project management, budget control, etc etc.

And so in 2006 Junior Geo – an online business selling fossils and minerals – was launched.

This new venture was a reinterpretation of the skills I had developed through my studies and my work experience.   My career in the Oil Industry had evolved from my fascination for geology and the natural world, and my business skills had been honed through working for some of the largest multinational companies in the world.

Over the last 10 years Junior Geo has gown into a successful online business that has an established and recognisable brand.  It has won national awards for it’s products and has been featured in national newspapers.

I have really enjoyed building up the business, but one of my joys is that Junior Geo has enabled the family to relocate to my dream location of the Jurassic Coast in Dorset – surely the only place to live if you love geology and the outdoor life!

Though an online business can be run from anywhere in the country, for me Dorset was the perfect location for the job.  It’s inspirational to be among geologists where geology is a way of life.  I feel humbled by their commitment and enthusiasm.

Today I run the business from a unit in a woodland setting just beside Thomas Hardy’s Cottage.  I regularly lead fossil hunts on the Jurassic Coast and I volunteer by organising the geological lecture programme at the local museum.

However, the journey doesn’t end here.  When I was in the oil business I was involved in software development, and so I naturally ensured that Junior Geo was managed by the best technology on the market.

From this interest has evolved my second business that is in IT Business Development.  Over the last few years this business has grown significantly and I have had to take a step back from Junior Geo as finding time to manage both businesses if proving a challenge.

I think the time is now right to find a suitable buyer to take Junior Geo to the next level.  I am proud of Junior Geo and what it has achieved – both in business and in my life.  I will be sad to let it go but at least I will still have the Jurassic Coast!

If you’re thinking about leaving the Oil Industry to set up your own business, or would like to talk to me about Junior Geo do get in touch (bill@juniorgeo.co.uk)

Bill with Fossil