OnBuy boss hails influence of Royal Navy on his career

Cas Paton, Founder and MD at UK-based online marketplace OnBuy, has been discussing his time in the Royal Navy.

“I went to the Royal Navy careers office at 17 and knew I had to start a new challenge and learn more about what I was capable of,” he said in a LinkedIn post.

Paton continued: “I have worked since I was 10 years old. I was never afraid of hard work, but lacked any idea of what my future should be.”

“By 17 years old I had already worked numerous jobs and showing signs of being an entrepreneur with fixing computers, helping companies with IT, web design and selling electronics.”

“I filled all of my time with work and I never stopped. Multiple jobs, multiple focusses, from retailing to being a cook, but always hungry for more... but lacking any direction.”

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— OnBuy (@OnBuy) October 31, 2021

“As a young man, the Royal Navy was a leap. I got on the train from Manchester to Plymouth on my own, and I knew, 'this is it' - this was where I HAD to find my future. I knew that I had to give this my ALL and maximise the opportunity. It clearly wasn't about money, it was all about growing up - and finding my way.”

Paton was awarded best academic in training, best overall trainee award, and selected as a fast track Air Engineer, followed by getting his 'papers raised' as an officer, passing Admiral selection board, and selecting a new trade as a pilot.

He added: “I made a difficult decision to leave the Royal Navy for what I felt was the right time to improve my education, and decided to attend University to read law, with every intention of going back to the Royal Navy in my new trade, as a pilot. Clearly, I never went back.”

Instead, he opened his first company at 21, after a couple of months of being at university. “The Royal Navy had trained me to be able to work hard, fast and smart. Make every hour count - and I flourished in my first business,” Paton commented.

“I will always be amazingly grateful for the impact that the Royal Navy had on my life, as a young man, getting on that train and embarrassingly knowing absolutely NOTHING about the Royal Navy.”

“I gave the RN my all and the RN gave me everything I needed to be organised, methodical, focussed, mentally sharp, and channel my energy to create clear direction. I grew up, thought smarter and made more thought out decisions.”

By his third year in university Paton had his own offices, 27 staff, “bootstrapped but flying in the startup business world”.

“I don't believe I would be quite where I am without that first leap, and I'll always be grateful for the experience and the training. I'm not sure everyone would have the same experience, but I gave the Navy my everything, and the Navy gave me everything back.”

He concluded: “15 years as a tech entrepreneur since, and OnBuy is the latest leap. It's OnBuy's fifth birthday next week and we're really making history already - with loads to come.”

“My journey here has been a wild one, but what a great story it has been so far.”

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