Keep it simple

WES IS VERY MUCH A GLASS HALF-FULL MAN

Money can’t buy you happiness. Many of us spend our lives in constant pursuit of greater earnings, convinced that the security of a higher wage will eliminate our problems. Wesley Hughes – owner of Utilities Made Simple – disagrees, believing a simple life is when you’re happiest.

“When I first left home, I was on an apprenticeship wage, living in a council flat on housing benefit. To be honest, that was one of my happiest times. It’s weird how sometimes you can have absolutely nothing, and feel more appreciative of life.

“I usually think that when people are having a tough time mentally, it’s because they’ve got too much going on. I maintain an open door policy, so if anyone needs to come and talk to me, they can. We’ll go through the burning issues and tackle them one-by-one. If I can help, I will – it’s about trying to make the person feel valued again.”

Wes is very much a glass half-full man. Even when he’s faced challenges before, he’s always able to find a silver lining – a learning moment that helps him move forward.

“When our office burnt down, I had to go back in to save our server or the business would’ve been lost. Out of that, everything is now digitalised, backed up and online. We did it overnight, so we’re better off now. When something bad like that happens, I tend to go: ‘ok, we’re insured, we lost nothing of value, and we’ve learned from it.’ Things are never as bad as they seem.”

Happiness comes from being true to yourself, but money can create a façade that prevents you from being authentic.

“I don’t do social media. People present themselves as this idealised version, when I know it’s not who they are. But it still makes you feel inadequate in comparison to this fake life. The truth is, my most affluent friends are often the unhappiest. Money creates a competitiveness that’s difficult to stay away from. ‘So-and-so has a new car, how’d they afford that? I’d better get a new one.’ You always end up feeling like what you’ve got isn’t good enough, and you forget to be grateful for what you have.”

As life evolves, that competitiveness can come from other sources. As a dad, Wesley feels there’s a pressure to keep up with other parents.

“You want the best for your children, but you’ve also got to be realistic. I didn’t get my daughter an iPhone until about a year after all her friends had one, because I didn’t want to jump the gun and get her one too early. But eventually, I felt guilty that she was the only one going to school without it. So I bought her the best model out of guilt!

“On the other hand, she came to me asking for a pair of £800 trainers her friend had. Seriously?! She’s 14! It was not happening! Where are these parents getting that money? It’s tough to be the mean dad who says no, because there is a limit.”