Ex-soldier with £7.50 to his name makes £85k a year with ambulance and 2 dogs

From rags to riches, an ex-soldier who found himself down to his last £7.50 after leaving the army has turned his life around and is now raking in £85k a year with a unique business venture. John Williams, who served for 25 years, was left penniless before he borrowed money to buy a van and tools, aiming to become a locksmith in Cardiff.

Fast forward over ten years, and he’s cruising in a converted ambulance, flanked by his two loyal pet bodyguards, Brandy and Coke, as he runs his emergency locksmith business, Open Door Auto.

Reflecting on his journey, John recalls a pivotal moment at a Wetherspoons in Pontypridd: “I met up with a friend I used to work with in the army in a Wetherspoons in Pontypridd.”

He added, “I sat down with him, bought four drinks, put them on the table, and that’s all I had the money for. My friend asked what my Plan B is? There was no Plan B. It either worked out or that was it.”

Since then, John has carved out a niche for himself, specialising in automotive locks and helping people across South Wales regain access to their vehicles, drawing on his expertise from his time with the Royal Logistics Corps and the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. His entrepreneurial spirit saw him purchase the ambulance three years ago following an accident that totalled his Ford Transit van, leaving him with whiplash and a dire need for physiotherapy.

Despite the setback, John’s primary concern was maintaining his livelihood without his van. Now, his business success tells a tale of determination and resilience.

“I saw a second-hand ambulance advertised on Facebook from a seller in Cowbridge. I bought it for £8,400 to keep me going,” he added. With the assistance of another locksmith – Jock the Lock – he modified it to suit his needs.

“I took the stretcher and seats out,” he said. “I then converted the blue lights to orange and changed the ambulance’s green markings to show it’s used for recovery. I only put the lights on when parked up to alert others, which is legal.

“Sometimes I sit inside and have my lunch break. There is a TV with an aerial fitted on the roof for work but I also have Netflix.

“Paramedics normally wave at me while I drive along the motorway. When I turn up to jobs, I’m often told, ‘Don’t worry, we don’t have to go into the hospital.’

“An occupational hazard for John is the fact that he needs to keep his van’s engine running to power some of his equipment. To ensure thieves can’t simply drive off in his van he employs two assistants.

“That’s why I’ve got my two dogs, Brandy and Coke, on the front seat for security,” he added, “If they kick off, you ain’t going jump in with them, but they’ll probably lick you to death before they bite you to death.

“The dogs were abused by their previous owner. It took about a month to get them going again.

“When I was In the army, we always drank a brandy called Asbach. Its a white brandy, and they are white dogs, so I thought the names worked.”

John said he is now extremely busy and has a steady stream of customers.

He further stated: “I’m pretty good now. My company’s earning more than £85,000 per year. I work all over the Cardiff postcode.”

He added, “Every job is easy if you know what you are doing. You just have to work hard.”

He concluded by saying, “But to be honest, I’m doing this to help people. I’ve got other locksmiths calling me up for help too. The job has given me a good life.”