Setting up your own business can be a daunting move, particularly if you have been used to the safety net of someone else paying your wages.
But while becoming your own boss will always come with an element of danger, embracing this risk can bring with it big benefits, not least the ability to shape your own destiny.
It was this chance to shape his own future that prompted a fresh-faced Neil Fisher to set up Airco in 1991.
Then just 27 and in a good job, the young engineer had already gained years of experience in his chosen field of refrigeration and air conditioning.
But he knew there were opportunities to do more, and so he put his money where his mouth was and decided to step out on his own.
"There are a lot of reasons why people want to set up their own business," he said.
"For me, it was because I wanted to be a master of my own destiny.
"I had to make a conscious decision to leave a good job with a good company, however I realised if I didn't leave I was always going to be controlled by someone else's situation."
Neil admits he "didn't have a clue" about how to set up on his own, but what he did have was vast experience and expertise in his sector.
"Somebody once told me that if you are good at what you do in your industry then you will never be out of work, and it has been true throughout my career.
"I would say it is true for any industry."
Beginning as a specialist in refrigeration and air conditioning, Airco went on to expand its services to include electrical and gas heating solutions.
And as technology developed, so did Airco's skill base with constant training ensuring its workforce were at the cutting edge of new developments in the industry.
Airco is now a market leader in the UK's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) sector and employs more than 70 people at its headquarters in Priory Park East– quite a leap from when the Bransholme-born businessman first launched his business as a sole trader.
With more than 20 years of success and a string of awards behind him, Neil's story should give encouragement to those looking to start out on their own.
But anyone who thinks growing your own empire is a doddle should think again, particularly when starting out.
"When I started out I didn't really get help from anyone," he said.
"I remember applying for an enterprise grant and there were pages and pages of documents to fill in. It was a nightmare, and I didn't even get the grant in the end."
Undeterred, Neil used the cash he had saved himself, bought a van and put an advert in the Yellow Pages.
"Then I just waited for the phone to ring – which, fortunately, it did," he said.
To fund his fledgling business, Neil initially did a bit of offshore work. However, it soon became clear he would need to take a risk and focus on his venture full-time.
But, as with any entrepreneur, taking risks was all part of the journey.
"I knew I couldn't work offshore and build a client base at the same time; it's very difficult to get back onshore quickly if somebody's freezer breaks down.
"Running your own business requires spinning a lot of plates at the same time, and you also need a bit of luck.
"But of course, you also need to make your own luck."
A year and a half after he first started out, Neil's workload was reaching a point where he couldn't manage everything himself.
And so he took on his first employee, although initially they both saw it as a temporary arrangement.
He said: "It was 18 months before I thought about taking on anyone else.
"I had a job on in Grimsby so I took someone on for six weeks – and he is still with the company now."
In 1993, two years after launching Airco, Neil took on his first apprentice, marking the start of a long tradition at Airco which continues to this day.
"Somebody gave me a chance once," said Neil. "I was an apprentice and it was my first step on the career ladder, so I was determined to do the same."
Beginning with just a few apprentices, Airco gradually developed its apprenticeship programme and in 2005 the company teamed up with the Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education to train a whopping 26 apprentices as multi-skill engineers in refrigeration and air conditioning.
This dedication to training thee workforce of the future earned Airco a Mail News & Media Award for Training in 2006.
Today, Airco boast more than 70 staff including about ten apprentices, and can count a host of local, regional and national organisations among its clientele, including PLCs, big-name high-street retailers and local authorities.
Neil said: "When I started out, I just had myself and my family to look after.
"However, when you start to take staff on, you realise you are not just responsible for your own destiny but those of your employees as well."
As a member of the For Entrepreneurs Only Group, Neil now supports other fledgling entrepreneurs to take control of their destiny.
However he says there is more to success than having a good idea and a solid plan.
"Any advice you can get can only be a good thing, particularly from someone who has been there and done it already," he said. But, equally, it is about being able to spot an opportunity rather than a business plan. There is a joke here that I've never formed a plan for the business, and in a way there is some truth in that.
"If you can visualise your future that is a massive part of being successful.
"And then you have to really work to make a go of it."
