Paul Withers is the CEO of Direct Bullion, the UK’s no.1 rated bullion dealer. With its office located in the heart of London, it is Paul’s aim to create an environment for his team where everybody can reach their full potential and clients can achieve all of their asset goals. Every day, Paul is fortunate and honoured to benefit people’s lives through gold, an asset that is the ultimate form of wealth protection. In the past 17 years, gold has increased by an average value of 12.5% per year, it is an asset that is considered absolutely zero risk, and nothing can come close to achieving the same level of security. We speak with Paul to learn more about the industry and his journey to become CEO of the UK’s premier bullion dealer.
Paul began his career in an industry very different from that of bullion dealing, making his mark working intelligence for the Royal Navy. Shortly after, he worked as a carpenter, where he saw a colleague in his 50s struggle to succeed within the occupation, which resulted in a great sense of admiration for those in the field, although ultimately, he found that carpentry was not for him. In 2008, Paul invested in the stock market, but the market crash later that year left him with almost none of the money that he had initially put in. At the same time, the price of gold was increasing considerably, and in a keen moment of realisation, Paul decided this was the best way to invest.
A few years later, Paul began working for a bullion dealership, and while there he noticed the firm was making considerable mistakes and not providing the level of customer service that Paul expected. Harking back to his carpenter’s drive to craft something that would last for generations, Paul began work on building a gold company of his own from scratch, putting his philosophy in action by providing a more personal and meaningful alternative to clients.
Today as Direct Bullion CEO, Paul fondly looks back on these experiences as having shaped his all-round business perspective, giving him the ability to lead teams well and craft the right conditions for everybody to succeed. To further improve his CEO skillset, Paul regularly consumes business and entrepreneur podcasts and audiobooks, taking inspiration from such greats as Rob Moore, Napoleon Hill, and Dale Carnegie.
Forging a business from nothing meant that in the early days Paul took a very hands-on approach, working across all the company’s functions simultaneously. After achieving initial growth and to help the business expand into the successful enterprise it is today, Paul recruited industry experts in a variety of fields, which has resulted in a leadership style grounded in being advisory and supportive, letting the team get on with daily operations while nurturing an environment that allows them to be successful and achieve their full potential.
Direct Bullion now provides gold in an array of formats, with customers given the ability to buy gold coins and buy gold bars. Gold coins that the company offers includes Gold Britannia, Queen’s Beasts, Krugerrand, Canadian Maple Leaf, American Eagle, and American Buffalo. In regard to gold bars, these are available in 1 gram, 1 oz, 100 grams, 1kg, and more, making this an investment that is possible regardless of budget or space. For those interested in silver, the company provides a range of coins, some of which are offered with no VAT.
The modern world we live in is gripped by economic uncertainty, conflicts across nations, and political turmoil. With these problems rife, the value of other assets that people hold can drop significantly. Gold is the exception to the rule, the ultimate safe haven asset, these conditions serve to stimulate growth in the precious metals’ worth. Paul is totally confident that gold is going to continue to rise in value and popularity, as more people search for a safe and tax-efficient avenue to protect their wealth.
In order to ensure customer satisfaction is guaranteed, Paul has six key values that allow him to drive Direct Bullion: freedom, honesty, passion, loyalty, wisdom, and growth. Ultimately, these have evolved over time, with the last two being added as a result of the national and international growth the company has experienced.
The approach Direct Bullion offers is different to that of the industry standard, as the precious metals market is populated with long-established competitors and government organisations. These invariably provide a generic, one-size-fits-all approach, providing space for the company to offer individuals who want to protect their wealth a personalised and friendly service that will keep them satisfied and coming back time and again.
Customers buy from Direct Bullion as it is the only dealer in the industry to hit the four key requirements which all clients want. First of all, the company is the UK’s number one dealer, having been independently rated as such and won numerous awards for its fantastic services. Secondly, smooth and secure delivery is provided, with every item fully insured and a money back guarantee providing clients with total peace of mind. Third, clients benefit from unlimited access to the company’s friendly team of specialists who help them get the most from their gold portfolio, and finally, clients are kept up to date with their gold’s value growth.
Everyone who works at Direct Bullion contributes to delivering this exceptional level of service and, in return, the team members are provided with opportunities and the space to grow personally and professionally. For those looking to get into the industry, Paul is always happy to share advice or refer people to his expert team, who are always on the look out for great people, so would be delighted to help.
Current economic uncertainty means that a rapidly increasing number of people are protecting their wealth with gold, and with Direct Bullion’s status at the number one UK bullion dealer, tremendous growth is expected within the next twelve months and beyond. As well as operating successfully in the UK and US, the company is soon to launch in an additional 5 European countries, hoping to use this as a springboard to other markets in Asia and the Middle East.
Paul is a firm believer in learning along the way and putting this into action by doing. There are no plans for Paul to retire, as he loves the building and growth process involved in taking a business from 0 to 1, then finding the people and fostering the environment to grow it from 1 to 1,000,000. It is this dedication to his craft that has resulted in Direct Bullion becoming a pioneer at the forefront of the sector.
Through a wealth of expertise in precious metals as well as diverse life experiences, Paul is one of the UK’s best CEOs, possessing an abundance of care and understanding for both his team and clients. Undoubtedly, it took a great deal of hard work to get to this point, and he was able to recognise the power of gold first-hand, and how it can better the lives of those looking for a tax-free, zero-risk method of wealth protection.
