When John Moon was just 11 years old, a quiet moment chopping wood in his backyard sparked a determination that would alter the course of his life. That flash of clarity, as he describes it, marked the beginning of a lifelong refusal to accept mediocrity.
Decades later, that same grit and resolve have culminated in his debut book, How to Make Something from Nothing , a part-memoir, part-guide that draws from his own extraordinary journey from a 1960s Somerset council estate to a successful career in property, motorsport, and now publishing.
Based in Bristol, just outside Yate, John’s story is one of perseverance, self-reflection, and a refusal to let his upbringing define his destiny. His book, published in November, is already earning glowing reviews from readers of all ages.
Ask John about the moment everything changed, and he doesn’t hesitate to point to that day when he was 11.
“All I knew at that moment was I did not want to have the same kind of life as that of my parents,” he reflects. “The fact I still recall that moment quite clearly tells me it must have been significant, but there were a few other things which happened both before and after then which equally contributed to my ongoing mindset.”
That early sense of self-awareness became a compass that guided him away from his parents’ worldview. While he admires the stoicism his father displayed in the face of hardship, John knew he had to take a different approach if he wanted a different life.
John Moon – How to Make Something from Nothing
“Their belief that success was something our family was not destined for, was more tricky to overcome,” he admits. “It has been a handbrake for me for much of my life, but fortunately I was stubborn enough to keep on, keeping on.”
John’s rise to success is a masterclass in self-reliance. Without a university degree or affluent connections to pull him up the ranks, he started at the bottom and worked his way up, step by step.
“Slowly, but with perseverance,” he says, succinctly. “When you have nothing, it seemed logical to me to maximise the few assets I had, so I did my best to optimise even the tiniest things.”
His approach was simple but effective. “Being reliable, accurate with everything I tried to do and endeavouring to bond with people when I could, all seemed to make a small difference and gradually I began moving up the ladder,” he explains. The climb wasn’t quick, but patience became his secret weapon. “These things take time to have an effect,” he notes, hinting at the broader life philosophy that underpins his book.
Though John had long entertained the idea of writing a book, it wasn’t until 2016 that he began jotting down random ideas. Eventually, a clear theme emerged — himself. “I realised most of what I was jotting down involved me and the things I had learnt,” he recalls. “As I know more about myself than anything else, it seemed logical to write about that.”
The result, How to Make Something from Nothing , was originally intended as a family keepsake. But as the manuscript took shape, John realised it could serve a broader audience. “Initially, I felt the book would only be of interest to my family,” he says. “But as it evolved, I began to believe it could be an inspiration for young people lacking such a thing.” Since its release, the book has found an even wider audience, resonating with people from all walks of life, especially those seeking a way to overcome their own challenges.
It wasn’t an easy process. “It was the most difficult part of writing it,” John confesses. “I decided early on, if I was to write this story, it would have to be totally honest, warts and all. Putting those tricky emotional times into print has not been easy.” But that honesty has been its own reward, both for him and his readers.
For John, the world of property investment began with a modest family home at the age of 25. Three years later, he and two friends bought a flat in Bath, renting it out with mixed success. Then came his first major setback — a risky investment in a Gloucester house bought “off plan” during a property boom. When the market crashed, they were left with a costly liability. “The tenants trashed the place. We eventually sold it at a loss, some years later,” he says. “A salutary lesson.”
But he didn’t give up. Instead, he refined his approach, using a strategy of borrowing as much as possible and reinvesting everything. “It’s why when I became a millionaire on paper, I still had less money to spend than most people around me,” he explains. Through grit and calculated risk, he transformed his approach from amateur to seasoned investor, a process he now advises others to follow.
John’s love of motorsport is woven through his personal and professional journey. He recalls his teenage years helping to launch an Autograss club (grass-track car racing) in his local town at age 16. The resourcefulness required to build cars on a shoestring budget taught him lessons he still applies today. “To take part in even the most basic motorsport requires the ability to find money, develop ingenuity, and overcome ridiculous obstacles,” he says.
The resilience and resourcefulness honed on the track translated into his later ventures. “The skills I learnt through this have worked for me all my life,” he says. Racing not only tested his mettle but also reinforced his belief that hardship could be a tool for growth.
John has a theory about resilience: “Emotional weakness was a luxury we could not afford,” he says, reflecting on his upbringing. From those tough early years, he developed what he calls “the willpower and work ethic” that became his greatest assets. This grit informs his views on success, too. “I have always been someone who has made fast decisions and stuck with them, whether they were optimal or not,” he admits. His focus isn’t on perfection but persistence.
One of the most powerful messages in his book is that success is less about sudden breakthroughs and more about consistent, small actions. “The compounding effect of my actions over the years has put me in a place unimaginable in the back garden of my parents’ council house in the 1960s,” he says. It’s a lesson he wants younger generations to absorb. “Your biggest challenge is mastering whatever is inside your head,” he insists. “Once you know where you are, you will be able to truly decide what it is you need to do.”
With the success of How to Make Something from Nothing , John has already begun thinking about a follow-up. “Until this book was published, I had no plans. But now, I know I have to write a follow up,” he says. He’s also pondering a work of fiction, hinting at a creative shift in the years to come.
For those looking for inspiration, John’s story is a blueprint for self-reinvention. His final message to readers is: “Whatever place you find yourself in, however low you think you are, however bleak you believe your circumstances to be, there will be a way out. Your biggest challenge is mastering whatever is inside your head.”
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