Daniel Smith

What were the highlights of your week, working undercover?

I enjoyed being anonymous a lot! This was the first time in my working life that I managed to switch off from business for 10 days, and have a free mind to concentrate on the task in hand. Working undercover I met a lot of amazing people, people that I think I would have never met in my normal everyday life.

What have you taken away from your experience and the people you met on the way?

This experience has certainly changed my view on life, and made me realise how life can treat some people so badly. It made me realise the most important things in life are good health and family and friends. It made me reassess my own work/life balance. I also have a much better understanding of homelessness, the issues surrounding it, how difficult and slow they are to solve and the importance of catching people quickly so they don't end up after 3 months still on the streets. I have taken so much away from this experience that its so difficult to put into words.

Has the Secret Millionaire experience been a reality check and has it changed your perception of society?

This has been the biggest reality check I could of ever had! Even though I need to slow down and enjoy life a bit more, it reaffirms that it can happen to anyone and made me more determined than ever to keep working hard. I never realised how hard it is to get a roof over your head, whether a hostel or flat, and the seriousness and difficult issues there are to deal with. There seems to be big gaps in society's so called 'safety net'.

What was the biggest surprise that you learned about yourself?

I realised how much I rely on other people and how uptight and stressed I was most of the time. Since being back, so many people have commented on how relaxed I look. It also scared me how quick I adapted to my new undercover life!

Has your experience changed your attitude to philanthropic work?

I never knew how nice it was to give something back. Since returning I have been in contact with the projects I helped, and I am looking forward to seeing them develop and staying involved and helping where I can.

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