I earn millions doing a job you don’t need a degree for – I left school at 13 and I’m 53 and still can’t read

TODAY, thousands of A-level students have been finding out what grades they got in their exams. But if your teenager didn’t get the results they had hoped for – or simply doesn’t want to go to university – one man has revealed he has still managed to rake in millions despite dropping out of school at 13. Adee became a hairstylist to the stars despite not being able to read or write Credit: Getty The hairdresser left school with no qualifications but still managed to make the big time Credit: Instagram Aidan Phelan, who goes by Adee, from Birmingham, didn’t let his lack of school qualifications get in the way of launching a successful career as a hairdresser, and did it all while not being able to read or write. Now aged 53, the famous hairstylist crosses paths with A-list celebs, working with the likes of football legend Sir David Beckham, Liza Minelli, Piers Morgan, and Liam Gallagher, just to name a few. Sign up for the Fabulous newsletter Thank you! Adee recalled that while in school he never learnt to read or write and decided to drop out at just 13 with no GCSEs and head into the world of work. He told Metro: “At primary school, I was written off as stupid. No data found “I was never any good at reading or writing; in fact I’ve described myself up until recently as illiterate.” However, it turned out Adee was dyslexic and he was only diagnosed ten years ago. The hairdresser revealed his late father was keen to get him into work once he dropped out of school, so quickly got a job doing a paper round, delivering vegetables and working in a butcher’s shop. But at the age of 28, Adee entered the world of hairdressing, and his creativity and natural flair for hair set him apart from the rest. Most read in Fabulous As he became more well-known, demand for his skills ran rampant among the celeb world. He added: “On a weekly basis, I was flown all over the world from Dubai, to LA, Miami, and Chicago – often with eight gigs globally each month, charging £10-15k each time. “I had a chain of successful salons, and a range of hair products on shelves across the UK and Europe.” The hairstylist was able to hire PAs, PRs, and marketing teams to help with tasks he didn’t feel equipped to do and he raised millions for charity. Adee explained: “Still, to this day, I’ve never booked a flight, or even taken my driving test due to the reading aspects. “I avoided any task requiring me to do so and I got away with it – for years,” . But all of that has now changed, and at the age of 46, he decided enough was enough and picked up a book to learn how to read. With the help of a former partner, who was a primary school teacher, he learned the basics of letters, words, and reading. Now at 51, Adee is still practicing his literary skills, spurred on by his new role as Creative Director of Quantus Art Gallery, so that he can communicate effectively with clients and staff. The hairstylist hopes to one day be able to read an autobiography, preferably about one of his own clients. Fabulous recently reported on one woman who was told she would go nowhere in life after dropping out of school, only to prove them all wrong with her lash business. Plus, one man runs a £75million business despite dropping out of school. Dragons’ Den’s Deborah Meaden revealed how she made it despite dropping out of school with no A-levels.