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From Black Cabs to Broken Locks: Instalock
A career change born out of uncertainty became a thriving locksmith business built on reputation, professionalism and community trust.
» WHEN COVID BROUGHT LONDON to a standstill, many tradespeople found themselves reassessing their futures. For Essex locksmith Adam Cowell of Instalock Essex, the pandemic became the catalyst for a complete career transformation.
A former London black cab driver, Adam turned back to skills he first learned during school work experience with his uncle. What started as a way to provide for his growing family quickly evolved into a respected locksmith business recognised by the Master Locksmiths Association and trusted across Essex.
Learning the trade young, but taking the long route back
I actually first got into locksmithing while I was still at secondary school. My uncle was in the trade and I did my work experience with him. He had a council contract fitting doors and I used to help fit the locks into them.
At the time though, I never really saw locksmithing as a career. I went off in a completely different direction and became a London black taxi driver. I did that right up until Covid hit.
My first son was due to be born and suddenly the taxi work disappeared overnight. London was empty. Like everyone else at the time, I was worried about how I was going to provide for my family. That was when I started thinking about locksmithing again. I thought if I could get enough small jobs coming in, it might help us get through until things settled down and I could go back to driving, but it went mad almost straight away.
Building a Business Through Facebook and Community Trust
A lot of the early growth came through Facebook and social media. I started posting locally and people shared my work. The enquiries just kept coming in.
At first, I genuinely thought it would only be temporary and I’ d end up back in the taxi eventually. But the more I got into locksmithing properly, the more I realised how much more I enjoyed it. I don’ t miss driving into London at all.
Locksmithing keeps me fitter and healthier too. Sitting in a cab for ten hours a day wrecked my knees and my ankle. Now I’ m constantly active, moving around and working locally in Essex instead of spending hours in traffic. It’ s also given me something much bigger than just work. I’ m building something for my family and for my boys.
Recognition Through the MLA
I’ ve always believed in doing things properly and learning the trade to the highest standard possible. In 2023 I completed my MLA exam, and then in 2025 I won the Nigel Rose Award at
the MLA Expo, which is awarded to the locksmith with the highest exam results that year. That was a massive achievement for me and something I’ m really proud of.
I did my MLA exam in 2023 and then in 2025 I won the Nigel Rose Award at the MLA Expo. That was massive for me because it’ s awarded to the person with the highest exam results. It meant a lot because I’ ve worked hard to learn the trade properly and keep improving.
One of the best things about locksmithing is the people in the trade as well. I regularly work alongside other respected locksmiths including Steve at Fairfax Locksmiths, Mark at Abbey Locks, and Matt Stokes from Dennis Security Centre, which is a great family business passed down through generations. Having good people around you in this trade makes a huge difference.
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JUNE 2026
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