Tuhia he tomokanga mō tēnei wāhanga - I whānau mai a Duncan i Ayrshire, i haere ia ki te Ardrossan Academy i Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, ā, i whakaakona ia ki te Whare Wānanga o Birmingham i whiwhi ai ia i tētahi BCom i te tau 1985. I muri mai ka mahi ia hei kaitohutohu pakihi me te whakawhitiwhiti korero mo Mackays Stores Ltd mai i te 1985 ki te 1988 hei taapiri ki te whakahaere i te umanga papanga whanau - John Duncan & Son mai i te 1988 ki te 2000. I te marama o Hepetema 1997, i puta ia hei mema o te hunga whakarongo i te wa e tautohetohe ana a Scottish Television mo te pooti pooti
, ā, i kōrero ki te whakatū i tētahi Pāremata Pirihimana. I muri mai ka tū a Duncan mō te pōtitanga ki te pāremata i whakahe ai ia i te tīmatanga.