Author: Martin Port

In my experience, when entrepreneurs become successful, they begin to think about how they can give back. They start thinking about the impact they can make on society, on the next generation of entrepreneurs, and their local communities.

For many years, my purpose in life has been twofold: to build meaningful businesses and to do all I can to have a positive impact on the world around me.

Luckily, there are many channels out there for entrepreneurs seeking to do good: you can channel a percentage of profits to worthy causes, make personal donations, and even become a start-up investor to encourage the next wave of entrepreneurs.

But, today, I’d like to talk to you about another route to impact. 

The importance of time

Sometimes, as a business builder, your time is worth more than money. Your experience, insight, your contacts, your knack for seeing solutions to complex issues – that is a currency that has the potential to accelerate the growth of an organisation far quicker than cold, hard cash.

This is why I have started giving my time away to businesses that I really believe in – for free.

I recently joined MoreLife, a company that supports people to live healthier lives, as a strategic adviser and board observer. 

MoreLife takes a holistic approach to help its customers, through weight management, giving up smoking, healthy cooking and more.

It’s a cause that is close to my heart, both as someone who has constantly battled with my own weight over the years, and through concern for my son Joseph, whose learning difficulties mean that he struggles to make healthy decisions.

I met the founder, Professor Paul Gately, many years ago and wanted to get involved – but could never find the time.

After moving into my chairman role at BigChange, we started talking about how I could help him with growth, sales and marketing, and I’m delighted that I’m now actively creating strategies and plans with Paul to help achieve all his goals.

Proud to be supporting a passionate business

When you invest your time, as an entrepreneur, it is so important to be passionate about the business that you are supporting. I couldn’t be more impressed by all that MoreLife has achieved to date.

They helped 5,500 people in Manchester alone last year, and many of the individuals they serve come from deprived areas.

It may sound strange but when you tackle physical health, the impact on mental health can be significant, but MoreLife also believe if you tackle mental health, physical health returns too, with results such as helping long-term unemployed people get back into work and giving them the confidence to pursue their dreams in life.

I’m particularly moved by MoreLife’s successes in childhood obesity, giving kids the tools to stay healthy their whole life long. You can read some of the stories on their case study page.

My focus as an adviser at MoreLife

Right now, my focus at MoreLife is on a few key areas: helping to set up an incubator within MoreLife to champion the company’s technology projects and grow the whole proposition; helping them do more with their data, and creating a sales function (they still don’t have a single salesman in the business).

Eventually, I would like to help MoreLife roll out a series of kitchens where people can come and learn how to make healthier meals.

For any business leaders out there who are considering supporting a business in this way, I thought I’d share my learnings so far.

Be prepared for your time investment to be front-loaded. It may take quite a few meetings to get under the skin of the business in the early days and to start creating momentum, but once things are up and running, you can usually drop your time commitment to a couple of days a month – most of us can afford to spare that.

If you give your time for free and don’t invest in the business, it’s easier to give your advice without being seen to have an agenda, which helps maximise your impact.

Finally, know your strengths and limit your advice to the areas where the business needs support – MoreLife has an outstanding team and I would never interfere with the services they provide or presume to understand their customers better than they do.

There are so many benefits to giving your time to exciting businesses. Thinking about different problems and issues is invigorating, and you learn so much – you can sometimes apply these insights to your own venture. But the main thing, for me, is that when you start making a difference, it just feels amazing.

So, don’t delay, lend your entrepreneurial nous to a great business that wants your support – you won’t regret it. 

I’d like to tell you a bit about why I believe the Queen is a true inspiration to all entrepreneurs.

I am a royalist through and through. I know that not everyone feels the same way, so this is a fair warning in case you want to click away now.

It all started when I was six years old. I was in Aberdeen with my parents, who were working up there, and the Queen’s yacht, the Britannia, sailed into the harbour. She stepped off the gangway and I caught my first glimpse of her. That was back in 1968.

Over the years, I have followed her exploits – both as a supporter of entrepreneurs and as an entrepreneur in her own right.

Whether it’s through the Royal Warrant – a mark of Royal approval given to small artisan brands and major corporations like Kellogg’s – or through her Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, which recognise the companies that are changing industries and driving value for the UK economy, the Queen’s support for entrepreneurial endeavour is clear.

The Queen brings value to the UK economy

The value that she brings to the nation in terms of tourism – estimated at more than £500m a year – and as an ambassador for British brands is extraordinary.

Many people underestimate her business acumen, but the Queen runs a multi-billion pound business, which is made up of property, trusts, leisure attractions and farms. It is estimated that her property assets alone are worth around £13bn – these include Regent Street and Ascot.

You could argue that it’s easy to make money from inherited wealth but her estates at Sandringham and Balmoral are profitable enterprises in their own right.

The Queen has chosen to grow organic produce, such as wheat and oats, rent out cottages to visitors, run tea rooms, open farm shops, and even licenses the rights to the artwork and photography in the royal collection.

I would like to add that while the Queen isn’t required to pay tax on her earnings, she voluntarily pays both income tax and capital gains – as does Prince Charles.

The Queen is an asset to the UK’s business community

I’ve been lucky enough to meet the Queen on a couple of occasions. Back when I ran a bread business, I won the contract to deliver to the newly-opened Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.

At the launch event, I pushed my son Ben to the back of a line of dignitaries who were meeting the Queen. She wished him a happy birthday – he turned 10 that day.

I was so impressed by her quiet gravitas as a leader. I got the impression that if she wasn’t a reigning monarch, she’d be running a multinational operation.

When BigChange won a Queen’s Award in the Innovation category a few years ago, it was the highlight of my entire career. That award is the greatest accolade given to a British business – it’s like being knighted as a company.

I cannot quantify the impact that award has had on BigChange, from the impact on morale to our ability to win bigger contracts and clients.

As we celebrate 70 years of the Queen’s rule through the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022, hanging bunting and baking cakes, I will reflect on the impact she has had on my life as an entrepreneur.

I truly believe she is a national treasure, and an asset to the UK’s business community. God save the Queen.

Nobody starts a business expecting half of the curve balls that come their way. I should know. I’ve done it three times. 

However hard you try, there will be times when you feel that the whole world is against you. When you can’t see a way forward. When, frankly, you want to throw in the towel. 

But the mark of a true entrepreneur is that, despite these feelings, you find the grit and resolve to push forwards and find a solution to even the most impossible problems. 

I was reminded of this when watching the football this weekend.

Like many of you, I was glued to my screen on Sunday when both Leeds United and Manchester City pulled off staggering turnarounds.

The parallels between business and football

Those of you who have watched my Secrets of Leadership series with Kevin Keegan OBE know that I see many parallels between business and the beautiful game and this was one of those times.

Leeds United was third from the bottom when it went into the match against Brentford, the last match of the season. The team had to win or risk relegation. In the 93rd minute, Jack Harrison scored the goal that ensured Leeds’s place in next season’s Premier League.

What an incredible moment to witness – especially for a die-hard Leeds fan.

As for Manchester City, the team lost ground against Aston Villa, and seemed set to lose. But manager Pep Guardiola refused to give up, and embarked on a bold strategy, bringing on new players who ultimately helped City beat Villa, 3-2.

Both Guardiola and Leeds’s manager Jesse Marsch found the strength to fight back just when victory seemed impossible.

I found that incredibly inspiring – and a timely reminder of what it takes to be a great leader.

The power of teamwork when solving problems

They brought me back to the power of teamwork when it comes to solving problems. If you surround yourself with great people, and let them come up with solutions too, motivating them to be the best they can be, you can get through anything.

This absolute focus on a team mentality was evidenced after the Manchester City match, when everyone from the squad and support crews flooded onto the pitch. Even the guy who washes the team’s kit came out.

That business appreciates everyone who helps the team win, from the most junior to the top brass.

These matches helped me to remember that even though it’s a tough trading environment out there, with lots of economic strife coming down the road, it’s not about getting weighed down by the problems; you must focus all your energies on solutions.

This was the very reason I started BigChange in the first place. To use technology to help businesses of all sizes survive downturns and difficulties because our technology brought them unrivalled efficiency.

In business, you never back down from a challenge. You just keep on fighting until you find a way through.

At BigChange, there’s no problem we can’t solve if we work together, and value one-another’s insight and experience.

There are 260 brilliant people at BigChange, and everyone has played a crucial part in our success. 

One thing’s for certain, like Marsch and Guardiola, I’m never going to leave the pitch without a win, and neither should you. 

We have a problem at BigChange. How do we show our customers the breadth of our software capability when there are an extraordinary number of features and possibilities to consider?

This problem only gets bigger as our platform becomes more comprehensive and we create more layers of detail and personalisation. If you try and explain too much at once, you create a kind of technological snow blindness.

This is why, a couple of years ago, we embarked on a plan to create the BigChange University. We created a live webinar series, which unpacked each feature in detail and helped customers to really get under the bonnet of the software. We were running a webinar almost every day at one point.

This was a runaway success, but the approach had its limitations. We could only host webinars during “office” hours, and each session lasted between 30 minutes and one hour. Our customers are busy people: they can’t always spare an hour in the middle of the day to complete a training module.

That’s when we asked Will Nixon to come in and help us create a more sustainable, powerful solution. He is the man who helped take training digital for the NHS, creating a platform where staff could complete modules in their own time from anywhere. He agreed to join us as Customer Learning Manager and has taken us on an epic journey to build BigChange University 2.0.

Today, the university is a massive resource, packed with online videos and tutorials that customers can access whenever and wherever they want. We have shaken up the format, creating bitesize learning modules that are up to 10 minutes long. We have organised the training into levels: core, advanced and expert. All new customers complete the core training as part of their onboarding and existing customers can enhance their knowledge with the more sophisticated modules.

Right now, we are looking to get this training externally accredited, so that our customers can use this learning towards their individual Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Will has worked tirelessly over the past six months to broaden out the original training platform into a more holistic and robust resource.

“The response from customers has been amazing,” he tells me. “The training element of the onboarding process used to take routinely six to eight weeks. Now, it takes just 14 days. This has a massive impact on customers because the time we would previously spend on core training is now used for bespoke consultancy. Because customers already understand the platform, they can ask thoughtful questions and help us drive value much more quickly. We have seen a lot of early successes in that area.

“Our training modules aren’t passive; there are learnings at the end to put into action in the live environment, which means we are driving more self-service when it comes to the basics and allowing the BigChange team to focus their attention on the real value drivers for customers. As we grow, we don’t have infinite resources so it’s important to use our one-to-one support in the most effective and powerful way.

“Over time, we can use the data we glean about how and when customers consume which modules to help shape future developments. We’ll know which modules are most popular in what industries. These kinds of learnings are gold dust. By being responsive to customer needs, we have moved away from rigid processes and discovered a world of opportunity.”

Will Nixon, Customer Learning Manager

I couldn’t have put it better myself. 

I’m sharing our journey with the BigChange University today to help any entrepreneurs grappling with similar problems. Sometimes, a bit of creative thinking gives you a solution that not only makes the initial challenge disappear, it also helps steer you into an even more sustainable and successful future. 

I’m not an angry man. I rarely lose my temper. But when I think about the chronic shortage of opportunities for people with physical disabilities and learning difficulties, I’ll admit, I feel frustrated and enraged.

Every human being on this earth deserves the chance to make something of themselves. To have independence and make their own living. To work hard in a rewarding career and find the purpose and community that fulfilling employment creates.

And yet, too often, doors that should be held open are slammed shut. In all the years I have been talking about equal opportunities for disabled people, I’ve seen very little change.

Almost half of the disabled people in Britain are currently unemployed. Of the 8.4m disabled people in the UK, just 4.4m have jobs.

But I’m not here to post doom and gloom. Today, I want to share an incredible story with you.

It’s a story of triumph over adversity, of compassion, and humanity. It’s the story of Todd Scanlon, a young man with Down’s Syndrome, who dreamt of becoming a scaffolder, and Martyn Coles, the man who made it happen.

‘I didn’t anticipate the reactions we would get’

I connected with Martyn a few months ago. We share a lot of the same values and beliefs, and when I heard about his journey with Todd, I just had to share it. I’ll let Martyn tell you in his own words.

“I’ve known Todd for years. I used to go to school with his cousins. I run my own scaffolding business and for as long as I can remember, Todd has been asking to come and work with me. A few years ago, I said to his mum, ‘Why don’t you let him have a go?’

“It took a couple of years for her to agree. She wanted to be reassured there would be no issues with him working on site, or with my staff. But in the end, she trusted me, and he began working in the business four years ago.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about people with Down’s syndrome. I’m always asked: ‘Do you need lots of extra health and safety processes? What about the risks?’

But Todd is just the same as any other member of my team. If anything, he’s more careful than some of his colleagues. If there’s a big hole on site, and I tell everyone not to go near it, he doesn’t.

Other people on the team might be tempted to go and have a look, but he carries out instructions to the letter.

“The only change we have made to our working process is to introduce some sign language because Todd doesn’t have great hearing. Construction is a noisy industry anyway, so we have some different signs we use to indicate different fittings, so he always uses the right equipment.

“When I gave Todd a job, I didn’t anticipate the reactions we would get. I got a lot of abuse, especially from other scaffolding companies. I was even accused of using Todd for a gimmick, for my own personal gain. It was vile.

“Then, a few years ago, we tried to get Todd into college. No one wanted to know. We have lots of lads here on apprenticeships and they all go to college but the main training provider we spoke to did everything they could to avoid having Todd.

“Even when their assessor came and spoke to Todd and tried to fight our corner, they didn’t want to know. That was a really difficult time for all of us. I sent email after email, called over and over, and the provider kept putting me off.

“Todd would ask me when he could go to college like the other lads, and I had to tell him truthfully that I didn’t know if that would ever be possible.”

The right to an education

“In the end, I started making a lot of noise about Todd. I contacted the CEO directly and pointed out that I wasn’t asking for a free ride. I just wanted to get him assessed. He has the right to an education, just the same as everyone else. She never got back to me.

“However, another training provider heard about our situation and got in touch. They asked me how confident I was that he could complete the training. I said that I didn’t know if he could pass first time, but he deserved a chance.

He went to Weston College to take the assessment and got 88 out 100, which blew everyone away. T

he college came back and offered him a special education needs (SEN) assessment, which was completed in January this year, and the assessor came back and said that yes, Todd has the ability to do the course, and, most importantly, he really wanted to do it.

“I’m under no illusions. This isn’t going to be easy. Todd is going to have to work very hard and we’ll all support him the best we can. The college has been amazing. It’s offering one-to-one sessions to support Todd, and it has created a bespoke programme just for him.

“This isn’t just an incredible opportunity for Todd. This paves the way for anyone else like him to follow the same path.

“We have been getting messages from people all over the world, saying ‘I have a child with a disability, and I never thought they could do what they want to in life, but this proves it’s possible. You have shown it can be done and fought our corner.’

“Even the UK education board has been in touch, asking if they can put something like this in place at mainstream colleges across the country.”

A life-changing experience

“For Todd, this whole experience has been life-changing. He gets paid a wage every week and he loves the work.

“He only works two days because it’s a tough job and he gets very tired but even on his days off, he’s texting the lads on WhatsApp asking how they’re getting on.

“He loves being part of a team. Now and again, on a Friday, we’ll go to the pub and Todd will buy a round. He’s experienced what it’s like to earn a wage, pay your way and save up to treat yourself.

“We are a small business, yet we have managed to help Todd achieve his dream. Imagine what could be done if all the big businesses across the UK adapted like we have.

“A few companies, like Sainsbury’s, do welcome those with disabilities but the reality is there is still a lot of prejudice out there.

“I’ve been running my own business for eight years and have created opportunities for all kinds of people. Individuals coming out of prison. Guys recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.

“What I’ve learned is that if you manage everyone like a person, focusing on bringing out the best of their abilities, they learn just as well as anyone else.

“They may need a bit more help sometimes but don’t we all?”

“I’m so proud of all Todd has achieved. He has worked so hard and become a global ambassador. Everyone in our local area knows him and says hello. He’s single-handedly changing attitudes just by being himself. Even if Todd decided to quit scaffolding tomorrow, it’s been an amazing journey and opened so many doors. I just hope that Todd’s achievements – and us telling his story – will help convince many other businesses to give someone like him a chance. That’s all anyone with disabilities wants: a chance.”

Martyn Coles