Author: Anya Cooklin-Lofting

By Anya Cooklin-Lofting

There is an enormous appetite on social media for behind-the-scenes access to the lives of business people, creatives, and entrepreneurs through snapshot videos of days in their lives, flitting in time to the beat of an Insta-famous song. Business leaders possess an enduring appeal. We seem to be obsessed with their lives, from where they get their morning coffee to their chosen workout routines, and from the sort of software tools they use to their elaborate wind-down rituals. But underneath all the glamour, business leaders have some serious stories to tell. What really goes on behind closed doors? What struggles, obstacles and setbacks did they face on their climb to the top of their games? 

This month, it’s time to get the details. I had the pleasure of talking to six BBB business leaders about their journeys to success, what risks they took along the way and what genuinely inspires them to get back to the grindstone every morning. 

The question of what truly motivates great leaders yields answers that are as varied as they are moving. Kate Bright, the CEO of Umbra International, a leading client private office offering a range of bespoke protective and proactive security solutions, tells me that her primary motivation comes from, “the thought that [she] is in a privileged position to be able to help, empower and protect those who can’t protect or support themselves for whatever reason.” For Heather Darnell, the Founder and Finance Director at Ask the Boss, a business accelerator platform, “being part of the local business community and helping people reach their business and finance goals,” is the primary motivating factor. “Although,” she adds, “I confess that Cher’s character in the movie, Moonstruck, partially motivated me too. Seeing her popping in and out of her neighbours’ businesses and being a trusted part of the community was very attractive!”  Ian Patterson, CEO at Equinox and Equinox Charter, a duo of travel services companies, says his motivation comes from seeing the world. “My job has allowed me to visit so many unique and wonderful places,” he says. Ronel Lehmann, CEO of Finito, a company that helps first-time job hunters make the transition from education to employment, says his key motivation at work is, “the gratitude from those you have helped.” For him, “that beats anything.”

The early days of any business person’s journey are laden with risks, and many of the great business owners I talked to shared ways that they mitigated risk in every way they could. Patterson told me that although starting a business always requires financial investment, he had been in business with his business partner for over 20 years, so there was trust and expertise on each side. “We knew we had good clients that would follow us if we set up on our own,” he says. For Bright, too, extensive client experience and connections diminished the sense of risk she felt when building Umbra International. “In terms of financial risk, I still work with three of the families I worked with in my first job, so in many ways, starting the business was low risk for me.” For Max Slaght, the Director of Domus Stay, a holiday rental company setting a new standard for short stays in London, “our first major risk was the survival of the dream.” Slaght and his business partner Rachel Agnell started the business in early 2020, so by April, the lockdown had hit and they weren’t able to welcome their first international guests until June 2021. “Like most other businesses we had to cut back on spending, staffing and fundamentally operating, the doors were firmly shut,” he says. “But, we worked very hard to keep the operations side of the business alive, working behind the scenes on overall strategy. In those very dark early days, we truly laid the foundation on which this thriving business is built.”

Asking a business leader what makes a good business leader is an uncomfortable question to ask. Many of the leaders I spoke to took the opportunity to reflect on their own learnings, or on the qualities of leaders they have respected throughout their own careers. For Rupert Longsdon, the Founder and CEO of Oxford Ski, it’s clear: Good leaders should, “empower others, delegate and build strong teams.” Patterson agrees, telling me that sometimes it’s not just about the strength of the leader, but about the “layering of the people you put in place, from the directors to senior management.” For Slaght and Darnell, “good listening skills,” are of the utmost importance. Slaught says, “there’s a reason we have two ears and one mouth. Listening to others, your team, your family and friends and learning from them is so important.”

There’s no denying it’s hard work running a business, so it’s important for high-flyers to reflect on the moments of which they’re most proud and the challenges they’ve overcome. For Longsdon, a proud moment was the company’s handling of the pandemic. He says, “we’ve come out of these strange few years better and stronger.” Darnell tells me that there is pride in knowing that “every person that has ever worked for me has learned new things during their time with us. They can apply those things not only to our clients, but to their own lives, and future jobs when they decide to move on. I’m proud of every single one of them.” For Bright, it’s all about celebrating the moments that fill her with pride as the business grows. She says, “as we reach new revenue points, I always make a point to celebrate.”

And what of the next generation? Our BBB leaders were kind enough to share their wisest words with budding business people of tomorrow. Bright believes in creating your own fun by “[bringing] the things you enjoy to your business and being your authentic self. You’ll find you’ll attract a team, clients and a wider community that align with it.” For Darnell, pragmatism is key. She says, “always pay attention to your finances, and not just the money in your bank account. You don’t need to become an accountant to run a business, but you should learn what a tax liability is and what your profitability is and be able to see what it will take financially to hit your business goals.”

For Longsdon and Patterson, it’s all about listening to others. “If I started a business again I would also have a mentor, consultant, and non-exec,” says the former, adding that “I would have worked with someone with more life and business experience to look from the outside in and support me in making key decisions rather than doing it all on my own.” For Patterson, it’s simple: “Believe in your idea, discuss it with others, and work hard.”