00:01 - Jess White (Host)

So, welcome to the Networking Spark Podcast. I've got a fabulous guest today. This gentleman helps people to grow and scale their businesses and then sell them, if they want to, for huge sums of money. So it might be a great podcast to listen to if you want some tips, some ideas on how to grow your own business and perhaps eventually have an exit plan. He's also got a podcast called Business with Purpose. His name is David Roberts. Let's give him a big, warm welcome, david. Thank you so much for being on the Networking Spark Welcome.

00:42 - David Roberts (Guest)

Thanks very much and thanks for having me.

00:44 - Jess White (Host)

Awesome. So, David, tell us a little bit about yourself. So tell us who you help, who you serve and what it is exactly that you do.

00:54 - David Roberts (Guest)

So I help CEOs, mainly leadership teams, to build great places to work that they can grow. And, yeah, if the owners want to sell, they're ready to sell. And the reason that I do that is because I've been through the process myself a couple of times. And it's also a good discipline, I think, for a business to always be working towards being ready to be sold because if you're ready to be sold, that means you've not got a huge dependency on one person as the owner of the business, because quite often that stops businesses from being sold. Owner of the business, because quite often that stops businesses from being sold. You're building culture, you're building discipline, you're building structure into a business. All of those things are going to help, you know, the boat to go faster. So, um, yeah, so whether you want to sell your business or not, it's, it's a good goal to have to have a business that's sell ready.

02:05 - Jess White (Host)

And you're not just any coach mentor. You are an award-winning mentor because you and I shared an experience recently at an awards ceremony. Is that the first award you've won, or have you won multiple awards and congratulations?

02:24 - David Roberts (Guest)

Yeah, thank you, yeah, and congratulations to you too. Yeah, yeah, I have won awards before, so, and it is great. Awards are great. Awards are also great for businesses to win. Actually, you know, when you're again growing a business and looking to have an impact, winning an award especially if it's an award that is a challenging award to win, you know, with strong judging criteria and that kind of thing it gives you that kind of evidence, if you like, that what you're doing is having a positive difference and making an impact.

03:03

And I mean, one of the awards I'm most proud of winning is a institute of customer service award customer satisfaction award which the business I was running, uh, won. That was in 2018. We were like an sme business, like a relatively small business 15 million turnover probably at that point in time and we were up against, you know, your big blue chip PLC type companies and it was great to kind of get that validation and, like I say, if it's a proper award, it's really empowering for your people as well as being a nice bit of recognition for you as an individual. I mean, people are motivated by three things really One is growth, the second is achievement and the third is recognition and the process of working towards winning an award and then actually winning it gives you all three of those things, so so it's a really powerful thing yeah.

04:11 - Jess White (Host)

So it's a lovely thing to have towards the end of the year as well, isn't it? Because it's like you get towards the end of the year and it's like, well, what have I achieved? You look back and it's been an uphill sort of sprint run, and it's not always easy. So to be recognized and to have that given to you in the form of an award means a lot, and certainly the the the you know.

04:35

The one where we were was part of a mastermind group of a couple of hundred people and it was, and everybody gets to know you, and that, to me, was really special, because sometimes with award ceremonies, it can be judges that have never met you or don't know you, and I think when you're involved in a mastermind, everyone really gets to know what you do, um on a day-to-day business, and so I thought that was really special and it was lovely to see you you going up there um to win. So that was awesome, um, you mentioned earlier that you've you've been there and done it yourself, as in growing a business and and selling it. Tell us a little bit about your journey and let's go way back from the start. I mean, what were you doing when you left school, for instance?

05:23 - David Roberts (Guest)

uh, well, so when I, when I left school, uh, so I went to, I went to school. I grew up in bristol in in the south southwest so I went to inner city, uh, comprehensive uh school and uh, it wasn't. It wasn't a great school from the point of view of results about 25 the kids left with, you know, five GCSEs or whatever. You know what wasn't wasn't great, but it was a great school from the point of view of learning about culture, learning about different people and, uh, different people's backgrounds, and it was a proper melting pot, you know, and and so, um, and some of the friendships that I made there I've still got now. So, so, yeah, so it was. It was a really good grounding in in people and in what makes people tick. And I suppose then I went to university.

06:17

I went to Liverpool another great city and studied history and politics, decided I did not want to be a politician and collected a few probably too many skeletons in my closet, so that probably wouldn't work for me now, but I had a great experience there and then went into the world of work and what got me kick-started actually was I came back from university and my mum she remembers this differently, right. But my mum said to me she said so what are you going to do now? I was like, well, I don't really know. Are you going to sign on? Yeah, probably I'll have to. Yeah, okay, well, I'll have a third of that for housekeeping, she said. And you can sign up for housing benefit as well, and we'll have that too. So that might sound a bit tough, but that was kind just the kick in the proverbial that I needed to get myself going.

07:03

So I got into the world of work and then I started off working for the people. Being an employee, realised that I was kind of hardworking and that I enjoyed it quite career orientated, but also that I was kind of making other people money and I was doing stuff and making them money. The other thing I realised as well was that when I worked for a company which had values that I ascribed to and believed in and really related to me, my results were better. And so I then got to a point, you know, 10 years after that, where it's like, well, I can't carry on working in this business that I'm in now, because the CEO that I was listening to talking about the business was describing it's fantastic business, but it didn't feel anything like that for the people who are working in the company, and so I kind of realized that at that moment, really, that it was up to me to kind of create an environment where it actually what you said and what you did were the same thing, and so great places to work, you know, have a massive impact on, on, on on people in so many different ways, because we spend so much time there and people should enjoy work and be fulfilled by what they do.

08:24

Um and uh. So, so, yeah, so I decided that that was the point where I wanted to be the kind of person that that ran businesses myself and owned businesses, um, and that's what got me into then starting businesses, buying into businesses and, um, and that's what I've been doing since so how old were you then when you started businesses?

08:47

uh, that was 20, the 20th. So the first one I started was part of a subsidiary for a big plc, so I practiced, if you like, on other people's money. So even though I was making money for other people, I got the benefit benefit of practicing on their behalf. And then the first one I set up was 2013.

09:11 - Jess White (Host)

Okay, so I still don't know how old you were. Were you in your early 20s?

09:15 - David Roberts (Guest)

No, that's very, very kind of you. No, I'm a bit older than that. I'm 52 now.

09:28 - Jess White (Host)

And so I was 40. Okay, yeah, because recently I read something, some stats, that said most people like the most common age for starting a business, for becoming a CEO well, no, for starting a business is 42. And then there's a transition, isn't there, from being a founder to becoming a CEO. I'd love to dive into that in a minute. And then the most common age for becoming a CEO is 47. And then the most common age for becoming a millionaire was somewhere in the 60s, which was quite a motivating thing to read. I thought, um, yes, which is great. So, um, let's talk about that, if we can, the the the difference of being a founder to a ceo, because it's a jump, isn't it? And do you come across this with people that you mentor?

10:23 - David Roberts (Guest)

uh, yes, it is a. Um, yeah, I mean, it depends on the person. Really, I think, um, I think that some founders start businesses because they're passionate about a thing you know, like a either a problem or a product, or just well, they just they just want to make money, and none of those reasons are bad. It's kind of they're all equally valid because, for whatever reason it is, you know fine, you know you go for it. I think, um, when you sort of, if you like, um, evolve into be into being a ceo, um, well, I suppose the first thing is what do you evolve into being?

11:04

Because some people who start businesses, they actually that they are technical people with the product, so CEO might not be the best role for them. So that's quite a big decision to make. You know it's your baby and actually what you're going to do is you're going to be, yeah, very senior in the business and the major shareholder, probably, and all those other things, but but somebody else is going to lead it and that and that's a real, it's a real gift if you, if you've got that self-awareness, that you understand yourself, you understand other people and you understand well what's going to be the best recipe, if you like, of the people in the business that we need to make it successful, then that is a real advantage for you and I think that's really. For me, that's probably the biggest difference between being a founder and starting a business and then taking it to a place where it's going to scale.

12:03

It's understanding yourself yourself, your strengths and weaknesses what you need around you to make you brilliant, what, what you need to be giving other people to make them brilliant, and then how you then get that all working and focused in in the right direction because essentially, I would say, the difference from being a founder to a CEO is creating the right team around you and delegating and finding people.

12:31 - Jess White (Host)

That can's a time and a place where you have to step back and um, build confidence in your team and, first of all, find the right team. Can you know, if you find some wrong ones that could potentially kind of throw the whole thing. So, finding the right, right team and and really you know, becoming a leader I suppose, but yeah, knowing yourself is is a really good answer for sure.

13:06 - David Roberts (Guest)

Yeah, yeah.

13:07 - Jess White (Host)

Yeah, you mentioned earlier the three things that motivate people, one of them being recognition and awards, but I noticed that there was one sort of thing that I would expect to be in there that wasn't, and that is money. Do you not think money motivates people?

13:26 - David Roberts (Guest)

I think money is a measure of a couple of the other things I mentioned. So growth, recognition and achievement. So money comes into growth, money comes into achievement and, yeah, money comes into recognition. So, yeah, money can motivate people, money can be an incentive for people to take specific actions. But if you're looking at those core intrinsic motivators, they're kind of emotional drivers, and so money you could be motivated from a monetary point of view to to defend and to protect and to secure safety for your family, so that could be a money-related motivator. Or you could be motivated by money from the point of view of building wealth, building a higher standard of living and more choice into your life. So yeah, so I guess money's not really really well if money's got too much emotion attached to it. That's when it can become unhealthy for people. So so, looking beyond the, the, the money, looking beyond the, I suppose the, the significance that that you might get to the underlying driver that sits behind that, I think, is probably a good, a good thing to do 100%.

15:08 - Jess White (Host)

So thank you so much for sharing your journey so far to where you are today. Would you say you're in a good place right now, where you are.

15:20 - David Roberts (Guest)

Yes, I would say I'm in a good place, but I'm perennially dissatisfied with where I am. So that's quite an interesting paradox, isn't it? So, yeah, I'm in a good place and um, but I think I guess, why am I dissatisfied? I'm dissatisfied because I know that that more is in me. I want, I want more experience of, of life. I want, um, I want to build more wealth. I want to have more impact. I want to help more people, um, I want to spend more time with my family and with my friends. Uh, so, um, so, yeah, so I kind of it's interesting because, um, sometimes that and this is a real thing.

16:09

For me, something I have to work on is making sure that I am present often enough, and when you listen to people talking, it's fascinating.

16:19

People very often spend a lot of their life effectively living either in the past or in the future, and I'm very much more towards the future. You know, I kind of I'm always thinking about the next thing and the vision and all that kind of stuff, which is fine as long as I spend enough time in the present, and there have been times where I've caught myself completely missing beautiful, wonderful moments in my life and catching myself thinking hang on a second, just stop a moment and drink this in. It's a bit like when you go to a gig or something and you see everyone on their phones and they're actually watching this megastar, maybe, or the band that they've loved since they were a child or whatever, and they're watching it through a phone. It's like put the phone down and just live in the present moment and enjoy the experience and so, yeah, but I mean yeah, I don't know if that's a helpful answer, but yeah, I feel like I'm in a good place.

17:18 - Jess White (Host)

I think it's a common thing amongst entrepreneurs and business people that and it just means that you're driven, that you're always scrutinising and looking at where you're at and and how you can improve, and I think that's a good thing. It means you're self-aware, it means you're driven, it means you're always firing out rockets of desire of where you want to go next. So that is a good thing. Um, one thing we do in our spark community, um and I I kind of force people to to do it every single week is that every every week, on a friday, I jump into the group and I say, um, what are you grateful for? What's gone well this week? And that's all about stopping to pause to celebrate what's gone well, and then everybody comes together as a community and celebrates each other.

18:06

Um, so I do think it's a really, really important thing to do and, being a yoga teacher myself as well, it's a normal practice that I've kind of developed over the years is just to be grateful for every moment in every day and always look for the positive. But then the entrepreneur side of myself is always looking at what I can improve, what can I build, and what about this idea and that idea, and blah, blah blah. So it's getting a balance between all of that, because, at the end of the day, it's all about balance, right? What kind of what techniques do you use from day to day to keep balanced and to keep yourself where you need to be?

18:49 - David Roberts (Guest)

Yeah, okay, don't know, I don't know if I um, I don't know if I think balance is, is a, is a realistic goal. I think I think, in any, in any kind of moment, in any kind of moment, if, if you think about it as a kind of a pendulum, that there's motion involved, right, which means I mean, yeah, you can be balanced and in motion. But I think I think setting, setting a goal to be balanced, when people talk about work life balance, I think is, is a, is a bit, is a bit dangerous, because what your work is your life well, it's just also, it's a moment in time, right, so can absolutely everything.

19:32

Have you done the wheel of life? No okay, so the wheel of life is a little model which, um, which I use, and you know, work through the clients and I, I do, I do it on myself, probably twice a year I have where you, where you school yourself in different areas of your life.

19:48 - Jess White (Host)

Yeah, exactly, yes, yeah exactly.

19:50 - David Roberts (Guest)

So how satisfied are you with? You know, work, money, relationships, spiritually, all of those, health, all that kind of stuff and um, and and the score, I think should be changing, you know, because there's going to be things that you are going to want to be focusing on at one point in time and then, you know, three months down the road it might be a different focus. It's about it being intentional. So so, yeah, so um, I think balance is a bit of a bit of a myth, but kind of good to keep, a good to keep a check on and make sure you're happy, and being intentional about where you're focusing your energy and your time. Um, rituals, wise, my downward facing dog is a laughing stock, I have to tell you so. So I'm not, I'm not, I'm not a yegini your body.

20:36 - Jess White (Host)

Popping is good, though, yeah but I can.

20:39 - David Roberts (Guest)

I can, I can do a little bit, yeah, so, um, so yeah, and I run, so there's a couple of things that I do. I run and I've been injured for the last few months, uh, and that that's been very, very challenging for me. So I've been out walking and all that kind of stuff. But I love being out in the wilds and, yeah, getting lost is a is something that I I kind of enjoy as long as I don't get too lost, and so I love doing that. It's good for me physically and mentally.

21:08

Like you, gratitude is a big thing for me. I've got a gratitude journal and I've got rituals that I follow every day and you know, so I'm thankful for three things. I like to close my eyes and just give myself that moment and that whole thing about being present. Say thank you for the things that, um, that I'm grateful for and um, and yeah, that really really helps me me too. So so they're the main, the main things really, that I I'm always conscious that it's important that I just keep keep doing that daily gratitude practice, a couple little mantras, um, that just just helped me to to remind myself, um, about, um, things I need to keep in in mind and uh, and then, yeah, making sure that I'm getting exercise and and getting out in the wilds getting out in nature.

22:05 - Jess White (Host)

Yeah, it's good for everyone, good for your mental health as well as your physical health. For sure, yeah, for sure. So I'm going to go quite deep now, if you don't mind, looking back over your journey, because right now you're working with some huge company. I mean, just looking at your bio, you help people scale, you know, hugely, in fact. Let's go there first. Your your biggest win, because I read, I read something about you, you know, helping a company within two years scale up massively. What, what was that going to that for me?

22:45 - David Roberts (Guest)

so um start starting a business basically, and then growing it to eight figures in two years.

22:52 - Jess White (Host)

That's inspiring.

22:54 - David Roberts (Guest)

Yeah, and it was a great business, a great concept helping people, an emergency services business and some of that was organic growth. Some of that was through acquisition. A lot of it was about building a team. Building a team quickly seeing an opportunity, taking it, having the right support and having good mentors as well was very, very helpful with that. So it was a really, really great, great team effort to bring that to fruition. And, you know, core to that was, you know, when you start off with one actually we started off with two people and we grew it to over 200. Core to that was just putting yourself out there and you know, when you're saying earlier on about um, sort of the things that you do as a kind of an entrepreneur and pushing yourself and all that kind of stuff, really stepping out of my comfort zone and, as I hadn't directly sold for a good few years because I've been focusing in other areas, so actually being the person to go out and sell was it was a really, really, really good challenge for me.

24:14 - Jess White (Host)

Sounds like you must have been a good salesperson as well.

24:20 - David Roberts (Guest)

Well, I'm not the best salesperson on the planet. I'm not the best salesperson on the planet, not by a long chalk. There are lots of people who are much better at it than me, and one of the first things that I do when I'm scaling a business is is find a really good salesperson because, um, because, because I can, uh, but, um, but I would. It's not my, you know, core talent or unique ability. Um, that's more around building a team. That's more around, um, making sure that that team is focused and relentless in pursuit of a mission and building culture and structure so that that builds in a profitable and meaningful way for people. So that's my skill, really. So if I'm outselling, I'm not focusing on the area where I can have the most value, if you know what I mean.

25:19 - Jess White (Host)

Yeah, and again it's coming around to knowing yourself there, isn't it Like what your strong points are? So you can go and do that, but ideally you would hire somebody, but it sounds like you did a good job anyway. Which amazing that. That was like fabulous results, so congratulations. When you're advising people and getting involved in companies, how important do you think networking is? Do you advise people to do it?

25:45 - David Roberts (Guest)

uh, I, I did, well, I do, if, if, that's, if, that's where the useful people, the relationships that they need, are going to be hanging out, you know. So, wherever your ideal customers are, wherever the partners that you need to, you know, to take your vision and make it a reality, you, you've got, you've got to be in those, in those places and and so um, so, yeah, so I mean, I quite, I quite enjoy networking. I've been to some very good networking events and I've been to some that I didn't think were that good and then, when I've reflected on it, um, maybe I didn't think were that good and then, when I've reflected on it, maybe I didn't go with the right mentality, Maybe I didn't go with the right sort of intention, you know, because behind every person is a multitude of doors.

26:43 - Jess White (Host)

But if you go with a belief, a set belief already, that this isn't for me and these are not my people, then you're never going to find out what's behind those doors.

26:54 - David Roberts (Guest)

Absolutely, and I think leaders and I think we're all leaders, and sometimes our belief about whether we're a leader or not is a thing that's going to decide how good a leader we actually end up being.

27:10

But leaders are very open to meeting new people and they're not there for the kind of you know, the next sale or kind of the immediate term need that they've got yes, they've got that as a goal. You know they want to generate some leads, they want to grow the business, they want to build a relationship that's going to take it in a new direction, whatever it is. But they're open enough to think long term and to almost kind of collect and collect some contacts, who, who may be interesting people, and and to be genuinely interested in other people. That's leadership, because when you cultivate relationships in that kind of a way, you're seeking to understand other people, you're interested in them, you're not there for yourself. Then that's where you build the rapport, then you build the relationship and then you actually begin to look for opportunities for you to work together with the people that you meet. So so, yeah, so think, think long game when you're networking.

28:12

Don't go into a networking environment. You know desperate to pull leads and all that kind of stuff.

28:19 - Jess White (Host)

I mean, of course, if you've got a very specific purpose then that's fine, but you're talking to other human beings, get interested in them Exactly Like show up with an intention to find out about them, because when you get to know them, then you know Exactly Like show up and with an intention to find out about them, because when you get to know them, then you know it. Just you know, you open doors and you learn how you can help them far better than to go up and just pitch yourself. It just turns people off. Turns people off networking In terms of all of the events that you've been to, what stood out to you for those good ones that you went to, the ones that really made an impact as a good networking event.

29:00 - David Roberts (Guest)

What made them different. So the host makes quite a big difference. In my experience. Where there's a, where there's a, where there's a good host who's very, I suppose, clear and it's obvious what they stand for, um, that that makes people feel very, very comfortable. Um, and if that host is supported by a you know a couple of a couple of like-minded people who are looking out for for each other and looking out for the people who who are going to the event, making sure that people are feeling comfortable, um and um, and yeah, that I think that makes a big difference I also think being really clear about what the purpose of the event is.

29:52

Sometimes it feels a bit vague. You've been told there's a purpose to it and then when you get there it's all a bit kind of vague and there's nothing really going on. So just be really really clear about how the event's going to work in advance, because some people like to like to go into a completely well, there's anything can happen here type environment. Some people like a bit more structure. So so you know, giving giving people enough clarity about what to expect before they they arrive, I think is also important makes people feel comfortable.

30:31 - Jess White (Host)

That's good. That's a good answer. It makes me feel quite confident about our events. In that case, we'll have to have you along at some point. David, that would be an absolute joy to have you along, I could. Yeah, wonderful Just going back to a previous statement. You said everybody is a leader. I thought that was, if you don't mind me saying uh, with no filter.

30:55

That was quite a broad statement so would you say, for instance, a coder who doesn't like interacting with people, um, and prefers to hide away in their bedroom and not have any interaction and just sit the computer in themselves? Are they a leader, and why?

31:14 - David Roberts (Guest)

okay, good question. So so, yes, I do believe that everyone, everyone is a leader. Um, what, what else does that coder do? That coder may be a big part of an online community and, you know, it might not be verbal communication, vocal communication, it might be, you know, communication through screens and all that kind of stuff. That coder may have a family and they may play a leadership role in that family, either as being a parent or as being a child that steps up and looks after other people in that family.

32:03

That coder could be a member of a football team or a hockey team, and on the pitch they may not be the captain, but they may be the kind of MVP who kind of steps up and who shows the way when their team is three goals down and need to pull their socks up and start to play as a unit. So I think it's about context and and and, and you know, when you're in a situation where either you're you're passionate about it, or where you're fascinated by it, or where, if, maybe if you're in a dangerous situation and someone's got to take some action, you know you become a leader. And I think there's a bit of a misconception, perhaps, that leaders need to be charismatic, upfront, energetic, you know, bouncing around like Tigger type people. You know, some of the biggest leaders of some of the largest corporations on the planet have been introverts or had a preference for introversion, so but they've been really, really effective leaders and they've been. They've quietly and in their own way, gone about building these incredible teams of people who are just so intently passionate about the project that they've created, these enormous, you know, very, very successful businesses.

33:37

Again, it's the self-awareness that comes in. You know when is the right time to bring the charismatic person out, because you've got to go and do a fundraise and I can give the quiet confidence, but they can give the kind of effusive, exuberant kind of expression Because, again, you know the investors there's going to be the analytical types and then there's going to be the showboaters who are going to want to put their money down on the glamour project as well. So, yeah, so that's where I think that comes into play. That comes into play. So, no matter what the context, not no matter what the context in different contexts, different people will step up and be leaders in their own way.

34:21 - Jess White (Host)

There's all sorts of different areas in your life where you can be a leader and lead by example, and that's quite empowering to hear, so that's great. So I love to talk to people and watch their journeys, and particularly people that have been through stuff, people that have come from nothing and become something. Um, I met somebody once who told me she'd never failed at anything, and that kind of made me be sick in my mouth a little bit because, um, because I don't know, I just didn't really like that. That's, I mean, fair enough if that's true, um, but I do believe that people grow from, from failure, um, and and that we're forged in the fire. Can I ask you what's, what's your biggest failure been throughout your life? Your?

35:17 - David Roberts (Guest)

biggest failure been throughout your life. So I failed a lot when I was a child with wanting to be significant, wanting to be loved a bit too much, and so what I did in those situations was become a little bit self-obsessed. And you know, I kind of got through that by something, by finding something bigger than myself to to get exercised about and that, and that then fixed it. So that was a failure that I had to learn from, a kind of an underlying failure. I made a massive mistake in 2004, so 20 years ago, crikey where I made a change in a business. I made a change in a business. I'm not naturally tuned into attention to detail, so I just trusted that everything was working as planned and then there were a couple of million quids worth of invoices that weren't being paid by customers as a result of that, so I created a bit of a cash flow crisis that we had to, um, work very quickly to fix. Uh, so I learned a very, very powerful lesson then and um, yeah, I mean, I mean, and I fail every, I fail every day. You know I fail every day. You know I fail every day.

36:59

Some people say they don't like the word failure. You know there is no failure, there's only feedback, and I like that from a kind of a. That's a good way to frame it. You know that's a good way to think about it. But every single call that I make, that I where I'm trying to sell something I could do better this podcast interview, I could do a better job than the job that we're doing now, and I fundamentally believe that. And so, therefore, you know, from one perspective that's a failure. From another perspective, it's an opportunity to do better next time. So you know what. What can I do differently in terms of my preparation, how I show up? Did I set the intention, you know, before this conversation, to make sure it was a really good one? You know, am I bringing my best to this moment? Um, you know, if I'm not, potentially that's a failure. So I think embracing failure and recognising that it's part of the process and enjoying the process is really important, and enjoying the process is really important to actually live a life of fulfilment.

38:10 - Jess White (Host)

So actually recognising that failure is part of the process, testing yourself as part of the process and you are going to fall over and make mistakes, accepting that and learning from it, I think is it's quite an empowering thing brings me back to the word balance, david, where, um, you know, when you have, when you achieve huge success, there's usually been some lessons along the way or some failures along the way, and eventually you know there is a balance in that. So I do bring back that word. I have to say what would you say is your biggest win? We just kind of jumped onto one of those. Is that your biggest win? What really, you know what's really made you feel proud?

38:56 - David Roberts (Guest)

My biggest win, my biggest win, um, my biggest win, wow, I mean. So I've been really proud of of my um, my, my work, achievements and building, building a business um and um and then and then taking it through rapid growth and then being able to sell it for a high multiple. I'm proud of that. I'm proud of the results that my coaching clients get now and it's not me that does it, it's them that does it but I'm proud to be part of those achievements. I'm proud of my family and you know I love my wife and my daughters and the fact that they are growing up into being independent human beings. I'm not saying it's kind of easy. I mean talk about mistakes, blimey. I can tell you a few mistakes I've made being a dad and a husband.

40:07 - Jess White (Host)

And you say you've got a house full of girls which is really hard because I've got one of each. It's the girls, the more difficult ones I have to say, yeah, yeah, I love it and I don't know any the more difficult ones I have to say yeah, yeah, I love it and I don't know any different.

40:21 - David Roberts (Guest)

I mean, I absolutely love it. And you know, I know there's things that they won't want to tell me or won't want me to know about, but I know there's probably lots of stuff that I know about that I probably wouldn't have told my parents at the time anyway. So you know, it's great. We've got a kind of a relationship where we can, where we can, talk to each other and they know, they know that they can come, come and talk to me if they need to, and if it's not right for me, then you know, then their mum will be there, and so, um, so, yeah, that, that that I'm proud of, that, that that's really important to me.

40:55 - Jess White (Host)

It's family sounds like you've got I'm going to bring the word balance back that you don't like, but you've got a really lovely, balanced life, as in. You've got a really happy and fulfilled family and a great family life that your daughters trust you to be able to speak to you, which doesn't happen in every family.

41:16 - David Roberts (Guest)

You've got a lovely wife and you've got a really successful business yeah, but, but don't, don't, don't be, um, don't be, don't be fooled though, because it it's, it's work and effort and and it doesn't always go go well, and I know you're not being fooled, but but I don't want the listeners to think, oh yeah, this is all great, this is like an instagram photo. It's not. You know, we we have, we have challenges. We're going through challenges right now, um and uh, you know, if you can go through those challenges together, then then you're going to be better equipped to to meet them. So, yeah, it's not not a bed of roses, but we, um, we do believe that we're standing in our own field of diamonds, you know. So, even if it's tough, then you know, good times are there and never too far away.

42:12 - Jess White (Host)

I love that expression standing in a field of diamonds. I think it's beautiful. What mark do you want to leave on this earth?

42:24 - David Roberts (Guest)

So that comes back to my purpose really, which, at the root of that, is helping people to do things that they didn't think were possible. So I don't know why, but I've always loved that. I've always loved so from watching stage shows and musicals and that kind of stuff when I was a kid and now as an adult, I'm always the one who's like crying at the end when the lights come up and kind of I don't want anyone to see me in that and pretending I've got something in my eye. But what gets me then is I went to see Matilda and at the end of it you've got this probably 11 year old girl who's like belting out this tune and it's emotional and, you know, she is just kind of absolutely having it, I mean, and it's just amazing to see that.

43:15

I remember seeing, um, my brother when we were growing up, kind of achieving stuff and um, both with sport and then, uh, you know, with his writing and all that kind of stuff, and it just, it, just it's just brilliant. I love that. And then in the world of work, seeing people, you know, come through and face challenges and develop and grow, and all that kind of stuff. I just love that. So, so, yeah, so that that's what I want. That's the impact I want to have is, you know, is to create an environment where people can do things that they didn't think they were going to be able to do, and just to see the look on their face.

43:52 - Jess White (Host)

And that makes you feel fulfilled and like you've done something and really helped people, which I is is at the root of what we should all be doing is how can I help someone, rather than how much money can I make. How can I help people, how can I make a difference? Um, and that's all. That's heart led, which means so much more.

44:15 - David Roberts (Guest)

I think yeah yeah, but I want to get paid as well though of course, that's a whole other subject.

44:23 - Jess White (Host)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah but I mean, it's.

44:25 - David Roberts (Guest)

It's weird, isn't it, because it is a selfless thing, but it's also. It's also it makes me feel good, you know. So, finding that thing that makes you feel good, and so that's the kind of the, the, the essence of it, the core of it, and then it's a case of okay. So what's the context for that? What's the how? And for me, the how mainly is in, is in business, and and, and you know so, seeing CEOs come, come through challenges, go from feeling trapped to to feeling liberated in their business and building teams that are going to work with them, that's a kind of an expression that I'm focusing on right now to fulfil that purpose, you know. So, yeah, and it's good to do it from a social point of view and with family as well.

45:15 - Jess White (Host)

Amazing. So if people want to work with you listening to this podcast, if they're a ceo that really wants to grow, expand, sell, are you taking on new clients? How would? How do you work? How do people go about getting in touch?

45:29 - David Roberts (Guest)

yeah, so, um, so people can get in touch with me on on social media, follow the podcast business with Purpose a little plug. And yeah, there's a link there on my social media profiles and on the podcast show notes where people can download a free guide. It's an abridged version of a book, which is three reasons why you would never sell your business and, like I say, it's aimed at people who have got an aspiration to want to sell. But actually having that as a goal being ready to sell or sell ready is really important for businesses and for business owners to be able to, you know, run a business without being a slave to it.

46:13

You know, you start a business or you buy into a business or you look to grow a business to solve a problem, and we need businesses that solve problems for society. So therefore, we need the leaders and owners of those businesses to feel free and liberated and to be able to get time with family as well as time on the business as well. So if you've set it up so it's ready to sell, then you know it's your choice. Then you can either step back or or sell it so it's ready to sell. Then you know it's your choice. Then you can either step back or sell it, and it's ready when you want to go. So yeah, so that's probably the best way for people to find out is follow me on social media and click on the link in my bio, as they say Wonderful and Business With Purpose, the podcast great name, by the way that's aimed at, you know, your ideal client, which is CEOs that want to scale right.

47:06

Do you want to just tell us a little bit about your podcast? Yeah, so I started the podcast three years ago and it was called People with Purpose until very recently and then and so and that was about you know, finding, finding, unlocking your purpose, and and I just found the content I was I was producing and the people I was interviewing were more business oriented. So actually calling it what it actually had become seemed like a sensible thing to do. So I think, yeah, business, businesses are there to solve problems. Ie, there's a purpose for those businesses and for business owners. It's important that their personal purpose and the purpose of the business. There's some form of alignment and relationship between the two and and that's understood. So so that's the main focus, really, and and it's about creating great businesses, great places to work, which is about being a leader that creates leaders. So that's what the podcast is all about.

48:07 - Jess White (Host)

Who is your favourite guest?

48:10 - David Roberts (Guest)

Wow, do you know what I think? Very recently, rob Bell, who's a BBCbc broadcast journalist, was on and, uh, he was great. Just his voice I just kind of it was just dreamy, you know, and and what he said was great as well. So so I loved, I loved that that episode, um. I've also um previously had on um a professor, uh, damian hughes of the high performance podcast. He was a brilliant guest. There's loads, there's about 150 brilliant, brilliant guests. So it's probably not fair to single them out and I've probably forgotten some amazing ones from the early days. Oh yeah, jack russell, he's, he's a mentor of mine and he was, he was early doors, he was, um, definitely, he still is one of the most listened to episodes. So, um, so, yeah, so there's loads of great, loads of great content on there for some really good people fantastic, so sounds like a really good one to listen to.

49:08 - Jess White (Host)

150 episodes, 300 episodes wow okay.

49:13

So great for anyone that's going on holiday or is driving their car um 300 to get through, that's great, okay. Well, david roberts, you've been fantastic. I think you're a great person to to be working with. It sounds like you've had some huge success stories for with and for other businesses. For anyone that wants to grow, scale and potentially, potentially sell, reach out to David on the show notes below as well. We'll be all the links. So, david, thank you so much for your time today. Thanks for all the tips and tricks. On that note, do you have anything to close this with any parting advice for CEOs, business owners that are wanting to scale?

50:01 - David Roberts (Guest)

I think these things happen on a daily basis, not on a kind of an annual basis. It's when you look at, kind of gold medalists, the day they win the gold medal is not the day they're brilliant, right, they're brilliant every day for probably years on the run up to that. So so be intentional with every day and be really, really conscious of your language, because your thoughts, that you have become, the things that you create and the way that you can, but the way your thoughts leak out is in your language. So if you're able to observe your language and to use empowering language, like you know, I can, I'm learning, I'm improving, I'm getting there, instead of language like well, it's a struggle, I can't, and all that kind of stuff.

50:55

Just notice your language, because what you say is what will end up happening. So, yeah, and if you need someone to help with that, find a friend, ask them to just listen to you at a moment when you're not expecting it and give you some feedback on it, because that's where the inner you and the inner challenge and the inner expression of yourself is going to leak out is through the words that you use. So, so conscious on that and be intentional with with how you use your language every day.

51:30 - Jess White (Host)

Wonderful. Thank you so much, david. On that note, let's wrap up Great advice. Thank you for being here and, yeah, have a wonderful rest of your day.

51:40 - David Roberts (Guest)

Thank you, jess, it's been great.

51:41 - Jess White (Host)

Thank you.