Can you give a brief overview of your career so far and how you made it to where you are now?
My first job was in a bike shop, then I was a spin instructor in a gym. After I finished studying international development, I worked for a couple of organisations, eventually doing a six month stint at MyBnk, a youth financial literacy charity.
It was through MyBnk that I met the serial social entrepreneur Michael Norton. With his support, I started FoodCycle in 2008, a charity that uses surplus food from supermarkets and spare kitchen spaces to create nutritious meals for people at risk of food poverty and social isolation. I took a punt at starting something from just an idea, and hey, here we are now in 17 locations across the UK.
Do you think leadership is a natural quality or one that that has to be learned and developed?
Learned for sure, because I definitely was not a natural leader when I was younger. I don't think leadership comes naturally to me. People step up to be leaders. How do people do that? They find something they are so passionate about and they become so dedicated to it that it pushes out all the fears and doubts that are associated with being in a position of leadership.
What have you found most challenging about leadership?
Keeping a balance between being the outward-facing voice of FoodCycle and managing the team in everyday activities. We're quite blessed in that FoodCycle has a great team of staff and volunteers that drive its mission forward.
Who do you look up to for inspiration and why?
I don't have a single person I look up to for inspiration. When I need motivation, I go to a FoodCycle Hub and look for inspiration from the volunteers. Ordinary citizens, doing amazing things for the community, week in and week out, with love and compassion, for what reason? Just because it's the right thing to do. We need fewer heroes on podiums and more regular heroes in our communities.
What are the most important lessons you have learned about leadership and what would you advise others?
Don't ever think that you have been instrumental to the success of an organisation – be humble, be open to criticism and feedback, and keep it real. Build a great team around you who have skills that complement your strengths and weaknesses. Allow space for your staff to be open with you. A leader usually has a set of skills that is quite specific – make sure you build a team that is balanced and not just clones of yourself.
What will be the key challenges for aspiring leaders in your sector?
Experience.
How are you planning to overcome these challenges or how would you suggest combating them?
Mentors. Read books. Go on courses. Talk to other entrepreneurs. Beg, steal or borrow. Do whatever you have to do to take your organisation to the next level.
What role do you see yourself playing in the future?
I stepped down as chief executive of FoodCycle last month and a new one has come in. So I guess this is a question about my next career move. My role? To help other entrepreneurs start up their own ideas with funding and support in Hong Kong. That's how we got started at FoodCycle. In my next job, I want to support other people in making their ideas take flight, so I'm going back to Hong Kong and starting UnLtd, a global network of social entrepreneurs, there.
In 5 words, your perfect leader is...
Humble. Open. Visionary. Imperfect. An enigma.
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