Richard Holmes is CEO of Sheffield-based not-for-profit organisation Kings Foundation. He tells us why he’s happy to ‘make waves’ to ‘reverse the addiction to screens’ and encourage children and young people to be more active.
I was inspired to start my business by …
Nigel Floodgate, the person that, following a time at summer camps in the USA, had the vision to run sports camps for children in the UK at a time when this wasn’t an option.
My favourite thing about running my business is …
Seeing children and young people across the world being active, having fun and learning together as a result of our efforts.
The three words that best describe my business are …
Fulfilling, vibrant, fun.
Sheffield City Region is a great place to start a business because …
People are loyal and start-ups need loyalty in the pioneering phase.
Sheffield City Region is a great place to grow a business because …
It’s underrated! Sheffield lacks some headline attributes like a mainstream media organisation or international airport, but the “one big-village” reality of Sheffield has many positives.
The best advice I ever got was …
People before profit. Businesses exist to make profit (even not-for-profits like the organisation I lead need sustainable income streams), but if you trample over people in the pursuit of profit, it will all come tumbling down eventually.
The worst advice I ever got was …
Don’t make waves. The modern workplace needs people that are willing to take decisions, lead and offer solutions rather than problems.
The organisations that have supported me and my business include …
A number of national and international leisure organisations including Norwegian Cruise Lines and Thomas Cook and local organisations including Sheffield High School and Sheffield Hallam University, but it’s the thousands of families that send their children to our activity programmes that we most value.
The main challenges facing my industry/sector are …
The regular increases in the minimum wage means we have to constantly increase our membership fees. We employ more than 700 programme staff and the majority are university students, therefore the minimum wage increases are a costly factor for an organisation trying to deliver a charitable mission.
The increasing expectation of uber-flexible services. We need to spend time with children to really impact their lives, but the reality and pressure of modern working life means parents often want to cherry-pick a day here or there so that their children’s schedules fit their working schedules.
In 5 years’ time I expect my business to …
Be a central factor in a world where children love being active. We simply have to reverse the addiction to screens and the subsequent mental and physical health issues that are holding our young people back from contributing to society and having active and healthy lives.
