Doing what's important to you

Start with a vision and values, be spurred on by passion, then make it happen.

Doing what's important has been the catalyst for three well-known Brighton businesses.

Ruth Anslow from hiSbe, Gary Peters from Love Local Jobs and Lee Evans from Organic Roofs gathered for the final panel of today's summit. An inspiring way to end the day, the three spoke about their journey.  Each of them experienced a feeling of being lost, then found their inspiration through doing what's important to them.

Gary was inspired by a desire to get young people motivated. His past experience of almost falling through the cracks revealed a need for a better support system, a way to encourage young people who have little aspirations into a job that inspires them.

Gary said, "Anybody can do a job that they absolutely love, you just have to make sure you're doing it for the right reasons."

"If the door is knocking, start listening," Ruth advised. She learnt her lesson when the balcony doors came crashing in, bringing with them the realisation she wasn't happy - despite the pool and the Barcalona sun and the glass of cava, she didn't feel fulfilled. She realised that, "maybe business could be something positive to people and communities and be connected to purpose and values."

Ruth's journey was one of "meaning, purpose and crashing through fear. It takes courage." HiSbe is going from strength to strength with the retained ethos of doing what's important and working with people who share those beliefs. 

Lee from Organic Roofs found that being disruptive but kind was a formula to success. He places a huge importance on sustainable construction and staff values and his business is formed around the idea of doing as you would be done by. He said one of the most important things is to make your staff feel valued, a vivid thread throughout the tapestry of the day.

Rurth concluded her talk with these wise words: "Identify one thing that turns you on about the whole experience and focus your energy on that. That's when you're really in the flow."

By Sophie Turton, content specialist at Bozboz

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