Hey, I’m Paul! Born in Salford, I studied at Oxford, worked in France and Russia, led soldiers in Afghanistan, then became Deliveroo's 2nd ops guy. After we scaled the business 500x in 5 years, I went freelance, moved to Antigua, and now support founders and operators globally, while volunteering and exploring the great outdoors.
Why Operate with Purpose?
Whatever your goal, achieving success requires a clear purpose, focused action and a growth mindset. Without purpose, actions lack impact and the mind creates blockers.
I’ve navigated: career transitions, relocations, setbacks and successes; business launches, scaling, pivots and exits. Not to mention love, loss and personal struggles with fitness, confidence and mental health. Oh, and I emigrated to a small island...
Having survived (just 😅), I’ve learnt to thrive by building self-awareness, structure and resilience into all aspects of my life: work, sport, charity and relationships.
I’ve mentored over 100 leaders and managers, both professionally and personally, and got my hands dirty in the military and startups. To pay the bills, I support individuals and businesses as a career mentor, business mentor and fractional operator.
To help more people navigate challenges like I’ve faced, I started this community of operators with purpose. I chose this platform because it allows us to share, learn and openly discuss what’s really important, away from the zealous, vapid and increasingly AI-generated drivel now dominating social media. Together, in a mutually supportive community, we all stand a better chance of achieving our career and life goals.
What Is an Operator?
My definition: you turn problems into solutions and vision into reality; you believe actions speak louder than words; you give credit to others when things go well, and take accountability when things go wrong; you prioritise impact and purpose over money and power, and you see leadership as an act of service.
You don’t need a qualification to be an operator. If this resonates, you’re one of us.
Join Us
As a free subscriber, you’ll receive regular insights on operating with purpose. You can read and comment by email, or download the Substack app for more features.
As a community member, for just £5/month, you’ll benefit from additional support:
Monthly drop-in sessions to get advice and solve problems.
Curated job opportunities.
Downloadable exercises.
Community chat.
Full archive of insights and exercises.
By becoming a Founding Operator, the top membership tier, you get all that plus:
Bespoke action plan.
Tailored networking opportunities.
To join the community, simply hit subscribe below and choose your membership tier.
Not convinced? Check out our mission and some of my popular posts.
If you’re at a juncture in your career, try completing these exercises in order:
Know Your Values
Living by strong values is essential to growing as a person, and in turn becoming a good leader. In order to live and breathe your values, you first need to know them.
The Power of Career Vision
Are you struggling to land your next job? Time to go against your instinct: stop obsessing over process, start thinking big. You need a career vision.
Ever Feel Like Your Career Is a Failure?
(Note: before trying this exercise, make sure you know your values and career vision.)
Once you’re clear on your career vision and goals, check out these work opportunities:
And if you’re looking for some more general inspiration and learning:
Work with Me
