This was exactly the question our founder, Neil Tregarthen put to a black cab driver when he first arrived in London. Thirty five years later, Neil has achieved significant business success and in his last deal he built a global business and grew revenues to over 1 billion US$.
Neil was driven to create STAND FOR because someone gave him a chance when he needed it most: “I left Cornwall at nineteen, after a very unhappy upbringing and caught the train to London. On arrival I walked up to a black cab driver and said, “I’ve just arrived from Penzance with £150 in my pocket, no job and nowhere to live, what would you suggest I do?” His initial response was, “get the next train home,” but when I explained that wasn’t an option, he took me to a small hotel where his wife was the housekeeper and she let me stay in her laundry store on a camp bed, until I found a job and a flat share.
After the sale of my business, which I built up over many years, I’m now back in Cornwall and I want to be able to use my knowledge, expertise and cash to give young people a chance. Just like that cab driver and his wife, did for me!”
Known for his straight talking, no nonsense approach in the business world, Neil is acutely aware of the challenges young people in the UK face today, and why unfortunately, there was a need for STAND FOR to be created.
“In the age of austerity, I would suggest that young people have suffered the most,” said Neil, “this belief is based on the fact that too often young people are ignored, patronised or confused by older groups of people, and the agencies they rely on. The work we have done so far has delivered results that other people could have delivered; the problem was that they didn’t really want to! When you’re talking about a 21 year old who can only move his eyelids or a 24 year old with stage 4 lung cancer, that doesn’t seem right.”
STAND FOR‘s mission is to empower and support young people to ensure they get a chance. Neil knows from personal experience how important this is, and has created STAND FOR to help as many young people as possible.
Book Neil
As an inspirational speaker Neil has an interesting story to tell about his life, his business success and why he feels so passionately about using his experience to help young people. His style makes people review the “dominant logic” which appears to prevail regarding young people in today’s world and ask themselves, what they could do as individuals to improve the lot of youngsters in our communities.
“Nobody can help everybody, but everybody can help somebody.”
This statement is Neil’s philosophy and yet in today’s busy world we don’t seem to make it a reality. As your inspirational speaker Neil will explain how STAND FOR can make a real, personal and direct impact on the wellbeing of a young person and he will also share some compelling, yet amusing thoughts about his professional and personal life.
If you want to find out more about STAND FOR and would like to book Neil, please use the contact form below to send us your enquiry.