John The Lord Bird, Founder of The Big Issue - From Prison to The House of Lords
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Show Notes
In this episode, Jeannette talks to Lord John Bird who is a British social entrepreneur and life peer. He is the co-founder of The Big Issue magazine, which helps the homeless or vulnerably housed to make their own money and transform their lives. He is a passionate advocate for the homeless.
Lord John Bird explains why he is on a mission to dismantle poverty. To get rid of it, instead of continuing to try to make the life of the poor slightly more comfortable as we are doing now. It is an approach that does not work for those living in poverty or for society as a whole.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Poverty is poverty of spirit, poverty of opportunity, poverty of support, not just a lack of money.
- About 40% of our taxes is spent on dealing with the fallout from poverty.
- We are not doing enough to get people out of poverty. Too much is spent making poor people slightly more comfortable, which is an impossible task. They need a way out of poverty.
- We don’t spend money on skilling people in their jobs to move away from poverty.
- Homelessness is mainly a class issue. People raised in poverty or in chaotic conditions are far more likely to end up without a home.
- Everyone getting a good education is vital.
- Successful people rarely create opportunities, but they do take them when they see them.
BEST MOMENTS
‘We need to dismantle poverty and not simply keep the poor slightly more comfortable.’
‘I had an absolute passion and belief in myself from the first go. ´
‘Poverty is the driving force behind social dislocation.’
‘Let´s get in there and create preventing businesses, that can prevent poverty.’
This is the perfect time to get focused on what YOU want to really achieve in your business, career, and life. It’s never too late to be BRAVE and BOLD and unlock your inner BRILLIANCE. If you’d like to join Jeannette’s FREE Business Impact Seminar just DM Jeannette at [email protected] or sign up via Jeannette’s linktree https://linktr.ee/JLinfoot
VALUABLE RESOURCES
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ABOUT THE GUEST
Lord John Bird – Biography
Today, I'm The Lord Bird MBE. But I was brought up in an orphanage and served time in a young offenders' institution. During turbulent times, I also slept rough as one of London's homeless. Thinking back, I was very much a part of the problem.
Early on, I realised that the only way to get out of the destructive circles into which I'd grown up was to give myself a hand up, rather than wait for others to give me a hand-out. Settling down in my twenties, I held down jobs in factories and, eventually, as a skilled printer. But I never forgot the hardship of my youth and the ways in which deprivation afflicts thousands of others in similar positions at the fringes of society.
Twenty-nine years ago, using my experience of the print industry, I founded (the now world-famous) magazine, The Big Issue. The weekly street paper achieves its mass circulation by being sold on the streets by vendors who are homeless or vulnerably accommodated. The deal is simple: proceeds of each copy sold are split equally between the vendor and the publisher.
Reflecting my own philosophy, the deprived and underprivileged are given a hand up through earning their money, rather than waiting for a hand-out which may do little more than trap them in the poverty they crave to escape. The Big Issue, alongside 110 similar magazines, is now published in 35 countries across the world, and always with the aim of helping those struggling for a break in society.
ABOUT THE HOST
Jeannette Linfoot is a highly regarded senior executive, property investor, board advisor, and business mentor with over 25 years of global professional business experience across the travel, leisure, hospitality, and property sectors. Having bought, ran, and sold businesses all over the world, Jeannette now has a portfolio of her own businesses and also advises and mentors other business leaders to drive forward their strategies as well as their own personal development.
Jeannette is a down-to-earth leader, a passionate champion for diversity & inclusion, and a huge advocate of nurturing talent so every person can unleash their full potential and live their dreams.
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Podcast Description
Jeannette Linfoot talks to incredible people about their experiences of being Brave, Bold & Brilliant, which have allowed them to unleash their full potential in business, their careers, and life in general. From the boardroom tables of ‘big’ international businesses to the dining room tables of entrepreneurial start-ups, how to overcome challenges, embrace opportunities and take risks, whilst staying ‘true’ to yourself is the order of the day.