A few weeks ago, a KPMG report celebrated the fact that Scotland had doubled its share of the UK’s VC investment last year from 1.25% to 2.5%. Spot the opportunity!
The past year has been a blast. Looking back at a timeline through my working life, 2021 is up there as one of the best for me.
I’m not going to lie, leaving Accenture after 20 years took a bit of unwinding mentally, but that has been more than compensated through the work I am doing with great companies from a diverse range of industries, at different stages of growth and scale.
What’s different? It just feels more real.
It’s enjoyable to spend time with people who have put blood, sweat and tears into creating their own business, have a passion to grow it and most importantly are openly willing to challenge themselves. This is where I come in. As I’ve said, I’m not your archetypal consultant. Whilst I spent most of my career at Accenture swimming against the tide, I saw this new chapter as a chance to be myself and engage as I see fit.
There are plenty of traditional consultants, advisors and non-execs who prefer to play it safe with trusted methodologies and tales from the past. The feedback I get is that my support usually manifests itself as pragmatic, straight talking advice from a guy who is happy to get his hands dirty or speak to the team or a client.
I genuinely believe that the people I am working with have unlimited potential and an open mindset to realise it.
So, what’s Reckster all about?
Reckster is centred around bringing together my experiences from the past year with the 30 years that have gone before that.
Here’s how I see it:
Businesses in Scotland are facing a formidable mix of commercial, digital, social and environmental challenges, as well as great opportunities. These opportunities are demonstrated today by the impressive number of ambitious businesses, from start-ups to medium sized companies all trying to make their mark.
Yet, a recent Hunter Foundation report suggested that Scotland’s businesses have a growth problem. Just four of the fastest growing private companies in the UK are from Scotland, despite the skills and networks being in place.
Just last month Tom Slater, at Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust stated that SMIT rarely invested in Scotland because it’s still largely risk averse, and our entrepreneurs are “not ambitious enough”.
So, why is that the case?
I fundamentally believe many of the barriers to success lie in our own heads.
As I’ve said, the entrepreneurs I am working with have unlimited potential. Why? Because they are willing to challenge themselves and they are willing to let go of the self-imposed rules and restraints. They’re happy to throw out the old rule book, find points of differentiation and new pathways for growth.
This is what Reckster is all about; helping organisations find growth. Not by trying harder or working longer, but by thinking without limits.
No Rules on Thinking. No Limits on Outcomes.
As entrepreneurs and business leaders, our minds are full of thoughts, opinions, experiences and rules. Most of which we think are right because they are our thoughts and we’ve had them forever. We defend them in our head. We are in battle with the thoughts that define and lead us in our private and business lives.
But what if we changed the rules? Reframed the thinking.
This is how I think. This is why I created Reckster.
Reckster is a manifestation of what I believe in and what I want to share with the companies I support. My goal is to work with companies, change how they think and ride shotgun to make it happen.
The Opportunity
Scotland has the potential to lead the world in entrepreneurship. Reckster wants to be instrumental in making that happen by creating a platform of like-minded thinkers and do-ers; those who can inspire dynamic thinking and unlock the perceived Scottish ‘half empty’ handcuffs.
All you need is an open mindset and willingness to challenge or be challenged.
