Talk about boys and goes to defend final social entrepreneur of the Red Bull and a picot Academy that I'd be putting out over the last couple of weeks the first two I had been slap. On the first episode. I released last week Sean Morrison. And today I have I will be releasing Mark White of your town. I'm not like like the other two in this introduction. I'm not going to spoil what these guys do. All these businesses are really really doing fantastic fantastic stuff for the world, I believe and yeah, they all in their own right really deserve to being part of this red bull and a picot Academy, which is the first one. Is taking place in the UK? I believe so Mark, I think the thing would be these thing with Mark I just want to touch on is that we both had a real passion for the power of community and exercise and the amazing combination of the two and how special things can result off of the back of it. He from from day one from from from many one of the of this I could really tell his passion and love for what he did and and how he's obviously put so so much time and effort and emotion into the work that he's done so far and I have no doubt that his business is going to go from strength to strength just like the other two really really interesting one. This guy's we touched a little bit also and you know the kind of highs and lows of running your own business, especially when you're creating the brand from the ground up and it was really really great to speak to marketing is a really top fella so get stuck in enjoy this one. I hope this three-part Series has been enjoyable. Give me Feedback go follow all these guys on their social medias and really follow the work that they're going to be doing over the next year or two. It's going to be a hell of a journey for all three enjoy being bantered start with your from Holliston. Yes, I used to sneak out from school to go to a pub in hottest and called the sun. Yeah, my roasting is it yeah. But I went to college. Yeah, thank you very much for taking time out to come on and chat to me. I think what you're working on. I've old people I'm interviewing today. I've probably most I resonate the most with The power of community, but before we get onto that thing the best place to start with just please just introduce yourself give the listeners a bit of context about you know, who you are and how your town basically started up. Okay place to start. Yeah. I mean this there's a lot going on and it's been going on for a while now, so there's a lot to say but the context of me is 36 just turned father of two 14 and 12 girls amazing married 13 years. Years to Michelle. So that's kind of the foundation. You know, I'm a family man. And you know, we're at stating the obvious, you know, they're being a dad and a husband. There's a natural maturity. There's gone on which is led me in various ways bit more responsible than maybe when I was 14 16 18 20, you know, so but I'm very proud of you are my Outlook now and obviously what I've gone through is shaped where I am and and the work that I'm doing now with your town. Your turn come about 2014. I wore a bit earlier than that actually in 2011 our gave up mobile lights. It was the last thing to go. I don't drink and things like that either that's another story for another day and be a mobile lights were going. I need to stay off the cigarettes good friend of mine good power easier. He's just as we started to run and it just Unearthed the whole lot of creativity and fast-forward two or three years and in the moon in the meantime, I'll Got quite ill which impacted my next step so I couldn't you know, this idea that I had was great and I believed in it but some fundamentals in life needed to be my sole Focus. I paying a mortgage and getting well and things like that. So so anyway a chance meeting as a lot of these things happen like that you hear and read and listen about there were talking about the local area. They were talking about the economic development strategy in the borrower and which I live which is the Postponed they were talking about turns out of vibrancy Community Development the inactivity obesity, especially in young people. And as I was hearing it, I knew I had an idea called give your town I run around which is essentially taking all them boxes know that I wanted to take boxes, but I knew it could bring value to the conversation fast forward two or three months all of a sudden a know where we had a bit of traction. I went and got a few sponsors or created the logo. I've got the website done never put on a anything like this before no experience or whatever, but just believed it could do. Something and and yes at Timber that year we had our first event in our hometown of hottest. Mm. And and here we are five years later to set off sick prevent close to a thousand Runners close down the roads. And in the meantime, your town was born which is obviously allowed us to be a bit more generic, you know, give you 10 of runaround relates to running not everybody loves running and just because I do, you know doesn't know can't be that selfish and but the more that I was in and around the chat the more She's always been invited to the more conversations. I was being being invited to as well just you know little macro Solutions were being filmed in my mind. And when I say Solutions not the ultimate solution, but okay. What can we do? How can we pay our part? How can we create spaces and opportunities in connections where you know, we could bring about a more positive conversation around where we live the part we play in it. Yes, you know, there's the vehicle for us in the first few years has been largely Fitness and well-being. You know, we're going to go on And in other areas, but that is definitely the root of what we're about in our Being Fit being well and connecting with people and then hopefully we can provoke faults. We're not hopefully we're doing it, you know, we can provoke thoughts in in human beings as to do we give them all and we take you know, how do we talk about you? It's that place and if we took it down why what part do we plan it? Can we take some kind of responsibility so collectively hopefully Is more of a supposed to save in the High Street or this place is and what it used to be and all that kind of dead chat in my opinion. Let's reinvent this reimagine and yeah, let's just focus on us and then hopefully that'll create something, you know, the next steps, you know, so I not get too bogged down with the noise of the world. You know that the bad news everyone's got their challenges, you know, if wears different circumstances everyone's is one of my little sounds but you know to get any human being on the same page on any days He's tough, you know, if not impossible. So with that in mind, we're never going to identify everybody. We're never going to get along with everybody. But this kind of take it back to the very beginning. We're all human beings and we all live somewhere. So that's me going off on tangents reform a podcast over the ha ha ha. Yeah. I mean it's a little bit different. So the gym I only is the community so I get to see the power of when you combine. Community and health and fitness. Yeah, I'm degree. Yeah, and it is it's a dynamite combination. It really is. I see it every day. I see it take people from terrible mental states to having a spring in their step. Yeah, so when you can do that, lets go back to your town when you can do that to a whole Community. It must be around believable thing to see I introducing a run for for a town POTUS and wherever softer it must be amazing to see so explain to me. The process of your town and how you you go into a how do you even how do you even go into a town and obtain them as a client? Almost? I mean, how do ya World you've that is been not the challenge. I don't see it's challenge so I knew from very early on and listen. This is a space that I wasn't familiar with, you know, my history isn't in sure these kind of conversations, you know, and what I mean by that is, you know, a lot of it has been intuitive a lot of it has been just for me the fundamental You know never to assume, you know, never to let ego run right into kind of your just because we do it in Holliston always know that doesn't necessarily mean we're going to be as do it was where I started it because it is my hometown. I love running. I like the the the idea of the idea what it's kind of turned into now is something that are kind of very contradictory to say this but I never really asked for but yet we are doing it. So it was more of the concept of always suggested that give you 10 of run around if we just kind of take it back to the beginning with more than a run is about what it represented. So it's local people local places, you know, it is sports clubs Charities schools colleges businesses large and small getting together and in one place once a year and to you know, share it see about where we live to some people. It's just a run. They love to run a loan to sign up very things. I love a middle and that is absolutely fine. You know, we encourage that behavior as well, but you know around what we're doing that the model I suppose around it is where we kind of bored you on. In a little bit unique, we're not an event management company, you know from the very very start even before I remember is about a week before we had our first event which is September 2014. I've got a phone call an email somebody who knew somebody heard about it with, you know, the usual scenario and there are brilliant that we love the idea. I love the concept. It really work. Well in our town can we chat and all and just in that moment? I cannot remember it like it is just the our kind of fault. Not really, you know, obviously at that point. I was unaware of the next steps. So I was open to discussing it. But I had a bit of a hunch to say no a lot I can't come to where you live and do what we do because one we haven't even done it yet and to I'm not from there and a lot of what happened in Hollister was my passion before my town, you know, so so answer to your question is over the last few years with that in particular and because of the interest and knowing that we're not in event management company, you know, we want to enable more towns to do what we do if they feel is going to bring So we've reversed engineered that large-scale mass participation. If you call it that event is for a town lot of thousand people to run in 10 is quite large and we've created a model which is your town get together, which is a social gathering in town with our suggestion and are only suggestions. You know, we're not telling anyone to do anything whatever works for you. We don't to kind of create challenges but it suggestion is because consistency is very important for me in your town. We don't to be a one-hit wonder we're gonna be a short termism. A short-term out outcome all this looks nice and I want to take a box. We've got a little Grant here or your whatever. So two or three times a year. You can have a run you can walk when you can ride the model. Is that a hundred percent of the money raised but like a crowdfund so 5 10 20 or 50 Quid is the entry fee hundred percent that goes back into the local project initiative or cause so really relates. It's really meaningful. They're running for a purpose for their Town some for a medal or not. You don't get medals, but it's not time. Says more social, you know, we don't care about timon's and then I get a page on our website. We've created this kind of franchisable model and we're now scaling of course Harper cheer. So we got six towns involved when outside of Hartford sure Rustin and then 10 shutout first ones took a bit of Blind Faith. That's the first kind of pilot to kind of see how they don't name. It works. And then this year with the help of a card own particular which again kind of words can't describe how grateful I am for their belief in me and it and in your town. We've now launched across Just five towns in Hertfordshire. It's crazy Wicked. I'm interested because you sound like when you were developing it in horse in the first place to started. Yeah, you're almost little bit hesitant of expanding right? I was hesitancy doing heart and Henderson. Listen, I'm at my mom outside my comfort zone. What was the what was that moment where you like? Oh, this has got some legs. It's just a it's just a process. I'll call it on. So all of a sudden you suggest after that conversation, you know, I decide Iya and and I'm interested in Spoon is in if I can happen and all of a sudden it starts. Oh, obviously you can't swear but you can't you can't. Okay, like let's see what it looks like. I was very curious and then all of a sudden, you know, when's if me Uncle Bob worked at a local big firm and I could go some circus a few grand I need to do this thing. I knew no one so it's an opportunity for me to go out and network and to meet people and then all of a sudden they were believing in it and I was like, okay, so now I'm going At a bit of dough. Let's see what I can do with it. And how much does it cost and I'd never done anything like this before my life. I didn't know how medals cost love it closed roads Etc. So so all of a sudden, you know to try and answer your questions precisely its I'll call it on you know, and and there was a headers and see because I was outside my comfort zone. I never was one of them guys or kids when they were young. I would never have my own birthday party in case no one turned up and I was quite self-conscious and my self-esteem and all that over the years has been And down and round and round so it to do something like this. But but then I suppose you're kind of in the universe of passion and purpose and kind of curiosity and okay, what was are born for? What am I going to do? You know what kind of am I going to try and Inspire my kids, you know and that subtle approach I think going to try and impress them with getting what they want when they want it. So it's not that kind of I mean, there's a balance with that because that's part of being a kid and being the dad and you know trying to do as much as you an with them at whatever cost but you know that subtle stuff, you know that compassion empathy that kind of identify in that relating and that kind of seeing behind the scenes that you've got to go out and be outside your comfort zone a lot of the time you hear this or not, you know, but at least try, you know, don't let the fear done it the anxiety, you know suffer with the anxiety and stuff over there an anxiety attack yesterday here. So it's something that I'm aware of but yeah, you know, so it's a balance an expert. Yeah belly is exciting though mate like slide. It was the ball a lot in the way, but unities like popping up your way when you're passionate for something, right? Yeah, these they come out they could these opportunities come out of the wall and it's about putting yourself out there. Like that's the fuel like the faces and the experiences that you're enabling others to have, you know, it's not because of me it's not because of it. We just it's an invitation for that kind of stuff and to see it, you know to see people there's one guy in particular shit out Steve Pilcher. That's a shout out but he's He was one of the first great. If not, the first guy is a local guy to hottest and never known before signed up with his first ever event is gone on to do marathon. Wow, you know, there's there's lots of others lovely stories, you know, they're not going to pay my mortgage what I want to ask you next. Yeah. That's what I want to ask you next. So first event happens second event happens during happens. What is the reaction? We've basically that you ask me they want example. I mean, what's the reaction off the back of these events? I mean, especially like off the first one were you just like, whoa. This is this is light. We have 300 dog turn up for the first one which to me was not of a million people here. As long as the kind of my mentor is although depending on the noise of the world and and all that kind of stuff is as long as more, you know, as long as one person turns up. You can have an impact. Yeah to the naked eye to some it's important that they see thousands of people or you know, the instant gratification. Like I said, there's a balance without kind of stuff. I'll get it don't get me wrong. You can't live, you know. So I don't be too romantic about it all but yeah, you know just to just to see it and feel it and and see the experiences in the feedback and people give attention. If you want to call it that people keep coming back and and the noise it was making considering and enough Gonzalez with quite a lot of certainty and I'm not belittling what's happened because it is absolutely incredible and far far far beyond what I always thought would happen. I would hope it would have happened. But obviously there's an element of Doubt there along the way but We haven't even touched the size yet. You know, we still haven't got our own gazebo and down not because anybody saw the Gantry thing because we kind of call it, you know, so from a brand point of view. I'd love to do so much more. I'd love to engage so much more a lot of be consistent with so much more. It does matter it and it's necessary but there's there's it mean, you know, do you need everything in place at the start? No, not literally a diamond at the start line, but I heard a saying very early on if you launch on time you've launched too late, you know just start anywhere and that's what we've done. So nothing's ever been perfect. There's lots of challenges, you know, certain things might not look a certain way or whatever but only the community tops up the engagement before and because of our imagery and our videos, you know, all the local people local places and obviously their distraction from other towns and wider. I've said no to a few things you kind of know that you know, I trust in the path, you know, I'm on the right path doing the right thing as a consequence. There's a whole lot of Emotion and uncertainty, you know running a business, you know will be as a kick. It's all coming up, maybe National Center India every month or so. Listen, I've had is really lovely experience with Stevie P. He's turned out he's done his first been acting on the Berlin Marathon a lot. Where's me money market? So it's getting that balance, you know, because community and a subtle approach knock on suggested is is you know, you we're building a brand, you know, and it's how people feel as opposed to you know, I don't want to in an Ideal World said a few times. And with this I would like them not to be a transaction, you know, it's different with the event because you know people pay and you know, we road closures, etc. Etc. But ultimately it's still the cheapest one in town people kind of say like why is it so cheap, but I'd just rather have ten Tenors then five scores, you know, and just the people and the energy and stuff like that. Sure. Absolutely. I mean in terms of the the you're going to run it next year. I'll run it by a hundred percent. Yeah. Well, I mean what I love about this concept Trees when I saw the running. I mean I don't I thought along the same guy the same route couple of years back. So I wanted to do something completely outside my comfort zone and raise money for charity same time and wasn't coming back into the community. But what I learned from it was the power and of of community and Collective Fitness when you're when you're doing a fitness event with others towards a goal. So yeah guys, it's one more man Mentor You're Charlie darker. Just a big blue ribbon movement, you know, just moving no matter how you do it. Like the power of collectively come together to move is and it really is quite a lot of money. I work very hard but like you did you do you don't know I didn't alter. Mathan. Oh well, which one's I'm doing here. Oh, maybe it's the best thing in the world it like I push myself Beyond limits. Like I didn't think I could I'm not run. I'm a rugby player. Yeah, it's a lie running on Sand is I did in Jordan. It was a play about being told you it's actually light is tough. It's tough. Yeah, but you know, you you improve and so many Dynamics in your mind will never return to the dimensions that it was. Yeah. So, I mean what I what I love about this is that it's a community doing it together the reaction of the back of it in terms of growing as a community and doing it together that the dump the dimensions of the mind of that Community will never return. Yeah hundred percent and I just think the beauty of that is it is extremely extremely powerful and you just fucking nailed it. He's knocked around the head. So I'm his I'm super excited to see how and where you think this is going to develop and you know, like you said highs and lows of business. You need to be some remain realistic on yeah. We just said that that's what I wanted to kind of touch on little bit now is in terms of as a social entrepreneur, whether entrepreneur social entrepreneur, there are highs and lows in business. Yeah. And with this the highs must be super high water. What's your biggest challenge? What are you finding like? The difficult the major difficulties of an r - and we could have a whole day on this the Heiser. Yeah. Yeah event day, you know is obviously phenomenal, you know, there's a sense of responsibility that I feel, you know, we get a lot of people attend, you know, like young old, you know, we're all ages all abilities. So there's a sense of responsibility. They were closed down roads, you know, there's a few motorist or car owners where everyone to describe them as out there that are not too happy that they can't walk their dog at the same place. You know, but that's another story. Yeah, it's unfortunate. But listen that there's always one but you know, I see that since responsibility but yet at the same time just buzzing, you know, it's incredible, you know, because a lot of the hard work for me and the team to put this day together and brothers and all the contributors tools at the sponsors the you know, that everybody's just this phenomenal as a collective effort and our feel that so that's great. And then yeah just you know, the buzz from other towns now getting traction and you know, people are Carlo jumping on board and believing it so there's It is a feel-good factor as to you know, we're going and we're doing some great things and we can do so much more but then yeah alongside that is my own personal Journey with it and trying to create this. What part do I play in it? How can I lead It Forward? How can I not get in the way? I've got two kids in the wife Locker said different life cycles. My wife's a bit older than me. She's kind of you know that yes, we took some vows to save through thick and thin and what you know, whatever the words are but the reality is It's tough, you know, and you know, I come from a previous job which is still a bit uncertain. I've always been self-employed. I've never had a wage. So there's kind of that behavior, which I've been used to but you know, am I being selfish am I being irresponsible? Does it really matter do I really care? Why do I care? Yes, it's great. Listen, all these lovely fancy romantic stuff that is critical needs to happen. But you know, there's no one's getting paid at the end of it. Unfortunately the demise of life, you know suggest it might you need to give up, you know, or stop in as a difference between stopping makeup and I'll be very honest with you having suicidal throughout some of the for out the journey because I've got that you know, that fire in me that knows that this is this is something you know, and it's not just something for me but it's something that's going to kind of live far beyond me and and I want to kind of see that happen, but then it's just like life using these navigate your way through to me a while to accept. I was an entrepreneur I didn't I wasn't comfortable with being labeled as that, you know, there's other situations that I've been in my life and I've actually accept and admit certain things to to move on and it's very similar. I'll bet to admit that I was and accepts. I was an entrepreneur. My name is Mark and I'm an entrepreneur has probably one of the first times I've said it but it's social or not. But as a consequence the other certain behaviors, they're attached entrepreneurs that some might deem it cool with you on Instagram. You're 21. You've got your backpack and your notepad and you want to crack on and you know, duck and dive and you know hustle as I say, but for me, there's a little bit of that. Which is maybe one two three five percent at most but the rest of it is what to do when to do it how to do it while we're doing it and we're going to do it, you know the wet kind of stuff. So it's a totally it's a big conversation and one of those who can't go too deep into now, but I love it. It's very it's really interesting. I mean the end of the day I run a franchise business. It's not my franchise. Hmm. But the end of the day still a business owner in the hi-yah. Why is she behind those people and that's I mean they don't tell you it's cool, you know. Listen, that's that's the other space in which I'm very passionate about is he's going high school based. Yeah, that's kind of our own versions of certain things. So the there's loads that are going to happen with. Yeah. I mean that clearly was me onto one of the last questions. I want to ask you mean. What's what is this going on the next 6 to 12 months and your kin pumped about like what's been anything stand out? Yeah. Well, yeah just everything. Yeah everything of course. Continue to do my best to look after myself, you know because as things grow and I want to manage expectation and all that kind of stuff is really important that I keep myself. Well spiritually physically mentally emotionally and all that as well as being the dead and the challenges and and the joy that that brings and her husband work kind of stuff that I mentioned that I'm is really on the Forefront of my mind most days most moments are most days but for your turn is to finish the Red Bull program that I've been on this week, which is why we're here which is Dean my really unbelievable. This is like it's a real but contradictory to that is reality. It's happening. You know, some amazing opportunities is some great workshops and people and it's a really good energy and you know, some really good kind of outcomes will come with us. I'm positive of that and I believe in a universe and all that. So I'm going to take that on into next few months. We just entered into a really great and I believe going to be really powerful relationship with Ricardo in particular. I said, there's other Still more likely to Hardison, you know, HP accountants vocal vessels and MSDS and but yeah, the the Qaeda one will allow us to grow across our home county of Hertfordshire just to get as a saint the next natural step for us our home county for obvious reasons. It is just sickly and to undo graphically. So we've we're going to do a campaign called we are next which is all centered around the Next Generation next innovators leaders creatives and all that kind of stuff. So I'm really excited about that over the next Here we're going to go into over a hundred primary schools about 6,000 kids. It's awesome. And so there's great Hemel Hempstead will from Cross Hartford stevenage Hatfield and Dixon to continue our work and Rushton and then yeah building to get together model see if we can grow that there's interest from other areas and I'm really interested in trying to get you know, an S more National Brands attached to us as a vehicle for us to do more. So we haven't got a rely on certain. Areas, local authorities phenomenal and they're part of our conversation obviously in a benefit and you know, they need to be involved in certain estimates of what we do but they've got a lot of challenges, you know, and as we all have but you know, they're so yeah, I'll just kind of want to do what we can with what we've got and as much as we can do with others as opposed to being held back by others and just get that balance usual next 12 is busy. It's get one always like arson. This one I think is especially relevant in terms of the social side of stuff if you had one piece of advice or life lesson, you've learned to pass on to a somebody who is Pat really passionate about potentially starting something like something that matters to them. What would that sort of advice be? Something you've learned from this whole process. Yeah, I suppose. I mean II just through various experiences that I had prior to your town. I've really focused on the importance of self-awareness. Like I'll put that top of anything and listen is there's levels to that depending on where you are in life and what responsibilities you may or may not have those like be like that human being thing that whenever all on one page but just Internally, you know, whether your father or husband or not or a wife or not were business owner or not or whatever just have a level of of who you are. And and you you get there just through doing things being honest as honest as you can be in certain circumstances or conversations because you always you know, unraveling and kind of revealing certain aspects, you know, and a good place to start is what you identify with, you know, the running thing was you know, Stands out as something that I was that was my trigger, you know, I love to run. You know, I didn't know I did I hated running when I first said it, you know, but my brother, you know, good friend Dean. You've got me into running, you know, he said just just carry on, you know, so I said to him mate listen, I love you and we're kind of stuff and I appreciate your kind of suggestions, but I don't know if this is for me and now look now look so if you had is that perseverance and that just kind of find the trigger find, you know, a hobby or to something you identify with them relate. To and just let that be your spark and just remain curious, you know, listen to a podcast or go on YouTube people that you are interested in listen to their conversations. They then speak about somebody else Google with him and all of a sudden I'm saying it lock it comes naturally to some but for me, it's just kind of in my mind just things happened, you know, and and just through grade. Yeah, the path was cleared and then you just kind of go with it and then you kind of just figure figure things out along the way and then but the self-awareness at the Forefront because it's kind of still a bit of intuition and a bit of you know, Liam kind of behaviors that you kind of find it you might need on some people have with nine-to-five some periodic be working and stacking shelves and know what they need to do down what I offer is that the amount of time and they go home and I look after the family of freeloaders is here and they are make they are over the moon and good luck to them. You know, I'm not that way inclined to some just going to explore that you for my love it. All right. Keep me one moment. Since you started this business where you've just sat back just taking the time actually to sit back and gone. Wow, like this is some mm pretty pretty damn special any specific moment stand out to you. Well, it has two or three times in this last half hour quite a contradictory answer. I live in that kind of hit at times. So I'm inclined to say that I haven't really because it was in between my years hasn't happened yet, but why? Teacher today is my everything that's happened was fought off before you know, so that kind of one moment is that self-awareness kicking in again is dear just having time to reflect and say okay. I appreciate this moment, you know that email with that comment that you get from somebody who's taking part of you've infected through some of what you do. That's the time when you think okay. Yeah like that. That's nice. Let's just appreciate this moment and not belittle it and not kind of just think okay. Yeah great wisdom next one light on. Not chasing that. So there's a massive difference. I'm not chasing anything, but just knowing that yeah, there's more moments that more moments to come, you know, and that's what you kind of that's what you you're working towards just region is full potential I suppose so every little micro moment kind of collectively working towards that kind of that macro which hopefully will be here far beyond when I'm gone, you know if it's fingers crossed love it. Yeah. Thanks. I just want to say thanks so much for coming on. But before we Rappers hopefully tell me where people can follow you social media website, whatever it may be just just hang on I'll put it in the show notes for it. So people can see what you're up to. Perfect. So from a brand point of view, you know, we're not on point with a lot of stuff at the moment. There's a frustration but that's okay. It is what it is. So we've got give you time to run around on Facebook there specifically for the the hottest an event I'd say, so if you're in and around area want to come run with us or travel down that's where you find this on there and it's at time ran around on Twitter. ER and then there's your town on Facebook and your town active on Instagram. I can't seem to get your tan on Instagram. They don't they don't want to give it away. Well, no one owns it apart from them. We've got to trademark. So I've kind of asked nicely to start. How do I go about it? But no one ever gets back. So until that day comes your town active is the best place and then yeah your town cic. I think it is on the on Facebook brilliant mate. Thanks so much for your time. Really enjoyed it. Thank you. All the best looking forward to seeing what's gonna happen perfect. She's make thank you.
Your Town was planted when the Founder, Mark White, sent himself an email in 2011 with an idea for a running event that started and finished in Hoddesdon town centre. Three years on, a chance meeting in April 2014 brought ‘Give Your Town The Run Around’ to life, and following a steep learning curve, our first event happened just 5 months later in September 2014. A year later in October 2015, after putting on two more successful events, the company decided to have a permanent presence in town and invested in our first Street Office. And so… Your Town was born! Fast forward a few years and Your Town pursued their passion for building and celebrating community in a diverse range of ways. In December 2015, they launched Your Town Clubs, with free weekly clubs for local runners and walkers. In October 2016 they piloted our first “Get-Togethers” simultaneously across three Hertfordshire towns with a run, walk and bike ride for up to 100 participants in each. During the summer 2017, they kicked off “Give Your School the Run Around” programme, which included 10 local primary schools in activities to raise awareness of health, wellbeing and community, culminating in a grand finale event hosted by a local secondary school. More than most people I get to see the power of what exercise can do to a community. Mark has a passion for it too and it was amazing to see. It was great to meet him and I am so glad he got the chance to be a part of the Redbull Ampahiko Academy. On that note going up and seeing what the Redbull Amaphiko Academy was all about was pretty sensational!! For those that don't know what it is the Red Bull Amaphiko is a programme to help Social Entrepreneurs create innovative and sustainable change in their communities. This episode is the last part of a 3 part series I recorded. I also interviewed two other great guys with two other great business. 