Stuart Fearn is the managing director of Society Matters, the trading subsidiary of 2022 North East Charity of the Year winner Citizens Advice Gateshead. Society Matters help tackle societal issues, mobilise knowledge and build influence with regional employers.
What was your first job (and what did it pay)? I started out in life as a mechanical engineer, railway rolling stock with British Rail Engineering. My first year salary was £9,000 per year. I left in 1996 as the commissioning manager of new driverless trains being added to the London Underground, Central Line. I left the railway industry totally after this role to enter financial services. But those trains are still on the line today!
What is the best advice or support you've been given in business? One I remember and constantly have in my mind is ‘don't wait for change, make it happen’.
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What are the main changes that you've seen in your business/sector, and what are the challenges you're facing? Due to economic turmoil the need for charity is growing, particularly those of the organisations I represent - Citizens Advice Gateshead and Society Matters CIC. The need for volunteer armies of people is becoming ever greater and actually I find that quite sad. Positively though, there is a movement, a growth in people and organisations who are finding their purpose by considering their opportunity to make social and community impact. As a result, some fabulous support for the sector has come through, although it’s never quite enough.
How has the pandemic changed the way you work? As for many people, the shift to working hybrid, from anywhere and at any time through the positive implementation of technology, has made such a difference. On the plus side, I can work at any time and from wherever. Negatively, it needs a lot of self-control to manage the risks that it creates to health through overworking by not stopping and taking a rest. The pandemic also made me re-evaluate what was important and what wasn’t. The two years had shown what could be achieved when people worked together, whether at a local level to supporting those less able, or internationally in finding vaccines and technologies to enable better business. It showed that having a ‘can do’ mindset along with the right ideas can lead to innovation which creates great change, something I am looking to enable in Society Matters.
Who is your role model in business? I have had many role models over the years that have shaped the way I behave. The North East is full of them. Interestingly, someone I have really looked to in recent years has been Nic Palmerini (director at the National Innovation Centre for Ageing). Nic identifies endless opportunities available for better ageing but also generally to improve life through innovation. He has the ability to engage and connect people, whether in the region or across continents, to get this innovation to happen. He never stops connecting the dots and the people. Many positive changes have come about because of his work. I want to be more like Nic!
What would your dream job be? Hmm, the one I started at recently! Although I have always wanted my own coffee brand, creating the perfect roast. However, it really is to find the opportunities in whatever I am doing to make it better, have great impact for those working with me, and those who come into contact with my work.
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What advice would you give to someone starting out a career in your sector? Working in the charity sector is hugely rewarding and also very challenging. You will wear many hats and take responsibility for many aspects of the business you enter. Finding the right fit is important - a charity that’s personal to you, where you can really connect with the organisation’s purpose will help remind you of why you made the career choice in the first place. For the right people there is so much opportunity and the rewards offered are often far more than just financial.
What makes the North East a good place to do business? The North East has so much opportunity for growth, development and success. We're a region steeped in history for innovation that is continuing in current times, across all sectors of the region with huge amounts of local and international funding. However, as anyone who's lived here long enough will tell you (I've been here 15 years), it's the place in the 海角视频 where the people make the greatest difference, where support is around every corner and where we see more evidence of lifting one another up over knocking each other down.
How important do you think it is for business to play a role in society? Our businesses have a responsibility to go beyond profit-making and actively contribute to society. By embracing social responsibility, businesses can build trust, enhance their reputation, contribute to sustainable development, drive economic growth, and foster innovation and social progress. Ultimately, businesses that play a positive role in society can create shared value for themselves and the communities they operate in.
Outside of work, what are you really good at? Now 'really good' is a strong set of words… I'd say I'm a pretty good photographer. A few years ago, through illness and whilst in between surgery and recovery, I had a year out of work and trained to become a photographer. I even had my own studio. However, the job I held at the time with Newcastle Building Society was presenting so many opportunities to make change by helping people financially, whether savers, mortgage customers or those in our communities needing help, that I went back to the day job. Photography remains a hobby.