January 13, 2025 • 28 mins
In this inspiring episode, Ammar Mirza CBE, entrepreneur and community advocate, shares his remarkable journey from his roots in shipbuilding in Newcastle and Liverpool to his dedication to supporting the armed forces community. Ammar talks about his drive to create positive change, living by the mantra of "fixing things and adding value."
He also reflects on the importance of giving back and cherishing small moments, like taking a selfie, to spread positivity in a world often filled with negativity. Ammar offers insights on balancing charity work with personal life, as well as the power of resilience, global networking, and gratitude. Tune in to hear how Ammar’s experiences continue to shape his mission to improve health, wealth, and happiness worldwide.
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to the Podcast
00:46 Introducing Our Guest: Ammar Mirza CBE
01:16 Ammar's Journey: From Shipbuilding to Advocacy
02:22 Advocacy and Giving Back: Spreading Positivity
03:53 Balancing Charity Work and Personal Life
06:37 Global Networking and Growth
10:51 Resilience and Gratitude
17:02 Advice for Aspiring Advocates
21:08 Vision for the Future: Improving Lives
22:45 Final Thoughts and Farewell.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Hello and welcome to the we Are Power podcast.
The we Are Power podcast ontour in the Toon, we're over
here having a wonderful visitinto Newcastle and today I am
being joined by he's a legend,amar Mirza CBE, entrepreneur,
founder, asian BusinessConnections, angel investor,
(00:33):
supporter of the armed forcesand much more.
Welcome to the pod.
Thank you for welcoming us toNewcastle.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Brilliant, and welcome to the Toon and the
North East, simone.
It's wonderful to have you uphere.
I know that you regularlycompare our localities because
of the similarity.
It's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
We always think there's that real similarity
between Liverpool and Newcastle.
It's the water, it's theheritage, it's the shipbuilding
and do you know what?
It's the people, isn't itCheeky?
Cheeky is what we are.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, well, you know my wife's from Liverpool.
So there you go.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, I was also delighted to present you with
your 2024 Northern Power WomenAdvocacy Badge, because this
year, as part of the NorthernPower Women Awards, we've
created our very first advocacylist, of which you are one of
our proud patrons, but it's thefirst time I've seen you.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, and it's probably the highlight of this
year is what it is.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
And we're in November that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
It is for me.
I think it's.
You're brilliant.
I think what you do isbrilliant.
I've already said this I lovewhat you do and the way that you
do it as well.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
So now you do so much .
You only have to go to yourwebsite.
You're about you experiencingeverything right, but how would
you describe your career in oneor two sentences?
And I know that's quiteambitious for me to ask you to
describe anything in one or twosentences.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, it's a great thing and it's a great question,
and it's probably one of thosemoments at a, at a dinner, where
someone says oh, so what do youdo when you go today?
How do I actually not sit hereand bore someone for such an
entertainment?
Probably two things I'lldescribe it if I was to take up
(02:30):
your challenge.
I or three, because I love thepower of three actually that
negotiation right now.
I just love the power of threeis what I do, and so I fix
things, or I make them better,or and or I make them better,
(02:51):
and I only get involved inthings where I add value do you
know, I love that.
I think everyone should live bythat mantra so yeah, so that's
uh, but it was a great questionand I was sort of reflecting on
how best to answer that Value.
It's all about value, right?
Speaker 1 (03:09):
And you know we have our brand.
We Are Power, power for Good,the.
We is right in the centre of it.
It's about using that power forgood, and one of the things you
are really passionate well,both passionate about is the
armed forces.
Yes, Talk to me about thathonorary role and what it felt
like to be awarded that I won'tshow other awards, by the way.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
No, no, no, only because I now apologise, because
it's the one thing that reallytrumped pretty much everything
else.
I was involved in, even the CBH.
Well, you know it's up thereand I'll explain why.
You know it's up there, um, and, and I'll explain why.
But, um, so I was in the cadets, uh, and, and probably as a
(03:50):
precursor as to what do I do andwhy do I do it.
Um, some morning, I, you know,I'm inspired by you and the work
that you do and the, the workthat you've done through the we
part of we Are Power.
But growing up I had limitedproper influence, limited
(04:13):
support, if any.
I started working in a shopwhen I was 10 to support mum and
came home with a couple of quidand give it to mum and, and,
and the relevance to that waswhen I was 14 I was introduced
to the cadets and, and Iremember up until that point the
(04:36):
lack of pretty much disciplinethe lack of courage, the lack of
organisation and the lack of,you know, I'd get up there.
I mean, I've always worked butgoing somewhere where I could
put something on and feel partof something.
(04:59):
And there was this opportunitythere to progress and learn and
in a positive way it contributedto my OCD and I remember having
this conversation with mum andpart of the challenge and, if
you indulge me a little bitbecause it's a, it's a bit of an
interesting story and itprobably informed what I then
(05:21):
done ever since those black andwhite days.
But we, mum, really, reallyworked hard and in those sort of
from eight, where we weresuffering from abject poverty,
to when I was sort of 14, mumhad sort of done everything she
could and we moved an area andthere's a bus route, the number
(05:42):
one bus and it's probably thefirst bus in Newcastle and
whatever else, and it goesthrough pretty much every single
area in Newcastle and Iremember on a Tuesday and a
Thursday sitting with my uniform, cadet uniform and as a 14 year
old you'd always be sat at theback of the top of the bus and
(06:04):
without a doubt you'd go throughaffluent areas and then you'd
go to real sort of deprived andchallenged areas incredibly
racist areas there were then andkids would get on the bus and
be like, yeah, what are youdoing?
Like One of the cadets I'mhoping that was a Geordie accent
and inevitably, at least once amonth.
(06:30):
You know, I'd end up, you know,being proud and whatever else,
and end up in a bit of a tussle.
So mum um, mum sort of said son, you're not doing this, you
know as in and I'd go.
No, but I love it and you know,anyway, that was where my
affinity and affiliation andappreciation of the other armed
forces came from.
And then, ever since then, so Iwanted to join the army.
(06:52):
I remember going to the careersand talking about Sandhurst and
getting a letter and mum sayingyou're not doing that and that
was the end of that and rollforward a few decades since,
round about 2010, I startedbecoming a bit more of a
business advocate of the armedforces.
(07:14):
My nephew joined the RoyalMarines Commando and seeing what
it done for him, and then lotsof friends.
And you know, we're from thenorth east and it's a bit like
the northwest, we contributesignificantly to the armed
forces.
So so it's that.
You know, it's all of that.
And then I was asked oh, wouldyou like to become the honorary
colonel of the 101 regiment?
(07:34):
And I'm going, yes, what doesthat mean?
And then it was like, oh, thisis what it means.
It was the first time in 124years history of the regiment
that they'd recruited someoneoutside, and more, I suppose,
explicitly an.
Asian as well.
Right, A Geordie Asian, whichwas incredibly proud.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
But you've not only taken that role and put the
uniform on again maybe not onthe bus this time, who knows but
the one thing that you havedone is really helped create
this cadet apprenticeshippathway.
Yeah, you've been influentialin that.
So you know, we talked earlierabout using your power for good.
This is this.
Motivation and intent starts soearly, and now you're doing
(08:20):
something with us.
Tell us about that yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
So I mean going back to those black and white days on
the bus.
My life could have quite easilygone down two different routes.
Right, as in um, you can eitherhang around with those people
that you probably shouldn't, butyou know, when someone tells
you not to do something, youalways go.
Well, that's exactly what I'mgonna do.
And as a parent, what do youknow?
(08:43):
Mum, um, and, and then youbecome a parent and you go, gosh
, they were so right anyway, um,and and, and.
Because of those opportunitiesand those lack of role models
and all of those things, Irealized that, well, actually,
first part, I ran away for aperiod of time to London, right,
right, I joined the civilservice, I was in the British
(09:06):
Council and then came backwasn't the opportunities?
Went and had a career for 10years in innovation, in IT
working.
I helped build a data centre inKnowsley and had offices at
Albert Dock that I went to aswell, so a real great affinity
with Liverpool.
Well, anyway, coming back tothe cadet apprenticeship pathway
(09:27):
.
So, for the last um, I thenresigned from that role in 2003
and since then I went aboutaddressing all of the things
that I never had.
So, all of those opportunities,all of that support so creating.
You know, going back intoeducation, and then one of the
things that we realised as anemployer, as a very active
(09:49):
employer appreciative ofapprenticeships, I wanted to do
something to raise the profileof apprenticeships in a positive
way, and every bit of feedbackthat employers give is young
people aren't work ready.
And actually we went through 50apprentices and I think at that
time there was about eight thatcompleted the apprenticeship.
(10:10):
The rest weren't ready, right.
So I was like we need to dosomething about this.
So we created uh, withLieutenant Colonel Andy Black,
we came up with this cadetapprenticeship pathway and
developed this initiative whichrecognises that cadets are work
ready.
You know, they have all of theskills, the soft skills, and it
(10:31):
addresses some of theapprenticeship issues that
employers feel.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
And you talked about your career.
So we've gone to being on thebus as the cadet and then going,
you know going down to theirLondon and then going, you know
going that down to that there,london civil service business
(10:56):
no-transcript.
Where did that all come from?
Where did that come as part?
Because this is all reallydifferent, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (11:03):
it's a bigger mar jigsaw, this one yeah, yeah, no,
it is, and thank you for thatanalogy.
I'm still looking for themissing pieces as well.
I think, uh, you know, I'mgonna use that and say, sabon,
call me a jigsaw, and I'm gonnasay there's a couple of pieces
missing from it.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
You'd always have extra pieces that we never only
miss in an opening.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
But, yeah, that career.
So mum was an incredibleinfluence and actually I ran
away.
So my late father, who I hadboth an incredible relationship
with at the time we had atypical father and son type
relationship and dad went off toSaudi, left mum and mum was a
(11:48):
an entrepreneur.
She was never meant to be butthere was enterprising.
You know she sat on a sewingmachine for 18 hours a day, you
know, sewing clothes, and thenbought property and then lost
all the property with a crashand then started again and you
know she just sort of powered onand that was a big influence.
But the community part, my latefather, he was one of the first
(12:13):
leaders of the community hereand actually that drove me away
from that, first and foremostbecause they left and I was like
you know, I've seen Dad do allof these, you know, constantly
people coming round.
He was a general secretary, hewas educated, he taught, he was
the most educated Asian at thetime because the vast majority
(12:35):
of low-skilled people came tosupport the economy here.
Dad and all of his brotherswere Professor Gs is what they
called them and and he done thatand I thought I don't want to
do that.
But then we reconnected and umand, and I think that was an
influence.
But also going back to thatelement of I'd spent 10 years
(12:58):
building my career, lived inisolation, lived in a bubble,
and I came back and I thoughtyou know what I want to give
back.
I feel obligated to.
I, you know, might have gone onto make my own sort of path and
done what I've done, but themost critical thing that you can
do is is help others sort ofachieve right and make.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Some times people don't know how to.
Sometimes people think I wantto, but I don't know how to
because I don't want topatronize or interfere.
What?
What would you say to peopleout there?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
that's a.
You know it's a.
It's a great point, and I'm.
People have this perceptionthat someone we need to give
back in a particular way, andgiving back can be as simple as
talking to somebody in thestreet.
(13:51):
Or you know, your, your son ordaughter's friend might be
struggling, or you know it mightbe someone at work that just
needs to have a conversation.
So giving back doesn't need tobe this grandiose gesture.
It's just.
You know, my ambition was neverfor it to be about me and you
(14:12):
know we chuckle about selfies,right?
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Because you're the selfie queen.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
You're the selfie queen, right, but as selfie king
, um, uh, and there is a bit ofa competition here, but but it's
healthy healthy in every sense.
Um, the reason why I I know whatI look like, right, I, I look
at myself every day, and thereason why I started taking
selfies and went on this missionwas to promote other people,
(14:42):
right, because, a I'm keen to dothat.
B there's a moment in time whereyou whether it's a forced smile
or not, they're smiling, right,you have a memory and, believe
it or not, I looked through my175,000 pictures that I now have
and on them there's a number ofpeople that aren't here so
(15:12):
sadly, and one individual inparticular was an ABC award
winner and I was at a weddingwith him and I've known him for
a long, long time, lovely person, and it was the last picture
that we took.
So those type of somber things,and it's not just about those
somber things, but it's aboutthose memories and there's a
number of those people thataren't here anymore, but it's
actually about those that areright and it's about showcasing
(15:36):
them.
So giving back right might beas simple as I'm going to be in
Simone or Amar's selfie, becauseif they're promoting me and
they're showcasing me.
I'm prepared to put my headabove the parapet, because
that's what we need more of 100%.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
I think if we want to shine a light and spotlight,
that's where the simple givingback can be.
I do you and I are always theone who's.
Everyone else looks great in it.
We've got the awkward faceright in the front right,
haven't we?
it's about grimace it's betterthan a business card, yeah, and
it's a way to go.
This is where we had aconversation, so therefore we
(16:14):
must continue it, becausesometimes you can be at an event
or or, and all of a sudden it'sa moment in time.
Oh, it's not about a braggy, Iwas there.
It's about.
This is the start of thatconversation.
Of course it is, and some peopleare not always keen to do it
because they feel like, oh God,it feels I'm out of my comfort
zone.
So we make it easy, right?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Well, I believe so, I think so, and you're absolutely
right in what you do.
There's a whole podcast onselfies here, but then no, no,
yeah, but it's because it's acritical part of us giving back
is my point right?
Speaker 1 (16:44):
And I need to get my phone and count how many I got,
because we did have a challengepre-day.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
That's why I sent that figure.
Who had the most?
That's why I sent that figure.
I'm riled now a little bit.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
I'm riled to go away and Thank you 4,572,000,000.
Brilliant Winning at live.
Obviously, that's the case.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
So those 27 that you've got, Simone, compared to
that.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Wait a minute.
Yeah, but have you ever had oneon live podcast?
Just putting it out there, herewe go.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
We've got one now, right, and brilliant, there we
go.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
It's brilliant that for people watching or people
listening, it's not going towork well, is it?
But anyway, but it is.
But it's done with intent,isn't it?
You know, let's.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
And this is the point , simone is, sadly, we live and
you know, sort of jesting aside,we live in a, in a, in a space,
in a place where people now areoffended at not being offended.
Right, everyone is purelyfixated on the negativity that's
(17:51):
going on.
So people struggle with oh mygosh, why is Amar celebrating
this?
And why is Amar there?
And look, where's Wally,there's where's Amar.
And it's like what?
And it's like, yeah, becauseI'm trying to showcase other
people, right, and that's oneway of giving back.
(18:13):
I mean, there's a whole rangecharities.
I set up a charity in 2013, youknow so, which was was I've
talked about competition becauseof the environment I lived in.
So I had three brothers, twosisters, three stepsisters.
At times in our life I waspermanently and constantly
(18:36):
hungry, so, and, and literallythat.
So, so know, navigating yourway, sat there saying I don't
want to be poor and I'm going toaddress that, and then I don't
want others to be poor, andtrying to help them through
three different things.
So health, wealth and happiness, and those three things I feel
(19:00):
is what we should be supportingpeople to do.
But the problem with that is,because of the negativity that
exists, you sometimes end up.
I'm still a really sensitiveperson, right, people find this
so extraordinary when I say I'man introvert, right, and and
(19:20):
because it contradicts what I doand how I do it, and and
actually because of thisconstant, I just want to change
the world.
It becomes hard at times, right,it becomes oh my gosh, I'm a
bit tired, right, and I justwant to sit in a room by myself,
and I love my own company and Ilove everybody else's,
(19:43):
obviously, but having gonethrough the various challenges
and a problem shared is aproblem shared but actually,
it's important to talk about thechallenges and how you've
overcome them so that others cango.
Well, I can do that too, andhaving experienced all of those
(20:03):
challenges and I excuse thecrudeness of this, but I feel as
if I've been kicked in thegoonies so many times I should
have a squeaky voice.
Right, this is what I shouldhave, and it's how do you deal
with that?
Well, actually, you just get upand you get out and you're just
(20:24):
on a mission to help otherpeople.
I mean, you're the expert atthis.
I'm inspired by you.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Well, it's interesting.
You talk about being anintrovert.
So that surprises me.
But also doesn't, because Ispeak to many other motivating,
committed humans like yourselfand they'll say, actually I'm an
introvert, so it doesn't shockme.
But you know, when you saysometimes people want to pull it
down or you know, because youcan't be that happy all the time
(20:50):
, we're both very positivepeople.
Yeah, we both love other people.
We both want to change theworld.
There's a duet in this, butthat's a whole other thing.
Um, can you sing it?
Oh, absolutely badly, reallyreally bad.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Brilliant, yeah, all right, yeah, yeah 100%?
Speaker 1 (21:03):
All right, yeah, just not this minute.
But what do you do to get overthat?
Because people think, alwayssmiling, always on it, always
over it.
He's tough enough to takewhatever I say, but sometimes it
hurts right.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
It always hurts?
Right, it's not sometimes.
It's not sometimes it alwayshurts.
But that's a brilliant question, because what do you do?
I don't want to change mypersonality.
I want to be that positiveperson.
That's who I am, you know, asin that's my suit of armor is
being positive.
(21:40):
And actually, if you constantlyand consistently are despite
those kick, those quickie voicesright, that you might get the
opportunity, there is that youcan't be held down.
You might be dragged down, butyou can't be held down.
(22:02):
And it's like, does that feelgood?
And actually, if you can helpsomeone smile and see someone
smile, whether it's in a selfieor whether it's whatever it is,
you've, you've made someoneslightly happy can I just talk
about the advocacy right?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
we created this year northern power and award
advocacy list seems a bit crazywhere it's the ninth year of
Northern Power Women Awardsunder Real Power.
We've always been inclusive ofall genders, that's something
I've been totally clear about.
It was always really importantto collect the good guys, and so
when we created this list, Iwanted to have some patrons that
(22:43):
I didn't want naturally on thelist because I want them to be
guardians, and when I reachedout to you, you were hell.
Yeah, it was almost withoutreally much brief or interest.
But why is that advocacy soimportant to you?
You've talked clearly abouthaving a strong, strong man, a
strong northeast man, yeah, butwhy is that?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
happening.
Well, I think, first andforemost, simone, it's someone
like you making the magic happen, right?
So I have disappeared for thebenefit of the tape.
So advocacy for me, it's alwaysabout making sure that you
(23:33):
support others.
My lived experiences I say thisvery openly I don't know what
it's like to be a woman, andI'll never, ever profess to, but
I can certainly say and feeland know what it's like to be a
son, to be a husband, to be asingle parent.
So I was a single parent for along time with my daughter,
(24:02):
which was quite unique, right.
So when I'm talking about thechallenges and the challenges
aren't exclusive to women it'sabout recognizing, think that
you know, and that's one thingthat I've always admired and
appreciated about what you'veset out to do.
Right, it is about women, right, as in supporting, promoting,
connecting, but actually it'snot all men, it's, and men, and
(24:25):
that's why, for me, the advocacylist is something I'm
incredibly proud of.
It chimes with what I stand for, and that's not for one second
to suggest that I don'tappreciate or don't want to
promote or acknowledge men, andand I know that that's exactly
(24:48):
your mission as well, and, juston that note, one of the things
that I've done, so a bit likesupporting, promoting women.
I feel it my moral, ethical andprofessional duty to be
supporting and promoting whiteboys and white middle-aged men,
(25:09):
because they can't speak out forthemselves, because it'd be
like oh well, of course you'regoing to say this because you,
you know you've, you've run theworld forever and whatever else.
That's quite wrong, you knowit's, it's.
We can't leave anybody behind.
So the first thing is we needto lift and support women to
realise their ambitions andraise their aspirations and help
(25:33):
them understand that they canbe whatever they want to be and
deserve to be.
But in parallel to that, youknow we need women, and I know
this is exactly what you'redoing.
As you're going up that ladder,you're pulling up the men that
are getting left behind as well,and that's why this advocacy
list and this patronage, to meis a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
And it's not a list, it's a work in progress, isn't?
Speaker 2 (25:58):
it?
Of course it is no, but I meantas in it's like.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
We've got you to work already, haven't we?
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Well, here I am.
I've flown back especially justfor this.
Here's what I have.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
So quick fire round.
You have a side hustle on aradio show, spice Radio, who's
been your favourite interviewee?
You, ah, you've got so muchgoing on managing those side
hust hustles.
What's the top tip?
Keeping all the plates spinningteamwork makes the dream work.
(26:32):
So many tote bag moments.
We talk about tote bag momentsand t-shirts in this podcast and
there's a million here today,and do I ask what's next?
Speaker 2 (26:44):
internationalisation on taking our North East global.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
But it already is, isn't it no?
Speaker 2 (26:53):
but as in to do it effectively.
So what do you see?
What next?
I built a 10,000 square footinternational trade centre at
Newcastle Airport to bring theworld closer.
Here We've got Saudi, we've gotTurkey, we've got India and
we're now taking regionalbusinesses out there as well.
So, having a dedicated space inplace where we are power
(27:15):
features, we're going to getyour lights there, we're going
to showcase the social mobilityand the impact of this campaign
and this community that you'vecreated and I think that is that
quite.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
You know.
Um, I was also like shebelieved she could, so she did.
Yeah, what is the quotationthat chimes with you?
Speaker 2 (27:36):
well, it's that, see it, be it one.
To be honest, it's, unless youcan see it.
So, so a lot of the time.
I'm just very briefly goingback to my why and why do I keep
putting my head above theparapet?
And I wrote a blog about thiscalled the Parapet Parable,
which is a bit of a tonguetwister.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
But, anyway.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
It's about sticking your head above the parapet and
the fact that that's what youneed to do.
So we need more people to sticktheir head above the parapet
and, yes, it becomes a target,but duck down when they're
shooting those bows and get backup there and, you know, make
the world a better place and Ilove your power three.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Thank you so much for joining me today.
Thank you, you're either hereto fix it, make it better, add
value, health, wealth, happinessone of the ones which wasn't a
three, by the way, but I lovethe fact that you can be dragged
down, but you can't be held.
Yeah, nothing's going to holdyou down.
Take us with you on yourinternationalization you're
there, you're there thank you somuch for joining us.
(28:38):
Thank you, our moms aresuperstar.
And thank all of you forlistening, for watching coming
on our adventure uh to newcastleas we've come on tour for this
week's podcast.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
Please stay connected on allour channels and we are powernet
, thank you.
Hello and welcome to the we Are Power podcast.
The we Are Power podcast ontour in the Toon, we're over
here having a wonderful visitinto Newcastle and today I am
being joined by he's a legend,amar Mirza CBE, entrepreneur,
founder, asian BusinessConnections, angel investor,
(00:33):
supporter of the armed forcesand much more.
Welcome to the pod.
Thank you for welcoming us toNewcastle.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Brilliant, and welcome to the Toon and the
North East, simone.
It's wonderful to have you uphere.
I know that you regularlycompare our localities because
of the similarity.
It's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
We always think there's that real similarity
between Liverpool and Newcastle.
It's the water, it's theheritage, it's the shipbuilding
and do you know what?
It's the people, isn't itCheeky?
Cheeky is what we are.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, well, you know my wife's from Liverpool.
So there you go.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, I was also delighted to present you with
your 2024 Northern Power WomenAdvocacy Badge, because this
year, as part of the NorthernPower Women Awards, we've
created our very first advocacylist, of which you are one of
our proud patrons, but it's thefirst time I've seen you.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, and it's probably the highlight of this
year is what it is.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
And we're in November that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
It is for me.
I think it's.
You're brilliant.
I think what you do isbrilliant.
I've already said this I lovewhat you do and the way that you
do it as well.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
So now you do so much .
You only have to go to yourwebsite.
You're about you experiencingeverything right, but how would
you describe your career in oneor two sentences?
And I know that's quiteambitious for me to ask you to
describe anything in one or twosentences.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, it's a great thing and it's a great question,
and it's probably one of thosemoments at a, at a dinner, where
someone says oh, so what do youdo when you go today?
How do I actually not sit hereand bore someone for such an
entertainment?
Probably two things I'lldescribe it if I was to take up
(02:30):
your challenge.
I or three, because I love thepower of three actually that
negotiation right now.
I just love the power of threeis what I do, and so I fix
things, or I make them better,or and or I make them better,
(02:51):
and I only get involved inthings where I add value do you
know, I love that.
I think everyone should live bythat mantra so yeah, so that's
uh, but it was a great questionand I was sort of reflecting on
how best to answer that Value.
It's all about value, right?
Speaker 1 (03:09):
And you know we have our brand.
We Are Power, power for Good,the.
We is right in the centre of it.
It's about using that power forgood, and one of the things you
are really passionate well,both passionate about is the
armed forces.
Yes, Talk to me about thathonorary role and what it felt
like to be awarded that I won'tshow other awards, by the way.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
No, no, no, only because I now apologise, because
it's the one thing that reallytrumped pretty much everything
else.
I was involved in, even the CBH.
Well, you know it's up thereand I'll explain why.
You know it's up there, um, and, and I'll explain why.
But, um, so I was in the cadets, uh, and, and probably as a
(03:50):
precursor as to what do I do andwhy do I do it.
Um, some morning, I, you know,I'm inspired by you and the work
that you do and the, the workthat you've done through the we
part of we Are Power.
But growing up I had limitedproper influence, limited
(04:13):
support, if any.
I started working in a shopwhen I was 10 to support mum and
came home with a couple of quidand give it to mum and, and,
and the relevance to that waswhen I was 14 I was introduced
to the cadets and, and Iremember up until that point the
(04:36):
lack of pretty much disciplinethe lack of courage, the lack of
organisation and the lack of,you know, I'd get up there.
I mean, I've always worked butgoing somewhere where I could
put something on and feel partof something.
(04:59):
And there was this opportunitythere to progress and learn and
in a positive way it contributedto my OCD and I remember having
this conversation with mum andpart of the challenge and, if
you indulge me a little bitbecause it's a, it's a bit of an
interesting story and itprobably informed what I then
(05:21):
done ever since those black andwhite days.
But we, mum, really, reallyworked hard and in those sort of
from eight, where we weresuffering from abject poverty,
to when I was sort of 14, mumhad sort of done everything she
could and we moved an area andthere's a bus route, the number
(05:42):
one bus and it's probably thefirst bus in Newcastle and
whatever else, and it goesthrough pretty much every single
area in Newcastle and Iremember on a Tuesday and a
Thursday sitting with my uniform, cadet uniform and as a 14 year
old you'd always be sat at theback of the top of the bus and
(06:04):
without a doubt you'd go throughaffluent areas and then you'd
go to real sort of deprived andchallenged areas incredibly
racist areas there were then andkids would get on the bus and
be like, yeah, what are youdoing?
Like One of the cadets I'mhoping that was a Geordie accent
and inevitably, at least once amonth.
(06:30):
You know, I'd end up, you know,being proud and whatever else,
and end up in a bit of a tussle.
So mum um, mum sort of said son, you're not doing this, you
know as in and I'd go.
No, but I love it and you know,anyway, that was where my
affinity and affiliation andappreciation of the other armed
forces came from.
And then, ever since then, so Iwanted to join the army.
(06:52):
I remember going to the careersand talking about Sandhurst and
getting a letter and mum sayingyou're not doing that and that
was the end of that and rollforward a few decades since,
round about 2010, I startedbecoming a bit more of a
business advocate of the armedforces.
(07:14):
My nephew joined the RoyalMarines Commando and seeing what
it done for him, and then lotsof friends.
And you know, we're from thenorth east and it's a bit like
the northwest, we contributesignificantly to the armed
forces.
So so it's that.
You know, it's all of that.
And then I was asked oh, wouldyou like to become the honorary
colonel of the 101 regiment?
(07:34):
And I'm going, yes, what doesthat mean?
And then it was like, oh, thisis what it means.
It was the first time in 124years history of the regiment
that they'd recruited someoneoutside, and more, I suppose,
explicitly an.
Asian as well.
Right, A Geordie Asian, whichwas incredibly proud.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
But you've not only taken that role and put the
uniform on again maybe not onthe bus this time, who knows but
the one thing that you havedone is really helped create
this cadet apprenticeshippathway.
Yeah, you've been influentialin that.
So you know, we talked earlierabout using your power for good.
This is this.
Motivation and intent starts soearly, and now you're doing
(08:20):
something with us.
Tell us about that yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
So I mean going back to those black and white days on
the bus.
My life could have quite easilygone down two different routes.
Right, as in um, you can eitherhang around with those people
that you probably shouldn't, butyou know, when someone tells
you not to do something, youalways go.
Well, that's exactly what I'mgonna do.
And as a parent, what do youknow?
(08:43):
Mum, um, and, and then youbecome a parent and you go, gosh
, they were so right anyway, um,and and, and.
Because of those opportunitiesand those lack of role models
and all of those things, Irealized that, well, actually,
first part, I ran away for aperiod of time to London, right,
right, I joined the civilservice, I was in the British
(09:06):
Council and then came backwasn't the opportunities?
Went and had a career for 10years in innovation, in IT
working.
I helped build a data centre inKnowsley and had offices at
Albert Dock that I went to aswell, so a real great affinity
with Liverpool.
Well, anyway, coming back tothe cadet apprenticeship pathway
(09:27):
.
So, for the last um, I thenresigned from that role in 2003
and since then I went aboutaddressing all of the things
that I never had.
So, all of those opportunities,all of that support so creating.
You know, going back intoeducation, and then one of the
things that we realised as anemployer, as a very active
(09:49):
employer appreciative ofapprenticeships, I wanted to do
something to raise the profileof apprenticeships in a positive
way, and every bit of feedbackthat employers give is young
people aren't work ready.
And actually we went through 50apprentices and I think at that
time there was about eight thatcompleted the apprenticeship.
(10:10):
The rest weren't ready, right.
So I was like we need to dosomething about this.
So we created uh, withLieutenant Colonel Andy Black,
we came up with this cadetapprenticeship pathway and
developed this initiative whichrecognises that cadets are work
ready.
You know, they have all of theskills, the soft skills, and it
(10:31):
addresses some of theapprenticeship issues that
employers feel.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
And you talked about your career.
So we've gone to being on thebus as the cadet and then going,
you know going down to theirLondon and then going, you know
going that down to that there,london civil service business
(10:56):
no-transcript.
Where did that all come from?
Where did that come as part?
Because this is all reallydifferent, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (11:03):
it's a bigger mar jigsaw, this one yeah, yeah, no,
it is, and thank you for thatanalogy.
I'm still looking for themissing pieces as well.
I think, uh, you know, I'mgonna use that and say, sabon,
call me a jigsaw, and I'm gonnasay there's a couple of pieces
missing from it.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
You'd always have extra pieces that we never only
miss in an opening.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
But, yeah, that career.
So mum was an incredibleinfluence and actually I ran
away.
So my late father, who I hadboth an incredible relationship
with at the time we had atypical father and son type
relationship and dad went off toSaudi, left mum and mum was a
(11:48):
an entrepreneur.
She was never meant to be butthere was enterprising.
You know she sat on a sewingmachine for 18 hours a day, you
know, sewing clothes, and thenbought property and then lost
all the property with a crashand then started again and you
know she just sort of powered onand that was a big influence.
But the community part, my latefather, he was one of the first
(12:13):
leaders of the community hereand actually that drove me away
from that, first and foremostbecause they left and I was like
you know, I've seen Dad do allof these, you know, constantly
people coming round.
He was a general secretary, hewas educated, he taught, he was
the most educated Asian at thetime because the vast majority
(12:35):
of low-skilled people came tosupport the economy here.
Dad and all of his brotherswere Professor Gs is what they
called them and and he done thatand I thought I don't want to
do that.
But then we reconnected and umand, and I think that was an
influence.
But also going back to thatelement of I'd spent 10 years
(12:58):
building my career, lived inisolation, lived in a bubble,
and I came back and I thoughtyou know what I want to give
back.
I feel obligated to.
I, you know, might have gone onto make my own sort of path and
done what I've done, but themost critical thing that you can
do is is help others sort ofachieve right and make.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Some times people don't know how to.
Sometimes people think I wantto, but I don't know how to
because I don't want topatronize or interfere.
What?
What would you say to peopleout there?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
that's a.
You know it's a.
It's a great point, and I'm.
People have this perceptionthat someone we need to give
back in a particular way, andgiving back can be as simple as
talking to somebody in thestreet.
(13:51):
Or you know, your, your son ordaughter's friend might be
struggling, or you know it mightbe someone at work that just
needs to have a conversation.
So giving back doesn't need tobe this grandiose gesture.
It's just.
You know, my ambition was neverfor it to be about me and you
(14:12):
know we chuckle about selfies,right?
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Because you're the selfie queen.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
You're the selfie queen, right, but as selfie king
, um, uh, and there is a bit ofa competition here, but but it's
healthy healthy in every sense.
Um, the reason why I I know whatI look like, right, I, I look
at myself every day, and thereason why I started taking
selfies and went on this missionwas to promote other people,
(14:42):
right, because, a I'm keen to dothat.
B there's a moment in time whereyou whether it's a forced smile
or not, they're smiling, right,you have a memory and, believe
it or not, I looked through my175,000 pictures that I now have
and on them there's a number ofpeople that aren't here so
(15:12):
sadly, and one individual inparticular was an ABC award
winner and I was at a weddingwith him and I've known him for
a long, long time, lovely person, and it was the last picture
that we took.
So those type of somber things,and it's not just about those
somber things, but it's aboutthose memories and there's a
number of those people thataren't here anymore, but it's
actually about those that areright and it's about showcasing
(15:36):
them.
So giving back right might beas simple as I'm going to be in
Simone or Amar's selfie, becauseif they're promoting me and
they're showcasing me.
I'm prepared to put my headabove the parapet, because
that's what we need more of 100%.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
I think if we want to shine a light and spotlight,
that's where the simple givingback can be.
I do you and I are always theone who's.
Everyone else looks great in it.
We've got the awkward faceright in the front right,
haven't we?
it's about grimace it's betterthan a business card, yeah, and
it's a way to go.
This is where we had aconversation, so therefore we
(16:14):
must continue it, becausesometimes you can be at an event
or or, and all of a sudden it'sa moment in time.
Oh, it's not about a braggy, Iwas there.
It's about.
This is the start of thatconversation.
Of course it is, and some peopleare not always keen to do it
because they feel like, oh God,it feels I'm out of my comfort
zone.
So we make it easy, right?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Well, I believe so, I think so, and you're absolutely
right in what you do.
There's a whole podcast onselfies here, but then no, no,
yeah, but it's because it's acritical part of us giving back
is my point right?
Speaker 1 (16:44):
And I need to get my phone and count how many I got,
because we did have a challengepre-day.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
That's why I sent that figure.
Who had the most?
That's why I sent that figure.
I'm riled now a little bit.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
I'm riled to go away and Thank you 4,572,000,000.
Brilliant Winning at live.
Obviously, that's the case.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
So those 27 that you've got, Simone, compared to
that.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Wait a minute.
Yeah, but have you ever had oneon live podcast?
Just putting it out there, herewe go.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
We've got one now, right, and brilliant, there we
go.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
It's brilliant that for people watching or people
listening, it's not going towork well, is it?
But anyway, but it is.
But it's done with intent,isn't it?
You know, let's.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
And this is the point , simone is, sadly, we live and
you know, sort of jesting aside,we live in a, in a, in a space,
in a place where people now areoffended at not being offended.
Right, everyone is purelyfixated on the negativity that's
(17:51):
going on.
So people struggle with oh mygosh, why is Amar celebrating
this?
And why is Amar there?
And look, where's Wally,there's where's Amar.
And it's like what?
And it's like, yeah, becauseI'm trying to showcase other
people, right, and that's oneway of giving back.
(18:13):
I mean, there's a whole rangecharities.
I set up a charity in 2013, youknow so, which was was I've
talked about competition becauseof the environment I lived in.
So I had three brothers, twosisters, three stepsisters.
At times in our life I waspermanently and constantly
(18:36):
hungry, so, and, and literallythat.
So, so know, navigating yourway, sat there saying I don't
want to be poor and I'm going toaddress that, and then I don't
want others to be poor, andtrying to help them through
three different things.
So health, wealth and happiness, and those three things I feel
(19:00):
is what we should be supportingpeople to do.
But the problem with that is,because of the negativity that
exists, you sometimes end up.
I'm still a really sensitiveperson, right, people find this
so extraordinary when I say I'man introvert, right, and and
(19:20):
because it contradicts what I doand how I do it, and and
actually because of thisconstant, I just want to change
the world.
It becomes hard at times, right,it becomes oh my gosh, I'm a
bit tired, right, and I justwant to sit in a room by myself,
and I love my own company and Ilove everybody else's,
(19:43):
obviously, but having gonethrough the various challenges
and a problem shared is aproblem shared but actually,
it's important to talk about thechallenges and how you've
overcome them so that others cango.
Well, I can do that too, andhaving experienced all of those
(20:03):
challenges and I excuse thecrudeness of this, but I feel as
if I've been kicked in thegoonies so many times I should
have a squeaky voice.
Right, this is what I shouldhave, and it's how do you deal
with that?
Well, actually, you just get upand you get out and you're just
(20:24):
on a mission to help otherpeople.
I mean, you're the expert atthis.
I'm inspired by you.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Well, it's interesting.
You talk about being anintrovert.
So that surprises me.
But also doesn't, because Ispeak to many other motivating,
committed humans like yourselfand they'll say, actually I'm an
introvert, so it doesn't shockme.
But you know, when you saysometimes people want to pull it
down or you know, because youcan't be that happy all the time
(20:50):
, we're both very positivepeople.
Yeah, we both love other people.
We both want to change theworld.
There's a duet in this, butthat's a whole other thing.
Um, can you sing it?
Oh, absolutely badly, reallyreally bad.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Brilliant, yeah, all right, yeah, yeah 100%?
Speaker 1 (21:03):
All right, yeah, just not this minute.
But what do you do to get overthat?
Because people think, alwayssmiling, always on it, always
over it.
He's tough enough to takewhatever I say, but sometimes it
hurts right.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
It always hurts?
Right, it's not sometimes.
It's not sometimes it alwayshurts.
But that's a brilliant question, because what do you do?
I don't want to change mypersonality.
I want to be that positiveperson.
That's who I am, you know, asin that's my suit of armor is
being positive.
(21:40):
And actually, if you constantlyand consistently are despite
those kick, those quickie voicesright, that you might get the
opportunity, there is that youcan't be held down.
You might be dragged down, butyou can't be held down.
(22:02):
And it's like, does that feelgood?
And actually, if you can helpsomeone smile and see someone
smile, whether it's in a selfieor whether it's whatever it is,
you've, you've made someoneslightly happy can I just talk
about the advocacy right?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
we created this year northern power and award
advocacy list seems a bit crazywhere it's the ninth year of
Northern Power Women Awardsunder Real Power.
We've always been inclusive ofall genders, that's something
I've been totally clear about.
It was always really importantto collect the good guys, and so
when we created this list, Iwanted to have some patrons that
(22:43):
I didn't want naturally on thelist because I want them to be
guardians, and when I reachedout to you, you were hell.
Yeah, it was almost withoutreally much brief or interest.
But why is that advocacy soimportant to you?
You've talked clearly abouthaving a strong, strong man, a
strong northeast man, yeah, butwhy is that?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
happening.
Well, I think, first andforemost, simone, it's someone
like you making the magic happen, right?
So I have disappeared for thebenefit of the tape.
So advocacy for me, it's alwaysabout making sure that you
(23:33):
support others.
My lived experiences I say thisvery openly I don't know what
it's like to be a woman, andI'll never, ever profess to, but
I can certainly say and feeland know what it's like to be a
son, to be a husband, to be asingle parent.
So I was a single parent for along time with my daughter,
(24:02):
which was quite unique, right.
So when I'm talking about thechallenges and the challenges
aren't exclusive to women it'sabout recognizing, think that
you know, and that's one thingthat I've always admired and
appreciated about what you'veset out to do.
Right, it is about women, right, as in supporting, promoting,
connecting, but actually it'snot all men, it's, and men, and
(24:25):
that's why, for me, the advocacylist is something I'm
incredibly proud of.
It chimes with what I stand for, and that's not for one second
to suggest that I don'tappreciate or don't want to
promote or acknowledge men, andand I know that that's exactly
(24:48):
your mission as well, and, juston that note, one of the things
that I've done, so a bit likesupporting, promoting women.
I feel it my moral, ethical andprofessional duty to be
supporting and promoting whiteboys and white middle-aged men,
(25:09):
because they can't speak out forthemselves, because it'd be
like oh well, of course you'regoing to say this because you,
you know you've, you've run theworld forever and whatever else.
That's quite wrong, you knowit's, it's.
We can't leave anybody behind.
So the first thing is we needto lift and support women to
realise their ambitions andraise their aspirations and help
(25:33):
them understand that they canbe whatever they want to be and
deserve to be.
But in parallel to that, youknow we need women, and I know
this is exactly what you'redoing.
As you're going up that ladder,you're pulling up the men that
are getting left behind as well,and that's why this advocacy
list and this patronage, to meis a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
And it's not a list, it's a work in progress, isn't?
Speaker 2 (25:58):
it?
Of course it is no, but I meantas in it's like.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
We've got you to work already, haven't we?
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Well, here I am.
I've flown back especially justfor this.
Here's what I have.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
So quick fire round.
You have a side hustle on aradio show, spice Radio, who's
been your favourite interviewee?
You, ah, you've got so muchgoing on managing those side
hust hustles.
What's the top tip?
Keeping all the plates spinningteamwork makes the dream work.
(26:32):
So many tote bag moments.
We talk about tote bag momentsand t-shirts in this podcast and
there's a million here today,and do I ask what's next?
Speaker 2 (26:44):
internationalisation on taking our North East global.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
But it already is, isn't it no?
Speaker 2 (26:53):
but as in to do it effectively.
So what do you see?
What next?
I built a 10,000 square footinternational trade centre at
Newcastle Airport to bring theworld closer.
Here We've got Saudi, we've gotTurkey, we've got India and
we're now taking regionalbusinesses out there as well.
So, having a dedicated space inplace where we are power
(27:15):
features, we're going to getyour lights there, we're going
to showcase the social mobilityand the impact of this campaign
and this community that you'vecreated and I think that is that
quite.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
You know.
Um, I was also like shebelieved she could, so she did.
Yeah, what is the quotationthat chimes with you?
Speaker 2 (27:36):
well, it's that, see it, be it one.
To be honest, it's, unless youcan see it.
So, so a lot of the time.
I'm just very briefly goingback to my why and why do I keep
putting my head above theparapet?
And I wrote a blog about thiscalled the Parapet Parable,
which is a bit of a tonguetwister.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
But, anyway.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
It's about sticking your head above the parapet and
the fact that that's what youneed to do.
So we need more people to sticktheir head above the parapet
and, yes, it becomes a target,but duck down when they're
shooting those bows and get backup there and, you know, make
the world a better place and Ilove your power three.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Thank you so much for joining me today.
Thank you, you're either hereto fix it, make it better, add
value, health, wealth, happinessone of the ones which wasn't a
three, by the way, but I lovethe fact that you can be dragged
down, but you can't be held.
Yeah, nothing's going to holdyou down.
Take us with you on yourinternationalization you're
there, you're there thank you somuch for joining us.
(28:38):
Thank you, our moms aresuperstar.
And thank all of you forlistening, for watching coming
on our adventure uh to newcastleas we've come on tour for this
week's podcast.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
Please stay connected on allour channels and we are powernet
, thank you.
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