When The Big Issue launched in 1991, it didn’t just introduce a new publication; it fundamentally changed the face of homelessness. By offering a “hand up, not a hand out,” it turned vulnerable individuals into micro-entrepreneurs and challenged the traditional charity model.

In this inspiring episode from the archive, Andy Lopata speaks with Nigel Kershaw, Chairman of The Big Issue Group, about the incredible 30-year journey of this iconic social enterprise. Nigel shares the origin story—sparked by an encounter on the streets of New York—and the initial pushback they faced from both the homeless community and established charities.

Discover how The Big Issue built a powerful, interdependent relationship with its vendors, the critical pivot they made overnight during the pandemic lockdown, and how a “mad idea” to start a social merchant bank led to managing £300 million in impact funds. This is a masterclass in leading with purpose, scaling impact, and proving that business solutions can solve social crises.

What you will learn in this episode:

1. The Origin Story: How a chance encounter with a “two-time loser from upstate New York” inspired the creation of one of the world’s most successful social enterprises.

2. The Business of Prevention: Why The Big Issue was strictly structured as a business, not a charity, and the initial resistance they faced from both charities and homeless individuals.

3. The Interdependent Relationship: How the dynamic between The Big Issue and its vendors differs entirely from the traditional “giver and receiver” charity model.

   Actionable Insights:

1. Build Interdependent Relationships: Move away from purely transactional or paternalistic relationships with your stakeholders. The Big Issue succeeds because the business needs the vendors to sell, and the vendors need the business for stock. Create structures where your success is directly tied to the success of your partners.

2. Incubate Radical Ideas Separately: When you have a disruptive or highly innovative idea, don’t force it onto a core team that is already busy managing day-to-day operations. Like The Big Issue did with their investment arm, incubate these ideas outside the main structure to allow them space to grow without facing immediate resistance or resource constraints.

3. Use Crises to Force Digital Transformation: When the pandemic wiped out their street sales overnight, The Big Issue didn’t just ask for donations; they accelerated a planned digital pivot, introducing cashless sales and digital wallets. Use major disruptions as a catalyst to push through necessary innovations that might otherwise take years to implement.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube

Connect with Nigel Kershaw OBE: Website |LinkedIn |

The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring

Episode 173 Featuring Nigel Kershaw OBE

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Andy Lopata Author, Podcast Host and Speaker on Professional Relationships Strategy

Andy Lopata is a specialist speaker on professional relationships, mentoring, networking, and social media strategy. He is a firm believer that professional relationships underpin our success in business, our roles, and our careers. The right relationships with the right people can lead to new business opportunities, investment, collaborative working, innovation, and career progress. We just need to be comfortable approaching those relationships strategically, without making people feel ‘networked’ by us.

Andy has worked in the field of networking and professional relationships for 25 years, working with global giants such as Paypal, GSK, AstraZeneca, Wella, HSBC, Wembley Stadium, the BBC, and the Prime Minister’s Office of the UAE, among many others during that time. He has also worked with leading universities including NYU, Duke University, and Oxford University’s Said Business School.

A regular blogger for Psychology Today, Andy has been quoted in The Sunday Times, The Financial Times, and The Guardian, as well as many other national and regional newspapers and magazines worldwide. He has written or co-authored six books on networking and professional relationships, with his sixth book, "The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring," being published in Spring 2024. He is also the host of The Connected Leadership Podcast and has interviewed globally recognized names in business, academia, sports, and entertainment for the show.

Andy has been inducted into the PSAE Hall of Fame – the Professional Speaking Association Award of Excellence, which was held by only 21 other speakers at the time it was presented. He is a Fellow and a former President of the Fellows’ Community of the Professional Speaking Association (PSA), a Fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI), and a Member of the Association of Business Mentors and the Meetings Industry Association.