As part of our Business Spotlight Series, we’ve been interviewing local business owners to hear about their career journey, what they’ve learnt along the way and their advice for others looking to start their own business.
Here, we speak to Hayden Taylor, Managing Director of Unloc, a leading non-profit social enterprise that supports nearly 15,000 young people every year to explore how they can be a changemaker.
Having started the business when he was just 16 years of age, Hayden gives us an insight into the work of Unloc, shares his learnings and gives advice to those setting out.
Tell us more about Unloc
Our aim is to help unlock inner potential, working with schools and colleges, mainly in London and Hampshire, to explore the ways in which young people can make a positive difference to the world.
Whether it’s through entrepreneurship, student voice, leadership in the community, or through careers, Unloc design strategies for changemakers. We want young people to realise that there are definite outlets for their talents, and that they can rise to become a positive force in society.
The education sector was heavily impacted by the Covid pandemic. How did it affect you, and what changes did you have to implement?
We had to pivot quickly, and fast! The greatest challenge for us was the sheer uncertainty of how to deliver our programmes, retain income, and from a staffing perspective, just continue to operate.
We made the decision very early on to pivot to digital, and within three months had built ‘Unlocked,’ our online platform where we could offer online e-learning courses. No two schools or colleges are alike in their technology set up, and therefore we had to master the art of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and practically every online teaching delivery system you could imagine!
What did Covid personally teach you as business owner?
It opened my eyes to the real power of staff collaboration. Everybody understood their new roles, and worked night and day to develop our online learning platform. It was a real team effort where everyone pulled their weight to achieve something new, and I’d say it was an extremely valuable learning perspective for me in that when everyone’s working to the same objective, you really can move mountains!
Covid aside, what do you consider has been your biggest learning throughout your career journey at Unloc?
Having founded Unloc when I was just 16 years of age, I’ve learnt so many lessons over the last nine years.
Firstly, I’d say the most prominent have been around finding the right partnerships and building relationships. When I first started Unloc, I’d fire marketing techniques to anybody who would listen. Now I realise that when growing a business you do have to be more selective in considering people to connect with.
Secondly, I’ve learnt the importance of my own personal learning in establishing a business. At first, I’d try to pretend I knew all the answers, but overtime I’ve recognised the credibility of acknowledging your weaknesses. You’re not perfect, you don’t have the answers to the big questions, so what can you do to learn and improve?
This has been an immensely powerful part of our journey. Recognising our areas of weakness, and asking for help, has enabled us to work with organisations which have really helped and encouraged us to move forward.
What’s been the biggest issue you’ve had to overcome?
Perceived age barriers to success! I was 16 years old when I established Unloc, I was confident, full of ideas and excited about my programmes. I remember having pitched Unloc to a secondary school and then calling the head teacher about it the following day. He forgot to put me on hold and instructed his PA to inform me that he hadn’t got the time to deal with ‘little boys’.
At the time this was a real blow to my ego, a real knock back. Looking back though, it taught me a valuable lesson. Credibility isn’t achieved by people’s perception of age. Being a young person in entrepreneurship is a real asset as you can bring a different lens to your work. This message has driven me forward and encouraged me over the years.
That leads nicely into my next question. What is your biggest motivator?
Without a doubt it’s seeing the difference we make to young people’s lives. There’s nothing better than hearing someone share that Unloc has enabled them to develop confidence and achieve things they thought were impossible. It proves that you’re making a positive impact in lives, and your work really does have the power to help move the world forward.
What have you learnt about yourself during your career journey?
It’s difficult to achieve that perfect work / life balance! Ambition does come with its consequences, and I’ve had to learn it needs careful moderation. Enthusiasm and ambition are a strength, but can also be a downfall in terms of energy and happy family relationships. I’ll always be fully committed to Unloc and its objectives, but I’ve learnt a lot about realism, and emotional behaviour.
And finally, what would you say to anyone setting up their own business?
Don’t assume you know all the answers. Identify areas where you feel less able, or confident, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Learn from the expertise of others, and remember that great success can come from recognising weaknesses.
You can watch the full interview with Hayden here:
