Gerdi with Garry Pratt on walking with leaders in the outdoors
A passion for archaeology
Garry Pratt has always had a passion for archaeology. A passion that had him spend a lot of time in the outdoors.
Early on though, he realised that despite having a BA in Archaeology, having a successful career in that field would be challenging even in the very best of times.
So he stepped onto a very different trail and embarked on a career in publishing and advertising. It didn’t take him long to heed the call of entrepreneurship and start his first business, Steamer Trading. The company with its unique blend of stylish cookware and housewares displayed in fantastic retail spaces was a winning combination. Garry ran it through its initial phase from independent to multiple retailer. It is now a national chain in the UK and still growing.
Entrepreneurship in his veins
Entrepreneurship must be running in his veins because over the course of time he started multiple other businesses or played an important role in ones he didn’t start.
Most notably among all of these businesses was Teachit which he founded together with his wife. Started as a way to share teaching resources with others, and encourage colleagues to do the same, Teachit grew and is now one of the leaders and key innovators in online UK education and an early innovator of monetized User-Generated Content.
Once again he moved on, ultimately landing as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Bath and on his current endeavour, ‘Walking Leaders’.
Walking Leaders
Garry describes himself as follows:
I’m an entrepreneur, business mentor and qualified group walking leader. Walking has always been a key part of my life – whether a simple dog walk, the work commute, or preparing for important meetings – outside is where I clear my head, gain perspective, and do my best thinking.
I truly believe the best decisions are made with the clarity of mind that comes from a mix of exercise, wildness and engaging with others, and, during my time as a business mentor and advisor, I’ve found that clients value the opportunity to refocus in the outdoor world.
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Gaining perspective is a key part of developing creativity and is more likely to develop when you take a break from the ordinary. You won’t find your competitive edge at the bottom of an excel spreadsheet, however large you project it.
Garry is currently working on his book ‘Outside Thinking’. Be sure to follow him on Linkedin to be among the first to know when it will come out.
