I was gonnae

This week Callum and I had an amazing chat with Ricky Nicol co-founder and Vice-chair Commsworld. Ricky told us his incredible story of how he started Commsworld to the multi-million-pound business it is today.

This week I was gonna 🎙podcast really enjoyed chatting to guest ‍Ray Bugg Founder at DIGIT.FYI *** End User Events & News in Digital Transformation, InfoSec, FinTech, IT Leadership, AI, ML, Data💻.

Callum and I really enjoyed chatting to Ray and hearing how he is dealing with the restrictions surrounding COVID, his life and inspirational business ideas and concepts.

Find more information about Ray digit.fyi

This week I was gonna podcast really enjoyed chatting to guest ‍✈ Gordon Cowan - Group CEO at UNITED Jet Fuel & EEP and Charity Trustee. 

Callum and I really enjoyed chatting to Gordon and hearing how he is dealing with the restrictions surrounding COVID, his life and inspirational business ideas and concepts.

Find more information about Gordon - Gordon Cowan | LinkedIn

This week I was gonna podcast really enjoyed chatting to guest

This week I was gonna podcast had the privilege of having is Gordon White, Owner and Managing Director of Fatbuzz Ltd Marketing agency as its guest. Callum and I really enjoyed chatting to Gordon and hearing his stories of COVID, his life growing up in Scotland and having a beer in the Horseshoe bar one minute and the next being the owner of a marketing agency!

This weeks guest on I was gonnae is

GIVING AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITIES THAT CAN LEAST AFFORD IT

From feeding 40,000 kids a day in Malawi to the cashback scheme from the police and Food for Good. Tony is proud of what his Celtic FC Foundation is achieving. “We can’t boil the ocean, but we try to do what we can do. “Our role is to tackle poverty and redeem the lives of marginalised people. We identified 60 charities and funded these through the ‘Food for good’ program. What we increasingly realise is that many people don’t just need food they often need support with their mental health. We are also addressing that imperative.”

One observation Tony is happy to share? It is people with the least that often give the most.  His experience of this spirit started at home and then at St Andrews Secondary School in the east end of Glasgow. A school which Tony describes as ‘Mental’. It was run by the Marist Brothers and headed by Brother John Ogilvie who “had a heart of gold. He really did care about people and would regularly dip into his pocket if someone needed it.”

It was years later in 2008, when after studying for his MBA, and with many years working in marketing roles at the Club, Tony was asked to set-up the Celtic FC Foundation. It was a challenge he relished, and it certainly didn’t take him long to realise the immensity of the generosity out there – especially from some of the poorest communities. But with the Club’s global draw we also organise fundraising dinners and events across the World – from London to New York.  “It is something we will never, ever take for granted.”

No entry to the ‘Polis’

When he left school Tony’s ambition was to go into law and he sent applications to a number of Police forces. These were unsuccessful admits Tony, who now reflects on the attainment and expectation gap that existed back in the early 80s. In his view, the gap was greater than now. “I did what many young men did in our community: “Got married young and had children.”

What has never left Tony from his younger years is the ethos that existed in his community in Glasgow’s east end. “You were brought up to look after people who needed help.”

Now at the Celtic FC Foundation, that is precisely what drives him today. So, how does he advise young people today? “Have ambition, manage your expectations, have a bit of humility, make good choices and live your best life. It’s not the money you make or where you get to travel to that should measure your success or make you happy. It is the people you surround yourself with. In short, find something to do which makes you happy, do it now and don’t have any regrets.”

The Power of Inspiration

Tony has been both humbled and inspired by two books: One million Little Pieces by James Frey, whose experiences with drugs saw him near death’s door before he checked in a Rehabilitation Clinic. It is a heartrending journey that will inspire anyone who finds themselves in that situation. The other is “All Hell Let Loose, from a politically opposite source, Max Hastings. It is the very human stories of how World War 2 impacted on ordinary lives that reinforces the utter futility of war. He cites his father and former Celtic hero, Stillian Petrov as his most inspiring influencers.

So, what of the pandemic and the various stages of lockdown. “The really positive thing for me has been that bit more time spent at home and, believe it or not in the kitchen, where I have done much more cooking – expanding my skills. The food is "still terrible” but the focus and learning has been great. While Tony may not be the world’s greatest chef, his greatest pride is the work ethic of his family. One final piece of advice: “Marry a good-looking cook. That’s what my wife did.”

In memory of Ann McDonald  (1932-2020)

FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY

Pat Armstrong’s mum wrote in her primary school yearbook, that she should reach for the stars. Now many years later, that is precisely the same advice she would give to young people today. And, she adds, that these stars might well be much further than you imagine and as planes rarely travel in a straight line, there may well be many turns along the way.

Pat is Chief Executive of ACOSVO, the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations, whom she has led for 17 years. This is all a far cry from where it all began in Edinburgh’s Pilton, where in summer the toes were routinely cut out of shoes during summer to make sandals. “We never thought of ourselves as living in deprivation, although growing up where your world is small, you don’t see opportunities out there and will tend towards what you believe is available to you.”

‘I Give it 100% or I don’t do it at all’

Donald Findlay QC speaks candidly to ‘I was Gonnae.’

When Donald Findlay QC advocates the use of technology in the courtroom you start to realise that this pandemic really has taken its toll. This is a man who “hates technology in any form” but is prepared to put his prejudices aside because “The justice sector has to do something to get it moving again.”

In truth, Donald has ‘hated every minute’ of the restrictions that COVID had brought. First and foremost, it has prevented him from being able to carry out the work he so obviously loves. It is indicative of a work ethic that has seen only one day lost to ill-health in his 35 years plus career. ‘That’s when a restaurant in Aberdeen tried to kill me.” Says Donald.

The motivation for this tireless dedication to his work stems from his ‘very close family’ from whom ‘I learned that hard work brought the greatest reward and the more you put in the more you get out.’ For those who may not know him, Donald Findlay is Scotland’s best-known advocate and Queens Counsel, he is Chairman of Cowdenbeath FC, former vice-chairman of Rangers FC and two times Rector of the University of St Andrews.

A strong advocate of Scotland’s once world-renowned education

If anyone is looking working-class lad made good role model Donald Findlay surely ticks all the boxes. Born in Cowdenbeath, he attributes the success young working-class men like him could attain, to the once world-renowned Scottish Education System, which was at its height at the time of his scholastic career. He attended Harris Academy in Dundee, then Dundee and Glasgow University. Scottish education has in Donald’s view, been going “downhill ever since.” The turning point was? The advent of Comprehensive Education.

‘Coming from a working-class background a profession was something to aspire to.’ ‘The doctor in the community was someone who commanded great respect. Hence Donald was initially steered towards medicine which remained his first choice until a science teacher put paid to that. ‘I hated him as much as he hated me.’ His interest turned life-long passion in defence law was prompted by the high-profile trial in 1958 of Peter Manuel, the infamous Scottish serial killer whose trial was reported in great detail at the time. Add TV series Boyd QC and Donald aged just seven-years-old was hooked. Since then he has been involved in some of the most memorable trials in Scotland’s modern history 1958 and as a consummate storyteller has become a celebrated after-dinner speaker.

When work comes home

Donald does acknowledge that work has taken its toll on his life, ‘The job has become my life and life has become my job’ ‘the job is an obsession - not just a passion. As a defence lawyer ‘sometimes you do just have a thought that here is a young child laying here and murdered’ ‘Sometimes the job has an impact on your own life.’  What Donald can say with certainty is this: ‘Every case I have done I have tried to do my best and that’s something I take pleasure in.’

Donald freely admits that while he wanted to a number of things during the lockdown, he has accomplished none of them. ‘I have never had a plan in my entire life. I have gone through life just doing what I do. His guiding principle: ‘I Give it 100% or I don’t do it at all. ‘The person that inspired Donald most was his father: ‘He was one of the cleverest men, I have ever known… life just didn’t work for him.’

What about the other passion in Donald’s life – football? Was he budding footballer when he was younger? He answers with typical candour. "There is no doubt about it I could have been a professional footballer apart from my severe lack of ability!"

(In memory of Ann McDonald 1932 - 2020)

This week Callum and I had the privilege of chatting to  🏉Kenny Logan🏉 Ex international Scotland International, Wasps, Farmer, 🕺Strictly Dancer🕺, Founder of Logan Sports Marketing, Co-founder of National Fitness Games (NFG) and Icons Art.

Rugby legend, Kenny Logan tells ‘I Was Gonnae’ how he went from classroom hell and a field of coos to sporting glory.

Kenny Logan is one of Scotland’s most celebrated rugby internationalists, scoring five tries on his debut and winning a total of 70 caps. Yet what people may not know about him is that he endured stomach-churning struggles throughout his schooling.

What he says will resonate with so many youngsters who, like him, feel they are outside the classroom looking in. His message is one of inspiration to those who feel that same sense of alienation.

“Every day, says Kenny, I had stomach aches going to school … I thought I would go to the GP take antibiotics and I would be ok.”  But that was never going to be the case. You see Kenny is one of 10% of the UK population with dyslexia - undiagnosed dyslexia may that percentage up to around 17%.

“The teachers at school, in general, didn’t understand me.” How many young people will tell that same story? Yet like many dyslexics, one apparent disadvantage, signals greatness yet undiscovered.

History is littered with dyslexics who found their greatness from Walt Disney to Leonardo da Vinci and Richard Branson to Jim Carrey. Albert Einstein is also reputed to have been dyslexic.  Kenny Logan found his greatness on the rugby field. What though if he hadn’t the opportunity to hold an oval ball?

Kenny’s message to teachers today is clear:

“Your job as a teacher is to find the star in a child and celebrate it.”

Yet it was dealing with the struggle at school that also gave Kenny a wee bit of an edge: “school was hard for me but (conversely) that’s where I got a lot of strength from.”

The launch of Kenny’s pro Rugby career and his route to Scottish internationalist represents a dramatic shift in fortune:

“I was a farmer.  My father had recently passed away. I had 350 cows to look after and a 300-acre farm. I was dyslexic and earning £4k per year. I then signed a professional contract and was making 50k … it was all happening so fast.  Then my international debut and scoring five tries.”

“My motivation comes from a simple adage. The harder you work the luckier you get - it won't come to you, you need to go and get it”

And so, Kenny Logan from Stirling County, who struggled at school and thought his condition might be cured with anti-biotics goes on to win 70 international caps, marry television presenter Gabby Yorath (Now Logan) and waltz on Strictly Come Dancing.

His advice to young people is this: “Do things that you want to do. Enjoy what you do and live in the moment.”

‘I was gonnae’ exists to challenge head-on the Scottish habit of selling ourselves short and believing that who we are, where we come from and what our parents and pals tell us matters. It doesnae. We want to inspire young Scots to get above themselves and take on the World.