Being passionate about business has always been more about deeds than words, calling yourself an entrepreneur, doesn’t make it so! For me the passion comes from innovation; being the first to spot a need, the first to find a solution and the first to bring it to market. When I can’t be the first, I strive every day to be the best.Coming from a sports education background, in 1996 I was one of the two original founders of Lifetime Training Group, a business which went on to become the UK’s largest apprenticeship and skills training provider. In 1998 I founded ITC Learning and Development which in 2003 paved the way to ITC Compliance Limited, ITC grew to become the UKs largest secondary intermediary Finance and Insurance Network. In 2022 I sold ITC to a US Insurer, Fortegra. During my time at ITC I was privileged to work with some amazing people and clients as together we navigated the ever-changing regulatory landscape, chalking up some notable firsts along the way…• Multiple successful bids for European Social Fund (ESF) grants to support education within the insurance sector.• The first and only holder of the Department for Education and Skills coveted status of Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) for insurance. • The first to provide FSA training to the UK Motor Industry, supporting over 27,000 people for the start of statutory regulation in 2005.• The first to provide an independent FSA/FCA Appointed Representative Network, over two decades taking regulatory responsibility and supporting the retail distribution of Finance and Insurance products for 2890 secondary intermediaries across 6846 retail locations in all parts of the UK and NI • The first firm to provide Appointed Representative Status to the Travel Sector in 2009, facilitated through a partnership with ABTA.• The only Network to set mandatory rate corridors for its Consumer Credit Appointed Representatives because it was the right thing to do, years ahead of Consumer Duty.