Giving Back and Paying It Forward
One thing I have always been a huge believer in is giving back.
I consider myself extremely lucky to have had some incredible mentors over the years – people who have guided me through challenging and difficult situations and, in many cases, helped shape the person I am today.
What a privilege it is to have had, and still have, people around me who have taken the time to help me develop and grow, often through nothing more than pure kindness and a genuine desire to see me succeed.
To this day, I still call upon many of my mentors for advice. In fact, many of them have told me that I need to stop saying thank you!
Which I will never do, FYI.
And so, I don’t think I would be doing them justice if I didn’t pay it forward.
That is really the foundation of my enthusiasm for helping others. There is an immense satisfaction in seeing someone else succeed – especially when you know that, in some small way, you may have helped them get there.
To this day, I mentor people from all different walks of life, trying to guide them in the ways in which I wish someone had guided me, particularly in my early days before I met some of the incredible people I am now fortunate enough to call mentors.
So when I receive feedback like the messages below, I am incredibly happy to know that I have been able to help someone.
And, of course, I swiftly call some of my own mentors to share the positive feedback with them (apologies for the late-night calls, Mr Redmond!). I see that feedback as an extension of what they have done for me, someone who once took the time to help me.
I was lucky enough to have people who believed in me, and now I get the privilege of doing the same for someone else.
That’s what paying it forward means to me.
“I wanted to take a moment to say a huge thank you. You’ve been much more than just a senior colleague. Your kindness, patience, and willingness to help have made a real difference not just to me, but to everyone who has had the opportunity to work with you.
I’ve always admired the way you lead by example, stay calm under pressure, and make time for others, no matter how busy you are. Your guidance and encouragement have meant more than you probably realise, and I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned from you.
Thank you once again for your support, your leadership, and the positive example you’ve set” – Ola, 2026
“I wanted to say how much I appreciate the support and guidance you’ve given me during my time working with you.
When I joined, I wasn’t really sure where I wanted to go career-wise, but working with you has genuinely made a difference. Your guidance and encouragement pushed me to go for a career in security and I’m happy to say that I have landed a job that I have been working towards for a long time. Honestly, I don’t think I would have had the confidence to take that leap without your support.
You’ve always tackled things with professionalism and calm which has definitely left a mark on how I approach challenges. I’ve learned so much from the way you work and its been great having someone like you to look up to.
Thanks again for everything and its been an absolute pleasure working with you” – Farhan, 2024.