Gary Quigley - CEO Sleepout UK

Gary Quigley

How long have you been in business for?

I have had my estate agency business for little over a year.

What are some of your driving values?

I enjoy helping people and believe the status and wealth you obtain should be proportionate to what you give back i.e. if you are blessed enough in life to earn a high salary then you should bless others with support where you can.

You’ve always been great at giving back, why is it important to you?

Giving back is a core belief I have always tried to encourage, and I’m grateful to be in a community that encourages that also. It’s an unfair world in so many ways and so many people are struggling. Whilst its true you cant help everyone its important not to use that to excuse not helping anyone.

Which causes are closest to your heart / one thing about society in the UK that you wish you could change?

Outside of homelessness I dislike the brutal nature of repossessions, someone that fails to respond to a letter that informs them they may lose their home if they do not reply needs financial council and possibly medical intervention not a strong arm tactic that leaves them on the street with nothing where the best they can hope for is a hotel room for a family of 3.

How did you get involved in the CEO Sleepout?

By seeing the enigmatic, glorious Bianca Robinson give one of the most sincere and heart lead speeches I had ever seen at the HNC Awards event.

What other ways do you "give back" or work to strengthen communities you work within?

I volunteer for CEO Sleepout, supporting their social media output. I also donate to some local charities like Stop the Bleed run by Jackie Collins and I always shop at local charity stores where possible.

Name one thing you'd like people to know about your life and work:

Working a 9-5 job and running a side business is extremely tough, its not just hours in the day it’s the mental toil as you mind bounces around multiple roles both in your work and your business however. It’s in the Entrepreneurial space that I have met the kind of creative minds that bring into existence charities like CEO sleepout. It's not an easy path being an entrepreneur but its rewarding in so many ways that a corporate job cannot match. I’m grateful that I get to see the world under a new lense that allows me to give more of my time, energy and resources to help and support others to have the fundamentals in life to start or continue their life journey.

How might you see business playing a part in creating a fairer society here in the UK?

Business people are innovators and in the UK we have produced some of the worlds most fundamental inventions. The steam engine, the telephone and the world wide web. However the brilliant minds behind these creations are only one component. Resources, time, support, funding etc there may be an invention right now sitting on some young 23 year olds whiteboard that reduces world hunger but it will never see the light of day until people stop saying it's not my problem and make it their problem. As it stands these great minds face an uphill battle and often become discouraged and fail to bring their ideas to life. We need to encourage the path of entrepreneurship and instil at a young age the idea that your life path is yours to write and it can be as big or small as you wish it to be.

Why is it important that those in business lead with purpose?

Business leaders carry influence, they command certain level of authority and respect as they have not followed a pre-determined path but rather have constructed their own. This is rare and rare people carry a certain weight in society that a 9-5 employee simply does not. As a business leader with purpose can encourage and drive others to do and be better, using that influence in the service of others rather than themselves.