Allowing Others To Be Seen

Not everyone wants the spotlight, but many deserve it. I’ve always believed that giving others the space to be seen is one of the most powerful things we can do. 

Here’s what I’ve been learning this past month.

Generosity and hospitality are core values to me. I was welcomed into my friend’s homes when I was younger and was shown great warmth by their parents, which has left their mark on me. Inviting someone into your home or your space, and looking after them is a deeply human thing to do. Mark Cribb, from Urban Guild, touched on this in a recent talk.

When I share what others are doing, or give others an opportunity to have the stage, I believe people recognise the intent. That generosity has, fortunately, become something I’m known for.

The Hall of Fame event, that made its first showing in the week of the You Are The Media Creator Day, came from some of the negativity online about the local area and some comments along the lines of how do we attract the giants in business like Apple, Google and Microsoft.

It was disrespectful to the businesses that are already here, the ones that have been trading for 10, 15 and 20+ years. That talk is more about political legacy than community value.

Hall of Fame was about celebrating the speakers and the people in the room.

Small and microbusinesses are the backbone of the British economy. It’s time we should grow a backbone and start shouting more about who we are, what we’ve done and for how long. Many of the speakers have been running their businesses for over 20 years, creating employment, bringing money into the region, that goes into the local shops and restaurants on the high street.

I’ve learned to take a compliment, as they come from a good place, someone’s genuine gratitude. I’m happy that they enjoy speaking, even if I had to cajole them. Some needed that opportunity to share, as it felt the right time. Talking about you Matt Desmier. We are all making things happen.

The social media posts, the tagging, the notifications were off the charts to my typical levels. I didn’t do it for social media engagement, it was for the engagement and relationship building in the room. What people did was their own generosity. They seemed to enjoy the event.

I’m not especially strategic. Work and life blend into one (or work life integration as Chris Do puts it in this port https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thechrisdo_work-life-integration-vs-work-life-balance-activity-7148317686513512448-Lt6x/).

It all goes to help highlight what’s happening the region and across sectors. I want that ripple to extend beyond the South West.

Building a platform takes time. Start small. Collaborate. Support each other. You can start from zero, but you can’t launch from zero.

It’s not always about being the loudest voice, it’s about making space for the right voices to be heard. When others rise, we all do.

P.S. Hall of Fame will be back to kick off Creator Day 2026. Maybe this time… it’s your turn to be seen? Just let me know.