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In this episode of all about business, James Reed is joined by John Spiers, entrepreneur, philanthropist, veteran of the wealth management industry, and Chairman of EQ Investors, one of the UK’s leading B Corporations. John shares why he returned to the sector to found EQ Investors, how he deliberately built its culture around putting the client first, and why the bottom line will look after itself if you do things correctly.
He reveals the unique structure of EQ Investors, with a foundation owning a quarter of the shares, giving clients and staff confidence in the company’s long-term stability and purpose. This purpose-led structure earned the company the highest B Corp score in the UK. John also shares his critique of shareholder-focused capitalism and the short-term pressures of private equity, arguing why a long-term, stakeholder-first model creates greater business resilience.
John shares his immense knowledge on how to be an effective philanthropist, explains the creation of his platform, Giving Is Great, and offers vital advice on what to look for, and what not to look for, when assessing a charity’s effectiveness.
This episode is packed with valuable insight if you’re an entrepreneur interested in purpose-driven business, investment strategy, and how to build a company that prioritises all its stakeholders for long-term success.
03:52 The concept of philanthropy companies
05:14 Challenges and benefits of philanthropy companies
12:34 The importance of early years and environmental causes
21:24 The creation and impact of giving is great
33:12 The power of matching donations
39:59 Challenges in charity data and impact reporting
47:58 Evaluating charity leadership
54:17 The rewards of philanthropy
Check out EQ Investors website: https://eqinvestors.co.uk/individuals
Follow EQ Investors on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eq-investors/
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chairmanjames/
All about business is brought to you by Reed Global.
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visithttps://www.Flamingo-media.co.uk