Ron Lynch: A guiding hand

After realising he had an aptitude for helping young entrepreneurs find their way into the world of business, Ron Lynch has truly found his calling as the East Midlands Regional Director for the Institute of Directors (IoD), the longest running organisation for professional leaders.

Being part of an institute that has been running since 1903 allowed Ron to expand his reach, not only with his two companies, but also through mentoring. He now helps guide those with a good idea to move past the starting blocks.

Helping people reach their dreams is what keeps Ron going at the age of 61, whether that’s a law student who has created an app to help students find friends on a night out, or helping a failing business find a new direction and stay at the top of its game.

However, Ron was not always so sure of his path in life. He left school at sixth form to enter the working world but never stayed in one place for too long. It wasn’t until 2001 that he made the decision to become self employed.

This feature interview was first published in issue 72 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

“When I look back over my career, I’ve probably not been anywhere more than five or six years. It was only at that point I decided that one of the reasons I had moved around from time to time was because I had always felt like I had accomplished all that I could.”

He started out by helping a friend turn his business around from a failing patisserie during a time when Starbucks and Costa were coming onto the scene. Over two years, Ron helped transform the business, taking it in a new direction. With his guidance, the company is still going strong catering for corporate activities.

It was during this time that Ron realised what he wanted to do and started his first consultancy business Active8Consulting. Now he is the director of both a small training company Myriad, and Echo, which helps young talented musicians find their way into the industry.

Whilst he was building up his businesses, he became a member of the FSB before moving to the Chamber of Commerce, then after a friend introduced him to the IoD, he realised it provided the perfect support for him to grow his businesses.

Ron was presented with the idea of becoming the Regional Director for the IoD in 2007. Seeing how the organisation had provided a basis for mentoring entrepreneurs from all different backgrounds and of all different ages, it was an ideal role for Ron — and of course there was the added bonus of getting paid for it.

Ron Lynch, Regional Director of the East Midlands for the Institute of Directors. Photo: Steve Smailes

Pulling everyone together

One of Ron’s many passions is helping to create a better and brighter future, not just for the region’s economy but also for the next generation of workers. With the ongoing skills shortage, Ron believes there is a partnership to be had between businesses and the education sector and is tirelessly working to bridge the gap.

“It’s about being able to communicate with people, network with people, being a good listener. That’s what helps, because that’s where the ideas come from.

“I don’t think that employers want something different to educators, I think they want the same thing, therefore the dialogue is important in developing the sort of talented individuals that the businesses need in the future. The businesses can’t do that themselves.”

Continue reading the full cover interview with Ron Lynch in Issue 72.

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