For leaders of all types of organisations, who dream of being better leaders but who lack the time to realise this ambition, Footdown’s leadership mentoring and coaching groups offer the chance to be better informed about what they do, more inspired about doing it and less isolated when things get tough.

Entrepreneurs: a mentor can tune your skills
The Sunday Times, April 20, 2008
Seeking advice from wise heads has been second nature to Angela Wright, managing director of Crealy Adventure Parks, ever since she started out in business...

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Midge Ure
"Little did I know when I performed for the Bath Fifteen in January 2007 that our paths would end up converging. But I was so impressed with the group members’ energy and enthusiasm, and the way they all support each other, that I decided to join the group soon after"...

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Footdown Fifteen launches seventh group in Cheshire
Footdown news - 27th February 2008

The long-awaited Footdown Cheshire Fifteen has launched at a bustling breakfast meeting that brought together some of the best business minds in the region.

Leader Donald Bone’s enthusiasm for the new group is infectious: “The potential for the Cheshire Fifteen is extraordinary – with such a determined, dedicated and ingenious group of business leaders such as we have in this region we cannot help but succeed in bringing about further economic success.
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What is Footdown?

For leaders of all types of organisations, who dream of being better leaders but who lack the time to realise this ambition, Footdown’s leadership mentoring and coaching groups offer the chance to be better informed about what they do, more inspired about doing it and less isolated when things get tough.

Unlike other providers of leadership development services, Footdown’s combination of peer group mentoring and individual coaching is underpinned by a theoretical framework representing the best available thinking on leadership. This offers an unsurpassed level of integration and enables leaders to see much more clearly what they need to do in order to be the best that they can be...
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The Footdown story

Frustrated and disappointed by his own leadership performance - as CEO of the software company he founded in 1988 – Andrew Mercer decided to set up Footdown. To the outside world Andrew’s leadership was a success story: he grew the company from nothing in the UK, moved it to the US and then sold it to the Oracle Corporation in 1998. Only he and a few insiders knew the truth; with a little help and support, at critical stages in his company’s life, the business could have grown independently into a publicly quoted company.

With a typical entrepreneur’s determination to spot opportunities where others just anticipate problems, he set about trying to understand the kind of help and support that leaders need to enable them to avoid the obvious pitfalls, and allow them to realise their potential as leaders...
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Many exciting initiatives have sprung from the first Footdown Fifteen group, the Bath Fifteen, since it’s inception in November 2003. Somehow, when bright, motivated people get together, interesting things happen. Now with further established groups in Bristol, Cheshire, Esher, London, the South West, Thames Valley and the recent launch of the new Surrey Hills (April) and Ascot (May) this trend will continue.

For further information on Footdown groups in your area, please contact Debbie:

Tel: 01225 858884
Or email debbie@footdown.com

With the creation of a joint venture with National Grid in summer 2007, 2oc is set to become a major player in the international clean energy market. The first two sites to be developed in the UK by the joint venture will add close to 46 megawatts of electricity generating capacity by the end of 2009. Further plans call for an additional 75 MW of new capacity at 6 UK sites. Not bad for a business that began life during a lunch time discussion at an early Bath Fifteen meeting.
www.2oc.co.uk

We believe that entrepreneurs, more than any other group in society, are uniquely placed to show leadership in tackling climate change.
www.entrepreneurswithconscience.com

Lisn.FM
Starting Lisn.FM was a response to Bath Fifteen member, Midge Ure’s experience of the changing nature of the music distribution business. In particular, Midge was concerned about the inability of the major record companies such as EMI - hit by the boom in digital download - to deal appropriately with the consequences of these changes for major recording artists like him.

Lisn.FM will be a democratic, “free to the street” on-line portal for all new music, allowing anyone with internet access to record, edit and promote their music on-line. It will include a studio for accessing recording software and a listening lounge.

An initiative that began life outside the Bath Fifteen group has now been adopted as a community project with a number of group members participating in the project team. Bath Sport’s mission is to re-generate the recreational heart of Bath with a brand new sports stadium and concert venue that builds upon John Wood’s outstanding architectural legacy.
www.bathsport.org

You can't always have a debate in a management group and then get a consensus decision; there comes a time when you need to make a decision, move forward and make sure the team follow behind you. The Footdown Fifteen gives you an opportunity to share and try an idea before you go live in a real business environment.
Nigel Hunton, CEO – Edwards

It’s a good place to get truly independent advice and a sounding board.
Charles Fallon, Managing partner & founder – SIP

I’m constantly obsessed with getting better, or learning all the time and that happens every time we sit in one of these meetings.
Michael Edge, Chairman – London & Country