Who is David Skews?
A non-executive director, investor, and supporter of enterprises that are seeking to make a positive impact on society and address issues aimed at building a better world – Enterprises that are motivated to achieve growth of multiple bottom lines. He is also a serious follower of Liverpool FC
David is an experienced businessman who is also trained in UK law. He founded a consultancy business, which he grew over 25 years into a global operation and through which he was able to advise governments, major corporations, and SME’s.
Following the sale of his business in 2004, he has helped to establish and support Entrepreneurial Schools in Europe, Asia, and Africa. In addition, he has been investing in and advising various established enterprises to be profitable, whilst pursuing positive social improvement.
As well as fulfilling regular speaking engagements at conferences in the US and EU, he currently acts as a non-executive director and investor in several successful companies and NGO’s and is involved in mentoring over 35 start-ups across the globe.
My Story
The story behind Turn the Coin began in 1988 when David lost a small business that he had established in a northern town in the UK. He had worked hard to drive up profit and squeeze out costs with little care for anything or anybody else. To achieve his goal, he borrowed heavily to help him trade through the recession, but he was pushed to further tighten his grip, even to breaking point. When the bank demanded repayment, David lost every material gain and faced a bleak future, in fact one might say, no future!
It was then that David got into conversation with a man who passed him a £1 coin. Whilst pointing out that there were two sides to the coin, the man continued to say,
"You have tried running a business for what you can get for yourself, but there is another side to the coin. Get up and start again but do it on the other side, helping and giving to others”.
That is exactly what David did. He established a new business that grew to more than 50 employees, and included some major corporations amongst its clients, household names in the IT, Banking and Legal sectors
In 2014, he transacted the business to the Management Team who were able to grow it on to new heights, whilst David turned his attention to other, broader concerns.
Being aware from hard, personal experience of many of the pitfalls that lie in wait for those in business and with a strong desire to see a better way of doing business, David founded Turn the Coin.
Why Does He Do It?
David's ambition is to help and support businesses around the world that in turn can help release those who are locked into poverty and enslaved by unfair and unjust societies. His methods don't rely on handouts but by starting and growing businesses that are profitable, pay taxes and also create real jobs that pay fair wages. He does this through speaking engagements, encouraging, investing, mentoring, and coaching entrepreneurs to reach their full potential with their God-given gifts and skills.
How Does He Do It?
He works only by invitation, introduction, and synergy, occasionally charging an appropriate fee. Through his global network of incredibly gifted people, he can facilitate and support development in multiple skills, geographies, and industries. When investing, David takes on a Non-Executive Director role and leverages his network to help the enterprises scale and grow stronger in their impact.
David can often be encountered around the globe, addressing conference rooms and seminars of senior execs, aspiring entrepreneurs and an inspirational generation of world changers. He loves to engage with this generation, handing on well-established truths whilst remaining open to new ideas.
Who Does He Work With?
You may be someone who is starting out in business and looking for someone with experience to sense check your business plan, or test and validate a cash flow, apply for investment, recruit a team member or coach, or even mentor or train you and your team.
You may be someone who is stepping up to the next level, climbing over the “entrepreneurial hump” and need some strategic planning or advice with risk and governance to meet local demands in areas of law, taxation or accounts.
No Fixed Agenda
There is no fixed agenda for how Turn the Coin can have input into your organisation. The only agenda is that you will need to be seeking ways to bless all your stakeholders and make a positive impact on the community you are serving. Profit is not the major aim but is the reward for getting other things right!
You may just want someone to speak about these things at your next conference with the aim of motivating your staff to engage and align with a vision and mission that could change the world for good and forever.
