Herald Entrepreneur Interview: Jim McColl

He’s the boy from Glasgow who lives in Monaco and runs a global business comprising about 90 companies in 30 countries from his head office in East Kilbride. Here, Jim McColl OBE explains how he got started, what motivates him, why he’s so passionate about helping young people find their way in life, why it’s important to remain grounded – and how he has developed a knack for turning around engineering firms that have lost their way and seeing growth opportunities where others do not.

It’s well documented that you didn’t enjoy school – why not?

I loved primary school – Carmunnock Primary was a small school and I knew everyone. I was even the dux. Secondary school was a culture shock, however. I’d left this small school and now I was at secondary [Rutherglen Academy] with so many more people and for me the biggest impact was that it was all so impersonal. There were some teachers I could relate to but with others it was a toil – it was all quite foreign to me and I couldn’t get out quickly enough. I left when I was 16.

It’s fair to say that I didn’t engage with the academic system and I know many young people today are challenged in exactly the same way. For me, however, I was a teenager at a time when the apprenticeship route was a well-trodden one and an alternative path towards a good job with good prospects. While there are still apprenticeships it’s a bit different now.

Research has shown that in Glasgow, out of the pupils who leave school at 16, 20 per cent disappear and don’t engage with support mechanisms. That leads them into the welfare system, or they get caught up in the criminal justice system. Many make poor health choices. But a lot of these young people are very talented and have found themselves on this path for many different reasons.

How did you get started?

I got an apprentice at Weir Pumps [the long-established engineering company] which I later bought. Studying, for me, wasn’t an option at that time but I enjoyed being an apprentice and learning skills. I was engaged in a way I hadn’t been at secondary school. I think it is unfortunate that in the past we have had a system that pushes people to go to university and if you don’t choose that path you have failed. Look at the number of people today who leave university but can’t get the job they want and take a completely different career path to the one they hoped for.

You did eventually go to university and you have an impressive CV

Yes. I left Weir Pumps to study full-time for a BSc degree in Technology and Business Studies at Strathclyde University. I went back to Weir after that and studied part-time for a Masters degree in Business Administration. Later, I got my Masters in International Accounting and Finance. I didn’t do things in a conventional way but it was the right way for me. There’s nothing wrong with doing things differently and that’s one of the messages I want to get out to today’s young people.

Your own experiences have led to the creation of Newlands Junior College in Glasgow – tell us more

Newlands Junior College (NJC) is targeted at young people aged 14 to 16 in the southside of Glasgow who aren’t academic, or struggle academically, but are keen to learn and respond well to vocational learning – it empowers them and makes them feel valued. We’re in our third year now and our first graduates have all gone onto positive destinations. The feedback has been fantastic.

We provide academic education in English, maths, science and IT but students also choose three vocational courses and we work with City of Glasgow College to deliver these. It goes further than that, though. We pick them up in the morning, we provide breakfast and lunch so we’re teaching them how to eat well and the importance of nutrition. We instil confidence.

NJC also works with SkillForce, which employs instructors who are ex-Armed Forces to deliver motivational mentoring and education programmes – life skills. The charity’s patron is Prince William. The college’s approach is to focus on building self-esteem and confidence – when people believe in themselves they start to flourish. So we do outward-bound courses and activities that encourage team-building.

Many young people feel disengaged and can’t cope with the education system. They need something different to help them prepare for the future so it’s a UK-wide challenge. My goal is to take this concept mainstream. There’s a lot of support and I hope to roll out more schools.

What mistakes have you made in business and how did you learn from them? Do you still make mistakes?

I always take a deep breath before answering this question because my answer is always the same: I don’t make mistakes. I’m not being arrogant – it’s just the way I personally view things. Things don’t always go to plan and if I find myself on the wrong path I change it. I do something about it and look at it as a learning experience rather than a mistake.

I believe that you have to behave in a different way because if you dwell on what you think is a mistake it can have a whole range of negative connotations and repercussions. I always look for a positive outcome – something might not go the way you want it to or expect it to but you can use the experience to put you in a better place even though it might not feel like that at the time.

What is the best advice you can give to start-ups and, indeed, scale-ups?

Have a clear vision of what you are trying to achieve. I come across people in business who are trying to do too much. Focus on your strengths and become a sponge in your area. Who are your competitors? What is your market share and how can you make it bigger? Are you working with your team and are you sharing information with the people around you? You can’t do it all on your own and unless you communicate with the people around you they can’t help you and you won’t progress.

In my business we build a storyboard with the vision at the top: everybody is working on it and that storyboard is everywhere, from the boardroom to the factory floor. You must be clear about what you want to do. We don’t have typical board meetings – we call them executive management meetings and often have 26 people sitting around the table. It means everybody can contribute and hear what’s going on rather than having to wait to hear the outcome from someone else.

I’ve seen situations with businesses we’ve sold where they’ve done away with that structure and have suffered as a result. With me it comes down to communication – it’s so important.

Is there anything new happening within your own business at the moment?

There’s always something going on in my business and there are a few things on the boil just now. Maybe in three or four months we’ll have something to say.

You are a role model for many. What is the single most important piece of advice you can give to someone?

I will always give up my time to speak to someone but when I’m asked this question people often think I’m going to give them the golden key to become a millionaire. They ask me what I think they should do but it doesn’t work like that. You need to be confident in what you are doing and what you want to do – trust your judgement. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t plough on with it.

I’ve developed a technique of meditation and calmness – some people call it positive visualisation. Look at your options and if you have a positive feeling then that’s usually the right feeling. Think calmly, take time to think things through.