What I Do and How I Can Help You in 2025
As it's the start of a new year, I hope you don't mind me using the first blog post of 2025 to tell you a bit about what I can do to help you and your organisation.
Don’t worry, your normal Freewheeling blog service will be back next week (and the new season of the Podcast kicks off this Thursday), but today I’d like to share a bit about what I do when I’m not writing blogs or recording podcasts.
The short version? I help organisations in transport and mobility move faster, think clearer and innovate better.
Over the years, I’ve been lucky to work in a huge variety of organisations that’s helped me understand what makes teams succeed—or stall. From being part of the team running the country’s fastest-growing and most innovative railway to creating a new digital startup, and then leading innovation at the world’s largest integrated transport authority, my career has always been about change - but in very different environments.
One of the things that’s confused all of us is that it has felt like only the tech bros can get things done quickly (witness the staggering pace of growth of Amazon or the speed of advances in AI) while the rest of us are stuck in the sludge. Because it’s tech companies that have been moving quickly, it’s felt like it’s about technology.
It’s not.
Having made it my business to figure out how to get things done faster, I can confirm that it’s about culture, process, rules and empowerment.
All things that can be shaped in every organisation - with effort.
Now I use that experience to help other organisations build a true culture of innovation.
Here’s a bit more about how I can help:
Speaking
An outside perspective can really help. We all know that an external speaker (if they speak well, which I do) can be a really valuable part of embedding the culture you want to create.
I did a talk for one of the big transport groups on approaches from the world of entrepreneurship. My client told me that techniques I’d explained were still in daily use months later. Win!
Robert Thomas of Siemens Mobility was another client. He was kind enough to say this:
Thomas brings to life the way teams can remain agile as part of a big corporate using his experience and research. His presentation is engaging and he was help us to think about how the stories he told could have relevance to our organisation. Fantastic.
While Hertfordshire County Council were generous enough to say this, following their conference, which I hosted:
Thomas demonstrated outstanding professionalism, expertise and knowledge in his area. His ability to connect with the audience and facilitate meaningful discussions was truly impressive and well received by all delegates.
If your organisation needs a dose of inspiration (with actionable takeaways!), I’d be delighted to inspire your team.
Innovation Mentoring
Sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come from a conversation with someone who sees things differently.
During my time running a mobility startup, I had a former startup founder who I met with monthly. He was a great sounding board and critical friend. The value comes from having someone in your corner who isn’t tied to the politics or pressures of your day-to-day.
How many of us have someone we can talk to about our challenges who we know is solely on our side? It’s why I now offer mentoring sessions for leaders who want to explore new opportunities, with a particular focus on developing an innovation culture and moving forward faster.
I’m currently working with a senior leader in a (very!) traditional corporate and a small, agile mobility startup. Could I work with you too?
Consulting
While I set out to focus on innovation and organisational agility, I’ve also found that quite a few of my clients have asked me to work on commercial or customer strategy.
One of my biggest clients in the autumn asked me to evaluate their commercial strategy. By diving deep into the data and speaking with their stakeholders, I was able to identify opportunities to attract more customers and optimise pricing—without compromising on quality or accessibility.
I’m also doing a piece of work at the moment on customer experience innovation.
At the heart of all this work is one simple idea: I believe transport can be better, and I want to help organisations make it happen faster.
I can help
I know how hard it can be to deliver change in a complex industry like ours, where regulations, legacy systems, and public scrutiny can feel like immovable barriers. But I also know how rewarding it is to break through those barriers and deliver something that genuinely improves people’s lives.
So, if you’re looking for someone who’s been there, done that, and can help you navigate the challenges ahead in 2025, let’s have a conversation.
Whether it’s a one-off workshop, ongoing mentoring, or a deep dive into your strategy, I’d love to see how I can help.
I’m fully booked for January, but I know these things rarely happen instantly, so it’s still worth having that initial chat now. No pressure to know exactly what you need - we can talk it through.
Normal Freewheeling service resumes next week. See you then, and Happy New Year!
