Meet: Jack Parsons, Founder of Big Youth Group

Businesses can be built from discovering a societal problem and finding a way to fix it. For Jack Parsons, he felt the job market was broken for young people so he decided to change it.

Meet Jack Parsons

Keen to give young entrepreneurs like himself the best start in business, Jack founded Big Youth Group to help young people learn about business, access mentors, and get help to grow. The organisation includes an academy and an accelerator for businesses set up by 18-30 year olds.

1. Why did you start Big Youth Group and what were you doing before?

I started it because I had a burning desire to improve the odds for young people. Growing up I wasn’t the best at school and you know how much school is geared towards the university path, I felt lost. Going straight into work gave me a wider perspective on the problems that young people face and I want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to find a miracle in any situation.

2. What were the biggest sources of inspiration and support when you were starting out?

My Dad has always been my rock, whenever I’ve been down he’s been there to pick me up again. I’ve had some high highs and low lows in my life and I can always rely on him to support me 100% in whatever I do. Top man.

3. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since starting the business?

I really learned a valuable lesson in hiring staff. In the past, I made mistakes and hired wrong-fit individuals for the role and it cost my first venture in the end. I have learnt from the mistakes I’ve made and moving forward I am extremely transparent with the team and I’m much happier about the way things are going.

4. What has been your proudest moment/biggest achievement so far?

Winning Young Digital Leader of the Year 2017 was a massive moment for me, seeing all my hard work and dedication to social paying off with that reward was a massive confidence boost and I’m only looking to go upwards.

5. What advice would you give to anyone starting out?

Look after your mental health. It’s great to say let’s hack it and grind, grind and grind but at the end of the day where does that leave your mental state of mind? I know this first hand because in my early ventures this is what I did and I paid the price for it in the end.

6. What piece of investment did you make in the business that was worth every penny?

The Adobe Suite. We’ve managed to crank out so much creativity from it, definitely helped my brand grow early days. I just love branding in general!

7. Which element of marketing has made the most impact on your business?

Personal Branding. I believe in the phrase that people buy from people, so I wanted to promote a personal brand that people can easily relate to as trying to relate to a brand is always harder than trying to relate to a person. If my brand grows, the business brand grows too.

8. What does 2018 look like for you?

Making sure that I maintain a healthy lifestyle and that I’m eating well, this is going to be so important for me moving forwards and just continuing on the path that we’re going down. We’re sure to hit some roadblocks but there’s nothing that says we can’t overcome them. Bring on 2019!

Are you under 30? Visit Big Youth Group to get some help in getting your business off the ground.

Never miss a beat.

Hannah Brice

Hannah is the founder and Managing Director of Upmarketry. She is passionate about helping small businesses and startups grow with marketing based on outcomes, not budget-size.

Meet: Jack Parsons, Founder of Big Youth Group