Tom Griffiths

Background

About Tom Griffiths

Entrepreneur, innovator, constructive disruptor, social entrepreneur - Sunday Times Top 100 Entrepreneur & Disruptor - Top 100 Most Influential People in the UK Travel Industry In his foreword to Tom's second book, Sir Richard Branson said of Tom that "His energy and enthusiasm is infectious"* Early entrepreneurial journey*@ 22: published first book ‘Before You Go’ (backpacking advice)@ 23: Young Travel Writer of the Year @ 24: gapyear.com launched onto one of the world’s first social network platforms (1998)@ 25: Published second book ‘The Virgin Travellers’ Handbook'@ 26: £1.65m VC funding into gapyear.com, grew global brand - appeared most weeks on TV, radio & print as the global Gap Year spokesperson - 2010 gapyear.com sold to Flight Centre. Exit 2011 - 2013 moved to N.Ireland. Focus on business consultancy (innovation, disruption, fresh direction, digital marketing) & start-ups * Ideas originated by Tom | gapyear.com days * HSBC Gap Year bank account,'Gap Year' Insurance, £50m UK Government ‘Gap Year’ project funded by Chancellor Gordon Brown MP, Virgin Blue "Why Walkabout when you can Flyabout' campaign, Global Backpacker Hostel Fire Safety Campaign, Gap Year Magazine, The Gap Year Card [first Prepaid Mastercard travel discount card], Fair Trade Volunteering + countless creative campaigns over that decade * 2013 - 2020 | N.Ireland projects *~ 100 day plan re-brand & digital strategies EnterpriseNI Network digital platform, Sea Source (NI) fishing co-op, NI Fish Producers Organisation, DR Maritime Assets ~ 100 day start-up brandNI (crowd-sourced collaboration movement for NI),#loveto (UK's largest digital arts campaign 2014/15), DERRYcreatives, MADE in Mourne, Dundonald Art Corridor ~ Originator: 90 Minute start-up challenge 100 people, crowd source a business idea, launch the business (logo, website, social, marketing)- start to finish: 90 minutes flat!~ Disruption concepts Movebuddi: the end of the estate agent, Fresh Catch: sea to plate, Street'AR't: AR street art sales platform * Media campaigns * Campaigned for more than a decade to cut backpacker deaths: Malaria, Hostel fire safety, Travel Insurance, STIs. In NI:'support artisanNI producers','Buy local | support NI fishing families'* Advisor/speaker*- Government advisor to FCO, Home Office (UK)- Keynote conference speaker, flown as far as Australia & USA to liven up the debate 2021 | Joined Scott @ Scotlens.com - Launched the #nightlenses revolution & nightlenses.com - Launched myopiachat.org: campaigning for better UK myopia awareness for parents