Andrew Pain has been helping people before it was in his job description. He left school to live in El Salvador where he worked alongside ex-refugee communities. His love for Latin America saw him move to Mexico where he worked for a project supporting street-working children. Within five years of his return to the UK, he had set up his own successful recruitment business and moved to the South France, where from his garden shed he continued to supply high-level technical staff to engineering consultancies. 

However, it wasn’t all hot weather, rich wine and green countryside views. The ongoing reality of trying to raise a family and run a business, all whilst being a victim of domestic violence, took a toll on him, turning him into a chronic worrier, living in constant fear and shame that he was unable to take control of the situation. When his marriage and business broke down in 2008, he moved back with his parents in the UK having lost everything in the divorce settlement, and hit rock bottom.

Worrying that contact with his daughters would now be in jeopardy, Andrew undertook life coaching and youth impact coaching qualifications, simply to become a better  dad, and had no intention of making it his career, but once he explored the world of coaching, he never looked back. Within 18 months he had set up his own coaching business and was delivering programmes to the NHS, local councils and legal practices. Once settled, he even secured custody of his daughters.

He is now a happily married father of five (which also means he’s a cleaner, cook, health and safety officer, lead negotiator and taxi driver), a busy coach, keynote speaker and activist. He is a great advocate for charity work and has helped or lead on a number of endeavours. He works very closely with a charity in Birmingham which aims to prevent homelessness and build a more cohesive community, as well as leading a project where a local community centre in a deprived area has been transformed into a place of learning and friendship. He is also a trustee for the charity ‘Walk the Walk’ which supports families where children are the perpetrators of domestic abuse and ‘NewStarts’, where he supports people in financial crisis with seven-day emergency food parcels, money advice programmes, meaningful work placements and free furniture.

Andrew inspires change with insightful, fresh and usable strategies, delivering content-rich talks and workshops in his own down-to-earth and light-hearted style. Working with people from all walks of life, Andrew has worked with a diverse range of clients including the Association of Project Management, the Chartered Institute of Management Accounts, the Institute of Directors, Lloyds Bank, charities, colleges and schools. 

He is a regular contributor to blogs, podcasts and radio shows such as the Good Men Project, Happiful, BBC West Midlands, BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, UCB Broadcaster and the Sikh Channel TV. His TEDx talk ‘Domestic Abuse – not a gender issue’ is a must watch as it explores the stigma surrounding male victims of domestic abuse and the challenge they have in speaking up.

See Andrews Ted Talk on domestic abuse below:

Andrew is a member of the Institute of Directors, International Coaching Federation and the Professional Speakers Association, and was a finalist in the Professional Speaker’s Association Speaker Factor award. 

HOW DOES ANDREW MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

The annual cost of domestic abuse for the economies of England and Wales is an estimated £66 billion, split between the emotional harm experienced, and the amount of time off work and reduced productivity. Domestic abuse has a massive impact on UK society with an estimated 2.4 million adults experiencing violence in 2019 alone, but Andrew is determined to help friends, relatives, employers and colleagues spot the signs, and explains how domestic violence can influence the way a company works.

Andrew delivers thought-provoking and insightful keynote sessions for busy leaders who want to be more effective in their roles and more efficient with their time:

1. What domestic violence teaches us about critical decision making.

“As a survive of long-term domestic violence and an advocate for all victims of abuse, I know only too well the fear, complexity and gut-wrenching decisions faced by those struggling with domestic abuse, but did you know that domestic abuse survivors, victims and organisational leaders share something in common? In this session, we explore the three, mind-bending dilemmas faced by both domestic abuse victims and organisational leaders: never give up or wake up and smell the coffee? Bold decisions or batten down the hatches? Tackle the peripheral issues or the core issue? By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with insights and strategies to help them make difficult decisions and move forward when others would flounder.

You will learn why boundaries form the foundation of effective decision making and self-mastery; how to create and communicate your boundaries using a unique boundary building model; how to navigate difficult decisions with minimal stress; and why we put off our most important issues and how to easily bring them to the centre of our daily decision making.”

2. How to delegate so the job gets done on time and to the standard you want.

If you want a job doing properly, then do it yourself!

“Most of us have said words to this effect at one point or another and delegation is a huge risk for managers, leaders and all parents, but without delegation, the consequences can be varied, such as: under-performing teams who resent the fact you won’t trust them; disempowered teams who rely on you as the only person to put in the extra shifts; stressed out leaders who juggle too many jobs, resulting in burnt out leaders and job applications elsewhere; underdeveloped teams, deprived of the opportunity to stretch themselves and try new things. 

Nobody wins in these scenarios and yet, it is possible (even remotely) to delegate your tasks AND ensure that they are done on time and to the standard you want, whilst also developing your relationship with delegates and maintaining your sanity.

You will learn how to explore the six sinful C.R.I.M.E.S of delegation; learn a six-step strategy to help you delegate like a pro;  and learn the three critical pillars of leadership on which successful delegating must rest. 

3. How to master your speaking skills so you inspire action not apathy.

“We’ve all been there and endured it; the list of personal qualifications which the speaker takes ages to wade through; the corporate-looking PowerPoint slides riddled with bullet points; the droning voice which never changes in intensity, pace or tone. Do you remember anything from those talks? Did you take any meaningful action because of something the speaker said? Did you learn anything new? Anyone can be a brilliant speaker, captivate the audience and hold the room. You just need to learn HOW.

You’ll learn how to create inspirational content; how to end your talk so you don’t lose your audience and so they take the action you want; how to command your audience’s attention from the start during long presentations; how to eradicate imposter syndrome and handle the nerves; how to deliver like a pro; how to create free, attractive and non-corporate-looking slides which add value to your talk.”

4. Get more done without getting busier or burnt out.

“Most of us already know that to achieve big things, we need to break our goals down into smaller chunks, learn to say ‘no’ sometimes and get more sleep. But for all that we already know about productivity, in research carried out in 2019 in the UK, 2/3 of people surveyed identified as procrastinators. This session is for busy people who want to improve their habits and decision-making abilities so they truly smash their goals despite the challenges they face, but without sacrificing their most precious things like relationships, health or sanity. 

You will learn how to kick procrastination in the pants once and for all using a powerful three-step strategy; how to master your self-discipline and stop faffing; eliminate four hidden habits which drain on average two hours of time every day from most people in the UK; make wise decisions about your priorities; tackle burnout and stress so you remain productive; implement truly inspiring goals using my E.P.I.C goal-setting process.”

5. Imposter Syndrome: why it’s toxic and how to beat it. 

Andrew’s clients include Lloyds Bank, Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick, IOD, CIMA, Pinsent Masons, APM, NHS, TEDx, The Good Men Project, ROSPA, BBC, FSB, Project Management Institute and Optimus Education.

Andrew has experience in business workshops, keynote speaking, conference speaking, corporate events, leadership talks, private events, motivational speaking, public speaking and virtual events, and will be more than happy to tailor his presentation to the client.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book domestic violence speaker Andrew Pain for your corporate event. 

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