An interview with Jonathan Richards

This month, breatheHR will be sponsoring our Sping Forward breakfast. Here we chat to Jonathan Richards to find out a little bit more about who he is and what he does.

Please tell us a bit about your business, what you do and who you work with
breatheHR is an online HR system that is dedicated to helping small businesses manage their admin and employees.  We launched breatheHR 3 years ago, and we are fast approaching 1000 SMEs across the UK and overseas.

What gives you the most satisfaction from your business?
I get a real buzz out of working with the fantastic team at breatheHR - together we’re building a product that customers love and a company that has doing good at its centre.

What’s been the biggest challenge for you as a business?
Very early on we decided to bootstrap breatheHR. While money has never been tight, we always challenge ourselves to make every £1 count.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?
When I used to work for a stockbroker my boss would take us on walking meetings as a way of freeing up thought.  That has stuck with me ever since.

Who’s your business inspirational hero?
I don’t really have a single inspirational hero – I read a lot, so I tend to take inspiration from many people.  I love most of what Seth Godin says about marketing and have just devoured Jim Collins’ book Great by Choice.

What are your goals for your business over the next 12 months?
As you can imagine we’ve got the usual stretching targets for account & revenue growth, but the goal that I personally find the most exciting is to turn breatheHR into a quantified business.  We’ve always been a metrics driven business, but this goal will see us constantly collecting and analysing data to refine the way we run the business.  The point is to use numbers to help people make informed decisions.

What is your favourite place in Brighton?
Any place where I can get a good coffee – lets face it, there are loads of those.

In your opinion, what’s the best thing about living and/or working in Brighton and Hove?
There is a real feeling of ‘anything’s possible’ in Brighton and that’s something I like to tap into.

Can you recommend a favourite pub, restaurant or café?
The Chilli Pickle

When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
I get out on the water or into the hills as often as I can.  Last year I kayaked 60 miles along the Caledonian Canal in Scotland and this year I will walk the 100 miles on West Highland Way.

How hard do you find it is to achieve a healthy work/life balance?
I don’t believe in the idea of work / life balance as it suggests two things that are in conflict.  I love spending time with my family, and if I enjoy my work, then both can blend in harmony.

When meeting you for the first time, what would you say people remember about you?
Laid back but knows where he is going.

What book are you currently reading?
I usually have a few on the go – for relaxing: A Piano in the Pyrenees by Tony Hawkes.  For business: Great by Choice by Jim Collins

And finally: What’s the best thing about being a member of the Chamber?
Meeting real people who are doing real things with their businesses.

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk