Transferable leadership skills from sport

My Football Career Granted Me Lessons In Being A Business Leader

Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu found turmeric shots invaluable in recovery from a knee injury – and he’s turned that knowledge into a successful business, with the leadership skills from his football career attributing to his success off the field.

Author: Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu, Former Professional Footballer and Founder of The Turmeric Co.

My background in professional football has taught me a great deal about leadership. Throughout my career, I’ve championed healthy living for fans and audiences alike. That line of communication starts at home, so my focus as an entrepreneur has been, first and foremost, to build a great team culture.

For a start up like The Turmeric Co. to succeed – or any business for that matter – it’s absolutely vital that the people behind the operation feel free to express themselves and bring fresh ideas to the table. Communication breeds success and means that everyone behind the brand should have the capacity to contribute to the company’s future and direction.

One of our main goals is to connect with our customers on a personal level and to offer them a product that is a benefit to their health and wellbeing and more importantly, works.

The best way that we can do this effectively is to create an authentic and socially conscious company underpinned by a desire to educate and inspire audiences through purposeful content. This covers everything from our sporting partnerships with elite level athletes and sports teams, to the choice of ingredients and sustainable materials that we use to make our raw turmeric shots.

For all of that to be made possible, it starts with bringing together a team that has the support of the company to be themselves and to have a voice. Only then can we bring about a product that is representative of the people who adopt our shots into their daily routine, and can feel connected to the vision of the company and what we stand for.

Certainly, there are challenges and KPIs that the business must meet in order to continue the growth we’ve experienced since our inception in 2018 – yet this won’t be possible without advocacy among our customers, which means putting purpose over profit and urging our partners to promote the same values among their millions of fans globally.

And this isn’t only a recent development either. Throughout my footballing career, as both an international striker for Wales and for several Premier League football clubs, the longevity I enjoyed as an athlete has been thanks to a curiosity I have for the human body, our psychology, and finding the best methods for physical recovery.

At the age of 17, before my career took flight, injury came very close to derailing my dream of becoming a professional footballer. Despite being told by doctors that I would struggle to make those ➡

dreams come true, it was the research my father and I explored at the time which led us to the anti-inflammatory benefits that turmeric, and other root vegetables, could offer my rehabilitation.

I’m extremely proud to have stuck it out and that I didn’t give up on my dreams of playing football at the highest level. With that considered, although it would be many years until I finally founded The Turmeric Co., its journey really started from my experiences as a teenager and has flourished into something beyond my expectations.

And that’s what I’d like to express here: that a successful founder isn’t simply someone who brings about a successful product or service. In my experience, it takes a person, and then a group of people with a collective passion, to put the wheels in motion and then to do everything in their power to make that vision a reality.

We all have desires that are personal to us. Although it all began in my parent’s kitchen many years ago, succeeding in building a brand that does right by its customers requires a team of people with diverse skillsets – well beyond my own capabilities. It may be obvious in hindsight, but I alone couldn’t have brought about the success The Turmeric Co. has enjoyed during its infancy and was a mindset I took on very early on during my own personal development.

As I mentioned earlier, this ethos heralds back to my footballing days. I’ve always been hardworking and dedicated to my craft. However, in order for a team to flourish and be all that it can be, it’s important that we first establish that a team is a team, not only a group of talented individuals.

So, being able to encourage your peers to push themselves and, importantly, to show them compassion when they make mistakes, all adds to the hallmarks of being a great leader. With a strong team, and some wonderful elite sporting partners now on our books, it’s our desire to help people to be the best that they want to be, and to take their career as far as it can go. That in itself has brought about the success of the company in only four years since going to market.

For those who are considering setting up their own business, or have recently started on that journey like me, do make sure to keep that passion burning inside. Without it, the journey could become a struggle. Remember: running a growth business is a marathon, not a race. By giving your company space to breathe and room for bumps along the way, you’ll lower the risk of burnout and allow yourself and your team members the freedom to trial new ideas that could benefit the prosperity of the enterprise in the long term.

Keeping your feet on the ground and surrounding yourself with people willing

In order for a team to flourish and be all that it can be, it's important that we first establish that a team, not only a group of talented individuals.

to help you to do just that will prevent you from pushing harder when it might be beneficial to pause, and equally to know when it is the right time for expansion. As a result, we’re able to establish strong unity within our team and will encourage those around you to think strategically about the road ahead.

During my playing career, I have worked with many different coaches, and I have to say that the best managers are those who can see clearly the direction in which the team needs to be travelling. They also understand that success only comes from a team that is able to share in that vision while maintaining their focus on the here and now – the next game is the next step in a team’s pursuit for silverware.

A lesson to learn quickly is that no day is alike – and nor should you expect them to be. We’re in this business to do right by our customers and build partnerships with athletes, teams, and sporting organisations that want to use their platforms to educate and encourage their following to join us on the journey. Building a business that does all of the above, and proves to be a success, takes time. Meanwhile, the groundwork that makes it a sustainable, and socially and environmentally friendly operation can be established today.

Finding purpose in your organisation early on will therefore help to embed deeper roots with customers who see and share in your values and will better position the company for expansion into broader and more lucrative partnerships, planting the seeds for future growth. ◆

The Turmeric Co. uses 100% natural, plant-based ingredients to produce the most bio-available raw turmeric shots available on the market. Based entirely in the UK, their awardwinning core range powers the wellness journeys of people from all walks of life. Their potent blends are packed with high-quality superfoods, making them the perfect addition to any healthy lifestyle.

For more information, visit www.theturmeric.co

Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu is founder of The Turmeric Co. which partners with professional sports teams, NGBs and elite athletes to enhance their recovery and holistic health with its naturally produced shots.