Andrew Edmiston ‘s talk on 2nd November 2016

He started by saying that he hadn’t really thought of himself as a philanthropist, but simply asa Christian in Business. “If I had to define myself it would be Christian First, Family man second and then a business entrepreneur”.

He went on to describe a formula that has always been useful to him. It is a process that everything goes through whether it is a business, a charity or even a relationship – RIFICS

  • Revelation – this is the big idea, the starting point
  • Inspiration – things have progressed and you are beginning to think how to do it, think through the process and talk to people about how they can work with you
  • Formalisation – this is when you now have got something definite, maybe signing contracts and know the routes you are going to use and people to employ (becoming a company at this point), it is exciting
  • Institutionalisation – start to see cracks in the system, an example could be the mentality beginning of ‘it’s not my job’, up until that point everyone has mucked in to get things done for the greater good
  • Crystallisation – It has become solid which can be a plus but it can mean there is no room for flexible thinking, often a time when people stop learning about how to improve
  • Secularisation - This is a dangerous point to get to, it is Important that if you get to Institutionalisation or Crystallisationyou go back to Revelation before reaching this point

He went on to say that an organisation can survive getting hard values wrong but not the soft values. The soft values are the culture. You will have a culture in an organisation so you need to set it to make sure it is what you want it to be.

He shared that he like tobe involved in things that give him energy, we all do. He shared that he had different interests to his father, Lord Edmiston. His father was born in India and has always had a heart for Africa. Andrew’s interests are more UK based.He gave an example of the best money he ever spent was when his sister in law was serious ill and dying from cancer –it was his wife Alison’s 40th birthday and all the familywere to go on holiday to Mauritius but his sister in law was so ill she couldn’t go. He paid for all the family to go to later to Mauritius before she died. Her parents wanted to come too (they were missionaries) but couldn’t afford the money. He paid for them to go including wider family, niece and nephews too..... It cost a lot but the value for them was very important.

He Learnt at Harvard that business is simple and if it is not simple we are doing it all wrong. He has to find a way to ditch control freakiness and try to get people below him to be successful. A Business is successful because of the atmosphere created. Business is a resource. You have to use whatever you have for God, your energy/time/money. He also employs this with the Lion’s course he set up.

He described the mindset of an Entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs want to be involved in things where they have a personal involvement. They don’t just want to put money into something. He also reflected that looking back on the Jensen car failure that his father took over, he realised that until you have experienced failure it is difficult to value success. He related that to a great extent it was his father who was the greater entrepreneur bringing success out of a failure.

He said that the life of an entrepreneur is still full of difficulty and challenge. If a company is going well it helps employees look after their families so in turn you feel the responsibility for what you are doing.

The world is so full of good causes to be involved in so as a philanthropist there are difficult decisions to be taken. The causes he supports are the ones that touch his heart, the ones he has a passion for. When his sister in law died of cancer, it touched him. He is motivated when he has a close experience with the cause.

His Father started Christian Vision. He was born in India,his mother was a nurse in British Empire. His father had an Image of God as a disciplinarian. He was held back at school, and motivated to show people they were wrong about him. At 17 he met a friend who invited him to Church. He was shocked to see people who loved God and eventually became a Christian. He thought he would be a missionary in Africa but eventually became an entrepreneur as God opened up the doors for him in the car industry.

Andrew went on to say that he was a person not a philanthropist. He likes the things he likes and it is the same with all philanthropists/entrepreneurs. There has to be something they relate to that fits their passions and interests!

If you as an organisation have it clear in your mind that you want something specific from an entrepreneur you have it all wrong. Everybody is part of the Kingdom ofGod and it may be that you have chosen the wrong person, don’t choose them simply because he or she has money.

His wife and he started a charity ‘Imagine the Day’ that handpicks the people they help. They offer a training course with them over a year that builds people up to a weekend for a pitch similar to Dragon’s Den. In the second year, they give them seed funding and support for their project. The idea for the Lions came through relationship with a pastor and an idea and it took root.

So what should our attitude be to an entrepreneur? There is a dangerous tendency to think of business people as a cash machine and not want them involved in the project. This feels ‘rubbish’ from the point of view of the entrepreneur. It is not the right model or approach. A positive way to fundraise from entrepreneurs is to give them a vision and let them get involved both financially and hands on. The Kingdom of God is not poor but resource rich. However we have put an inflated value on money. The passion behind the idea should not be diminished. Find philanthropists who have a passion about your project. You may find a pauper who has passion for your cause and hemight know someone who can help with the money. You need to be open to the Holy Spirit , His way may not be the plan you have in mind.

How do you find the philanthropists? Network with all people and not just with people who have power and influence. Find people who think in a like minded way and who have the same passion for the cause. What is important in a Church is that everyone gives something – even if just one or two could give enough for the project, all need to be involved. We are all part of the Kingdom.Similar to the way we think about business where a customer sees value in your product at the price he has paid for it. Try not to force your passions onto other people, rather seek out there’s and see if there is a match. Be open to the fact that God may have a different way of achieving the vision than you think.