In an exciting move, Daily Focus is linking up with The Knot on a series of lifestyle features to enhance the coverage we bring to our readers across Staffordshire for Focus on Friday. It will include regular ‘What’s On’ updates and the best places to eat, drink, meet and enjoy top-quality entertainment – all aimed at a business audience.
To coincide with this link-up, The Knot Founder James Routledge has penned a guest column explaining why he decided to go ‘all in’ for his beloved Stoke-on-Trent and why he wants to spread the city’s positive news far and wide…
“I see a lot of potential in this region, for people and for businesses.
I believe our next chapter and our regeneration all starts with the stories we tell and what we chose to focus on.
That’s why I’m building The Knot. An independent media outlet to champion Stoke and Staffordshire.
In 2021 me and my wife loaded a van with all of our belongings from our London flat and followed the signs for The North, Stoke on Trent.
What followed was a rediscovery of the place I’d grown up in but grown distant from.
I quickly met fantastic individuals working hard to put Stoke on the map. People at the coal face of regeneration. People creating world class products right here, that I felt like I was discovering for the first time. I’d never met so many hidden gems in one place.
The place that I left because I felt it had no ambition; I learned is packed with it.
After 12 months of working with Staffs Uni on the Peter Coates MSc I got itchy feet. I want to build my next business and I want to build it here. I believe in the potential of this place.
Yet, my enthusiasm for Stoke and Staffordshire was not always met. I was still butting up against the mindset, defeatism and judgement that pushed me away and made me believe I couldn’t be an entrepreneur here.
I was continuing to see the reputation and perception of this fantastic place smeared and trampled on in social media gossip and click bait headlines. I kept hearing people from outside and inside the region talk the place down. And I continued to meet people who just did not know how good they (or their business) truly are.
I kept reading racist or hateful comments online that simply did not match with the values of the people I meet every day.
After almost a decade transforming mental health culture with my last business, Sanctus, I know that change begins with the stories we tell ourselves. When we opened up conversations around mental health to be more inclusive and focused on positive role models, everyone benefited and awareness rocketed to what it is now.
Therefore to change Stoke and Staffordshire. We have to tell a new story.
We have to put a spotlight on all that is good and we cannot be afraid to shine a light in dark places to have difficult conversations.
Currently, there’s one dominant narrative. Decline, poverty, despair, monkey dust, “dump”, “sh*thole, “the best thing about this area is the road out of it”.
The roots of this perception are clear to see and very understandable. Yet it’s nowhere near the whole story.
I believe to regenerate our region we have to tell the whole story, the good and the bad, the positive and the negative, light and dark.
We have to shine a light on our positives, address our challenges and create a culture of hope and pragmatism.
Nobody will invest in a place where its own residents make it the butt of their own jokes.
Our attitudes, culture and reputation impact our economy, our talent retention, our attractiveness and our sense of identity and pride. Make no mistake, the current narrative around our region is having a huge impact on the health and wealth of people and businesses.
I believe in Stoke. I believe in Staffordshire. I’m betting on our regeneration and I’m launching a new media company to champion our region. Initially focusing on good news, things to do, food, feature writing and a podcast. I believe The Knot can be the platform to tell our new story.
Who’s with me?”
