James Longley grew up in a working-class family in the East Midlands. He dreamed of becoming a professional footballer and had trials with Leicester City and Scunthorpe United, but an injury put an end to that. He drifted from job to job, then joined the RAF.

After a night’s drinking in 2002, he got into an argument with a taxi driver and ended up hitting him. He was convicted of a racist assault and given an eight-month prison sentence.

Upon his release, he borrowed some money and set up a taxi company. A customer he picked up one evening persuaded James to join him in an energy-switching business he had just started. The business grew quickly and within ten years employed seventy people. James eventually bought his benefactor out and in 2018 sold the business for £15 million.

He has now set up a charity to help prisoners and ex-prisoners learn entrepreneurship skills and to break the cycle of reoffending. His inspiring story shows that if you hit rock bottom in life, it’s not the end of everything. You can still achieve success…and then pay it forward.

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‍OUT MAY 2025. AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW