Julian Leybourne interviewing David Minton.
This interview is from David Minton, Director of the Leisure Database Company who kindly agreed to contribute to the series back in December 2019 when 'Covid', 'Furlough' and 'Social Distancing' were alien and unknown words in our vocabulary.
David is a name that has been in my consciousness for as long as I can remember and when I undertook an MSc in Marketing I would often review some of the many articles that he had written on database marketing, social impacts and technology.
David Minton regularly uses his unique industry knowledge and experience to undertake both evidence and opinion-based consultancy, media commentary and speaking opportunities. He shares his views gently to encourage his audience to do some special things, which is to think, to consider, to explore and to apply what they have learnt in their day jobs and everyday lives.
He is both sought after and popular for both his expertise and his extraordinary connections, David offers standard and bespoke insights on a Private, Public or Media basis and is something of an oracle that people do need to listen to, to expand their world perspective on future intelligence which is changing dramatically in front of our eyes.
Helping businesses and individuals with his invaluable insights needed to make key decisions, David leads them through analysis into action, achievement and competitive advantage.
He also works with leading journalists and publications to spark debate within and create support for the leisure, fitness, consultancy and financial industries and is the recognised go-to for market trends, data and insight.
When I asked him to write his reflections on the sport and physical activity sector he confirmed immediately and he responded as follows:
"Sorry for the delay in replying. I get so much over Linkedin so its always best to email me.
The other reason for delay is I’m on a lecture tour of Japan! And its been hectic!
Hope this isn’t too late and you think it fits in with what you have in mind?!"
His interview is short and sublimely sweet............
David, who inspired you when starting out on your career and what values did you take from this inspiration?
"I’m of an age where I can’t look back for inspiration, I look forward. I am inspired by 19 year old techies with all their creative energy.
What would you like to see by way of investment to the sport and physical activity sector?
We know sport and fitness can inspire people, give the nation a goodwill feeling and improve daily lives yet sadly few politicians know or understand this.
Tony Blair was probably the only PM since the second world war to not only recognise the value of sport but do something about it. He appointed as his Secretary of State at DCMS Tessa Jowell, from 2001 till 2007 and Minister for the Olympics 2005 till 2010.
Tessa Jowell who sadly died in 2018.
Tessa Jowell and her Minister for Sport Richard Caborn (2001-2007) provided the longest continuity the sector has ever known. We have them to thank for the first audit of all indoor and outdoor sports and fitness facilities, ownership and management.
This supply data helped bring about the first supply demand modelling for the distribution of lottery money and the detailed latent demand model for fitness now updated and established by the Leisure Database Company as the fitness industry standard.
We can also thank them for pushing the bid for the super successful summer Olympics of 2012 and the facility legacy we now have. Sadly no politician wanted to pick up and run with the participation legacy post games.
If I was PM for a day I would arrange for everyone, cradle to grave, to have a personal trainer. The concept of a personal trainer would change and PTs would specialise in different age groups. I am passionate about ‘it’s never too late to start’ as I have seen the improvement in my 96 year old mother thanks to weekly exercises. The closest we have got to this in the current manifestos is Labour’s Personal Care Service.
There have been many game-changing moments over the last twenty-five years. What would you say have been the most significant milestones in the last few decades and why?
For me the game changing moments are all around technology and data that empower the consumer.
We will see massive changes in the next few years in personalisation, instant choice and booking on platforms like Instagram with frictionless payments.
The two largest companies in the world, Apple and Google, with unprecedented insights into our health and fitness metrics will be more involved in our daily lives than ever before.
Sport and Physical Activity has been credited with many social, health and economic benefits while many of the competencies are highly specialised and demanding.
How would you like to see this sector become more professionalised and qualified and what do you consider the most important attributes, skills and behaviours you look for in leaders and managers?
One day we will have a General Fitness Council (GFC) that will protect consumers fitness, improve UK fitness education and practice by supporting students, educators and providers.
The work of the GFC will be set out by the Personal Fitness Act 2025 and it will cover, the fitness register, standards, education and training, facilities, data and research.
To achieve this we need fresh leadership, the industry needs a Greta, not a Tom, Dick, Harry or a Huw."
I like David's vision very much and I share many of his thoughts.
We are now, more than ever before required to think with more imagination, act with greater clarity and focus, work together with determined endeavour against a common purpose which is our nations proactive health and well-being.
We must stop working against each other while burying vested interests and to allow those who truly want to unite our sector to do so and to lobby for long term investment, mapped against a twenty-five year strategy together with a powerful infrastructure built on social well-being from cradle to grave.
By Julian Leybourne MSc FCIM (Chartered), FCMI