INTERVIEW: North East business founder on what it means to be an entrepreneur

As Bdaily’s latest feature, Entrepreneurship Week, draws to a close, we catch up with Callum Mather, founder and director of eco-friendly packaging specialist Everdurance.

Having previously chatted with Callum about how his business came to be, this time Callum explains how his entrepreneurial mindset has developed. Read on to find out more…

1. In your recent video miniseries about the evolution of Everdurance, you mentioned an affinity you held for problem-solving, whether it be learning a language or seeing how another culture approaches and solves an issue. How has this attitude informed your entrepreneurial journey?

Problem-solving has been an integral part of my journey. I’m naturally curious, always asking how things work followed by why or often why something else wouldn’t work. And it doesn’t have to be learning from distant cultures to innovate how we could work better, I’ll often learn from experts in other industries.

It’s because of a mutual curiosity to problem-solve that we can partner with some fantastic companies and introduce new technologies to consumers. My latest problem to solve is ‘how do we prevent events from being dependent on plastic bottles?’ And, I’m excited to be a part of the solution.

2. You’ve also spoken recently about your ‘realisation’ that you were an entrepreneur, rather than deciding to become one. When would you say you had this realisation?

I accept the title ‘entrepreneur’ lightly as I know I have plenty more to learn and there is no entrepreneur certificate to verify my learning. In saying that I really believe it has been a slow realisation that my passion is business and property but when boiled down my passion is helping others.

Upon reflection I’ve found I’m a bit of a ‘yes person’ with a heavy mix of ‘happy to help’ that has led me to build Everdurance and try to tackle the current plastic pandemic.

3. Can you delve a bit deeper into the reasons why you chose to focus your efforts on developing a sustainability-led business?

I felt the environmental frustration like so many others and my initiative was to brainstorm potential solutions. I narrowed my initial problem to reducing plastic bottles and found cartons are often a perfect alternative to reduce businesses’ carbon footprint. The world couldn’t have enough sustainable innovation right now.

There are some incredible minds creating some world changing products and my curiosity simply led me to wonder ‘why don’t we use these products more often?’ Cartons were a great example, we have all of our alternative milks and many juices in cartons so, why not still water?

4. Finishing up, you also mentioned in the miniseries that you’ve taken away some valuable lessons from your entrepreneurial journey so far. If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice based on what you know, what would it be and why?

To narrow the lessons down to one piece of advice is very tough. I would have loved to tell myself to enjoy the process more and meet other like minded people as soon as possible. It can be such a lonely role and it really doesn’t have to be. Journeys are so much more enjoyable if you can laugh with others along the way.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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