The journey, from Ian, founder.
theGrid has been shaped by my personal experiences over the years. It all began on April 15th, 1989, when I found myself (aged 17) in the central pens of the Leppings Lane end at Hillsborough football ground. During those harrowing moments, as emergency services never turned up, we Liverpool fans became a tribe, working together to help and save one another. Though 97 lives were tragically lost, and the horrors still haunt me now, our collective effort prevented even greater loss. This is where the vision for theGrid was born.
Throughout my career I’ve witnessed overcharging, as well as pervasive issues like racism, ageism, sexism, injustice, lies and homophobia and witnessing this, changed me even more as a person. I hated the fact that people in power deflected blame to those below them.
My mother, who worked in the hotel industry, often spoke of the frustration hoteliers felt about online middlemen taking a 20% cut per room. I observed my cousins opting for rides from sober friends on social media rather than paying for expensive taxis. Friends in the construction industry frequently complained about platforms charging them just to bid on jobs. These experiences, and countless others, highlighted a recurring theme: unnecessary intermediaries and the rich hindering people connecting directly..
In previous business ventures, I’ve faced hard truths and learned invaluable lessons, because, basically I’ve failed, even though I’d achieved a £5 million turnover business. I allowed major clients to dominate and delay payments, which ultimately led to failure. I witnessed the influence of big businesses and their governmental allies overshadowing fairness. Saw talent-less people promoted because they were yes men, and most importantly, I observed serious sexism and the silent complicity of others in the face of these injustices. These experiences have shaped me, driving my commitment to integrity and equity in all future endeavors.
If you've seen "Slumdog Millionaire," you'll recall the opening question: Was Jamal lucky, a cheat, or was it written? For me, theGrid feels like destiny—a culmination of witnessing countless opportunities for improvement where people could collaborate and thrive as a community, free from obstructive business practices. So, I'm leveraging no-code technology and digital nomads to bring theGrid to life.
This approach allows me to build platforms that meet the needs of its users without the traditional barriers that come with software development. My mission with theGrid is to remove these barriers so that everyone benefits. By empowering individuals and small businesses to connect directly, we can create a space where everyone wins. Not just those with the biggest pockets…