ABOUT

VALUE #1

Not all leaders are born; leadership can be learned. Everyone has the potential to become a great leader with the right guidance, knowledge, and mindset.

VALUE #2

Education is the key to freedom. Through learning, we unlock opportunities, expand our horizons, and gain the tools necessary to navigate challenges and succeed.

VALUE #3

To help others, you must first invest in yourself. Personal growth is the foundation for empowering those around you and leading with purpose and confidence.

I'M Mark

Hi, I’m Mark, from Greenwich in London, England, and I founded The Good Managers Guide to change the way leadership and management development are approached. As a Chartered Manager (CMgr MCMI) with a First-Class Honours Degree in Business Leadership (GPA 3.95), alongside minors in Enterprise and Innovation, I’ve led teams in high-pressure environments across industries. But my journey to this point has been far from easy.

My Inspiration: A Father’s Lessons in Leadership

My greatest inspiration is my dad. He shaped my mindset, my resilience, and my approach to leadership.

As a youth, I earned professional football contracts as a goalkeeper, and my dad was my biggest driver. He didn’t just support me - he pushed me to be the best I could be. He took me to the field every day, training me with methods he designed himself, always finding innovative ways to push me further. No weekends off, no holidays - just pure dedication.

He taught me the strength of mind, how to lead from the front, and how to turn weaknesses into strengths. Even with limited resources, he found ways to make it happen. He drilled into me the importance of resilience, creativity, ingenuity, and tenacity - qualities that would later shape my career.

But my biggest challenge wasn’t on the football pitch.

Overcoming My Greatest Challenge

I struggled terribly with reading and writing from a young age. Due to poor health, I missed large portions of school, and by the time I was 10 years old, I was years behind my peers. This struggle followed me into my teens and twenties. I left school with straight D grades, unable to get into college, and unsure of where to turn.

But my father’s lessons in resilience never left me.

At 18 years old, I enrolled in an adult college to study computing. I was determined to carve out a future for myself, despite my struggles with reading and writing. Eventually, I found a job and discovered a passion for digital communication systems. I threw myself into learning, studying for Cisco certifications, PRINCE2 Project Management, and ITIL certifications - but I could no longer ignore my weakness. I still couldn't read or write well enough, and it was holding me back.

At 30 years old, I applied to five universities as a mature student and was rejected by four of them. The reason? My secondary education - or lack of it.

So I went back to school.

In 2015, I enrolled in night school at Dartford Adult Education Centre to retake my GCSE English and Maths. I sacrificed two years, studying at night while working during the day, driven by the same determination my dad had instilled in me all those years ago.

The result? Finally, I could attend university, and over six years, I earned my First-Class Honours degree in Business Management with a GPA of 3.95 at the age of 41 - pursuing my dream and never giving up.

During my degree, I studied business and management with the principles of innovation and design thinking, as well as entrepreneurship theory and practice. The subjects I completed, including Creating Futures, Sustainable Enterprise and Innovation, Leadership, Strategic Management, Shaping Opportunities and Communication played a crucial role in shaping my leadership approach, reinforcing my passion for empowering individuals, driving change, and making management training accessible to all.

The Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) In Business Management (Innovation And Enterprise) - First-class Honours (GPA 3.95)

Member of The Open University Business School Alumni

Member of The Open University Business & Law Schools Students

Member of The Open University Sustainability Network

CMI Chartered Management Institute, CMgr MCMI Chartered Member of the Institute Membership Number : P05145907

My Journey, Anything But Ordinary

From backpacking across Southeast Asia, diving in Egypt, Thailand, and Bali, to road-tripping across the USA, sailing the Galapagos, and trekking through South America—including climbing Machu Picchu and walking the Bolivian Salt Flats - I have always sought adventure, growth, and learning.

Travel taught me resilience: the ability to adapt, problem-solve, and thrive in uncertainty. Whether navigating unfamiliar cultures, overcoming logistical challenges, or making split-second decisions in high-stakes situations, I learned to stay composed, think critically, and lead with confidence.

These same principles have shaped my career in leadership and technology. I have led high-performance global teams, driven large-scale digital transformations, and turned challenges into opportunities. Managing multi-million-pound technology operations, overseeing cloud migrations, and implementing automation to transform businesses, I’ve driven cost-saving initiatives worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, negotiated high-impact vendor contracts, and ensured compliance with industry standards like ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and GDPR.

But leadership isn’t just about technology or strategy - it’s about people. Building strong teams, fostering a culture of accountability, and empowering others to grow has been at the heart of everything I do.

The Lessons That Shaped Me

Watching my dad work toward his football coaching qualifications and foundation degree, then attending his passing-out ceremony at the University of Greenwich in The Painted Hall, I saw firsthand the power of persistence and self-belief. His unwavering dedication shaped my own determination, discipline, and commitment to success.

I took these lessons into my career - rising from an IT professional to a global leader, managing high-stakes technology operations and leading cross-functional teams. I built and scaled teams, optimised processes, and led cloud migrations that enhanced operational efficiency and profitability. I introduced methodologies that transformed incident resolution, reduced disruptions, and strengthened business resilience.

But my biggest leadership lesson is this: success isn’t about where you start - it’s about how you move forward.

I went from struggling to read and write as a child, failing school, and being rejected by universities, to earning a First-Class Honours degree, leading global teams, becoming chartered and founding The Good Managers Guide.

Why This Matters to You

I know what it’s like to feel unprepared, overwhelmed, and uncertain in leadership. I also know that with the right mindset, guidance, and tools, anyone can become a great leader.

That’s why I built The Good Managers Guide - to help you develop the confidence, skills, and strategies to lead effectively, grow with resilience, and make an impact.

You don’t have to struggle the way I did.

Leadership can be learned. You can thrive. And you can make it happen.

My Vision

I envision a world where resilience, perseverance, and continuous learning shape great leaders. Inspired by the values my father instilled in me - strength of mind, tenacity, and ingenuity - I strive to equip you with the tools, confidence, and expertise to excel in leadership. By helping you grow, I aim to create a ripple effect of empowered individuals who drive meaningful change, transforming teams, businesses, and communities across the world.

My Mission

My mission is to share the lessons of resilience, adaptability, and leadership that shaped my journey, empowering you to overcome challenges and thrive as a leader. Through engaging courses, practical frameworks, personalised coaching, and real-world insights, I will help you unlock your full potential. Rooted in the belief that leadership can be learned by anyone, I am committed to making high-quality management education accessible, impactful, and enjoyable - one session at a time.

"It's worth highlighting that Mark's leadership isn't confined to the workplace. His integrity, empathy, and genuine concern for his team members' well-being have created a work environment that values both professional and personal growth. Mark's open-door policy and willingness to listen have made him not just a manager, but a trusted mentor and friend.."

Murphy O - Read full text here

"I have worked with Mark for many years now ranging from a colleague to him managing me directly and then mentoring me on my growth and I cannot praise his leadership and business skills enough. He is able to simplify things down using analogies so everyone he speaks to is able to learn and relate, communication skills are impeccable and is a pleasant person to be around."

Connie S - Read full text here

"Mark has a talent for finding and recognising people with the right set of skills and personalities to build successful teams that not only gel well together, but run like a well oiled machine. In my experience he was always an advocate for his team and was fiercely passionate about his work giving everything 110%. I liked working for Mark as a manager and leader, because I felt he saw the bigger picture and was always looking 10 steps ahead in order to find ways to improve processes and take advantage of every opportunity to provide value to the team and the business. A pleasure to work with.."