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What happens when a corporate executive decides to break free from conformity at age 41 and build something meaningful? Pete Starr's journey from Manchester Council Estate to founding the Chilli Group reveals how purpose can transform both career and impact.

Growing up in a conservative household where his father wore a shirt and tie on beach holidays, Pete learned early to observe rather than disrupt. This quiet attentiveness would later become his entrepreneurial superpower, though he wouldn't recognize it for decades. After years at companies like Tesco, Coca-Cola, and the National Lottery, Pete took the leap into self-employment when a friend reframed the concept of risk: "If you have one employer and they drop you, you're left with zero. If you're freelance with multiple clients and one drops, you still have several."

The Pandemic brought both crisis and opportunity. As cancellations flooded in during March 2020, Pete faced uncertainty but emerged stronger, with a renewed commitment to environmental impact. Inspired by his children's concerns about plastic pollution and the collective power of small actions, he launched Wavy – dedicated to developing people skills within green organizations to accelerate positive environmental impact.

Pete's approach centers on emotional intelligence and presence. "You can have brilliant training design and an average trainer and you'll have an average training experience. You can have average training design and a brilliant trainer and you're more likely to have a brilliant training experience." This philosophy drives his work across both Chilli Group and Wavy, where he helps environmental organizations balance purpose with the profitability needed to sustain their mission.

For those considering their own entrepreneurial path, Pete offers refreshingly honest advice: "Just do it sooner" and remember that everyone's polished online presence is merely a shop window – "Every shop has got a back storeroom that's an absolute tip." His legacy isn't about business accolades but passing positive values through generations, creating ripples of impact that continue long after we're gone.

Discover how small changes and emotional intelligence can drive massive environmental impact. Connect with Pete and explore training opportunities at gochilli.co.uk and wayvie.co.uk.

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

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