Building a Purpose-Led Car Buying Business for the Public Sector (ft. Steve Thornton)

In this episode, Tom Griffiths is joined by Steve Thornton, Founder of Forces Cars Direct and Motors Source Group, to explore how a purpose-led business can scale sustainably while delivering real value to its customers.

Steve shares his journey from serving in the military during the first Gulf War to building a specialist car-buying service designed to support members of the armed forces and other public sector professionals. His motivation came from personal experience—after feeling poorly treated when buying a car himself, Steve set out to create a fairer, more transparent alternative for people serving in demanding and often underappreciated roles.

The conversation explores the unique business model behind Forces Cars Direct and Motors Source Group. Steve explains how the company works with a wide network of manufacturers and partners to offer meaningful discounts to eligible groups, including the military, police, fire service, NHS staff, teachers, and diplomats. Rather than focusing on a single brand, the business gives customers choice, consistency, and equal treatment—regardless of rank or profession.

Steve reflects on the challenges of growing the business organically over more than two decades, without external investment. He speaks candidly about early struggles with delegation, people management, and letting go of control. Over time, learning to trust his team and put the right leaders in place allowed the business to grow while reducing founder dependency.

A key theme of the episode is leadership maturity. Steve explains how stepping out of day-to-day sales and operations enabled him to focus on vision, culture, and long-term strategy. He also shares his views on building a strong office culture, the importance of delegation, and why a business should be able to run effectively even when the founder steps away.

The episode concludes with Steve’s perspective on staying curious, avoiding complacency, and continually reassessing the business to ensure it keeps moving forward—while remaining grounded in its original purpose of giving back to those who serve.

Contact Steve here: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/steve-thornton-01161917