“The first time you feel fear about doing something is when you should do it.” Chris McDermott, CEO of The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan and Chair of Employee Ownership Association

I trained as a jeweller in South Africa and continued working as a goldsmith when I moved to the UK. But after 10 years I fell out of love with jewellery and re-trained as a journalist to pursue my love of writing. I freelanced for a while and then moved into public relations. With some agency experience under my belt, I took a more challenging PR position with the 1:1 Diet (or as it was known then, The Cambridge Diet). Twenty-one years later I am the CEO.

I worked my way up through the business in marketing and export roles, eventually becoming CEO as part of a planned transition during the business’s sale to its employees. I am proud to have become a CEO without the more traditional background of finance or operations. I believe that business still tends to undervalue the soft skills gained through PR. However, in my experience, strong communications skills have been invaluable in keeping the other 185 employee-owners informed and maintaining strong relationships with our 6,000 client-facing consultants.

Of course, I need to understand all areas of the business, but not necessarily in huge detail. And where I have skills gaps, I surround myself with good people who I can trust to help me make good decisions. I think CEOs must be brave enough to employ people are more skilled than they are in areas where they lack expertise. I suffer from imposter syndrome, but I believe it’s just a sign that you are growing and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. When I hear the voice of doubt I do what it doesn’t want me to do. The first time you feel fear about doing something is when you should do it. It will be easier the next time.

I joined the IoD because I had questions about the statutory responsibilities of a director. I completed the four IoD courses which make up the Certificate in Company Direction and it dawned on me just how responsible I was legally as a director. It is rigorous and eye-opening about governance and personal responsibility. There is a lot of ignorance about what being a director means and I now insist that all my new board directors take this IoD training, so they understand the ramifications of their decisions.

I became chair of the Employee Ownership Association (EOA) a few years ago. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to experience leading a membership organisation and it has been a very different experience to being a CEO. I was a little sceptical about employee ownership at first, but I am now passionate about this business model. John Lewis is the most high-profile example and since the pandemic the number of employee-owned businesses has risen dramatically. It is simply a better way of running a business, delivering purpose and offering a different way of sharing the wealth.

At The 1:1 Diet, we celebrate our status on Employee Ownership Day, a staff conference in December and create lots of opportunities for everyone to come together as owners to review our policies to ensure a good work-life balance. It feels like the right way to work; we operate more like bees than locusts. If any IoD members are considering transitioning ownership to their employees, the EOA is the perfect place to start, and I would be happy to offer advice.