Anthony Charles Robinson (born 7 September 1952) is a business speaker, author and micro-enterprise campaigner.

Early life

Anthony Charles Robinson was born in 1952 in North Ferriby, East Riding of Yorkshire and attended

Beverley Grammar School Beverley Grammar School a boys’ day school secondary academy school in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. A school may have been founded here about 700 AD and on that basis the school is claimed to be the country's oldest grammar sch ...

in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, from 1964 to 1971.

Career

Robinson founded Business Advisory Bureau (BAB) Limited, a company which specialises in helping large organisations in both private and public sectors engage with and supply

SME SME may refer to: Economics * Small and medium-sized enterprises * Socialist market economy, an economic system of China Organizations Music * SME Limited, UK audio turntable manufacturer * Sony Music Entertainment, US * Spontaneous Music Ensembl ...

s, in January 1986. In 1998 Robinson co-founded the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) Group, which despite being independent is the government recognised UK Standards Setting Body for Business Support and Business Enterprise. The Group received £1.2 million of government funding in 2011 to help boost its Get Mentoring scheme. Since founding the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI), Robinson has campaigned to make life better for small and business owners in the UK. Robinson’s campaigning led him to co-found and develop the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (IOEE), an educational institute dedicated to recognising individuals who choose enterprise and entrepreneurship as a professional career. Robinson then co-founded #MicroBizMattersDay, an annual day of Recognition, Action and Learning for micro business owners, in 2001. Robinson and co-founder Tina Boden held the first #Microbizmatters on 8 January 2015, and continue the annual day on the 2nd Friday of each New Year. Since September 2004, Robinson has served as a non-executive director for Yorkshire Coast Enterprise (YCE) Limited - a non-profit organisation promoting enterprise in

Scarborough, North Yorkshire Scarborough () is a seaside town in the Borough of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England. Scarborough is located on the North Sea coastline. Historic counties of England, Historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the town lies between 10 ...

and currently serves as Chair of the organisation. Ahead of the 2015 UK general election, ‘Real Business’ featured Robinson as part of a five British entrepreneur and executive line-up focusing on the government’s support of small companies and the improvements a new government could make. Robinson was also a Judge at the Great British Entrepreneurs Awards in 2018 and 2019 as well as in the simply Business £10,000 Business Boost Award 2020.

Author

Robinson, alongside Leonora Soculitherz, wrote and published ''Freedom from Bosses Forever: how to take control of your own destiny by going it alone,'' a satirical book in July 2014. According to WorldCat, the book is held in 3 libraries. Robinson wrote The Happipreneur, which was published in August 2020 by FCM publishing, to help entrepreneurs control their own destiny through their own enterprise in order to make ends meet and live a happy and fulfilled life rather than use wealth creation as the prime motive.

Awards and honours

In 2001, Robinson was awarded an

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in the Queen’s New Year Honours List in recognition of his service to small firms and training.

Charity work and philanthropy

Since campaigning in 1998 to make life better for small and business owners in the UK. Robinson has also campaigned and raised funds for #PayIn30Days, an initiative designed to tackle late payment – one of the biggest issues facing the area’s small and medium enterprises, and #ExcludedUK, a campaign to support 3 million business owners and self-employed individuals who have been excluded from UK Government Covid-19 income support since the global pandemic. Robinson also serves as Patron for the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank, a charity which helps disadvantaged young people with the potential to become entrepreneurs with funding and access to mentors and has run 3 marathons in aid of

Macmillan Cancer Support Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the largest British charities and provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer. It also looks at the social, emotional and practical impact cancer can have, a ...

Bibliography

* ''The Happipreneur Why #MicroBizMatters?'' (2020, Chronos Publishing, ) * ''A Perfect Little Gift'' (2019, Chronos Publishing, ) * ''Loose Cannon'' (2017. Tony Robinson OBE, ) * ''@MicroBizMatters Start Up Guide'' (2016, CreateSpace, ) * ''Soculitherz on TV - 20 Feisty Enterprise Tips'' (2015, Tony Robinson OBE, ) * ''Freedom From Bosses Forever'' (2014 Tony Robinson OBE, ) * ''The Essential Guide to Earning a Living from Independent Consultancy'' (1996, BAB Publications, )

References

External links

Tony Robinson OBE Website

Freedom from Bosses Forever Website

MicroBizMattersDay Website

IOEE Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Tony Officers of the Order of the British Empire Living people 1952 births English businesspeople 20th-century British businesspeople 21st-century British businesspeople