Rebuilding and Thriving: How Mark Pitfield Turned Setbacks into Success
- Mark@LincsLivesNatters
- Oct 9, 2024
- 4 min read
In a recent episode of the #LincsLivesNatters podcast, Mark Pitfield, founder of Skills365 and The Thrive Tribe, shares his inspiring journey of personal growth, career transitions, and rebuilding a business after a significant setback. His story highlights resilience, adaptability, and a passion for helping others realise their potential.
From IT to Teaching
Mark’s journey into education began in an unexpected way. With a background in IT, he didn’t initially plan on becoming an educator. However, a chance to shadow a tutor during his early career ignited a passion for teaching. As Mark shared during the interview:
“I love imparting knowledge. I love the way that it can affect someone's whole life once they learn a new skill.”
This passion led to the creation of Skills365, a company providing online training for those looking to upskill or transition in their careers. Early success came with a major contract to deliver online courses to Lincolnshire residents through a government-funded programme. However, in 2015, everything changed when the contract wasn’t renewed, forcing the business to close and making 55 employees redundant.
Mark reflected on this difficult time, saying, “We had a thriving business. But then with one fell swoop, it was over. Unfortunately, we had to make 55 people redundant which still haunts me now a little.”
The COVID Pivot
After losing the contract, Mark spent several years working in various roles, including managing training and development for the YMCA Lincolnshire. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he saw an opportunity to rebuild Skills365 and deliver much-needed online learning to those stuck at home.
“I saw a tender for the County Council to deliver online courses during the lockdowns, and I jumped at the chance. I could do it,” Mark recalled. “I knew to make the most of COVID. It was horrific, obviously, what happened to all those people that passed. But I knew I could do it to help those people that potentially were at home struggling a little, maybe mental health-wise, didn’t have any contact with people.”
Skills365 was relaunched, this time with a renewed focus on supporting people through training during the challenging lockdown period.
The Power of Coaching and Goal Setting
While Skills365 was growing again, Mark also launched The Thrive Tribe, a performance coaching programme aimed at helping individuals and businesses set and achieve their goals. The idea for The Thrive Tribe grew out of Mark’s own experience of overcoming setbacks and his desire to support others in their personal and professional growth.
Mark explained, “We just opened the doors and just to see who we could connect with. We have day sessions which everyone's invited to where we try and see what people's goals are. Not enough people have goals. It’s all about finding out what people’s goals are and helping them to realise that they can achieve them.”
Mark believes that many people live on autopilot, without truly pursuing their dreams: “We don’t struggle at all but we just live life in the moment. So we go, we work, we get paid, we live for the weekends, we live for holidays and then we just go round and round, doing that same thing over and over again.”
Through The Thrive Tribe, Mark works with clients to help them break out of this cycle, set meaningful goals, and work towards achieving them. His advice to anyone with a goal is simple: “If you've got a goal or got an ambition that you want, verbalise it all the time. Tell people—become accountable to your friends and your family. This is what I'm going to achieve.”
Resilience and the Importance of Adaptability
Mark’s story is one of resilience. When asked how he found the strength to rebuild his business after losing the contract, Mark pointed to the importance of a positive mindset and being ready to act when opportunities arise.
“I think if you put it out there in the universe, if you want something that badly, then the stars will align. As long as you're in that positive mindset, things will come into place,” he explained. “Sometimes, you just have to be ready to act when the stars align.”
This mindset was key in turning a potentially devastating career setback into a new opportunity for growth and success.
What’s Next for Skills365 and The Thrive Tribe?
Mark’s journey is far from over. He is excited about the future of both Skills365 and The Thrive Tribe, particularly as he continues to host workshops and coaching sessions designed to help people set and achieve their goals.
“We've got an event on the 29th of October, which is at the Chamber [of Commerce] in Lincoln. And again, that is a day event where we'll talk about goals and we just want to know what you want to achieve,” Mark said. “Just come and be part of it. Just see what potential you've got and help us unlock it for you.”
Mark is passionate about helping people take control of their personal and professional growth. Through both his training programmes and coaching services, he is determined to support others in achieving their dreams.
Final Thoughts
Mark's story of setbacks and resilience is a powerful reminder of the importance of adaptability, goal setting, and a positive mindset. Whether through Skills365 or The Thrive Tribe, Mark has dedicated himself to helping others unlock their potential and take the next steps in their personal and professional lives.
As Mark put it, “Anyone can do it. Whatever you want to achieve in life, anyone can do it. You might not have all the skills at the moment, and that’s because you need potentially a new set of skills, things that will push you outside of your comfort zone to achieve.”
Listen to the full episode here
For more information about Skills365 or The Thrive Tribe, including upcoming workshops and coaching opportunities, visit:
Comments