Steve Hampson is a successful business owner, investor and charity founder who has built an impressive career in business before turning his energy towards creating lasting social impact. As the founder of Star Trust, Steve is passionate about helping smaller charities access the support, visibility and funding they need to make a bigger difference. He brings a rare mix of commercial discipline, grounded perspective and genuine compassion to both business and giving.

Episode Summary

What does it really take to set up a charity that makes a meaningful difference?

In this episode, Steve Hampson shares his journey from successful business owner to charity founder, revealing the lessons he learned along the way about leadership, resilience, responsibility and impact. Steve talks openly about his upbringing, the values that shaped him, and why building a charity requires more than good intentions — it needs clarity, structure, strong people and a real understanding of where help is needed most.

Jenny and Matt explore how Star Trust was created, why supporting smaller charities matters, and what business owners can learn from stepping into the charity world. Steve also shares practical lessons from business that apply just as strongly to purpose-led work: know your numbers, understand people, build the right team and keep going when things get tough.

A thoughtful, honest conversation about success, service and building something that lasts.

What You’ll Learn

What inspired Steve Hampson to move from business success into charity founding

What setting up a charity really involves beyond passion and purpose

Why smaller charities often need more practical support than larger household names

How business skills can strengthen charitable impact

Why knowing your numbers matters in both business and the third sector

How resilience shapes better leaders and founders

What Steve learned from his own upbringing and early life experiences

Why strong relationships and networks matter when building anything meaningful

How to think more clearly about legacy, contribution and impact

Why great leadership starts with people

Guest Picks

Book: Prey by Michael Crichton

Quote / Saying: “Live life for today”

Tool / Framework: Strong financial understanding — especially P&L, balance sheets and trends

Connect Links

Star Trust website:

Donate / get involved: enquiries@star-trust.org.uk

LinkedIn: Steve Hampson

About Leading BOLDLY

Leading BOLDLY is the podcast for founders, SME leaders and ambitious people who want to build meaningful businesses and lives. Hosted by Jenny Jarvis and Matt Clutterham, the show brings together honest conversations, practical insight and bold ideas you can put into action.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with someone building a business, launching a cause, or thinking about how to create more meaningful impact — and explore the links in the show notes to learn more about Steve and Star Trust.

The phrase “how to set up a charity” is strong for SEO, but the episode itself sounds more like a leadership and founder story than a step-by-step guide. So I’d just make sure the podcast artwork, description and social posts frame it as Steve’s journey and lessons, rather than a legal how-to.