My best ideas were borrowed from my son

Long before my son Joshua Port could read a P&L or even truly understand what his dad did for a living, he was advising me in business. He has always had this knack for spotting great ideas.

I remember him coming home from school one day and telling me about an initiative introduced by his headteacher, the great Simon Camby. Mr Camby had told the children that, as a reward for exceptional behaviour, they would be given extra play time – something he called “golden time”.

Josh explained that the prospect of having this extra free time had done the impossible: a whole classroom of kids was working together, motivated, and achieving more academically than they would have before.

Most dads would just nod along but I am a business builder. This was leadership gold dust!

I implemented my own version of ‘golden time’ at my last business, creating the ‘Flexi Friday’, which meant anyone who had smashed through targets or achieved their goals could take the Friday off. Not only was this a great motivator, it helped with retention and gave us the edge when hiring new people.

It’s funny because people have always assumed that I have been the one quietly advising and influencing Josh, never knowing it’s always been the other way around. Aged seven, he gave better advice than most adults. He had an ability to cut across the heart of the issue and had a patience that belied his years.

When I was thrashing out deals at BigChange, Masternaut now Build Concierge , I always made a point of telling Josh about the tricky bits to get his take. Kids have a natural curiosity and are not afraid to ask the stupid question. Josh was also sharp, compassionate, and able to read people and situations with shocking accuracy.

I know I’m a doting father but the proof is in his achievements. He not only rose swiftly through the ranks at KPMG UK – purely because other people learned to trust his judgement and admired his work ethic and drive. But when he started his own business, people rushed to back him.

His company is called Handshaik . He spotted a problem while working in M&A, watching brilliant people burn their days on manual research, scattered data and admin that led nowhere. He's building the AI platform he wishes he'd had then. A source of truth, where dealmakers can find the right targets, nurture relationships and win business, without drowning in busywork.

Watching him build this start-up from nothing has been a great privilege. I've spent my career trying to strip operational friction out of service businesses. Josh is doing exactly that for dealmakers. Same instinct, different market. He worked it out for himself.

And now I’ll smash another preconception about Josh – people have always thought I must have given him everything. Far from it. He is a self-made man. You can give a child a bit of money, you can give them contacts, a comfortable life, a soft landing. None of it makes them build. Josh decided to build anyway.

I may have opened the odd door but he walked through them all on his own.

Just as he has been advising me and shaping my leadership over the years, I have given him a front row seat at the show. He’s seen his father dropping with tiredness, working through the night, the deals that fell apart, the wins that took years. He grew up believing that building a company could be as natural as breathing.

He’s in the thick of it now, fundraising, iterating, selling, the works. The hardest part of being both a founder and a father is not rescuing your kid every time it gets tough. Restraint is the real gift. He's better for it.

Something happened this week that reminded me of all the times I have leant on Josh’s wisdom over the years. He has launched his own interview series called After the Handshake, and he made me his first guest. The boy who used to come home with ideas I'd borrow now holds the mic.

I sat there being interviewed by my own son about building businesses, and I don't mind telling you, it got me emotional.

Have a listen https://www.handshaik.com/resource/how-to-build-a-business-worth-buying-with-martin-port

I've built a few companies. They're one kind of legacy. But watching your son back himself the way you once backed yourself, and getting to help while he does it, is something else entirely.

That's a father's dream and mine just came true.