Call To Action 174: Oli Barrett on making the connections that matter most
Mar 27, 2026
Oli Barrett MBE, a UK entrepreneur and master connector who founded Tenner and Turn On The Subtitles. He tells lively stories about dropping out and learning by doing. Hear how simple ideas scale into national campaigns, the habits behind building real networks, and the art of introductions that actually create value.
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Design University To Force Productive Connections
- Structure opportunities for students to meet and collaborate rather than leaving connections to chance.
- Oli praises offsite practical schemes like the Student Industrial Society where students work in teams on creative briefs coached by industry.
Tenner Grew From A Newspaper Spark
- Tenner began after Oli gave a poor school talk and read about a vicar giving parishioners £10 to raise funds.
- He scaled it to 10,000 kids in year one by partnering with existing school networks and keeping the challenge simple.
Small Ventures Shift Self Belief More Than Profit
- Active, small entrepreneurial experiences change pupils' self-belief more than cash earned.
- Oli values stories like children selling painted pebbles for 50p each because the activities shift identity, not just profit.
