Steve Backley:
You know, it’s funny — people always ask us, "How did BackleyBlack come about?"
And the honest answer is… by accident! (laughs)

Roger Black:
Yeah, it wasn’t like we sat down one day and said, "Let’s start a business together."
It was much more organic. It started with a few conversations after events we were speaking at.

Steve:
Exactly. We'd be backstage after a corporate gig, sharing war stories — not just from athletics, but from life, business, leadership.
And we kept coming back to the same thing:
"There’s so much more we could offer these audiences than just an inspiring talk."

Roger:
We realised that businesses weren’t just craving a good keynote.
They wanted lasting impact — real mindset shifts, cultural change, leadership lessons that stick.

Steve:
Right. And the more we talked, the more it made sense to actually formalise it.
You know — take everything we'd learned over decades, both on the track and off it, and create something bigger than a speech.
Something that actually moves the needle for organisations.

Roger:
And that's where Paul Mallinson comes in.
Paul had this brilliant business mind — he'd worked with us in other settings, and he totally got it.
He understood not just the sport side, but how to build something sustainable, something that could scale.

Steve:
Paul’s the glue, really.
If Roger and I are the sprinters and the throwers (laughs), Paul’s the guy setting the strategy and making sure the baton actually gets passed properly.

Roger:
We all had the same vision:
To help businesses develop their people the way elite sport develops athletes.
Not just for the next big event — but for long-term, consistent excellence.

Steve:
So BackleyBlack was born.
Three very different skill sets, one shared belief:
That the best performances — in sport, in business, in life — are built long before they’re seen.
And that anyone, with the right tools and mindset, can achieve their version of gold.

Roger:
It's been a brilliant journey so far — and we're only just getting started.

Steve:
Watch this space. (smiles)