How a lifetime of business experience, personal adversity and a belief in human potential could help 18–24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training discover their confidence, their purpose and a pathway into a brighter future.
Introduction
There are moments in life when the most important question is no longer, “What can I build next?” but, “What can I do that genuinely makes a difference?”
For Bradley Chapman, that question represents a significant turning point. After decades spent building businesses, developing sales teams, advising entrepreneurs and helping organisations achieve ambitious commercial goals, a new purpose is emerging: supporting young people who feel disconnected from education, employment and the opportunities that life should offer. The Bradley Chapman IM MORE vision focuses on empowering young people through mentoring, confidence building, practical skills and meaningful employment opportunities.
At the heart of that vision is IM MORE, a campaign focused on helping young people aged 18–24 who are not in education, employment or training, commonly referred to as NEETs. Its ambition is not simply to encourage young people to find a job. It is to help them rediscover their sense of worth, recognise their potential and find a meaningful place in the world.
The story behind this ambition is closely connected to Bradley’s personal journey, his professional experience and the philosophy expressed through BradleyChapman.com. It is also connected to something that has become increasingly important in his own reflections: The Man Behind The Suit.
Because before Bradley can help young people believe in themselves, there is an opportunity for them to understand the person behind the professional reputation. The businessman who experienced setbacks. The mentor who learned through difficult circumstances. The human being who understands that life does not always unfold according to plan—and that someone’s current circumstances should never become the final definition of who they are.
From building businesses to building belief
To understand IM MORE, it helps to understand the experiences that shaped Bradley Chapman long before the campaign existed.
Bradley’s professional story began early. His account on BradleyChapman.com describes working alongside his father from childhood, learning about trade and customers on London’s street markets, and developing an interest in business that would eventually lead him into the London stock market at sixteen.
By eighteen, he was trading in the fashion industry. He subsequently established clothing businesses, developed sales operations and moved into leadership roles across several industries. His professional biography describes a career spanning decades, during which he has trained, coached and mentored people.
But the most relevant part of that history for IM MORE is not the size of a business or the value of a commercial deal. It is the experience of helping people develop.
In his reflections on The Man Behind The Suit, Bradley considers the difference between the public image of a successful businessman and the experiences that shaped the person beneath it. The story includes setbacks, rebuilding, personal adversity and the process of learning to lead people through difficult circumstances.
His work in sales and business development gave him practical insight into how employers assess people, what makes teams effective and how confidence can influence performance. His experiences coaching and mentoring individuals also gave him an understanding of how people can develop abilities they did not initially recognise in themselves.
Those lessons have a direct connection to young people facing unemployment. Imagine a young person who has spent months applying for jobs without receiving an interview. They may have limited work experience, no professional network and little confidence in their ability to succeed. They may have started to believe that employers are simply not interested in them.
Bradley approaches that situation from a different perspective. Instead of asking only what qualifications the young person has, he wants to ask what they could become if somebody helped them develop the skills, confidence and experience to demonstrate their ability.
This is the thinking behind IM MORE’s central message: you are more than your CV, more than your circumstances and more than what somebody sees at first glance. It is a message that connects Bradley’s business background with a more personal ambition: redirecting experience gained in business towards helping young people find their own opportunity to grow.
The Man Behind The Suit: why the person matters as much as the campaign
The phrase The Man Behind The Suit offers a particularly powerful way of introducing Bradley to young people. For many people, a business consultant with decades of experience might appear intimidating. A young person who has struggled at school, has never attended a professional meeting or has experienced repeated rejection might assume that someone like Bradley would have little in common with them.
They might see the suit, the business experience and the professional reputation, but not the personal journey. That is precisely why the story matters.
Bradley’s reflections describe a person who has experienced difficult periods, rebuilt after setbacks and learned that success is not always a straight line. The story of his next chapter connects IM MORE with a purpose that reaches beyond business consulting: using experience to help people who feel stuck, overlooked or unsure where they belong.
For a young person, this can change the nature of the conversation. Rather than presenting Bradley as someone who has always succeeded, IM MORE can introduce him as someone who has learned through experience. Rather than saying, “I know what you should do,” he can say, “I have experienced difficult situations myself, and I want to help you discover what might work for you.”
This is not about turning personal adversity into a marketing device. It is about using honest, appropriate parts of his journey to create connection. Bradley does not need to tell every detail of his personal life to establish credibility. He needs to show that he understands the difference between how someone appears on the outside and what they may be experiencing internally.
For young people who feel judged, that distinction could be fundamental. A campaign built around human potential should begin with a human connection.
Understanding the young people IM MORE wants to support
The term NEET describes young people who are not in education, employment or training. It is a statistical category, not a description of a person’s character, ambitions or abilities. A young person can find themselves in this position for many different reasons.
One may have left school without the qualifications they hoped to achieve. Another may have completed college but struggled to find an employer willing to offer a first opportunity. Someone else may have experienced a difficult family situation, bereavement, financial pressure or a period of poor mental health. Some may be highly creative but have never had the opportunity to develop their skills. Others may be practical, entrepreneurial or naturally good at working with people but have struggled in conventional classroom environments.
These are different situations, and they should not be treated as if they have one common solution. IM MORE’s vision recognises that young people need more than encouragement. The campaign aims to combine personal development with employability support, skills development, mentoring and connections to employers and other organisations.
Its framework is DISCOVER. BELIEVE. BECOME. DISCOVER is about helping people recognise their abilities, interests and possible directions. BELIEVE is about building confidence and developing the belief that progress is possible. BECOME is about turning that belief into action: developing practical skills, demonstrating capability and moving towards employment, education, training or enterprise.
The strength of this approach is that it recognises a young person may need to develop confidence and practical experience at the same time. A motivational talk alone cannot create a career. But practical training without encouragement, understanding or support may not be enough to help somebody who has lost confidence in themselves. The two need to work together.
For IM MORE, that means making the experience of joining the campaign feel like the beginning of a journey, rather than another test that a young person might fail.
DISCOVER: helping young people see what is already there
The first challenge is helping young people recognise that they have something to offer. For Bradley, this is closely connected to the philosophy of human potential that has appeared throughout his career. Applied to IM MORE, DISCOVER should begin with curiosity rather than judgement.
A young person should not be expected to walk through the door knowing exactly what career they want, what their strengths are or how to describe themselves to an employer. Instead, the campaign can help them explore: What do they enjoy doing? What have they learned outside formal education? What do friends or family members ask them for help with? Are they good at fixing things, making things, organising activities, creating videos, using computers, helping other people or solving practical problems?
What would they like to try if they knew they would not be ridiculed for getting it wrong? These questions can reveal abilities that a conventional CV might never capture.
A young person who has spent years helping a relative with a small business may have practical experience of customer service, organisation and problem-solving. Someone who creates videos for social media may already have an interest in content production, editing and digital communication.
DISCOVER is not about telling everybody they can do everything. It is about helping each person identify something real that can become the foundation for their next step.
BELIEVE: confidence comes from experience, not just words
The second stage is particularly important for young people who have experienced repeated rejection. A person who has sent fifty applications and received no response may find it difficult to believe that the next opportunity will be any different. Telling them to believe in themselves is unlikely to be enough.
Confidence needs to be rebuilt through experiences that demonstrate progress. A young person might begin by introducing themselves to a small group, then take part in a practical activity, then present a piece of work they have created. They might receive feedback from a mentor, complete a short training task or contribute to a team project. Each experience can provide evidence that they are learning.
Bradley’s background in sales and leadership gives him a relevant understanding of communication, presentation and the importance of practice. His experience training and mentoring individuals can inform a programme in which young people develop those skills in a supportive environment.
The key is to make the environment feel safe enough for people to try. Nobody should be embarrassed because they struggle to speak in front of a group. Nobody should be treated as a failure because they need more time to understand a task.
Confidence is not a personality trait that some young people possess and others lack. It can grow through preparation, encouragement, practice and the experience of achieving something meaningful. IM MORE should celebrate progress that might appear small from the outside but feels significant to the person experiencing it.
For one young person, that might be making a phone call to an employer. For another, it might be attending a training session for the first time in months. For someone else, it could be discovering a skill they had never considered using professionally. The message should be simple: you do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.
BECOME: turning potential into real opportunity
The final stage of the framework is where IM MORE can distinguish itself through practical outcomes. Young people need opportunities to demonstrate what they can do, not simply hear what they might be capable of doing.
Bradley’s business experience could help the campaign build relationships with employers who are willing to look beyond conventional recruitment processes. That could involve short work placements, supervised projects, practical challenges, entry-level roles, apprenticeships, training opportunities and introductions to business owners.
It could also involve creating opportunities within IM MORE itself. The campaign can explore roles and development opportunities in areas such as sales, marketing, creative media, videography, website design and digital work. The important principle is that an opportunity should be meaningful.
If a young person is interested in graphic design, they might work on a supervised design brief and build a portfolio. If they are interested in sales, they might practise conversations with customers and learn how to communicate professionally. If they are interested in digital media, they might create a short video, learn editing techniques and receive feedback from someone with experience.
If they are interested in entrepreneurship, they might develop a simple business idea and learn about customers, costs and the process of turning an idea into something practical. The objective is not to make every young person follow the same career route. It is to help each person take a step that brings them closer to a future they can sustain.
How Bradley can approach young people and build genuine trust
The most important part of IM MORE’s work may not be the training programme, the website or even the opportunities available. It may be the first conversation.
For a young person who has become disconnected from education or employment, approaching a new organisation can feel like an enormous step. They may be worried about being judged, asked uncomfortable questions or made to feel that their difficulties are their own fault. They may have encountered adults who promised to help but did not follow through. They may also have become accustomed to being told what to do.
Bradley’s challenge is to approach them in a way that feels different. The first conversation should not feel like an interview. Instead of beginning with questions about qualifications, employment history or why someone is unemployed, Bradley could start with a simple invitation: “Tell me a little about yourself. What do you enjoy doing? What would you like to be different in your life at the moment?”
Then he needs to listen—not listen while preparing the next piece of advice, but genuinely listen to what the young person is saying. Some may talk openly. Others may give short answers, look uncomfortable or struggle to explain their circumstances. That should not automatically be interpreted as a lack of interest. A young person may need several conversations before they feel comfortable sharing anything personal.
The objective is not to uncover every difficulty in someone’s life. It is to understand enough to help them identify a suitable next step. Bradley should allow them to decide how much they want to disclose.
Meet young people where they already are
A campaign cannot rely exclusively on young people discovering a website and deciding to register. IM MORE should consider building relationships with organisations and people who already have contact with the young people it hopes to support.
These could include youth clubs and community centres, colleges and further education providers, youth employment and careers services, local charities and community organisations, social workers and other professionals, parents and carers, and local employers who want to create entry-level opportunities.
The campaign could organise informal introduction sessions in familiar community settings rather than expecting every young person to travel to a business office. It could also work with youth workers to introduce IM MORE to individuals who may be interested but are reluctant to attend alone.
For some young people, a message from somebody they already trust will be more persuasive than a polished advertisement.
Use social media to create familiarity
Bradley has experience communicating through digital platforms and building a personal brand. IM MORE can use that experience to develop a different kind of online presence. Rather than publishing only promotional messages about programmes and events, Bradley could share short, personal videos explaining what the campaign is trying to achieve.
He could talk about the lessons he learned when he was young, the setbacks he experienced in business and the importance of finding people who are willing to give you an opportunity. He could also introduce members of the team, explain what happens when somebody visits and show examples of practical activities.
The purpose of this content would be to reduce uncertainty. A young person should be able to watch a video and think: “I understand what this place is about. I know who I might meet. I can imagine myself walking through the door.”
It would also be important to avoid presenting young people as a problem that needs to be fixed. The campaign’s message should be about opportunity, capability and the possibility of progress, rather than shame or blame.
Make the first step small—and be consistent
Trust is easier to build when the commitment feels manageable. A young person who is uncertain about attending a two-day event might be willing to have a short telephone conversation. Someone who is nervous about meeting Bradley might feel more comfortable speaking to another member of the team first. Others might prefer to attend with a friend, meet in a public community setting or take part in a short introductory activity before deciding whether to join a longer programme.
IM MORE could offer a short, informal introduction; a small group activity; a visit to see the training environment; a conversation about a particular job or skill; or a practical workshop that does not require a lengthy application. The important thing is to make participation feel like a choice. Young people should understand that they can ask questions, take time to decide and decline an opportunity without being made to feel that they have disappointed someone.
One of the strongest ways to build trust is to avoid promises that cannot be guaranteed. Bradley should be clear about what a programme can provide: training, mentoring, practical experience, introductions and support. He should also be clear about what it cannot promise. A programme may improve a young person’s readiness for employment, but it cannot guarantee that every participant will secure a job, achieve a particular salary or discover their ideal career.
Trust is rarely built in a single meeting. It develops when somebody says they will call on Tuesday and actually calls on Tuesday; when a young person attends a workshop and the team remembers them; when they ask a question and somebody takes the time to answer; and when they experience a setback and are not immediately abandoned.
For IM MORE, trust should be treated as something earned through consistent actions, not something young people are expected to give automatically.
Dignity, safeguarding and belonging
Because IM MORE is working with young people who may be vulnerable or experiencing difficult circumstances, the campaign needs to combine ambition with responsible support. A young person should never feel that they have to reveal personal trauma, family difficulties or mental health experiences to earn access to an opportunity. Participation should not depend on telling a compelling story about hardship.
The programme should have clear safeguarding procedures, appropriate supervision, accessible ways to raise concerns and transparent expectations about how personal information is handled. For those aged eighteen to twenty-four, adulthood does not mean everyone has the same level of independence, confidence or support. Some will be ready to take on substantial responsibility quickly. Others may need a more gradual introduction to a workplace.
IM MORE should also be able to refer participants to specialist services when they need support beyond the campaign’s expertise. Employment mentoring is valuable, but it is not a substitute for professional help with serious mental health concerns, housing insecurity or other complex needs.
Bradley’s role is not to solve every difficulty a young person faces. It is to help create an environment where young people can begin moving forward, with appropriate support around them.
Building a bridge between young people and employers
One of the most important opportunities for IM MORE is to bring employers into the conversation from the beginning. Bradley understands the commercial pressures businesses face when recruiting. Employers need people who can communicate, learn, contribute to a team and develop the skills required for their roles. At the same time, young people need opportunities to demonstrate those qualities.
IM MORE could create a network of employers who are willing to take a different approach to recruitment. Rather than relying exclusively on a CV and a formal interview, employers could meet candidates through practical workshops, work trials with appropriate support, supervised projects or informal conversations about their interests.
A young person interested in digital marketing might demonstrate their ability through a small campaign project. Someone interested in construction might attend a practical introduction and learn about relevant training routes. Someone interested in administration might demonstrate organisation and communication through a supervised task.
These opportunities should be properly structured, safe and fair. They should not become a way for businesses to obtain unpaid labour without providing meaningful training or experience. The relationship should benefit both sides: young people gain the chance to demonstrate their capabilities, while employers discover individuals whose potential might otherwise have been overlooked.
This is where Bradley’s professional network and business experience could become particularly valuable. He can invite employers to consider a different question: “What might this young person become if we gave them the opportunity to learn, rather than judging them only on what they have already achieved?”
A new chapter in Bradley Chapman’s story
IM MORE represents an opportunity to bring together several parts of Bradley Chapman’s life: the businessman who learned about customers and commercial opportunity at an early age; the entrepreneur who experienced the realities of building, losing and rebuilding businesses; the leader who learned that successful organisations depend on the people within them; and the mentor who discovered that helping somebody develop can be more rewarding than simply achieving a commercial target.
The man behind the suit understands that the experiences people carry are often very different from the image they present to the world. The campaign does not need to separate Bradley’s professional experience from his personal story. It can bring them together in a way that serves a clear purpose.
His business knowledge can help create practical opportunities. His mentoring experience can help young people recognise their strengths. His personal journey can help make him approachable. His belief in human potential can provide the foundation for a culture in which young people feel they are worth investing in.
But ultimately, IM MORE must be about the young people themselves. The campaign’s success will not be measured simply by the number of people who attend an event, watch a video or register on a website. It will be measured by whether participants discover skills they did not know they had, build confidence, access meaningful opportunities and begin creating futures that feel possible.
It will be measured by whether employers start looking beyond conventional recruitment processes. And it will be measured by whether young people who previously felt overlooked begin to feel that somebody sees them.
The message behind IM MORE is straightforward, but its implications are significant. A young person is not their unemployment status. They are not their examination results. They are not the number of applications they have sent without receiving a reply. They are not a difficult period in their life. They are a person with abilities, interests, ambitions and the capacity to develop.
For Bradley Chapman, this could become one of the most meaningful chapters of a career that has already spanned decades of business and personal development. It is a chance to take everything he has learned about leadership, communication, resilience and human potential and apply it to a group of people who need opportunities to demonstrate what they can do.
Perhaps that is the real meaning of The Man Behind The Suit: not the businessman who has achieved a certain level of success, nor the consultant who has worked with successful entrepreneurs, but the person who recognises that behind every CV is a human being, behind every statistic is a story, and behind every young person who feels they have lost their way is the possibility of a different future.
IM MORE is an invitation to discover that possibility, believe in it and begin becoming something more. The first step is not asking young people to prove that they deserve an opportunity. It is creating an environment where they can discover what they are capable of doing with one.
Additional References:
- Department for Education — NEET age 16 to 24: 2025 official statistics
- Explore Education Statistics — NEET age 16 to 24, 2025 release
- National Careers Service — careers advice and job-search guidance
- National Careers Service — helping young people make education and career choices
- BBC News — search for coverage of young people and employment
- The Guardian — search for reporting on youth unemployment
