Jon Graves

Jon Graves Entrepreneur. Deal maker. Growth strategist. Completed 17 acquisitions. As an angel investor, I back entrepreneurs who are bold enough to build

Currently leading Northern Telecom, Soda IT, and more, I thrive on turning opportunity into momentum.

10/06/2026

Have you ever pretended to be more extroverted than you really are?

Maybe at a job interview.

Maybe in a meeting.

Maybe at a networking event.

In this clip from Business Mutiny, Joanna Rawbone shares a worrying observation: some job coaches are now actively teaching people to act more extroverted just to improve their chances of getting a job.

That raises an interesting question…

How many people are pretending to be extroverted right now?

And what does that say about the way we recruit, promote and develop people?

Are we overlooking talented individuals simply because they don’t shout the loudest?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

👇 Have you ever felt pressure to be someone you’re not at work?

It was great to get out into our communities this week as I started dropping off the first donations funded through my d...
10/06/2026

It was great to get out into our communities this week as I started dropping off the first donations funded through my decision to give away my councillor allowance/wages.

One of my stops was to visit the brilliant Messy Time team – and it certainly lived up to its name! There were dozens of children having an absolute blast, making a mess, getting creative and burning off plenty of energy. To be honest, it looked fantastic to see. I chickened out on high fives though!

Groups like this play such an important role in bringing families together, creating opportunities for children to learn, play and make friends in a fun and welcoming environment.

I’m delighted to be able to support the team with a donation and hopefully it helps them buy even more resources, put on more activities and, most importantly, give the kids the chance to get even messier!

A huge thank you to everyone involved for the warm welcome and for everything you do for local families.

Details incase youve not been before!

Starting: 915am (doors open at 9) on Tuesday, just turn up !
Location: Greenside Methodist Church, Gildersome.
It is recommended to bring a change of clothes as we promote children not to be worried about making a mess & we do also have a water tray each week.
𝙀𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙁𝙚𝙚: £3 per child

10/06/2026

🚀 What’s the biggest thing holding you back right now?

Your competitors?

The economy?

Lack of funding?

Or could it actually be… you?

One of the most powerful lines from our latest Business Mutiny episode came from Carla Nokes:

“Are you going to let you stop yourself from being successful?”

As a former Top 10 UK tennis player turned startup founder, Carla knows what it feels like to battle setbacks, rejection and self-doubt.

And she shared a truth every entrepreneur eventually learns:

“Sometimes you versus you is harder than you against the opponent.”

Success often comes down to overcoming the stories we tell ourselves.

👇 What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your own head?

“The only person holding me back was me.”I think every founder hits that moment.The point where you stop blaming the mar...
10/06/2026

“The only person holding me back was me.”

I think every founder hits that moment.

The point where you stop blaming the market, competitors, timing, funding, staff, developers or circumstances and start asking yourself:

“What if I’m the thing that’s holding this back?”

That’s not a comfortable question.

But it’s often where growth starts.

Business has a funny way of exposing your weaknesses.

Need confidence? You’ll be forced to sell.
Need resilience? You’ll face rejection.
Need leadership? You’ll have to inspire people.
Need self-awareness? You’ll eventually run out of people to blame.

The business grows as you grow.

One lesson from Carla’s journey stood out:

Perfection kills momentum.

Her first versions weren’t perfect.
Neither were mine.
Neither were yours.

The founders who succeed aren’t always the smartest.

They’re often just the ones who refuse to stop.

What’s something you’ve kept going with when most people would have quit?

🍟 It’s NATIONAL FISH & CHIP DAY! 🍟Tonight is the perfect excuse to put the diet on hold and support your local chippy.Ru...
05/06/2026

🍟 It’s NATIONAL FISH & CHIP DAY! 🍟

Tonight is the perfect excuse to put the diet on hold and support your local chippy.

Running a small business isn’t easy right now. Costs are up, margins are squeezed, and many local shops are working harder than ever just to keep their doors open.

Fish and chips remains one of Britain’s great traditions, and our local chippies are at the heart of our communities.

So instead of cooking tonight, get down to your local fish and chip shop, treat yourself, and support a local business while you’re at it.

Salt and vinegar? Curry sauce? Mushy peas? The only important question is… where’s the best chippy in Morley, Drighlington, Churwell or Gildersome? 👇

Drop your recommendations in the comments!

04/06/2026

The moment Joanna Rawbone realised she’d spent years pretending to be more extroverted was also the moment she noticed something else.

The quieter people around her were constantly being overlooked.

Not because they lacked talent.

Not because they lacked ambition.

But because they weren’t shouting the loudest.

That observation eventually led to the creation of Flourishing Introverts and a mission to help people succeed without pretending to be someone they’re not.

As leaders, it’s worth asking ourselves:

👉 Are we rewarding contribution or visibility?
👉 How much talent are we missing?
👉 Do our best people always get recognised?

The quietest person in the room might have the best idea.

02/06/2026

Most workplaces are built around the loudest voices.

The people who think quickly, speak quickly and jump into every conversation.

But what about the quieter people?

In this clip from Business Mutiny, Joanna Rawbone explains the “bias towards the extrovert ideal” and why so many talented people are overlooked in business.

Being quiet doesn’t mean lacking ambition.

Taking time to think doesn’t mean lacking ability.

And speaking less doesn’t mean having less to contribute.

As business owners and leaders, we should be asking ourselves:

👉 Are we rewarding contribution or visibility?
👉 Are we promoting the best people or the loudest people?
👉 How much talent are we missing?

Watch the clip and let me know your thoughts.

01/06/2026

🔋 Introverts are batteries.

☀️ Extroverts are solar panels.

It’s one of the simplest explanations I’ve ever heard for why people behave so differently.

In this clip from Business Mutiny, Joanna Rawbone explains why introverts need time alone to recharge, while extroverts gain energy from being around people.

The fascinating part?

What drains an introvert often energises an extrovert.

Understanding this can completely change how you view colleagues, friends, family members and even yourself.

Have a watch and let me know…

Are you a battery or a solar panel? 👇

This month I received my first councillor allowance payment and, as promised, I’m donating it back into the local commun...
31/05/2026

This month I received my first councillor allowance payment and, as promised, I’m donating it back into the local community.

I was genuinely overwhelmed by the response to my original post, receiving 34 different nominations from residents across the ward.

Over £1,000 will be split between the following fantastic local groups and causes:

🔹
🔹
🔹
🔹
🔹 Drighlington Devils
🔹 Drighlingtons Wednesday Dance Classes
🔹 Churwell Lionesses
🔹 Friends of Driglington Orchard

Every one of these groups helps make our community a better place, whether that’s supporting young people, tackling isolation, creating opportunities, improving local spaces or helping those who need it most.

Il be in touch with those above to work out how I get it to you!

Unfortunately, I can’t support everyone at once, but this won’t be a one-off.

I will be donating the same amount every month, meaning more local groups, charities, clubs and community projects will receive support throughout the year.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate a worthy cause. If your group wasn’t selected this month, please don’t be discouraged. There are plenty more opportunities ahead.

Morley, Drighlington, Churwell and Gildersome are packed full of volunteers doing incredible work, and it’s a privilege to be able to support them in some small way.

Today’s definitely an ice cream day… Love it down at Goodalls in Tong!
26/05/2026

Today’s definitely an ice cream day…

Love it down at Goodalls in Tong!

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