Purpose Before Profit: Ben Lamb Of West Lothian Leisure On The Benefits Of Running A Purpose-Driven Business
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Be clear on your ‘why’. Everything flows from your ‘why’, including your strategy, your culture, your decisions. At West Lothian Leisure, our purpose is improving community health and wellbeing, and that guides everything we do. For example, when we had to make tough decisions about consolidating services, it was our purpose that gave us clarity on where to focus our efforts and still deliver impact.
In today’s competitive business landscape, the race for profits often takes center stage. However, there are some leaders who also prioritize a mission-driven purpose. They use their business to make a positive social impact and recognize that success isn’t only about making money. In this interview series, we are talking with some of these distinct leaders and I had the pleasure of interviewing Ben Lamb.
Ben Lamb is the CEO of West Lothian Leisure, a registered Scottish charity committed to helping communities in West Lothian live healthier, happier, and longer lives through accessible sport, physical activity, and wellbeing services. With a lifelong passion for sport and a background in exercise and sports science, Ben brings values-based leadership and a deep belief in the power of community leisure to drive meaningful social impact. He is dedicated to creating innovative, people-centered solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across West Lothian.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us your “Origin Story”? Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I’ve always been passionate about sport and physical activity. It’s been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Worcestershire, just south of Birmingham, I was constantly around sport thanks to my Dad, who was deeply involved as a volunteer, coach, and club board member. Being dragged along to pitches every weekend sparked something in me early on, not just a love of playing, but a real appreciation for the energy, structure, and sense of community that sport brings.
Rugby became my main focus, and I was part of the Worcester Warriors Rugby Academy with aspirations of going professional. While that path didn’t quite materialise, it taught me invaluable lessons in resilience, discipline, and purpose. Studying Exercise and Sports Science at the University of Exeter allowed me to stay close to the world I loved, while continuing to play rugby and develop my understanding of how sport can shape lives beyond the pitch.
Early in my career, I worked alongside physiotherapists and rehab specialists and saw firsthand how transformative physical activity can be, not just physically, but emotionally and socially too. That period cemented my belief in the power of sport as a tool for positive change. It’s why I feel so strongly about leading a purpose-driven organisation. When your work is about improving lives and building stronger communities, it creates a deeper sense of meaning and motivation. Sport has shaped who I am. It gave me identity and direction, and it continues to drive everything I do today.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Since stepping into the role of CEO at West Lothian Leisure, I’ve found myself in situations I never expected. One standout moment was at an event we hosted called the Canalympics. This involved ninety residents from eleven care homes across West Lothian coming together for a lively afternoon of friendly competition and sporting challenges at our Xcite Craigswood venue in Livingston. I turned up to do the usual meet-and-greet, but before I knew it, I was taking part in sock pairing and hook-a-duck games. What struck me was how important this seemingly simple event was for the people there; it was more than just fun. It supported their social, emotional, and physical wellbeing, and reminded me that physical activity looks different for everyone throughout their lives.
Another moment that really stuck with me was attending the Christmas lunch for our Health and Wellbeing Ageing Well volunteers. Over coffee and conversation, I was invited to join activities like Singing for Health and Knit and Natter. Again, not what I pictured when I thought about leading a leisure organisation, but it brought home what we’re really about, creating opportunities for people to connect, stay active, and feel part of something meaningful. These experiences reflect the heart of our work and the purpose that drives it.
I also volunteered at another one of our events, the Colour Run, shortly after starting the role, throwing handfuls of coloured paint at runners of all ages. It was joyful, chaotic, and another reminder that getting people moving doesn’t have to be traditional or serious to be impactful. These moments, as fun and surprising as they are, show me why we do what we do. They’re lived examples of how purpose shapes our mission, building healthier, happier communities in West Lothian in ways that are truly inclusive and engaging.
We often learn the most from our mistakes. Can you share one that you made that turned out to be one of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned?
I’ve made plenty of mistakes over the years, and I genuinely see that as a good thing. It means we’re learning, evolving, and trying new things. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned came earlier in my career, during a role where I was brought in to help grow and scale an independent gym business. We were laser-focused on sales and hitting growth targets, and we pushed hard to bring new people through the doors. At first, it worked, the numbers looked great.
But what we hadn’t done was invest in what came next. We hadn’t spent enough time thinking about the people behind those sales, their journey, their experience, and the support they needed once they joined. Retention was poor, and the sense of community just wasn’t there. That’s when it really hit me, growth without connection is fragile. You can drive numbers up in the short term, but if people don’t feel part of something meaningful, it won’t last.
That experience taught me that we’re not just in the business of selling services, we’re in the business of helping people. It shifted my mindset completely. Now, everything I lead and build is rooted in the idea that people come first. Whether it’s a gym member, a staff colleague, or a community volunteer, it’s about relationships, trust, and belonging. That’s the essence of a purpose-driven organisation and it’s a lesson I’ll never forget.
As a successful leader, it’s clear that you uphold strong core values. I’m curious what are the most important principles you firmly stand by and refuse to compromise on. Can you share a few of them and explain why they hold such significance for you in your work and life?
Values based leadership is something I take incredibly seriously, both personally and professionally. One of the key reasons I joined West Lothian Leisure was because its core values of integrity, respect, service, and accountability align so closely with my own. For me, these aren’t just words on a wall, they’re non-negotiables that shape how I lead, how I work with people, and how I approach challenges.
Respect is right at the top of that list. Treat people how you would want to be treated. Whether it’s our staff, our customers, or our partners, I believe that mutual respect is the foundation of strong relationships and a healthy culture. Integrity is another big one for me. We’ve had some challenging times as an organisation, as many have. It’s in those moments that doing the right thing, even when it’s hard, becomes more important than ever. I’d rather take the tougher route if it means staying true to our principles.
I also try to bring enthusiasm and energy into everything I do. I genuinely believe sport and leisure is one of the most uplifting and empowering sectors to work in. It should feel positive, dynamic and people focused. Lastly, I’m a big believer in working smart, being strategic with our time and resources to focus where we can make the greatest difference. That often means staying really clear on our purpose and ensuring we’re directing our energy toward the areas that will have the biggest impact on our communities. When those values are front and centre, everything else tends to fall into place.
What inspired you to start a purpose-driven business rather than a traditional for-profit enterprise? Can you share a personal story or experience that led you to prioritize social impact in your business?
While I didn’t start West Lothian Leisure, I was absolutely drawn to the organisation because of its strong sense of purpose. We were established as a trust by West Lothian Council to provide affordable and accessible leisure for the communities of West Lothian. That model, creating value for people rather than just profit, is something I completely believe in, which is why I’ve worked in this space for many years. I joined because I wanted to be part of something that genuinely makes a difference, and I see my role as continuing the incredible work that others started before me. The values and mission are deeply aligned with what I’ve always stood for. This is also work that is not entirely unique to us. There are leisure trusts up and down the UK who play a significant role in improving the lives of the communities in which they serve. For example, 2024 data shows that 86% of Community Leisure UK members deliver physical activity referral programmes.
What really cemented this for me, though, was a personal experience early in my career when I worked as a personal trainer. I spent time with a young man who had significant learning difficulties and a complex musculoskeletal condition. I started working with him to help improve his mobility, but what happened went far beyond the physical. Over time, I saw how the simple act of regular movement, interaction, and encouragement profoundly impacted his emotional and social wellbeing. He connected with others, gained confidence, and found joy through physical activity. His parents once told me, with real emotion, that the activity had really improved his physical and mental wellbeing. That moment has stayed with me ever since.
That experience showed me the true power of what we do in this sector. It’s not just about exercise or sport, it’s about transforming lives, building connections, and offering people a sense of purpose and a place where they genuinely feel part of something. That’s why I do what I do, and why I believe so strongly in the role of purpose-driven organisations like ours. The social impact is real.
Can you help articulate a few of the benefits of leading a purpose-driven business rather than a standard “plain vanilla” business?
I wouldn’t necessarily call any business “plain vanilla”. Running any kind of business is incredibly tough, and I’ve got huge respect for anyone who does it. Every organisation brings value in its own way and faces its own set of challenges. But for me, leading a purpose-driven business like West Lothian Leisure brings a different kind of focus, it puts our ‘why’ at the heart of everything we do. That clarity of purpose is more than a mission statement; it’s our compass, especially when the road gets bumpy.
Our goal is to improve community health and wellbeing. Our vision of a West Lothian where everyone can live healthier, happier and longer lives is always front and centre. It shapes every decision we make, from the services we offer to how we engage with our staff and local communities. Even when we’re working through things like brand strategy or operational planning, that sense of purpose gives us direction and consistency. It also gives us a broader measure of success; it’s not just about financial performance, but about impact, inclusion, and outcomes that genuinely matter to the people we serve.
What I’ve found is that purpose injects meaning and momentum into our work. It connects teams, motivates action, and strengthens resilience, particularly when times are tough. Knowing that what we’re doing has a direct and positive effect on people’s lives, that’s powerful. It makes the work more than a job, and it keeps us all focused on making a difference, together.
How has your company’s mission or purpose affected its overall success? Can you explain the methods or metrics you use to evaluate the impact of this purpose-driven strategy on your organization?
Our mission, to help people in West Lothian live healthier, happier, and longer lives, sits at the heart of everything we do, and it has had a profound effect on our overall success. It provides a clear direction and a strong sense of motivation for our team, especially when navigating challenges. Rather than being an abstract ideal, our purpose actively shapes decisions and drives performance. We’ve seen that by staying focused on delivering social value, we not only improve lives but also build a sustainable and resilient organisation that our communities trust and support.
We evaluate our impact through a range of purpose aligned metrics. One of the most important is our social value, which reached £14.4 million in 2023/24. This reflects the measurable benefits of physical activity on health and wellbeing, from reduced demand on GP services to positive outcomes in areas like diabetes, dementia, and heart disease. We also track specific participation measures such as over 50,000 annual visits to our Health and Wellbeing programme, and a 25% increase in concessionary visits through our Access Xcite programme, which makes services more affordable and accessible for low-income families. This ensures that cost isn’t a barrier to staying active. Of course, financial performance still matters. Profit enables us to reinvest in our services and expand our impact, so it’s always a careful balance. But for us, purpose drives the strategy, it’s our starting point. The fact that we can measure that impact, and see real lives changed as a result of what we do is what defines our success.
Can you share a pivotal moment when you realized that leading your purpose-driven company was actually making a significant impact? Can you share a specific example or story that deeply resonated with you personally?
There are so many moments that remind me why we do what we do, but one that really stayed with me happened during a recent visit to one of our centres. I was speaking with a participant from our GP referral programme, and he told me that since being referred to our health and wellbeing classes, he’d not only been able to leave the house for the first time in months and begin his physical recovery, but he had also secured meaningful employment for the first time in over two years. He credited that journey to the support and environment he found with us. That kind of story really hits home; it’s not just about exercise or movement, it’s about rebuilding confidence, restoring health, and reclaiming independence.
Another powerful reminder came during our Health and Wellbeing Programme volunteer Christmas lunch. I was surrounded by people whose lives had been deeply impacted by what we do, and as they shared their stories, it was hard not to get emotional. Hearing how a simple activity, a class, or a connection had helped someone feel part of something again was incredibly moving. It was a real moment of clarity that what we’re doing matters, and it matters to real people in meaningful ways.
These stories are everywhere if you take the time to look. They remind me and everyone across West Lothian Leisure that we’re not just running gyms or swimming pools, we’re right at the heart of the community, and we’re changing lives every day.
Have you ever faced a situation where your commitment to your purpose and creating a positive social impact clashed with the profitability in your business? Have you ever been challenged by anyone on your team or have to make a tough decision that had a significant impact on finances? If so, how did you address and reconcile this conflict?
About 18 months ago, we went through one of the most challenging chapters in the company’s 27-year history, a period of significant change where we had to make some tough but necessary decisions to secure the long-term sustainability of the organisation. It was a deeply challenging moment because, at our core, we are here to serve the community. But the reality was that continuing to operate in the same way was no longer financially sustainable. We needed to make a significant intervention to ensure we could continue delivering our purpose, creating healthier, happier, and longer lives in West Lothian, for the long term. It wasn’t a decision taken lightly, but it was one we had to make in order to survive and protect our future impact.
The real challenge was reconciling that decision with our values. For me, it came down to how we led through that transformation. I’ve always said that respect and integrity are non-negotiables, and this was the moment they were put to the test. We committed to being open, honest, and visible with our teams and communities throughout the process.
Looking back, I truly believe that it was our leadership team’s commitment to a values-first approach that helped us navigate those turbulent times. It allowed us to make difficult decisions with clarity and compassion, while keeping our mission at the centre of every conversation. We’ve emerged more focused and resilient, with a clearer understanding of where our efforts make the greatest impact. That experience reminded me that leading a purpose-driven organisation doesn’t mean avoiding hard choices, it means making them in the right way, for the right reasons.
What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs who wish to start a purpose-driven business?
I wouldn’t claim to have all the answers, but from my experience, one of the most important things for anyone looking to start a purpose-driven business is to be crystal clear on your “why.” Everything flows from that, your strategy, your culture, your decisions.
What are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Purpose-Driven Business.”
1 . Be clear on your ‘why’
Everything flows from your ‘why’, including your strategy, your culture, your decisions. At West Lothian Leisure, our purpose is improving community health and wellbeing, and that guides everything we do. For example, when we had to make tough decisions about consolidating services, it was our purpose that gave us clarity on where to focus our efforts and still deliver impact.
2 . Surround yourself with great people.
The team is everything. I’m lucky to lead an organisation filled with passionate, dedicated individuals who go the extra mile every single day. Our people are our biggest asset! Whether it’s delivering children’s swimming lessons, supporting people through health and wellbeing programmes, welcoming people into our venues, or working behind the scenes in our head office — it all works because of the people behind it, building trust and making a difference every day.
3 . Stay close to the community
You can’t deliver meaningful change without listening to the people you’re trying to help. Some of our most successful programmes, such as Access Xcite and our GP health referrals, were born from truly understanding community needs.
4 . Measure what matters.
That means looking beyond the bottom line. We track things like concessionary access, wellbeing programme attendance, and social value, not just finances. It helps us demonstrate and stay focused on the real impact we’re making, like the £14.4 million in social value we generated last year. It’s about accountability and purpose in equal measure.
5 . Be prepared to adapt.
Purpose should provide guidance, but it shouldn’t be rigid. The world changes, communities change, and we have to evolve with them. Flexibility is key to staying relevant and effective. For example, we introduced the Fitness Factory programme to reach younger age groups in new ways. That came from seeing a gap and being open to doing things differently.
So if I had to sum it up: be clear on your purpose, stay close to the people you serve, invest in your team, track the impact that matters, and be ready to adapt when needed. That’s the foundation of a truly successful purpose-driven organisation.
I’m interested in how you instill a strong sense of connection with your team. How do you nurture a culture where everyone feels connected to your mission? Could you share an example or story that showcases how your purpose has positively influenced or motivated people on your team to contribute?
People are, without a doubt, our strongest asset at West Lothian Leisure. We’re nothing without the passion, dedication, and hard work of our staff. One of the most important things I try to do as a leader is stay open, honest, accessible, and visible. I make a real effort to get out and about, talk to people throughout the organisation, and be transparent about what we’re doing and why. When people understand the bigger picture and feel included in shaping it, their connection to the mission becomes much stronger.
We’ve worked hard to create structures that give staff a voice. Our Employee Engagement Forum allows colleagues to be directly involved in decision making, and our Ask the Leadership Team Forums are open spaces where anyone can dial in, ask questions, and share their thoughts. We also action an annual people engagement survey. This gives us an honest insight into how our teams are feeling, and we use this feedback to strengthen our connection and make sure our people feel heard and supported. Especially as we navigate change and broaden our impact, it’s vital that our team feels not just informed, but empowered. We actively encourage staff to come forward with ideas, and when we implement them, it builds a real sense of ownership and pride. They’re not just delivering services, they’re helping shape how we deliver on our purpose.
A great example of this in action is our Nourish Café at Xcite Craigswood in Livingston. A team member suggested creating a café to further strengthen the sense of community. Less than a year later we launched the café and it recently won Best Café (within its region) at Scotlands Business Awards!
Imagine we’re sitting down together two years from now, looking back at your company’s last 24 months. What specific accomplishments would have to happen for you to be happy with your progress?
If we’re sitting down two years from now, success for me would mean that we’ve continued to improve lives in meaningful and measurable ways, staying true to our purpose of helping people in West Lothian live healthier, happier, and longer lives. I’d want to look back and see that we’ve expanded our reach, broken down barriers to access, and made a real impact across West Lothian. Equally important is that we’ve remained financially sustainable, ensuring we can keep reinvesting in our services and our people. I’d hope our teams feel even more connected to our mission and proud of the difference they make every day.
I’d also like to be able to say that we’ve continued to lead and innovate, not for the sake of being different, but because we’ve found new and better ways to respond to the needs of our communities. Whether through pioneering new programmes, expanding access for underrepresented groups, or evolving how we deliver support, that kind of progress would show that we’re staying dynamic, relevant, and deeply committed to our purpose. That’s what success looks like to me.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
If I could inspire a movement, it would be to see greater Government recognition and long-term investment in sport and physical activity, especially at the community level. The impact we see every day at West Lothian Leisure, on health, mental wellbeing, loneliness, and social cohesion, is immense. Community leisure is part of the solution to some of society’s biggest challenges, yet in times of austerity, it’s at risk of being undervalued. Without proper funding and support, it becomes harder to sustain the purpose-driven work that truly changes lives.
I have huge respect for the role of local councils and fully recognise the financial pressures they face, and the increasingly difficult decisions they’re being forced to make. These are not easy times for local government. That’s why it’s more important than ever that national policy both recognises, and meaningfully supports, the vital role community leisure plays in prevention and wellbeing. I believe every person should have affordable, accessible opportunities for physical activity close to home. Community spaces like ours help people stay well, feel connected, and live longer, healthier lives.
How can our readers further follow your work or your company online?
West Lothian Leisure can be found at: www.westlothianleisure.com
This was great. Thanks for taking time for us to learn more about you and your business. We wish you continued success!
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
Purpose Before Profit: Ben Lamb Of West Lothian Leisure On The Benefits Of Running A Purpose-Driven… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.