Robbie Lewis Pride Q&A

June 29, 2022

Can you briefly describe your career path to date and your current role within the ClearCourse Group?

I joined ClearCourse via the acquisition of Standout UK, a digital agency based in Leicester. Since my team has moved into Swan Retail and then ClearCourse Retail. We are now focused on building medium/large ecommerce solutions that are tightly integrated the group’s retail systems (SRS, FRS, TRIMS).

What does Pride Month mean to you, and why do you think it is essential that we acknowledge the contributions of LGBTQ+ people throughout history and in present times?

In 1969 a group of LGBTQ+ people protested shocking police brutality at the Stonewall Riots in New York. From this the wheel of change began to move and has since become a global movement. Pride Month is a time to celebrate progress but also to focus on the issues that are still faced by many in our community. Through the summer season we gather at festivals and events to share experiences, celebrate diversity and most importantly to educate ourselves and others. It’s great to see many Pride events growing across the country and engagement from businesses and government has been a big part of that.

In particular, trans rights are big focus. There are still many basic equalities that are not available to trans people. You may have seen in the news recently that legislation to ban conversion therapy did not include protections for trans people. There are documented cases of trans conversion therapy using electrocution and techniques that are severely damaging to the mind. These practises continue in our country. We mobilise through community action and legal challenges to bring it to an end.

How would you describe your experience of working within the ClearCourse Group as part of the LGBTQ+ community? (historically within the agency Standout and more latterly with Swan Retail, part of the ClearCourse Group).

I feel both lucky and proud to say that I have never faced challenges around my sexuality at this company. Rather, it is celebrated and my activism has been enabled by the company in many ways.

Throughout my time working for Standout UK, Swan Retail and now ClearCourse Retail, I have had the greatest support from my colleagues and the business. I have been on the team organising Leicester Pride since 2009, an event which has grown to over 10,000 attendance. The company helped me to meet critical deadlines during challenging years of Leicester Pride and made company resources available to me such as large format printing and use of our offices.

Are there any assumptions about the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace overall that you’d like to challenge?

I think there have been questions historically about how family friendly Pride events are. A lot of changes have been made at Leicester Pride to reduce the emphasis on alcohol and adult themes, so that everyone feels welcome. There is also a drive to reduce the cost of attending Pride events and to offer free areas or free days for those that do not have the means. If you haven’t visited a Pride event recently and you think that there might not be something for you to enjoy, I would urge you to visit. I have also taken great pleasure in seeing an increase of people from different cultures, religions and communities at our events. This is helping us to reach out further than ever before.

How are you celebrating Pride this year?

I also work as a DJ at LGBTQ+ nightclubs and Pride festivals. I spend the summer touring Pride festivals and performing. This year you can catch me at Leicester Pride, Birmingham Pride and Leeds Pride. As an organiser of Leicester Pride I will spend the next couple of months organising the event with my team. This involves everything from infrastructure and corporate sponsorship to marketing and running the stages on the day.

Could you recommend a pride playlist, booklist, and movie list?

Here’s a great playlist from Spotify with all the sounds you might expect to hear when attending Pride events. I’m not a huge bookworm, but this article from The Independent covers some important literature, factual and fiction. Similarly, Gay Times has an excellent list of films, my personal recommendations are: Pride (2014), Paris is Burning (1990) and Philadelphia (1993).

< Older Post Newer Post >

FinTech Software and Payments veteran Simon Black joins ClearCourse board

December 11, 2024

11 December 2024, London, UK: ClearCourse, a leading provider of industry-specific software and payments for UK SMEs, is pleased to announce the appointment of FinTech, Software and Payments veteran Simon Black as Non-Executive Director. Simon has a track record of leading technology companies through rapid periods of growth and brings a wealth of experience in strategy, branding, M&A and fundraising. Simon has over three decades of experience in Fintech software and Payments. He is the former CEO of PPRO which he transformed from a German start-up into a global leader in alternative payments, via international expansion and multiple successful funding rounds. Prior to PPRO, Simon was CEO of SagePay, where he led the business to 10x revenue growth. Simon currently advises growth-stage companies and private equity investors on driving innovation, market disruption and long-term growth. This appointment comes at an exciting time for ClearCourse, as the company expands its UK market presence while continuing to provide mission-critical products and services to help customers manage and grow their businesses. Throughout 2024, ClearCourse acquired an additional 4 businesses in ThinkSmart, CSY, Gob2b and Harbour Assist as part of its strategy to build a strong presence in key vertical markets characterised by high digital adoption and establishing itself in the fast-growing online and mobile payments space. Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse, said: “ I am delighted to welcome Simon to the ClearCourse board at a pivotal stage of our growth journey. He shares our ambition of building the business into a major actor in the embedded fintech space. Simon’s impressive track record of scaling payment businesses will be invaluable in supporting ClearCourse grow further in the UK and beyond and we look forward to working closely with him. ” Simon Black, incoming Non-Executive Director, added: “ I am delighted to be joining the board of ClearCourse, an exciting, innovative business with many opportunities as the high demand for embedded payments from SMBs continues unabated. I have known Christina and the Aquiline team for some time, and I have been impressed by ClearCourse’s rapid growth to date. The Group’s winning combination of deep vertical domain expertise and seamless integrated payments is truly market leading. I look forward to supporting ClearCourse’s continued leadership in attractive key sector verticals. ”

Software and Payments Specialist ClearCourse Acquires Marina and Harbour Software Provider Harbour Assist

October 17, 2024

London, 17 October 2024 – ClearCourse, a leading provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs and targeted enterprises, announces the acquisition of Harbour Assist. Founded in 2013 and based in Cornwall, Harbour Assist is a leading cloud-based marina management system that integrates customer relations, communications, asset management, invoicing and reporting into a single, easy-to-use software package. Harbour Assist serves a diverse range of marina and harbour clients across the UK, Canada, Fiji, Mexico, New Zealand, US, Australia, and the Middle East. Their clients include independent operators and multi-site organisations, Trust Ports and public sector such as Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour, Lakeland Leisure Estates, Fowey Harbour, Port of Ramsgate. Harbour Assist’s reach extends to some of the world’s most prominent marinas and harbours. Harbour Assist’s industry-specific software focuses on enhancing administrative efficiency, improving customer service, and providing robust tools for managing moorings, berths, billing, and communication with boat owners. With ClearCourse, the platform will gain access to embedded payment tools as well as additional development resources, enhancing its capability to deliver a greater quantity of features at pace. Christina Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer of ClearCourse, said : “We are delighted to welcome Harbour Assist into the ClearCourse Group. As a market leader and disrupter in marine and harbour software, Harbour Assist acquisition underscores our aim for success in 2024. This collaboration will not only enhance the service, and solutions offered to Harbour Assist’s customers but also provide them with access to a broader range of resources and expertise. We eagerly anticipate working with Nick, Graham, and the team to explore new markets, improve operational efficiencies, and deliver an integrated offering to our customers.” Nick Gill and Graham Laidler Co-founders of Harbour Assist said : “It’s very exciting to join the ClearCourse group at this crucial stage in our growth journey. For over a decade, we've earned our reputation by delivering mission-critical software designed and developed by a team of maritime professionals. Leveraging years of practical experience and ongoing customer feedback. Partnering with ClearCourse enables us to expand further and future proof our business by adding a range of innovative and efficient payments solutions, something we are incredibly excited about.” Harbour Assist will be part of the ClearCourse Sports and Leisure division. This announcement follows the recent acquisitions of B2B eCommerce platform GOb2b and retail EPOS solutions provider CSY. With these strategic additions, ClearCourse is poised to leverage enhanced capabilities and resources, driving innovation and delivering superior features to its users. Established in London in 2018, ClearCourse is a leading software and embedded payment specialist. The group’s vertical software solutions provide essential, industry-specific technology to help their customers manage and grow their businesses. Since inception, the company has undergone rapid growth by acquiring over 40 leading software and payments solutions in its core market verticals which are all underpinned by ClearCourse Payments and Services. The terms of the deal are undisclosed.