From Concept to Company: Q&A With Roger Tempest, Owner Of Broughton Sanctuary Roger Tempest tells Entrepreneur UK about his journey from a frosty childhood at Broughton Hall to leading the charge in sustainability at Broughton Sanctuary.

Tempest is the 32nd generation of the same family who have lived at or near Broughton since the 11th century. A true believer that "perseverance is a key ingredient to success," Roger has a knack for navigating challenges, and his entrepreneurial journey is a testament to the power of determination.

His career spans founding the national rural regeneration company Rural Solutions and assuming the role of executive chairman of Rural Concepts Group, an investor specialising in UK and international commercial, leisure, and residential development projects, overseeing significant development projects in North Africa. Today, he finds his primary purpose as a steward of nature and the land at Broughton Sanctuary, a 3,000 acre retreat, a far cry from the draughty family home when he was a child.

Roger underscores the importance of resilience, sustainability, and a holistic approach to business that incorporates social and environmental responsibilities. Discover how his commitment to the environment is shaping the future of his family's historic estate.

For background, can you tell Entrepreneur UK readers a little about growing up in Broughton Hall? Being the 32nd generation in a family who have stayed in one area for over a thousand years is a little peculiar. However the main new house built in 1597 was somewhat short of modern conveniences when I was a child - no heating and rarely hot water and long distances in a 97 room house from the kitchen to my bedroom. One morning I remember snow on the billiard table and another day I had to put antifreeze down a toilet. We used to put overcoats on inside as it was so cold. But overall it was a good experience just perhaps not all it appears. Now it has been fully refurbished, we have wifi and hot water on tap!

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What steps did you take to turn Broughton Sanctuary into a thriving business and what was the motivation behind doing it in the first place?
We had many challenges to survive; whether being a Catholic recusant family being killed for our faith, or our major issue being inheritance and capital taxes which take a lifetime to pay. So the motivation is survival and making sure we are relevant to the needs of our times. Our social outputs are a vital ingredient to what we do and have been integral to the development of Broughton Sanctuary. We live and operate with a 'give more than we take' style of thinking. Perseverance is a key ingredient to success.

Can you offer an insight into your vision for integrating sustainability into your business operations and should startups follow suit?
There are inevitable issues in life and a major one is the need to be sustainable and to ensure that our planet is left in better condition that we found it. At Broughton Sanctuary we are clearing non renewables like oil out of our system, we're increasing biodiversity and protecting and enhancing nature. It's hard to imagine a future where new businesses aren't operating with sustainability in mind. It's no longer a choice, it's essential and expected.

What do you hope for the future of Broughton Sanctuary?
That is a force for good on all fronts; environmentally, socially, commercially and culturally.

For early-stage startups, what is your one top tip to successfully navigate the initial growth phase and achieve scalability?
Perseverance with common sense. Surrounding yourself with people who have different skill sets to your own is also important.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs wanting to incorporate environmental principles into their existing businesses?
They can start by understanding and assessing their footprint. Identify the areas where the most energy, water, and materials are being used. This helps pinpoint the most impactful areas for improvement.

Then explore ways to mitigate and reduce - we love the mantra 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle'. Explore ways to reuse materials in your production process or find creative second lives for products. Implement a robust recycling program and find environmentally conscious partners. Keeping it as local as possible is a good rule of thumb.

Is focusing on biodiversity crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of startups?

I strongly believe it is. As a society we are becoming increasingly concerned about biodiversity loss and so startups who position themselves as responsible in this field are immediately attractive.

In fact there's a booming "NatureTech" sector with startups developing solutions for biodiversity measurement, restoration, and sustainable resource management. There's huge potential in this field - of introducing innovative ways for others to incorporate or support biodiversity.

Many don't realise the bigger impact of biodiversity loss - from disrupted supply chains, resource scarcity, and extreme weather events. So integrating biodiversity is a significant form of future-proofing.

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