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Hywel Roberts describes himself as a Teacher, Speaker, Humourist, and Writer. Back in 2009, he made a bold decision that would transform his life and career. He left behind a secure job as a secondary school teacher to embark on a freelance career. This new path allowed him to combine his love of teaching with his passion for creativity and imagination. He founded Create Learn Inspire which has now been inspiring educators worldwide for over 15 years.
Hywel was employed as an English and Drama teacher and enjoyed his time in the classroom.
“I was happy and did well,” he says, “but I didn’t aspire to be a head teacher. I wanted to stay connected to the kids and the teaching itself.”
He became and Advanced Skills Teacher, giving him the opportunity to explore innovative teaching methods by visiting other schools. Eventually though, he felt like he’d hit a brick wall and couldn’t see himself doing the same thing for another 30 years.
Resigning from his teaching post was a gamble but, within weeks, Hywel’s calendar filled up. Barnsley Council invited him to train new teachers in the region. And social media platforms like Twitter helped him showcase what he was doing.
By the end of his first year, Hywel was earning as much as he had as a teacher. But running a business came with challenges.
“I had no idea about the financial side of things,” Hywel admits. “As a public servant, someone else takes care of everything and you get looked after. Suddenly, I realised earning £200 didn’t mean keeping £200!”
Hywel’s brother-in-law had an office at The Business Village and suggested Hywel moved in. He was soon working from a rented desk in the office and had access to business support.
“The Business Village was brilliant for my mental health,” he recalls. “I’d been a professional for 16 years, getting up every day and going to work. It was important for me to keep that sense of purpose and going to The Business Village gave structure to my day.”
Hywel also found a community of people at The Business Village and says he felt like he was among friends.
“I met accountants and other people who explained things like payment terms and pricing. If I wasn’t sure of something, there was always someone on hand to ask. The level of support offered was incredible.”
Even today, with a thriving global business, Hywel maintains a connection to The Business Village.
“It’s still my business address, and I love that it’s on Innovation Way,” he says with a laugh. “It’s a perfect name for a business offering creativity and innovation!”
Hywel’s freelance career has flourished over the years. In 2012, he wrote Oops! Helping Children Learn Accidentally, a book that helped establish him as an expert and showed his talent for making learning fun.
“The book became my passport to better work,” he explains. “It sold really well, and meant I could charge more for my services.”
As a consultant, Hywel offers keynote speaking, classroom demonstrations, and everything between. His clients include schools, education trusts, and councils. But he’s also worked with corporate clients too.
Hywel’s most recent book, Botheredness, is helping him offer even more support to teachers. It encourages them to use storytelling and creativity to connect with children.
“I want to share ways to get kids excited about rivers when they’re living in poverty and haven’t got a bed to sleep in. By wrapping the lesson in a story, teachers can make it important to them. We often talk about our children being creative and imaginative, but we need our adults to be that too.”
Looking ahead, Hywel plans to launch a subscription website, Botheredness.co.uk in early 2025. Designed for educators, it will offer resources such as lesson planning, podcasts, and videos.
“There’s a recruitment and retention crisis in education right now,” says Hywel. “Teachers are under pressure so I want to give them inspiration and ideas to use in the classroom. The website will have four levels of support, starting with free content. Teachers can subscribe for extra content as an individual, or schools and trusts can buy it for all their staff. I’ve got loads of ideas and want to help teachers rediscover their passion for work.”
As his business grows, Hywel is glad to continue being involved with The Business Village.
“It’s been 15 years, and I’m still grateful for everything they’ve done,” he says. “Starting a business felt like building a plane while flying it. But The Business Village gave me encouragement and support. Being located there feels like you’re a part of something, and that’s important when you work alone.”
