Heligo Books, the business and smart thinking imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has acquired Paying it Forward: How to be a Social Entrepreneur from leading social entrepreneur and campaigner, Josh Littlejohn MBE.
Editorial Director Rik Ubhi acquired world all language rights from Adrian Sington at Kruger Cowne.
When Josh Littlejohn started a small sandwich shop in his home city of Edinburgh, he would never have thought that within ten years it would be frequented by Hollywood megastars, that he would have opened a string of successful cafés across the UK, and that he would be honoured with an MBE by the Queen. Not to mention raising over £25 million to combat homelessness around the world. And all set in motion by a Big Issue seller, named Pete, walking into his café one day and sheepishly asking for a job.
Paying It Forward is part memoir, part manifesto for social entrepreneurship, and part manual for putting purpose ahead of profit. It reveals what social entrepreneurship is and how it can make a difference. How if only one in five entrepreneurs became social entrepreneurs our world would be in a much better state. How we can ‘Calculate Risks’; why we should ‘Help Just One Person’ every day; and that ‘If You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get’. The book brilliantly guides readers towards the path of becoming a social entrepreneur and to making a difference in the world.
Paying it Forward: How to be a Social Entrepreneur has a foreword written by Sir Bob Geldof, who writes: ‘Throughout this book, you will be taken on a remarkable journey—a journey that encapsulates the power of entrepreneurship and the indomitable spirit of the human heart.’
Josh Littlejohn MBE said: “Paying it Forward encapsulates my life and career so far as a social entrepreneur, and all the ups and downs, trials and tribulations, the long-hours and humour along the way. I hope it offers practical lessons to inspire all entrepreneurs to value purpose and people as much as just profit. Most importantly, I hope it shines a light on the remarkable people who have motivated me to spark change and who are making a remarkable difference in the world in their own ways, too. It’s been a pleasure to work with Rik and the team at Heligo Books on Paying it Forward and I can’t wait for people to read the book next month.”
Rik Ubhi said: “I could not be prouder to publish the remarkable Josh Littlejohn and to share his inspirational story with the world. Josh is a true trailblazer of social enterprise, who has created a movement that spans the globe. Now, in Paying it Forward, he reveals how we can all do our own bit to shape our world for the better: how we can and must harness our entrepreneurial energies for good, put purpose over pure profit, and pay it forward to those around us.”
It has also gained praise from several other early readers. Alan Jope, CEO of Unilever says: ‘Paying it Forward powerfully makes the case that entrepreneurship must become a systematic force for good.’ Novelist Irvine Welsh says: ‘Josh Littlejohn is a rockstar of social impact.’ And Richard Curtis CBE comments: ‘Full of heart, honesty, humour, and genuinely helpful advice, Paying it Forward is an essential read for our times.’ Other endorsers include Sir Chris Hoy, Dame Helen Mirren, and Line of Duty star Martin Compston.
Josh Littlejohn MBE is a leading social entrepreneur and campaigner who is tackling homelessness and displacement around the world. Josh began working on the homelessness issue when he co-founded Social Bite, a social enterprise in Scotland, UK, with a mission to eradicate homelessness. In 2018, Josh and his team launched the Social Bite Village, offering homes to almost one thousand vulnerable people and rough sleepers. In 2019, Josh launched ‘The World’s Big Sleepout’, with events in over 52 cities around the globe, and 60,000 people sleeping out in the world’s largest ever display of solidarity for homeless and displaced people.
Josh has so far helped raise over £25 million for charitable and homelessness causes and received an MBE from the Queen. He has received a Pride of Britain Award, a Robert Burns Humanitarian Award, five honorary doctorates and he also been included in Debrett’s list of the most influential people in the UK.
Paying it Forward: How to be a Social Entrepreneur will be published in hardback, audio and eBook on 17thAugust 2023. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Social Bite to help combat homelessness.
