The Flip-Flop Philanthropist

Rob Forkan has been on an incredible journey. With younger brother Paul he runs Gandys, which uses some of its profits to help orphans in India – just one reason this fast-growing flip-flop brand continues to win admirers. Rob’s amazing story, which includes surviving the 2004 tsunami that claimed his parents’ lives, as told to Mark Williams, proves that some good can come out of the most terrible tragedy.

Rob Forkan (pictured above right) was born in 1987 in Carshalton and grew up in Croydon. “Our upbringing wasn’t unconventional,” he says, “but mum and dad always encouraged us to go outside and play. Being a couch potato wasn’t an option.”

Kevin and Sandra Forkan were compassionate, fun loving, generous parents

Kevin and Sandra Forkan were compassionate, fun loving, generous parents. “Mum was creative; dad was good at business. They met while working for a car dealership. Later, they ran their own business, selling end-of-line clothes via fashion shows at universities, schools and hospitals. They’d donate back money raised from ticket sales and raffles.”

Rob didn’t have any career ambitions as a child, but showed some entrepreneurial instinct. “I remember earning money from washing people’s cars,” he smiles.

Humanitarian projects

The Forkans had six children – Marie, Joanne, Rob, Paul, Matty and Rosie. They enjoyed travelling and wanted their children to experience other cultures, so, in 2001, after selling their house, Kevin and Sandra took their youngest children out of school and headed for India, a place they’d fallen in love with on a previous holiday. The plan was to volunteer for humanitarian projects. “I was 13, Paul was 11, Matty was nine and Rosie just five,” Rob remembers. “Marie and Joanne were older and stayed in the UK.”

Despite the extreme hardship they witnessed, the Forkans loved India and enjoyed mixing with local people. “We received a ‘social education’,” says Rob. “We were learning communication and negotiating skills and became very confident because we were mainly mixing with adults. There are many life skills that you’re not going to learn from a school text book or classroom in the UK.”

The full force of the tsunami hit Weligama, with a 20-foot wave devastating the hotel, sending water raging through every room

Asian tsunami

Shortly before Christmas 2004, the Forkans flew south to Sri Lanka, their destination, the Neptune Hotel in the small fishing village of Weligama. After a hugely enjoyable Christmas Day on the beach, horror followed on Boxing Day.

“Paul and I were sharing a room and it was just after 8.30am that I heard screams outside,” Rob recalls. On seeing water trickling under the door, he shouted to Paul. Then, the full force of the tsunami hit Weligama, with a 20-foot wave devastating the hotel, sending water raging through every room. “We had to fight for our lives,” says Rob.

He managed to get out of the room and onto the roof, dragging Paul with him. Nearby, while making sure Matty and Rosie got to safety, Rob’s parents were swept away by the water’s force. That was the last time he saw them alive. Kevin was 54 years old; his wife Sandra, just 40.

Mercifully, all four children survived. And while bruised, battered, hungry, exhausted, barefoot and traumatised by what had happened, they managed to hitchhike 120 miles to the international airport in Colombo. “Because we’d been out there doing what we were doing, we’d toughened up a lot,” reflects Rob.

Rob’s parents were swept away by the water’s force. That was the last time he saw them alive

Free spirits

Some time after flying back to the UK, eldest sister Marie (then 21) adopted her three youngest siblings (Rob was too old for adoption) and they went to live in Hampshire. Rob worked briefly as a lifeguard on Bournemouth Beach, before moving back to Farnborough and finding jobs in customer service and advertising/marketing account management.

Neither Rob nor Paul had lost their wanderlust and they explored many countries in South East Asia, as well India, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Most of the time they wore flip-flops – a symbol of their freedom. Having trained to be a plumber, Paul ended up in Australia, doing various jobs to get by. But inspired by their parents, Rob and Paul remained free spirits.

I wanted to start my own business and create a brand that reflected our upbringing and the outlook our parents gave us

“Despite everything, I still wanted to make a difference,” Rob explains. “I wanted to start my own business and create a brand that reflected our upbringing and the outlook our parents gave us. Many families were devastated by the Tsunami, and many children, like us, were left orphaned. They didn’t have the support we had. I wanted to help.”

After a heavy night at a music festival, Rob woke up with a terrible hangover. “I remember saying I had a ‘mouth like Gandhi’s flip-flop’… That was it! Not only did I have my business idea, but also the beginnings of a brand name. Later I rang Paul and he loved the idea. Soon he returned to the UK and in late 2011 we launched the business – Gandys – from my flat in Brixton. We changed the name because we didn’t want to cause any offence.”

Passion, change, hope and inspire are key words for us

Orphans for Orphans

From the start, the Forkan brothers decided to give a percentage of their profits over to building orphanages in India as part of their ‘Orphans for Orphans’ campaign. “The idea is to improve children’s health and access to education,” explains Rob. “Passion, change, hope and inspire are key words for us.”

2016 was a watershed year for Gandys. They collaborated with Liberty London, the V&A museum and the Rolling Stones on limited edition flip flops – which are now being worn by over 250,000 ‘brand ambassadors’. They also extended the brand further by launching their first clothing range – which included jumpers, jeans and swimwear – and they opened their first stores. The Forkan brothers have ambitious plans for the year ahead too! In addition to their Kids’ Campus in Sri Lanka, they will be building a second campus in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Final question: would mum and dad be proud? Rob replies: “I get asked that a lot and always struggle to answer… I feel like we’ve only just started, so I’m not ready to step back and assess things. We have great products and a great brand, and I’m very proud that our success will help to improve the lives of children who really need that help. Our parents remain a great inspiration for us, too…. Would they be proud of what we’re doing? Yes, I think they would…”

• This profile appeared originally on the Start Up Donut website. Since it was written, profits generated by Gandys sales have helped to build four kids campuses worldwide. The Forkans' good work continues.

Bake Off business lessons: What are the key ingredients for success?

We love The Great British Bake Off in our house. We tune in every week. Reportedly, more than 10.8m viewers watched the first episode of the 11th series when it aired in September (6.9m viewers watched it live, the rest caught it on, erm, catch-up). It was Channel 4’s biggest broadcast since 1985.

The BAFTA-winning show was produced for the BBC before moving to Channel 4. And in case you’re not a fan, it stars no-nonsense master baker Paul Hollywood and fellow judge, food writer Prue Leith (who replaced British cookery royalty Mary Berry). Comedians Noel Fielding and new boy Matt Lucas provide the laughs.

Competing over ten weeks for the much coveted “UK’s Best Amateur Baker” crown are 12 non-professionals. Each week they attempt different baking styles and methods, creating  “Signature”, “Technical” and “Showstopper” bakes along the way. One contestant is named “Star Baker” by the judges, while another must leave the show, until one wins the final episode.

Smutty innuendo is a key reason why viewers love Bake Off. But among the “soggy bottoms” and bun and bap double entrendres, the GBBO offers many valuable lessons for business owners. Such as…

1 Good time management is essential

Not a single minute can be wasted when you have just a few hours to create a show-stopping Croquembouche or Flaouna to pass a tough technical test. The same is true in business. To maximise your productivity and profitability, you must make every second count.  

2 You must be able to handle pressure

Whether you’re in the Bake Off tent or running your own business, some pressure is inevitable, at least some of the time. If you can manage that pressure so it doesn’t turn into stress, you can overcome challenges and achieve great things. 

3 Proper planning pays off

Executing a well thought-out plan is essential to wowing the Bake Off judges. Contestants are often to be seen ticking off lists while working their way through highly challenging recipes. Similarly, sticking to a sound business plan strategy can ensure that you stay on track and achieve your ambitions.

4 Simplicity is usually best

Complexity often leads to disaster on the GBBO. Leave yourself far too much to do within your available time is setting yourself up for failure. And while pushing yourself is a good thing, setting impossible objectives isn’t. Better to keep things simple and do the basics well.

5 Success is built on consistency

Quality matters in baking and business, but you’re only as good as your last bake, task or job. Even star bakers and businesses can come unstuck if they fail to deliver quality time after time.

6 Everyone makes mistakes

Even those who have won the Bake Off have had mishaps along the way. Sometimes mistakes can be rectified, sometimes they can’t, but no one gets it right all the time. Making mistakes is acceptable – not learning from them isn’t.

7 You should listen to expert advice

There’s no doubting Paul Hollywood’s expertise. When things go wrong on Bake Off, he provides an immediate explanation, based on his deep knowledge and decades of experience. Bake Off shows that constructive criticism and advice from others can help us to improve.

8 Your personality should shine through

Your personality can help to set you part from other businesses, which is vital. Whether they’ve been tasked with making a macaron, bread roll or tea cake, successful Bake Off contestants put something of themselves into their creations. Being who you are can help to fuel your success. Viewers and customers like authenticity.

9 Appearance isn’t everything

On Bake Off we frequently see outwardly beautiful creations picked apart for lacking flavour or crunch. Sometimes they’re over or under baked. Similarly, an impressive business website can be undermined by poor customer service. Substance is more important.

10 Who dares (usually) wins

Sometimes you must be prepared to think outside the box and do things differently if you are to triumph. Whether that’s spicing up teacakes with masala chai or adding cream soda flavouring to your cheesecake topping, in business and the Bake Off – fortune favours the brave.

• You can watch the series so far on catch-up or by visiting the Channel 4 website. Blog written by Dead Good Content founder, Mark Williams.

What do your branding colour choices say about your business?

When it comes to your corporate identity, which is, basically, the visual expression of your brand personality, your colour choices are crucial.

As explained on the UXPlanet.org: “Colours hold power to influence your audience’s feelings and behaviours. They are a vehicle for meaning and sense.” Moreover, choosing the right colours will “help [to] convey your personality, while creating an emotional connection with your audience. In contrast, the wrong colours can mislead people about who you are and deter the ones that you would like to attract.”

In other words, the colours you choose for your corporate identity, showcased in everything from your letterheads and invoices to signs, packaging, staff uniforms (possibly) and your website, will help to shape perceptions of your business. So, what do your colour choices say about your business?

Red

According to www.colormatters.com: “Red is the colour of extremes. It’s the colour of passionate love, seduction, violence, danger, anger and adventure.” Red captures our attention; it’s one of the most visible colours.

Marketing agency CityGro goes as far as to say: “Red raises the blood pressure and makes people hungry” (which is possibly why so many food brands use red). Red is reportedly used by 29% of the world’s top 100 brands in their corporate IDs.

• Did you know?

Approximately 77% of the world’s country flags feature red, which is the international colour for stop. Red is considered a very lucky colour in China.

Blue

“Blue is cold, wet, and slow” in contrast to “red’s warmth, fire and intensity”, www.colourmatters.com tells us, adding that “blue has more complex and contradictory meanings than any other colour”. While dark blue signifies “trust, dignity, intelligence and authority”, bright blue signifies “cleanliness, strength, dependability and coolness”, with light blue signifying “peace, serenity, the ethereal, spiritual and infinity”.

While blue connotes sadness, it also signifies safety, reliability, tradition and convention – which partly explains why it’s the most commonly used corporate ID colour (it’s used by a third of the world’s top 100 brands). Blue is believed to suppress our appetite, which is why it’s rarely used to market food brands.

• Did you know?

More than half (53%) of the world’s flags feature blue. About 8% of people on Earth have blue eyes.

Green

Green signifies growth, rebirth and fertility. It also has associations with nature and the environment, of course, as well as being “go” to red’s “stop” in traffic light systems. Green also suggests vitality, healthy living and freshness, which is why many supermarkets use it.

According to BournCreative.com: “Green is soothing, relaxing and youthful. Green is a colour that helps alleviate anxiety, depression and nervousness”. Green also “brings with it a sense of hope, health, adventure and renewal, as well as self-control, compassion and harmony.”

• Did you know?

In Ireland, green is thought to be a lucky colour, while it’s considered a holy colour in Islamic countries. Dirty jokes in Spain are described as green jokes.

Yellow

According to www.colormatters.com: “Yellow is the most luminous of all colours… It captures our attention more than any other colour. It’s the colour of happiness, optimism, enlightenment, creativity and sunshine.”

However, in some cultures, yellow is associated with “cowardice, betrayal, egoism and madness”. BournCreative.com says: “Yellow helps activate the memory, encourage communication, enhance vision, build confidence and stimulate the nervous system”.

• Did you know?

In China, “adult films” are referred to as “yellow movies”. In Japan, yellow represents courage.

Other colours

Orange (according to www.colourmatters.com) “symbolises energy, vitality, cheer, excitement, adventure, warmth and good health”, while it can also apparently “suggest a lack of serious intellectual values and bad taste”. Orange is also thought to stimulate the appetite – something that can’t have escaped Sainsbury’s attention.

Light purples are “light-hearted, floral and romantic”, with darker purples “more intellectual and dignified”. Purple is also associated with decadence, conceit, snobbishness and mourning.

According to citygro.com, pink is “feminine, innocent and gentle”, representing “innocence and delicateness”. Brown is “natural, earthy and rough”; it’s used to “represent construction and depth”. And while white signifies “peace, purity and cleanliness”, black is distinctive, sophisticated and classic; it’s serious and has authority.

• Did you know?

Only two countries have purple in their flag – Dominica and Nicaragua. Black is an “achromatic colour” – a colour without hue – as are white and grey.

Choosing colours

Your colour choices should be guided by your business’s personality and how you want it to be perceived. According to Canva.com, Richard Branson chose Virgin’s vibrant red colour to encourage his customers to be “bold and confident, mirroring his own distinct business methods. Coca-Cola shares this approach, using red to appear energetic, vibrant and memorable”.

Offering advice, it adds: “If you want someone to be excited or energetic while browsing your website, consider bold colours [such as] red, yellow or orange. Or, for a calming effect, try pastels or nature-inspired blues and greens.” Looking at your competitors’ colour choices may help you to choose the right corporate ID colours, although, obviously, you need to set yourself apart (and their choices may not be effective). You can take influence from successful brands, of course.

It’s often said that there is no such thing as “bad colours”, although bad colour combinations certainly do. Some colours work well together, others don’t. There are colour theory rules, and once you’ve decided on a main colour, a colour wheel may help you to decide others (some website-design software and templates provide helpful set colour palettes).

Colour palette

It’s not wise to use too many colours in your corporate identity. Less is most definitely more. And as with most things in life and business, simple is often best. According to Matt Solar’s blog on the Marketo website: “95% of the [world’s] top 100 brands only use one or two colours.”

As explained on Canva.com: “Many designers recommend using the 60-30-10 rule, which suggests you choose a palette of three colours, using the ratio of 60%, 30% and 10%”. Once you’ve chosen your colours, you can put them together on a mood board, to gain a better idea of how well they work together and what emotions they evoke.

Not everyone has an eye for colour, of course, but creating the right corporate identity is very important. So, budget permitting, you could always pay an agency or freelance to create your corporate identity. If so, set a budget, get at least three quotes for comparison, check out their work for other small businesses, understand exactly what you’ll get for your money and stick to your budget. You can create a highly impressive corporate ID, even on a tight budget.

• This blog appeared originally on the Manage My Website website.