“Leadership is built in the quiet moments. In the kitchen, the waiting room, and the times no one is watching.”
Welcome. I’m Andrew Finlayson, a writer, speaker, and after working in many industries, I'm now a public service leader. My journey began in Blackpool, UK, in a working-class home where responsibility arrived early and leadership meant showing up for people when it mattered most. Those foundations shaped how I lead today. With care, clarity, and a belief that every voice matters.
This is a space to explore my latest writing, follow the progress of my forthcoming books, and discover the ideas, stories, and causes that inspire me. Here you will find articles, reflections, an inspiring reading list, and the voices of people whose experiences have shaped my journey.
Leadership, Resilience, and the Power of Lived Experience
I write at the intersection of lived experience and leadership, where strategy meets empathy and systems meet stories. I've two forthcoming books that explore these worlds from different angles. Both manuscripts have been years in the making. They began with reflection and a set of questions that have guided much of my life: what shapes our values, what drives us to take responsibility, and how we grow through struggle rather than despite it. My search for answers has taken me across industries, through public service transformation, and into the lives of people whose stories continue to humble and inspire me.
Away from work and writing, my personal life has shaped me just as profoundly. I live with disabilities and have spent many years as a carer, experiences that have sharpened my empathy and resilience. I have faced my challenges with mental health, learning that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. I am married to Tracey, whose own story of courage and service inspires me daily, and together we have built a life grounded in shared values, love, and mutual support. These experiences enrich the authenticity and depth found within my leadership books and validate my role as a personal development author.
The books that I've got in progress
Mindset to Mastery: Navigating the Journey to Leadership is a practical, motivational guide for anyone stepping into leadership without a ready-made blueprint. It blends psychology, personal insight, and the belief that leadership is not about titles but about clarity, inclusion, and showing up when it matters.
Forged: A Modern Day Moral Compass is more personal. It gathers true stories from remarkable people whose lives speak to resilience, caregiving, identity, grief, and transformation. These are honest accounts of navigating hardship with purpose and discovering strength through compassion, conscience, and choice.
The people in these stories are not famous. They are parents, carers and community members who have faced challenges that test values and identity. Their experiences remind us that courage and growth are not exclusive to boardrooms or headlines. They are forged in everyday lives.
Be the first to hear when my books launch, read early extracts, and get updates on new articles. Email me on
Opening the Door
It seems out of sorts to create a website about me. Over the years, I have worked on thousands of projects for student unions, businesses, charities, campaigns, and even family ventures, but never one solely focused on me. Hiring graduates, recruiting talent, promoting or selling a product, educating on the latest technology, or sharing news and current affairs, but never my story. Sharing these books means opening the door and inviting others in, so here we are.
