In this episode of the Dyslexia Explored Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Jo Lee interview Darren Clark, who discovered he was dyslexic at 36 after hearing a TV interview and researching via the British Dyslexia Association. Darren recounts severe isolation at secondary school, being placed in a “unit,” missing exams, and leaving with no qualifications, alongside growing up in an unsafe, high-crime area. He describes getting his first job pushing trolleys at Sainsbury’s, progressing through retail to senior leadership overseeing 76 stores and a £4m weekly budget, supported by mentor Robin Stevens. Darren shares entrepreneurial ventures including a large cleaning business, selling a social media company, and losing businesses during COVID while caring for his terminally ill mother. He explains dyslexia strengths like tenacity, communication, and outsourcing, and details advocacy work with the BDA and internationally, including Kenya and Malawi, school talks reaching over a million students, and his message to protect personal voice alongside AI.
Links:
- Ivvi: https://www.ivvi.app/
- What is Dyslexia: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia
- How to Mindmap: https://www.bulletmapacademy.com/mindmap-beginners
- Darren’s Linkedin - www.linkedin.com/in/darrenclark2
- Neurodiversity Stories Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@neurodiversitystories5128
- British Dyslexia Association: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
- International Dyslexia Association: https://dyslexiaida.org/
- SEND: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs
- SEN Support: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/special-educational-needs-support
- Disabled Students Allowance: https://www.ivvi.app/dsa-for-dyslexia
Interested in being a guest? Email us at [email protected]
