Adam Walsh: Mentoring the Next Generation at John Good Group

Adam Walsh, CEO of the John Good Group, champions young talent with a positive and pragmatic approach in today’s evolving workplace. Leading a 193-year-old Hull-based shipping and travel specialist, Adam views the next generation as a vital opportunity to redesign roles and harness their unique strengths. As a Key Partner of For Entrepreneurs Only, housing FEO’s offices at John Good alongside the Matthew Good Foundation and Sailors’ Children’s Society - Adam embodies shared values of community support, mentorship, and business growth.

A Leader Committed to Connection

Adam joined John Good in 2022 after building his career from a base in Leeds, where he ran businesses across multiple sectors. Having previously served as marketing manager at Rix, he returned to Hull determined to reconnect John Good – a historic firm often unknown beyond shipping circles - with the local business community. “When I told people I was coming to lead John Good, many asked, ‘Who’s that?’” Adam recalls. While researching local networks before joining, FEO stood out as uniquely special, established businesses mentoring startups, sharing expertise to help others avoid pitfalls and accelerate their success.

Values and Input

FEO’s ethos aligned closely with John Good’s own values, particularly through the Matthew Good Foundation, the company’s charitable arm. Founded by Tim Good after the sudden death of his older brother, Matthew - who tragically died while running for charity - Tim, holding more than 75% of shares in the group, chose philanthropy over running the company. “It’s people giving time, expertise, and networks so we all benefit,” Adam says.

As a Key Partner for over a year, John Good provides financial support, free office space, and active participation in FEO’s business programmes. Adam personally mentors two FEO members, guiding them since 2022 through business maturation, family dynamics, and launching new divisions. One mentee, he says, “is the epitome of an entrepreneur - a thousand ideas, working at a hundred miles an hour. We’ve worked on transitioning him from frontman to back-office while bringing his sons into the fold.”

Investing in Young Talent at John Good

Adam’s optimism shines brightest when discussing young people. At John Good, which has grown from 80 to more than 200 employees under his leadership, he prioritises hiring for values and ambition. The central leadership team exemplifies this: “They’re all high-energy performers.” After selling the logistics division – taking John Good’s central services with it - Adam had a “blank canvas” to embed a new culture from day one.

A standout example is Megan Nicklas, Marketing Manager. Last year, John Good acquired Padlocks.co.uk, an e-commerce business now housed under marketing. Spotting Megan’s entrepreneurial potential, Megan was encouraged to join FEO’s “Unleashing the Entrepreneur Within” programme. The results were transformative. “Two-and-a-half years ago, she struggled with imposter syndrome. Now she presents confidently, runs a business daily, earned a promotion and was one of our star performers in 2025. We’ve invested in her development, but FEO was a key step in making Megan one of our top performers - so much so, that another team member will join the programme this year."

Adam’s own entrepreneurial ventures reinforce this approach. Beyond John Good, he co-owns a fuel consultancy launched during the pandemic, growing to nearly £1m turnover in five years with just five people. It faces familiar FEO-style challenges - consistent growth, motivation, performance management. “We resonate with FEO members’ stories.”

A Positive Take on Generational Shifts

Unlike some who lament “entitlement,” Adam brings nuance to generational differences. Post-pandemic reflection has led mid-career workers toward better work-life balance - a healthy shift. Younger graduates, shaped by social media’s promise of quick success, expect faster career progression. “They’ve been set different expectations,” he observes. “When my career started I was told it takes 20 years to reach the top; now some believe it’s instant for a lucky few.”

Adam reframes this positively: “Maybe the new generation of workers have got it right - enjoying youth while they can, delaying major decisions like marriage and children until their 30s, and exploring jobs in their 20s to find purpose over the concept of a traditional career.” Reflecting on his own path - A-levels, marketing degree, straight into a career - he wishes he’d travelled sooner. “There’s the old saying about youth being wasted on the youth. I think that’s changing. I think if you compare the generation before me, who would have followed a traditional career path, and had their time away from work in later life, with the generation after me, who aren’t settling into the traditional career path routines in their 20’s, instead finding purpose, living to their values and then ask yourself, which cohort has got it right? I’d have to say it’s this generation coming through.”

Employers must adapt, Adam argues. Traditional entry-level roles - which were just “button-clicking” - are no longer suitable. “Try and design impactful jobs from day one,” he advises. Young people excel at AI, social media, and LinkedIn. No previous generation wins the generational battle; the next always does, we need to accept that quicker.”

At John Good, structured flexibility prevails with designated office days for collaboration, output-focused over mere presence. Hybrid models suit travel operations, but Adam regrets that new entrants to working life do miss office learning and experiencing office politics, cross-generational conversations. “

FEO and John Good - Shared Impact

John Good’s Key Partnership sustains FEO’s collective strength, supporting combined turnover and jobs through member contributions. “Charities pitch to the same 20-25 businesses. They can all learn from FEO’s simplicity which resonates with us, clear impact for modest investment, including trade-offs like free office space for John Good."

Adam praises the FEO team - Jan and April: "They live and breathe it." As John Good evolves - surviving pandemics and wars by focusing the core business amid chaos - FEO accelerates regional success. "Keep banging the drum," he urges.

Building Brighter Futures

Adam Walsh leads with empathy and foresight, turning generational differences into strengths. By mentoring FEO entrepreneurs, supporting programmes, and rethinking roles at John Good, his focus is purpose-driven careers. Young people are the future, the solution, if we adapt. In Hull's business ecosystem, his approach builds not just companies, but confident leaders ready to thrive.