Company director who relied on free school meals gives £1million to young entrepreneurs found through his new YouTube show Millionaire Mentor

A multi-millionaire businessman who grew up relying on free school meals is giving away £1 million as part of a YouTube show called Millionaire Mentor, which aims to find young entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Just 12 when his interest in business was first peaked by a self-help audiobook which he listened to every night before bed, at the same age, company director Roy Ledgister, 48, started washing cars and, by 24, became the UK’s youngest  senior law partner.

But life was tough for Roy, his solicitor sister Tracey Ledgister, 52, and their mum Joyce Ledgister, 71,  who moved to Britain from the Caribbean in the 1960s.

A single parent after she separated from Roy’s dad when he was two, Joyce still aimed high and went on to be awarded an MBE in 2012 for her decades of dedicated service working for HM Revenue and Customs.

Raised in the then tough west London neighbourhood of Shepherd’s Bush, Roy, who still lives in the vicinity with his beautician wife Naomi Ledgister, 38, and has five children, Nia, 21, Blake, 12, Oliver, five, Myles, three, and Charlotte, one, said: “I was born into a black Caribbean family and raised by my single mother.

“But when I was just 12 I found a self-help cassette and I realised that I could influence life outcomes by following simple rules for success, and that my background wasn’t holding me back, it was my strength.”

He added: “I was brainwashed to be positive. And I want to empower others and help them on their journeys.”

Now a property tycoon and founder of investment firm Convivia – which  raised the finances for a nine figure investment in affordable housing – through his Apprentice-style show, Roy hopes to give back to his community and encourage UK youngsters from an “untypical” business mould to find their footing like he did.

Bouncing between houses and bed and breakfasts as a child, Roy recalled the joy he felt when he finally moved into a housing association property with his mum and sister, where they all slept in the same room together.

He said: “I remember thinking it was quite fun at the time as we were all sleeping in the same room together.”

But his mum was a “grafter,” who made sure her children had everything they needed to succeed in life.

Roy said: “My mum worked damn hard. She was a grafter, she made sure we had everything. She refused to allow us to live on a rough estate and did everything to provide for us.”

He added: “She would never settle for second best, which allowed us to find a springboard for success. She was disciplined and order and respect for authority were standards she lived by.

“I never want to embarrass her, because she did everything for us, but she inspired me. Hard work was all I knew because of her.

“She was my mum and my dad rolled into one and did a superb job.”

And it was her discarded self-help audio book, The Magic of Thinking Big by David J Schwartz that, from the age of 12, convinced Roy he could achieve anything.

He said: “I always wanted to be a lawyer as a kid. The idea of being in the courtroom just appealed to me and the tape made me think it was possible.

“I listened to it every day before bed. As a kid I was scared of the dark, but hearing the tape felt like I had someone in my room with me.”

Only realising his family was hard-up when he noticed that his schoolmates all had pocket money and paid for food each day, while he relied on free school meals,  Roy was determined to change this.

Offering car washing services around his neighbourhood when he turned 12, within two years he had hired a couple of pals to join his £200-a-month venture.

He said: “When I realised I was different to my schoolfriends, as I didn’t have pocket money and my school meals were free, I was a bit embarrassed.”

He added: “I just wanted some money and didn’t think being 12 or 13 should make a difference.”

By 14, he was longing to become a lawyer, so sent hand written letters to law firms around London, only to keep getting rejections.

Then, at 15, he landed his big break when he met two barristers, Barry Cliff and James O’Keefe, at his school’s careers day.

Roy said: “My school had a careers day and two barristers showed up. I went to a comprehensive and no one went to speak to them.

“Their backgrounds were similar to mine. Barry Cliff used to be a coal miner, James O’Keefe, who turned out to be my first boss, sold me the dream.”

Trying his best to fit into the mould, Roy recalled reading the Today newspaper on his first day in chambers, aged 15, as he wanted to appear intellectual.

But he quickly realised he did not need to pretend.

He said: “I realised the lawyers were just normal people.

“I thought, ‘I can do this.'”

Beginning work experience at O’Keefe’s Solicitors in 1995,  by the time he was 20, Roy was taking on murder and drug cases, as he wanted to do his part to help his own community.

He realised in the court rooms that his background and upbringing gave him an edge over other barristers, which he used to his advantage.

Roy said: “We covered murders, drug cases, I’d help take witness statements. If someone got arrested, I might rock up to represent them.”

He added: “People have an idea of what barristers should look like, but I realised that our backgrounds gave us an edge in the courtroom and that was inspiring.

“That planted the seed for me. If you had a difficult background it could be a superpower.”

In 1998, aged 24, Roy set up his own law firm in Shepherd’s Bush – Ledgisters –  where he was a senior partner up until 2005.

But the legal profession was struggling at the time, according to Roy, and while he was set to become a Queen’s Council barrister, he decided to quit law as he was having to represent more white collar criminals to make ends meet.

Walking away from his six-figure salary, Roy said: “At that time, I started to take on cases which were more white collar crime as they paid more and I realised I didn’t want to do this.

“I wanted to represent the ordinary guy on the street.”

He added: “So, I decided to go away, make lots of money, and then come back when I could afford to pick and choose.”

Incredibly, within six months of venturing into the uncharted waters of the property world,  he raised a staggering £50 million for a new property holding venture.

And in 2017, he founded the Convivia Group, who have finalised an investment worth hundreds of millions to create sustainable affordable housing in the UK – with goals to go international.

Growing up, Roy was made to believe like many young black Brits, that his  path to success would be through sport or music, but, having made it big in business, he wants to encourage other people from his background to break out of that mould.

And, devising the idea for Millionaire Mentor, his new YouTube show, after speaking to a homeless man in 2002, he hopes to put his money where his mouth is.

Recalling his conversation with the homeless stranger, which reminded him of the 1983 film Trading Places starring Eddie Murphy as a homeless scammer who swaps his life with an investment banker, Roy said: “I gave the guy my number.”

He added: “In my mind, I thought it would be great if I could take him in, give him work to do and give him a chance to turn his life around.

“He never called and I went back to the station to look for him. I never saw him again, but I hope Millionaire Mentor will mean I can help someone like him on the path to success. That’s my number one target.”

The show will follow 15 candidates, aged between 18 and 24, who will be chosen following an application and vetting process.

They will compete for the investment by completing a number of tasks, which include pitching business ideas and business models, and Roy will keep a keen eye for entrepreneurs who show determination and resolve throughout the three-month period.

The final five will then launch their own companies in partnership with Roy, who will give each person a £200,000 investment, as well as regular mentorship.

Roy said: “My big hope is to demonstrate that these individuals that society has turned their backs on have what it takes to make it happen.”

He added: “I want to shift the mindset of society. There is a lot of talent that is going unrecognised.

“I want to show that if just one person believes in these dreams, they can achieve it.”

Applications for Millionaire Mentor will open from April 2022, with the final five candidates due to be selected in September 2022.

For more information, please visit: www.millionaire-mentor.co.uk