Our Story
A single act of kindness can lead to a lifetime of positive change.
The story of Be Kind, Give Time began during a difficult chapter for Zoe Starbuck. Her organisation went into administration, leaving Zoe and her team unexpectedly facing redundancy. She knew they needed more than words of encouragement; they needed real, practical support to navigate this uncertain time, find new jobs, and start fresh.
Paul Starbuck, understanding this need, introduced Zoe to Jem Bevan. Jem stepped in without hesitation, offering her expertise and countless tips on LinkedIn and career navigation, all freely given. Jem’s support didn’t just help Zoe; it empowered her to help others. Zoe took what she learned and shared it with her team, paying Jem’s kindness forward. It wasn’t just advice; it was an outstretched hand, a lifeline, exactly when Zoe and her team needed it.
This experience sparked the creation of Be Kind, Give Time. Together, Paul, Jem, and Zoe built a charity that brings experts from different fields who are willing to volunteer an hour of their time each month. Their vision is simple yet profound, giving someone in need access to the right person at the right time. A single hour of guidance can change a life, uplifting well-being and helping people find their way when they need it most.
Jem and Zoe didn’t stop there. Inspired by the power of shared knowledge, they created a podcast, Business Gems, where they bring in experts to share their best business tips and insights. Each episode offers listeners valuable “gems” of wisdom, practical advice, and real stories, continuing the ripple effect of kindness and knowledge-sharing that started it all.
At its core, Be Kind, Give Time is about showing up with compassion, sharing hard-earned knowledge, and giving people the tools to navigate their journeys. It’s about making a difference, one hour and one “gem” at a time, driven by the belief that a single act of kindness can lead to a lifetime of positive change.
“It only takes one person to be a change maker. A single spark can light the way for others.”
Our Trustees
Paul Starbuck
Chair
Paul is an ICF MCC credentialed coach
with a passion for coaching that stems from his innate desire to empower others and his drive to not only see others succeed but succeed with them. His greatest passion is leading his clients to recognise and embrace change as synthesis of growth and success.
This natural affinity for personal coaching and leadership development paved the way for an extraordinary, 35-year-long retail and healthcare leadership career. Working across the disciplines of HR, Finance, Operations, Property, Audit and large field team leadership, Paul consistently exceeded expectations and progressed to leadership roles. Throughout his career spearheaded complex cultural revolutions, strategic business transformations and overhauls of organisational structures to build collaborative, and high performing functions with robust financial controls and increasing revenues. The key to his success was his ability to build motivated teams and empower individuals to effectively translate the strategic vision into tangible commercial outcomes, while unlocking their potential to succeed.
This led him to start his own coaching career, specialising in tailoring coaching and mentoring programmes that focus on “executive growth through powerful and challenging conversations with a sprinkling of fun and simplicity on the way”.
His philosophy is simple, the bigger the change the greater the opportunity for personal growth and development.
Jem Bevan
Secretary
This straight-talking Yorkshire lass is a bundle of energy and sparkle. Think Tigger with extra sugar! From a corporate sales career to social media, via business development, our Jem is a social media marketing diamond.
Hating cold calls meant that Jem had to find another way to be successful, to build the lifestyle she wanted…so she did. And it worked so well, that soon the Big Guys were queuing to ask her to show them how to do it.
Jem works at speed, she thrives on relationships and has the knack for getting the very best from people, which means she can build you a network beyond your wildest dreams. What she doesn’t know about selling softly on socials just isn’t worth knowing. We try not to feed her after midnight, she would happily stay up and keep working! You can find Jem in the company of partner Josh, son Charlie and Jack Jack the dog who is the Chief FlufferButt, in charge of cuddles and undisturbed Nanna naps for Jem.
Zoe Starbuck
Treasurer
As the Director of Business Coaching at Starbuck & Associates Executive Coaching, I thrive on merging my passion for leadership with my extensive experience in retail, beauty, and pharmacy. Every day, I am committed to helping clients and organisations find and implement the perfect coaching programmes that unlock potential, bring growth development & drive their long term success.
With over 35 years of experience across various sectors, I provide strategic guidance and support to a diverse client base. At Starbuck and Associates, we take pride in our team of some of the most experienced coaches in the industry, including master coaches — a distinguished group with only 98 members in the UK and just over 2000 globally.
Beyond my directorial responsibilities, I am deeply involved in one-on-one coaching, where I apply my skills directly in helping individuals achieve their professional and personal goals. This role as a coach is profoundly fulfilling; it allows me to connect on a personal level, offering tailored advice and actionable insights that foster significant personal development and career advancement.
My passion is through coaching to support individuals and teams to unlock their potential and start their path to fulfilling ambitions.