Coffee& Conversation with…John Brownless

In our next ‘Coffee and Conversations’ series, we sat down with John Brownless, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-Founder of Litmus FM, to find out how he has grown an impressive career alongside his cancer diagnosis, his incredible charity work, and his accounting prowess.

How did you get into Facilities Management?

Life has a funny way of working out - I had no intention of working in Facilities Management. In fact,it all happened quite organically.

I started out as a chef, working in Italian restaurants and hotels. After a few moves, I became an Area Manager for Gardner Merchant, overseeing catering operations. I did well and was proud to be named Area Manager of the Year two years in a row.

While presenting to the Managing Director of Sodexo at the time - Nigel Forbes, who would become pivotal to my career - he suggested I should consider a move into business development and sales. It was something I’d never thought about before.

As I said, life has a funny way of working out. At the time, I was having some issues with my manager, and the opportunity came along at just the right moment. I decided to go for it,and that marked the beginning of my journey into Facilities Management.

I started out selling non-food services - mainly soft FM - and had to learn fast. I began to win significant contracts with major companies and, £700 million in growth later, I was leading the entire sales division, covering both food and non-food, with 57 staff in my team.

Spending so much time in London wasn’t ideal, especially as my wife was expecting twins. I needed better work/life balance. That’s when an opportunity came up with Compass to set up a Facilities Management sales division. I took it, and later moved to a board-level role at Balfour Beatty Technical Services.

Eventually, I stepped away from that role without a solid plan. Then, by chance, I bumped into Nigel Forbes at a train station. He suggested I come and work with him at The Litmus Partnership.

I started doing a few days a month, which is where I met Karl Cundill - now my business partner. We were both working on the FM side of the business, which grew to the point that a specialist division was established in 2020. That’s when Litmus FM was born, and we haven’t looked back since.

My ambition is to establish Litmus FM as the UK’s leading asset management company - and to become the preferred supplier for key organisations.

You’ve built your career around your prostate cancer diagnosis. How did you manage at the time?

I was 42 when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and was Head of Business & Industry at Sodexo. This was before I had children, so in some ways, I was fortunate to be able to focus entirely on my health. Work was very supportive, which made a huge difference.

I had the cancer removed, but a side effect of the treatment was weight gain - I went up to 17 stone, which for me was a lot. I joined Weight Watchers and managed to lose the weight, but I still live with the after-effects of the surgery. I’ve had multiple surgeries since to manage ongoing symptoms.

I feel incredibly lucky to still be here. I’ve had my twins and many fulfilling years since. So yes, I have lasting effects - but I’m here, and I’m grateful.

You’ve raised nearly£200,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. Did you ever think you’d become one of the charity’s top fundraisers?

Not at all. I kept seeing how prominent prostate cancer was in the news and wanted to do something proactive. My first event for the charity was in 2014 and we raised £1,700.Since then, my events typically raise £15,000 - £20,000 a year.

I mainly host golf days. They’re a great way to bring men together, enjoy a day of golf, raise awareness, and raise money. I’ve had countless men tell me they got checked after attending one of our events. That makes it all worthwhile.

Right now, my fundraising total stands at £196,896. I’ve got more events lined up this year, so I’ll soon surpass the £200,000 mark. It’s money that will genuinely make a difference to hundreds of men.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on?

It’s the contract wins that have stayed with me. I’ve been fortunate to win some major deals - contracts that others assumed I wouldn’t land. I remember one boss saying they’d eat their hat if I won a certain contract. Well, I did win it, and I brought a straw hat into the boardroom the next day!

What’s something people don’t know about you?

I’m a trained accountant! That’s been incredibly useful in running my own business - I understand profit and loss, and I know the financial side is being handled correctly. I think every business owner should have at least a basic understanding of accounting.

How do you unwind outside of work?

I love golf and play as much as I can. I also walk every day. After being diagnosed with Type 2diabetes last year, I now make sure to walk 4-5 miles daily.

I’m a lifelong Leeds United supporter, and me and my twin boy and girl, who are now 16 and just finished their GCSEs, are season ticket holders. And of course, being a dad takes up a lot of my time!

Thanks John.