Have you ever found yourself in a moment where everything just clicks? That’s how 1801, at least in name, began. Not in the year 1801, but in 2012, when we—a group of university friends—found ourselves at a picturesque French manor built in—you guessed it—1801. Perhaps in need of a name for our WhatsApp group, ‘1801’ stuck. It was a weekend spent doing leadership development (or “fun,” as we all saw it), and we had so much fun that it turned into something bigger—a spark that ignited the adventure we now know as The 1801 Consulting Group.
From Friendships to Colleagues
Before we ( Connor Metcalf & Ryan Kelly ) were co-founders, we were colleagues in a fast growing London-based FinTech. And before even that, we were university class mates, at University of Lincoln. The test of working together as colleagues at ITRS , was a different experience indeed from our university group project days—we’d made it to middle management by this point, and we were working together in the real world. Lucky for us, it didn’t put us off each other (too much). In fact, it set the stage for something greater.
In 2019, our 1801 friendship group got together again to set ourselves BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) – and would you believe it, for us (Connor and Ryan) we shared the same goal – “To run a business with friends”.
The Call That Started It All
So, the idea of turning our friendship and combined experience into a business had been an idea for a while. But it was a phone call from Connor in 2022 that turned the dream into reality.
Connor: “Ryan, it’s time. If we close this first client opportunity, you’ll need to quit your job this week!”
Without skipping a beat, Ryan did just that. The excitement of a new opportunity, combined with our shared purpose and values, made the decision easy. It was the official birth of The 1801 Consulting Group, and there was no turning back – our first client delivery started exactly one month later.
Rolling Up Our Sleeves
From the very start of our friendship, we’ve never shied away from a challenge. Whether it was hiking Mt Kilimanjaro, rowing in UK regattas, or diving headfirst into complex change initiatives, we’ve always rolled up our sleeves and gotten stuck in – hence the ‘make it happen’ core value. It’s the essence of how we deliver for our clients—hands-on, committed, and always with a sense of fun.
Our journey from a simple idea to a growing consultancy has been one of growth and learning – lots of learning. We’ve expanded our team, broadened our partner network, and even opened a regional presence in Singapore. And as the business has grown, so has our passion for helping others achieve their own “Big Hairy Audacious Goals”.
Looking Ahead with Optimism
As we look to the future, we’re filled with optimism. The journey so far has been incredible, but we’re even more excited about what’s to come. Our story is one of friendship, shared values, and a growth mindset. We believe that with the right people around you, anything is possible.
So, here’s to what’s next—new challenges, new opportunities, and plenty of fun along the way. After all, we’re just getting started.
Oh and that first client we mentioned, that was Data Intellect, check out our website for our full case study to see the value we added there!
Thanks for reading!
Connor & Ryan
