Meet Ricky Blair | Education, bridging the gap between ‘education and the ‘real’ world’

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ricky Blair and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ricky, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
The standard habits like strong work ethic, organization, efficiency, and resilience have definitely played a role in my success. However, two key habits that I believe have truly set me apart are innovation and goal setting:

1) Always seeking to innovate. At 17, one of the first lessons my mentor taught me was, “Don’t compete, change the game.” This advice shaped my entire approach to business. Doing things the same way as everyone else has never appealed to me. I believe true success comes from finding ways to innovate and challenge the status quo, which has been a guiding principle in everything I do.

2) Goal setting. It’s surprising how few people set goals, let alone write them down. Goal setting has been a game changer in every business I’ve built. By always having a clear destination in mind, I’ve been able to keep my teams focused and motivated. Knowing where you’re headed and how you plan to get there is, in my view, critical to long-term success.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My dream has always been to solve the problem of how unprepared people feel as they transition from the education system to the real world. While many acknowledge this gap, few offer real solutions—and that’s where my own story connects.

After building and selling a successful business in London, I set my sights on a new challenge. In 2020, during the pandemic lockdown, I came to America to start Platform Seven. This business has been far more challenging than my previous ventures. There wasn’t a company we could model ourselves after; we had to carve out our own path. Over the past four years, we’ve faced many ‘failed’ attempts and pivots.. However, I gave up a lot in England to pursue this dream, and I’m determined to see it succeed.

Lessons I’ve learned along the way:

1. Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Put your ideas out into the market and learn from the feedback.
2. The right lessons, people, and circumstances have a way of showing up when you need them (I highly recommend reading The Surrender Experiment!!).
3. Entrepreneurship can be lonely and full of moments when you feel like giving up—but those are the times that define your journey.

What do I want people to know about me and my brand?

I am deeply committed to helping students succeed. This isn’t just a business for me—it’s a personal mission, born from the kindness of a stranger who changed my life. I want people to believe that if a school dropout like me can succeed, so can they. I had someone believe in me and give me the tools I needed to thrive, and I’m determined to pay that forward.

Over the past three years, I’ve met hundreds of college students across the US, and the common theme is that they feel unprepared and unsupported as they enter the real world. That’s exactly what Platform Seven addresses.

Platform Seven is a mentoring platform that bridges the gap between education and the ‘real’ world.

There are three key aspects that set us apart:

1. Courses & Curriculums that focus on topics students are eager to learn, based on their feedback.
2. Mentor Exposure from industry experts across various fields.
3. Tools & Resources to help students build businesses, gain work experience, and get real-world support. For example, we’ve connected students with website developers, marketing advisors, photographers, and more. We also assist with job placements and internships.

We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Every student is unique, and we tailor our support to meet individual needs. While we initially focused on students aged 16-20, we now serve students from 16-35 across the US, UK, Canada, and the Netherlands. And we are only just getting started!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So I had my brother visit from London a few months ago and this was the list:

– Craigs for dinner
– Abbot Kinney for lunch and shopping
– Rodeo Drive
– A trip to Malibu
– A few drinks at Petit Ermitage
Oh and I couldnt let him leave without taking him to The Dodgers!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Without a doubt, my shoutout goes to my mentor, Nigel Ross, who completely changed my life.

At 17, I was a school dropout, lost and scared about what to do with my future. Then, one day, I got a call from a stranger named Nigel. He was a 55-year-old multi-millionaire in real estate, and I had never met anyone like him before. He invited me to lunch, and I shared my story, how I was desperate to succeed but had no idea how. To my surprise, Nigel told me he was going to help. I thought he was joking. He wasn’t.

From that day on, Nigel became my mentor. We met every four weeks at the same restaurant, same table. He didn’t just give me advice, he guided me through every aspect of life and business. Nigel taught me how to set and achieve goals, how to make and invest money, and how to build a successful company. Most importantly, he believed in me.

As things started to move in my life, I took on a new job and eventually co-founded a company with my best friend Shaun, also a school dropout. With Nigel’s teachings—like his mantra, “Don’t compete, change the game” and we transformed the commercial real estate market and built a business that made millions of pounds a year.

But the defining moment came on January 6, 2016, when one of the biggest companies in the world bought our business for $30 million. Walking out of that lawyer’s office with life-changing money in my pocket, the first person I called was Nigel. I couldn’t believe it.

To this day, Nigel remains my mentor. Now, as I build Platform Seven, a company that bridges the gap between education and the real world by providing real-life education and mentorship, I’m completing the circle. Just as Nigel did for me, I’m helping others achieve their dreams.

Website: https://thementoringplatform.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p7mentoring/profilecard/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricky-blair7?