When I first heard the story about Gary Grant, I had to stop and read it twice.
You don’t often come across a business leader who decides to give away his life’s work. But that’s exactly what Gary did.
Gary is the founder of The Entertainer, the UK’s largest toy retailer. He opened his first small shop back in 1981 at the age of 23, armed with a love for toys and a great deal of determination. Fast forward four decades and that single shop has grown into a multi-million-pound company with 160 stores across the country.
But here’s the incredible part: at the age of 66, Gary chose to hand over ownership not to investors or his family, but to his 1,900 employees.
Yes, you read that right. Every single employee now owns a share of The Entertainer through an employee trust. They share in the profits, have a say in how the company is run and are truly part of its future. In a world where business success so often only leads to personal gain, Gary’s decision feels both rare and radical. Rather than selling to the highest bidder, he chose to invest in the people who helped him build his dream.
What strikes me most is that this isn’t a sudden burst of generosity but a continual reflection of who Gary has become since he started to follow Jesus in 1991. Giving has been part of the DNA of the business, with 10% of its annual profits given to charity. But this takes it to another level. Gary has not only shared profits but also ownership, legacy and the heart of what he built.
Reading his story made me feel both inspired and challenged. It made me ask what generosity looks like in my world. Could I loosen my grip on my time, resources and my ambitions so that someone else is lifted?
Gary’s story speaks about more than toys or business. It is about trust, gratitude and faith in God and in people. It reminds me that success and generosity aren’t opposites but partners. And the greatest legacy we can leave isn’t what we keep, but what we choose to give away.
Paul Woolley
CEO, London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC)
P.S You can hear more from Gary in this episode of the Thank God It’s Monday podcast, hosted by my LICC colleague, Mark Greene:
P.P.S Gary was also recently on Stewardship' Active Generosity podcast, where amongst other things he talks about his charity Restore Hope.
Reflect
‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.’
Philippians 2:3-4
Pray
- Pray for wisdom to use what you have to bless others.
- Ask God to show you ways to share resources and opportunities in your community.
- Thank Him for people who lead with humility and generosity.
Act
A generosity challenge for you to complete today:
| Could your church, neighbourhood or workplace benefit from a sharing space for tools, books, clothes or toys? You don’t need to set it all up today. Just spark the idea and see who might want to join in. |
About the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC)
LICC exists to equip and inspire people to live as disciples of Jesus in every part of life, not just on Sundays.
Through resources, training and thought leadership, they help individuals and churches embrace whole-life discipleship as the normative, world-changing way to follow Jesus.
