A letter to
my younger self.
The boy who chose to keep going, in Jackson's own words.
The story behind the mission.
Jackson Parsons is the entrepreneur who helps people find their duvet flip. Below, in his own words, are the moments that shaped him.
Age 5, the house
I never knew which version of home I'd find. Some days silence, some days chaos. I learned about fear before I learned about love. The scar on my ankle from the iron is proof I survived a world that was supposed to love me but didn't know how. I'm dyslexic, and between the ages of 5 and 8 I had speech therapy, words were a fight long before they became my craft.
School, the yellow jumper
I wore a yellow jumper with holes in it. The other kids pointed and laughed. I stopped looking in mirrors. That jumper taught me what no classroom could, shame can shrink you, but compassion can rebuild you. It became my mission: no young person should ever feel less because of what they wear or where they come from.
Age 11, the paper round
By nine I was coming home to an empty house and a cold plate. By eleven I realised no one was coming to save me. I started delivering newspapers to save £15 for judo lessons, not for the sport, but to feel strong for once. Every paper I delivered in the cold was a step toward purpose.
Age 20, the leap
By sixteen I was working for £2.56 an hour. By twenty I'd saved £20,000, not for luxury, for freedom. When I told Dad I was starting a business he asked how I'd pay rent. The six months that followed nearly broke me. But I kept going. Because I always do.
The pitch, "Don't do it"
I sat in front of two of the most powerful people in media and pitched a show to help young people find hope. They told me, "Don't do it. It won't work." I thanked them, walked out, and did it anyway. My Duvet Flip became 1 million+ subscribers, 157 million impressions and guests from Amazon, easyJet, Aviva, the FA and the Prime Minister.
Today, pain into purpose
I took the honesty the world denied me and gave it back to millions. Kindness over clout. Truth over trend. Heart over hustle. The boy who didn't have love became love. That's the mission, and it's only just begun.
The wins, and the imposter
Every room I go into I still get imposter syndrome. People say to me, why? You've achieved so much. From being named Top Kindness Leader by the Financial Times, to Young Digital Leader of the Year, to building several ventures that have helped lots of people, to starring on TV shows with Stacey Dooley. I still sit there and think I know so little about the business landscape and I'm willing to learn a lot to make it better for others. But to do that you have to surround yourself with smarter people, people who will support, guide and champion you, and some of the village nutters as well. Signed, Jackson.