'Why man up, when a man's down?' UoB entrepreneur James Firkins tackle's men's mental health

B-Enterprising can offer £500 funding to students to enable them to start up a business and try out their idea.
James Firkins, a creative writing MA student, was awarded £500 to assist with his business idea. He set up 'MAN_AGE', a men's mental health movement that challenges unnecessary societal pressures, creates a community of voices and combats isolation through publishing first-hand accounts, illustrations and photography.

How a UoB student is getting men talking about mental health...




Through publishing medical advice, academic and solution-led self-help articles, MAN_AGE aims to reduce the time it takes to seek help, encourage and normalise male-to-male communication, and prevent suicide.

James developed his business when he realised that his male friends struggled talking about feelings and mental health, a crucial topic for everyone. They 'didn't want to be a burden.' Increasingly, James found this to be the status quo and while men wanted to talk, they simply didn't know how to go about it.

James wanted to change this. He used his background in journalism, publishing and design to create a men's mental health magazine encouraging men to talk out.
Since November 2018, James has published 28 articles, 7 illustration sets, 6 academic articles and 2 photography sets from contributors that span 4 continents. He is currently cooperating with the
Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Trust to begin publishing medical advice articles.

MAN_AGE became an established social enterprise in June 2019, and the website logs 5'471 unique visitors, gathered entirely through grassroots promotion and word of mouth. By mid-2020 James will have designed, published and circulated its first physical copy.

What is it like running a business?

'It's a steep learning curve!'

We asked James what was the best and worst parts of running his own business...

'The best aspects include the freedom of choosing where to work from, who to speak with, and how to fill your day. I can manage the graphics, the website, the copy all to my own liking, without seemingly needing to justify it to anyone.'

'The success of the business is on you as the owner and director. There are a lot of jobs to do: promotion, admin, written and visual content, pricing, filing... The myth that you "have no one to answer to" is long dispelled, as it becomes evident that you need to answer to yourself.'

'I enjoy running MAN_AGE, and only now - just over a year in - I am finding the balance between accountability and taking time to recharge. After all, I am only one person, and my health is my business' health. It's a steep learning curve! But at least I'm not stuck in a grey room, pushing buttons.'

Advice you'd give yourself when you started your business venture...

• Trust myself 
• Results are not immediate
• People will come and go; opportunities will come and go; and successes and failures will both come and go - be fair to yourself

'When I started a magazine that offered men a chance to share their mental health stories - to tackle the fact that men often don't share their feelings - I found (surprise, surprise) that men weren't comfortable sharing their stories. If I could have told myself back in late 2018 that I will have the
range of content that I now do in 2020... I might have relaxed a little. Trust yourself.'

'If you put the work in, believe in your business and yourself, doors will open. It won't be easy but keep at it and it will begin to grow in ways you never could have expected.'

James is passionate to continue encouraging men to talk about their feelings and publishing men's stories surrounding mental health, whether that's overcoming a difficult period in life, or an informative article about what it's like living with a physical or mental health condition, he would love to hear from you. If you're not confident, your article can be published anonymously.


How B-Enterprising helped...

The B-Enterprising team awarded James £500 towards printing the first physical copy of MAN_AGE. With this assistance, he can ensure a quality product is published and distributed across the UK.

'The team have been supportive and encouraging, and I want to thank them for their help.'

MAN_AGE:
www.man-age.com
manage.main@gmail.com


With thanks to James Firkins
Blog edited by Ella Mugglestone, University of Birmingham