Martyn Sibley is a very successful disabled entrepreneur.
Martyn sits on our panel of 12 judges along with Stuart Bensusan, Marsha de Cordova MP, Jeff Dodds, Vicky Foxcroft MP, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Eileen Grubba, Kamran Mallick, Ruth Patterson, Angel Sinclair, Justin Tomlinson MP and Keely Cat Wells.
Martyn envisions a fully accessible and inclusive world. He believes digital storytelling holds the power in achieving that vision. Having grown up with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, he achieved a master’s in marketing, and worked for a large Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) for inclusion of disabled people; social enterprise became his focus.
In starting a lifestyle blog, co-founding Disability Horizons, Accomable and Purple Goat lots of sustainable social impact has resulted. Martynsibley.com leads to mainstream media experiences, public speaking to thousands of people, and the opportunity to travel the world.
And it was travel which inspired the memoir Everything is Possible. Disability Horizons is a community magazine by disabled people for disabled people.
Accomable supported disabled travelers and was acquired by Airbnb. Now Purple Goat is an influencer marketing agency connecting brands to the 1.3bn disabled people in the world.
Martyn started the Purple Goat Agency to offer connection to companies with disabled people – 20% of the world’s population. He says, “If governments and media continue to portray disabled people as ‘vulnerable’ and ‘dependent’, why would companies see value in us through employment and as customers?
What if businesses took a stand to change the narrative?
When I’m able to maintain my health, live independently through social care, and access the world without barriers; I’m able to contribute so much.
I’m only one of the 1.3bn disabled people wanting to bring our best selves each day. Let’s all change the narrative and release so much untapped potential!”
OUR PANEL OF TWELVE JUDGES
STUART BENSUSAN (Businessman with a disabled daughter)
MARSHA de CORDOVA (Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities who is partially sighted)
JEFF DODDS (Chief Operating Officer of Virgin Media who are now the joint sponsors with ourselves of the “My Disabled World” poetry competition)
VICKY FOXCROFT MP (Shadow Minister for Disabled People)
DAME EVELYN GLENNIE (Disabled Percussionist)
EILEEN GRUBBA (Hollywood Actress, Producer, Writer & Disability Advocate)
KAMRAN MALLICK (Chief Executive Officer of Disability Rights UK)
RUTH PATTERSON (Disabled lead singer with ‘Holy Moly & The Crackers)
MARTYN SIBLEY (Disabled Entrepreneur)
ANGEL SINCLAIR (Founder of ‘Models of Diversity’)
JUSTIN TOMLINSON MP (Minister for Disabled People)
