Pivot Points podcast
From city finance to social impact: how Gary Teper pivoted to combat homelessness
Episode 48
Episode overview
Dave Allen and Gary Teper explore how to pivot from profit to purpose without losing commercial discipline, and what it really takes to build a high-growth, impact-led organization in supported housing.
From executive trenches in the City to frontline realities of homelessness, this conversation unpacks leadership, risk, and the power of finding the right business partner.
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I’ve always treated everywhere I worked as if it was my own business. I’m an all-in person, or I’m not involved at all.
Gary Teper Managing Director, The Housing Network
If any one part of Gary Teper’s business goes wrong, on any given day, somebody could find themselves sleeping rough.
In the first two of Gary’s three careers, the consequences of failure were far less apparent, and far less immediate.
As Managing Director of The Housing Network, he’s responsible for a team of 330 who house several thousand people every single night. For them, purpose is far more than words on a wall.
Pivoting from investment in the city is a huge leap from profit to purpose, and Gary’s all-in.
What we cover in today’s episode brings together the best insights from three very different careers, and why your team, your purpose, and your longevity are among your most valuable assets.
If I was to advise any entrepreneur, I’d say find the right business partner. Having the right business partner is really powerful.
Gary Teper Managing Director, The Housing Network
You will learn:
- How Gary Teper pivoted from law and investment management in the City to leading a purpose-driven housing organization.
- Why temporary accommodation is a “necessary evil”, and how reframing it around support and care can change lives.
- What it really means to balance purpose with commercial discipline in a fast-growing, impact-led business.
- How treating every role “as if it were your own business” can reshape your career and leadership opportunities.
- The risks and rewards of going into business with a close friend, and how complementary skills can help scale a mission-led company.
Last night we housed about three and a half thousand individuals… we are very much a purpose and impact-focused business.
Gary Teper Managing Director, The Housing Network
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