Building connections that last: Motivait

The American academic and podcaster Brené Brown, when discussing human interaction, said: “Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.”

And yet, in an age of mass consumerism, endless scrolling and a bombardment of notifications and digital distractions, the chance to truly capture attention – let alone forge a genuine connection – has become increasingly rare.

We live in a world that celebrates clicks, likes and instant gratification, though we often overlook what makes relationships, whether personal or professional, truly meaningful.

One company working to change that is Motivait – a digital engagement specialist using creativity, psychology and technology to build relationships that go beyond the transactional.

Founded by Newcastle University alumnus Antony Jones, Motivait helps organisations connect more deeply with their audiences through immersive loyalty programmes, gamified experiences and digital solutions that inspire action and sustain trust.

With teams based in Newcastle, Madrid and Porto, the company, which develops digital engagement solutions that annually reach more than 50 million active users globally, is proving that connection, when designed with care and purpose, can still cut through the noise.

And for Antony, whose instant bonhomie and kindness shine through from the moment you meet him, Motivait is very much a reflection of his personal belief that business should be built on trust, empathy and human connection – values that have shaped both his career and the culture he has fostered.

He says: “The main reason I started Motivait was to create something that genuinely helps organisations connect with people – not just to deliver a digital solution or build a business to sell.

It’s about understanding what motivates people emotionally, not just through simple rewards.

If you focus on people first, everything else – engagement, loyalty, results – naturally follows.

We help organisations build relationships that go beyond transactions; we design loyalty programmes, gamified experiences and digital solutions that don’t just capture attention but spark emotional engagement and cultivate lasting connections.”

It becomes clear, when talking to the rest of the team, that such values are far from abstract ideals; they are lived, daily realities, embraced and embodied by everyone at Motivait in the way they collaborate, problem-solve and support one another.

Client services consultant Millie Probert, who joined Motivait after graduating from Newcastle University, says: “From day one, I felt trusted and supported.

Even as a graduate with little experience, I’ve been given opportunities I never imagined – from going to Madrid to running projects and lecturing at Newcastle University Business School.

Antony’s approach is infectious.

He believes in people, sees their potential and creates an environment where you can speak openly – even if you disagree with him, you can say it and feel heard.”

Millie’s views are echoed by Shrijan Tiwari, a fellow Newcastle University graduate and front-end software developer, who adds: “Even as a new starter, you quickly realise it’s okay to make mistakes – everyone’s open to sharing knowledge and we all help each other out.

The main reason I joined Motivait was Antony.

From our very first meeting, his openness and friendliness really struck a chord with me.

I’d never met a chief executive who shared so much about the company and made me feel immediately part of it.”

Motivait focuses its solutions in four sectors with engagement challenges – customer loyalty, employee engagement, community and education and learning – each designed to help organisations reach and resonate with people in ways that drive participation and deliver measurable results.

This is exemplified by its work with Tendam, one of the world’s largest fashion retailers and Motivait’s first client.

Working together for nearly a decade, Motivait has designed, developed and manages a customer engagement and loyalty platform that now supports more than 30 million members across Tendam’s portfolio of 12 different brands, integrating in-store, mobile and online experiences through personalised rewards and real-time interactions.

Antony says: “Tendam was our first customer back in 2017, when we were still a tiny team with a big idea.

Today, we’re supporting their loyalty programmes in real-time across multiple brands, channels and countries, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Tendam took a chance on us, and in many ways, we have been able to grow alongside them.

The best part of the story has been to see how their loyalty clubs now underpin their growth and business performance.”

The other remarkable thing about Motivait is that not one of its Newcastle-based team is originally from the city.

Yet their shared pride in their adopted home is palpable – they speak of its creativity, friendliness and sense of possibility with real affection.

Software developer Will Kent, who hails from Ireland, says: “I fell in love with Newcastle from the moment I arrived at university.

The city completely captured me; it’s vibrant, friendly and full of opportunities.

There’s something about the energy and creativity of the place that really inspires you.”

For Antony, that connection to Newcastle runs deep.

Brought up in leafy Surrey and initially earmarked as a Greek scholar, an 18-year-old Antony travelled north to visit a friend who was studying at Newcastle University.

After a few drinks in a Jesmond pub on a Sunday night, he realised he had found his place.

Determined to make it happen, Antony badgered the admissions team until he was accepted to study politics – and then faced the next challenge: finding somewhere to live.

After several weeks of sofa-hopping and false starts, fate intervened.

One rainy evening, again in Jesmond, an elderly couple took pity on the stranded student, inviting him into their house, splitting their dinner and helping him find lodgings in Seaton Sluice, on the Northumberland coast.

That small act of kindness, rooted in the warmth and generosity of the North East, has stayed with Antony ever since.

He says: “From the moment I arrived in the North East, I immediately felt at home.

The people, the city, the region – it just clicked for me.

There was something about the energy here and the determination that made me want to be part of it.

And that generosity I experienced – an elderly couple taking a stranger in and helping me find my footing – just taught me something about the North East and the importance of human connection.

Even in a region that has challenges, is quite isolated and at the time faced huge unemployment, there is a spirit about the place I quickly fell in love with.”

Antony’s experience of student life in Newcastle was far from the norm.

Not only did he have to commute from the coast each day and scavenge driftwood from the beach to fuel his little stove, but he also threw himself into community projects, working with the local Labour Party in Byker and later serving as student union president during a sabbatical year.

Through these experiences, he developed an appreciation of life across the North East, while his determination to immerse himself in his surroundings and his interest in community engagement is something that has stayed with him ever since.

“From the moment I arrived in

the North East, I immediately felt

at home – there was something

about the energy here and the

determination that made me want

to be part of it”

 

He says: “My time at university opened my eyes to inequality, and I saw that when people are given opportunity, they normally bloom.

It’s a lesson I try to apply at Motivait.

We often take on people who are younger or less experienced than the role might naturally require, but we find that they grow into it and excel.

I have always believed that leadership is about removing obstacles and creating a space where individual and collective talent, energy and commitment can flourish.”

After graduating, Antony, who was awarded an honorary fellowship by the university in 2007, enjoyed a successful career across Europe in the IT sector, ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to leading major multinationals including Fujitsu Siemens.

Yet he always had a burning desire to launch his own business, and perhaps his defining trait – evident as a student and still shaping his approach today – is his willingness to trust his instincts and take, what he calls, “informed gambles.”

It was this that led him, without institutional funding, to found Motivait in 2015, invest his own savings into developing its core technology platform over the next two years, and then relocate the company’s UK head office from the South East to Newcastle in 2020 during the pandemic – a decision he acknowledges was “somewhat risky.”

Five years on, with Motivait firmly established within the Newcastle Helix development, it’s clear Antony’s decision has been more than vindicated.

He says: “I’ve always believed that if you focus on people, trust your instincts and are absolutely committed, the rest tends to fall into place.

That mindset has guided every decision, from founding Motivait to relocating the business here.

Moving to Newcastle was a big step, but it’s allowed us to create a company that’s genuinely connected to the region and its community.”

Risk-taking, it seems, runs in Antony’s blood.

He is a grandson of the legendary Spanish writer and journalist Manuel Chaves Nogales, who used the power of his pen to oppose political extremism in all its guises during the 1920s and 1930s through to his untimely death in 1944.

His convictions ultimately forced him to flee Madrid in 1936, and when the Wehrmacht swept through the Ardennes in 1940, he had to leave Paris and his family behind with nothing but a suitcase and typewriter to avoid capture by the Gestapo.

Chaves Nogales’ career was defined by courage, human values and curiosity: he famously greeted Ruth Elder, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, on her arrival and travelled to Russia and across Europe in the 1920s and early 1930s at great personal risk.

It is evident Antony is imbued with that same spirit of adventure.

And as he looks to the future, his focus remains on sustainable growth, client impact and nurturing the talented team he has built to date.

He says: “When we created Motivait, we gave ourselves an initial ten-year horizon.

Our aim has always been to deliver real value to clients and not just chase targets.

Growth follows when you focus on the right behaviours, delivering real benefit and having great people.

Our recurring revenue is currently over 80 per cent of turnover, giving us the foundation to make long-term commitments – to clients, the team and our strategy.

I am sure unexpected opportunities will come along, with technology moving at pace, but we won’t lose sight of what truly matters – human connection.

Our future is about creating the right environment for the outstanding people we have, to thrive and contribute their best – for our business, our clients and the communities we work with.

If we get that right, I am confident that everything else will follow.”

www.motivait.net