Bristol-based branded podcast production company 18Sixty is pleased to announce that senior marketing business leader, agency founder and podcaster David Maher Roberts (pictured left) has been appointed as Board Advisor.
This announcement comes off the back of three years of solid growth for 18Sixty where they’ve established themselves as a renowned player in the branded podcast space, working with big name brands, talent and picking up major award wins and nominations for their premium quality podcasts.
Founder and CEO Gareth Evans (pictured right), who launched the business in early 2020 after a decade-long career in commercial radio (Virgin Radio, Absolute Radio) has his sights set on further growth over the next two years. Evans says, “I’ve been aware of David’s reputation in the marketing agency and digital content spaces for some time, having over 20 years experience in board-level roles within PE and VC-backed companies and, impressively taken digital marketing agency Dialect Inc. from a $4m to $30m business in 5 years.” He goes on to say, “having worked closely with David professionally over the last few months, I’m really excited by the prospect of having him on board to help take 18Sixty into the next stage of our growth. Our mission continues to be helping world-renowed brands reach new audiences with podcasts they love listening to whilst having a positive impact on people and planet, pushing the creative boundaries where brand meets audio and to further establish our place as one of the world’s most creative branded podcast producers.”
In addition to his marketing agency expertise, Maher Roberts also has a deep passion for the podcast space, having produced and co-hosted Podworld (a podcast that celebrates the craft of great podcast-making) with journalist and BBC podcaster Louise Blain. Maher Roberts says “I really believe in the unique power of podcasts to engage audiences and provoke thoughtful conversation. 18Sixty has already made a significant impact in the industry and I can’t wait to help further the exciting work Gareth and the team are doing.”
Driving Bristol’s growth as a leading audio hub in the UK and empowering the local economy
Bristol has emerged as a thriving audio hub, fostering numerous globally renowned podcast businesses and housing exceptional audio production talent. In this dynamic soundscape, 18Sixty stands firmly committed to amplifying the audio industry’s impact on the economy of Bristol and the wider South West region.
The surge in demand for exceptional branded podcasts continues unabated. Recent data from hosting platform Ausha revealed a remarkable 17% audience increase for this category in 2022. Notably, brands embracing podcasts as a medium experience significantly higher levels of engagement compared to other forms of media, such as video.
“By nurturing Bristol’s audio landscape, 18Sixty is committed to drive economic growth whilst capitalising on the rising appetite for quality branded podcasts,” said Gareth Evans, Founder and CEO at 18Sixty. “Our mission is to leverage the region’s exceptional audio production talent, supporting their creative endeavours and propelling Bristol as the go-to destination for groundbreaking audio content.”
At JMP, are delighted to welcome Matt Joy to our growing team, joining as Managing Partner.
Matt has a wealth of industry experience, having spent more than 10 years in the sports industry, and most recently four years at a strategic brand agency.
His previous roles have included five years as Marketing Manager at Stoke City during their Premier League golden years, before moving south and helping create the Marketing team at Bristol Sport during the rebuild of Ashton Gate. Following that, he spent four years at Mr B & Friends in Bristol.
In regards to his responsibility at JMP, Matt will be a crucial cog in our ability to excel as an agency, offering additional strategic insights and creative campaigns to our clients.
Managing Director Joe Meredith expanded on this.
“It’s a significant role, the biggest addition we’ve ever made to the business,” he said.
“It’s something that I feel we’ve both wanted to happen for a long time. Everything just needed to align. Matt is in a position to elevate the offerings of JMP and I’m really excited to work with him to take JMP to the next level ”
Matt expressed his excitement about what lies ahead, for both himself and JMP.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “I’ve known Joe since I initially moved to Bristol and how he has grown the agency in that time has been great to see. It’s an exciting time to now get involved and add to the recent successes.
“My role is going to be quite broad but ultimately I will have a real focus on the growth of the agency. First of all to define who we are, our offerings and identify where we can add real value to our clients, both current and new.”
Matt joins our newly-formed Senior Leadership Team, alongside MD Joe and Operations Director Vicki Theobald.
Today, 6th June, marks the 17th anniversary of Mr B & Friends. Founder and CEO, Simon Barbato, reflects on the lessons that he’s learned since starting the brand and creative agency back in 2006.
It’s incredible to reflect on the journey that I personally, and the agency has been on since opening our doors on 6.6.06. What started out as a collaborative consulting gig – myself and my black book of talented creative friends – has flourished into a family of agency businesses that we are all immensely proud of.
You learn hundreds of lessons running a business – here’s the 17 that really matter to me.
If being the brightest, most experienced or most innovative person in the room is important to you, you’ll only ever grow to the level of your own limitations and probably live a life of frustration. Surround yourself with greater people and you’ll go further together. Your ego will thank you.
I have always believed in team play. We work in an industry filled with talented, specialised practitioners and power players. But unless you’re a freelancer or business of one, then successes and failures are down to the team, no matter how big or small the contribution. Celebrate or commiserate together.
One of the reasons I love this industry is because we have expertise that others do not possess. And when you use that expertise to help solve problems, to unlock the potential of your client, to do the things they cannot, then at that moment, you are at your most potent. This is the moment when selling isn’t selling, and your enthusiasm and ability to help is reframed as meaningfully different expertise. Help more.
Give without the expectation of receiving – the most important lesson I have ever learned. Transactional thinking – quid pro quo – will line your pocket today but means that you’re constantly filling your future pipeline. Be generous and think with long-term relationships in mind and your future pipeline will fill itself. I have NEVER been more sure of anything, as has been proved time and time again. Be a giver.
Is this a profession, or a business? A great question I was asked by Chris Noel-Johnson on my first day in advertising at McBains in 1992. That has stayed with me for my entire career, and at the heart of sustainable business is profit. Our staff need us to make a profit, owners and shareholders deserve a profit and good clients expect us to make a profit. Make profit a priority and life becomes a whole lot easier. Earn it.
The most impressive thing any leader can do is to give their people the environment to flourish. By a long way, the most expensive cost on the P&L is our people. But guess what, by a long way the biggest revenue generating asset is… our people. Substitute the word ‘cost’ for ‘investment’ and see the returns. Our Employee Value Proposition, The Friends Pact is just one of many of our people investments. It pays dividends.
Society is full of hubris right now – too many people winging it or believing their own hype, or rhetoric. Yes, being a leader requires strength, confidence and resilience, but it also requires humility; the ability to be, well, human. The fastest and most authentic ways to build trust is to show your human side. Be more relatable.
Never has David Brent’s prophetic words been truer: one day you’re the pigeon, another day you’re the statue. The creative industry is a wild rollercoaster and when you’re up: winning pitches, awards and plaudits, you feel invincible. But this industry has a habit of biting your ass and pulling the rug from under your feet. Never forget that you’re only ever one phone call away from a shitstorm. Stay grounded.
If only we had the access to tech, podcasts, media and social channels when I were a lad! I have learnt more about the industry I love in the last five years of my career than in my first 25. If you’re not taking advantage of the wisdom on offer from the likes of Blair Enns, David C Baker, Jenny Plant, Chris Do and Mark Pollard et al, you’re missing a bloody trick. Open your mind.
I’ve met very few assholes in this industry. Generally speaking the folk we come across (staff, clients, partners and suppliers) are intelligent, highly skilled, sincere and enthusiastic people who recognise the impact of collaborating with others, and offer a fair value exchange. With this in mind I’ve learned to see people through the lens of positivity. I’ve made a few mistakes here and there for sure, but generally this rule of thumb has taken me far. Be less cynical.
Curiosity is one of the greatest characteristics of a brand and creative consultant (and agency). You cannot be ‘over-briefed’, you cannot know too much. Yes, it’s up to you to discern the nuggets from the white noise, but to get to that point you need to be thirsty and enthusiastic for knowledge, and that means exposing yourself occasionally with naïve, cringey, child-like questions. Give zero shits. Ask away.
Staff resign. You lose pitches. Freelancers don’t deliver. Projects get pulled. If everything went to plan, what an unbelievably boring industry we’d work in! I’m a competitive person but accept that I can’t have everything. Focusing on how I deal with setbacks means that I can show leadership in the negative space, internally and externally. Our agency brand deserves composure and maturity at all times. Grin and bear it.
I learnt this way too late, but if you want to sleep at night, then invest in your finance team. Your goal: one version of the truth across the business. Since we have invested in a professional finance team, our brand agency has gone from strength to strength. We make decisions based on fact not fiction. We expect, not hope, to make profit and I’m freed up to dedicate my time to growth. A total no-brainer.
I have learned that my gut is far more useful than my brain when I’m at an impasse. I don’t know what it is, but instinct sniffs out the danger or opportunities far quicker than the logical patterns of the brain. It’s a trait that most entrepreneurs and founders have but can baffle others. Your business is in your soul and your DNA and no one feels the ebbs and flows like you do. Trust your instincts.
My late mum’s name was Antoniette. She was the hardest working person I’ve ever known, and one of the most special gifts she gave me was a work ethic that dictated that nothing was ever going to land in my lap. I grew up on effort and graft and having been given a chance in this very special industry, there was no way I was going to let it slip – I still feel that way 30 odd years later and pride myself on my ability to do the hard yards and make big impacts. Don’t expect anything for free.
This is controversial. The more established you become, the more people will ask of you. If I had a pound for every time a request for a call, meeting, podcast interview, lunch came in… well, I’d have a lot more pounds. But being open-minded, thinking about where a yes could take me has opened more doors than I could have ever expected. One of my best business decisions (accepting a lunch request from the lovely folk at Noble Studios Inc) led to the formation of our successful joint venture, Noble Performs. Eyes wide open!
If I’m honest, I’m still trying to work out how I got here: three agencies in our family, 55 talented and committed staff and the most amazing clients, so while I’m here I’m not going to let my bewilderment get in the way of doing something amazing. As per our agency ethos ‘Challenge the Ordinary’ we’re thinking big at the moment: London, LA, Singapore – an adventure that’s available for all that want to join us. With greater people around me, the limits of what we can achieve have grown exponentially and while we’re now an established teenage business, it still feels like we’re only just getting started. Seize the opportunity!
We’re all a little bit obsessed with acquisition; it’s drilled into us from birth and stays with us until the day we die. From Pokémon cards and soft toys to clothes, art and tech – we progress through a natural arc of ownership in our lifetime. The truth is, we usually look to upgrade our belongings before we’ve squeezed every bit of value from our existing ones.
And we’re guilty for doing the same in the marketing bubble: often, we prioritise growing eCRM databases before we engage the contacts that are already in reach. But when acquiring a new customer costs five times more than retaining an existing one, there’s a compelling case for making the most of what we already have in front of us (Invesp, 2018).
It’s easy to forget that existing customers are the ones positioned deeper in the sales funnel. These are the contacts who have already experienced your brand in some capacity; they know the role that you can play in their life. Which begs the question: why have my contacts lapsed? Often, customer apathy is the primary reason for inactivity.
An overworked cliché, but a true one nonetheless, is that your database is a flowerbed, and you’re holding the garden hose. So, for dramatic purposes, let’s imagine we’re in the second week of drought. Your flowers are wilted, and the soil? Bone dry. In your absence, your contacts have become idle and unenthused. Any avid gardener knows that chucking buckets of water on a flowerbed in this state will cause the soil to repel it, instead you should sprinkle the surface lightly to encourage gradual absorption. The same applies for your marketing, if you relentlessly continue to push hard sales-led messaging upon your lapsed eCRM contacts, they will only reject it.
Take a more considered approach. Whether it’s a virtual gift card, an email to a live event, or a simple message to say we haven’t heard from you in a while, a softer approach is the most likely to warm inactive customers to your brand, ahead of overt promotion.
If you’re in a position where you have a chunky list of email addresses, and not a lot else, then it’s time to start building. Whether it’s a poll or survey with a gift or promo code for their next order, this is a great opportunity for you to understand how users are interacting with your brand. But first, you need to be sure of your objectives. Do you want to understand how satisfied customers are with your product? Are you trying to establish the customer pain points to optimise your service offering? Knowing the purpose of your research is fundamental and will help you to structure your questions and analytics accordingly.
Once you have constructed and sent your re-engagement email, the next step is analysing the results. Pay attention to any clear patterns and use them to tag specific customers with common themes. In case you’re not convinced, MailChimp research shows that segmented email campaigns have an open rate that is 14.31% higher than unsegmented campaigns.
Using historic data, it becomes possible for brands to track browsing behaviour, purchase history, and previous engagement to tailor communications from specific customer actions. And doing so holds impact. Over 59% of customers claim that personalised content impacts purchase decisions. In the long run, this can help brands to grow stronger relationships with their customers, increase loyalty, and ultimately drive revenue growth. By identifying and segmenting different groups within your database, it becomes possible for brands to fine tune the content within email sends to resonate more clearly with the audience at hand.
Take Nike, for example, a global conglomerate operating in more than 30 major markets: from sports to lifestyle. A track runner from Osaka and a fashion enthusiast from New Mexico will engage with the same brand in two very different ways. While the runner will be most invested in the performance-related benefits of the garments, the influencer will likely be drawn in by aesthetics, limited edition colourways, and exclusive brand collaborations. This can be reflected in granular segment-specific sends, with tweaked products, ranges, visuals, and tone.
This isn’t to say that marketers should forget about scaling mailing lists. Growing your current book of eCRM contacts and delivering content to your existing audience should happen in tandem, in fact, it’s beneficial. When you are making efforts to re-engage existing contacts, and growing a database simultaneously, you can be safe in the knowledge that you’re doing everything in your power to increase acquisition and retention.
When it comes to customer acquisition, engagement, and retention, we’re experts in the field. Drop us a line today to see how we can leverage email to maximise the value from your contacts, no strings attached.
Discover more industry insights and opinions at saintnicks.uk.com/insights
Istoria Group, the Bristol-based collective of creative agencies, has announced two new Group-level appointments. Silka Mitchell is the new Group Creative Director, whilst Bryn Isaac has been named Group Financial Director.
Istoria Group, which became a B Corp last autumn, is comprised of exhibition and events specialists Ignition, known for being sustainable pioneers and as recipients of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2020-25; hospitality and retail designers Phoenix Wharf, known for their work for regional operators such as Yeo Valley, The Bristol Loaf, Better Food and Spicer + Cole, as well as for national retailer SpaceNK and Apprentice winner Harpreet Kaur – and purposeful digital transformation experts Tiny Spark, whose virtual exhibit expertise during the pandemic helped Istoria Group survive the period’s challenging business conditions.
Silka Mitchell
‘Creative Director at Group level was an important role to fill and it was proving difficult to find the right candidate’, Sam Rowe, Istoria Group’s CEO commented. ‘We were delighted therefore to be introduced to Silka Mitchell, who brings not only top London agency experience as a former Director of both Brinkworth and Neu Architects, but also broad international experience, delivering projects in the commercial and public realms across Europe, Western Asia and China. Silka is German-born and has lived and worked in both Germany and in the UK. Her languages and multi-disciplinary, cross-sector experience will bring fresh energy and a new level of design sophistication to our studio.’
‘My ambition is to help Istoria Group grow and develop an even stronger 3D identity’ Silka Mitchell commented, ‘becoming known for creative originality and excellence. I look forward to unlocking further potential from the talented studio and to bringing in the next generation of talent to complement my vision. I further hope to instil creative leadership, inspiration and motivation and improve processes and the working environment through creative intervention and dialogue. I’m really excited to be working with a business with such a wealth of knowledge, strong ethics and a truly sustainable ethos.’
Bryn Isaac
New Group Financial Director Bryn Isaac is Bristol-born and bred and brings great expertise in and knowledge of regional markets and business to his role. Bryn joins Istoria Group after 8 years as Financial Director of We Are Fearless, an integrated marketing agency specialising in sports, culture and music sponsorship and partnerships. He has also worked with both start-up and group-owned agencies previously, including TBWA/Worldhealth, Momentum Worldwide and Given London. For Istoria Group, Bryn will provide the financial lead within the business across all the agencies in the Group and will manage financial planning covering both opportunity and risk.
‘I aim to use my experience of young and dynamic businesses to update processes and modernise systems at Istoria Group to help all parts of the business become more efficient and productive’ Bryn Isaac commented. ‘I’m looking forward to working alongside the leadership team to plan future strategic business growth, both operationally within the internal team and externally as the business grows in size.’
‘I am delighted that Bryn has joined us as Finance Director’ Sam Rowe added. ‘Bryn’s relevant knowledge and experience are vital as we continue our ambitious plans to grow and develop sustainable creative solutions for clients. As a B Corp, our ambition is to grow in the right way – with the right clients and the right team in place. These two new senior appointments are a huge leap in the right direction.’
How well do you know your business? Do you truly know where your profits are coming from? Almost all companies will have specific services or products that generate significantly more profit than others. Getting a good perspective on this can save you time in the long run, maximise your value, and make all the difference in those make-or-break moments. So, what parts of your business are profitable, and how can you maximise your profits?
Unfortunately, there’s no formula or test to identify exactly where your profits are coming from. However, there are things you can do to give you the best understanding of what products or services are the most profitable for your business. Once you know what you do that brings in the most profits, you can focus more of your energy on those areas.
Generally speaking, businesses will measure the profitability of a product/service based on gross profit. In doing this, it’s likely they will only take into account the direct costs that vary depending on how much they sell (like the cost of the raw materials or staff hours spent on a job). They then might allocate a portion of the fixed costs (those that remain the same regardless of sales) like rent to each product or service.
Here’s the thing: many don’t account for the fixed costs at all when looking at product/service profitability. If you analyse expenses, you’ll probably find nothing is truly fixed. Different products or services may have more or less of an influence on these costs.
For example, if you outsourced some of your work, it may mean you can move to a smaller office that would cost half as much to rent. So, how is ‘fixed’ is that rent cost? Sometimes, doing more doesn’t equal more profit.
A common example of this would be client communication which is not charged. Taking time out for a call or an in-person meeting takes time away from your business, therefore having an effect on the revenue you could be bringing in.
If you monitor these sorts of costs, you can increase your profitability by tagging these into the services you provide, or at least account for them and know where you may be impacting the amount of profit you’re generating.
Businesses that are profitable rarely have cause to investigate what exactly is bringing in the revenue. It’s easy to assume that whatever you’re doing is working, right?
If the market average is 40% profit, and your business is bringing in 50%, you could assume that your business is performing incredibly well. However, with a bit of investigation, you might find that by removing a product or service (or slightly changing how you run things) you could actually be bringing in 60%, with the same amount of effort.
Is 20% profit good? How about 30% or 40%? It all comes down to the story behind your numbers. Everyone wants a quick fix, but the truth is, it’s not always that easy. However, you don’t have to do it alone…
If you want some help with understanding how to maximise your profits, and where your profits are coming from, we can help! We can help you to identify the drivers of growth in your business so you can get back to the parts of your business that you love.
Since 2009, the Bristol based creative recruitment agency mustard jobs has grown exponentially. As a result the business requires a fresh perspective to enable success during this time as they grow and scale the business. The intention of these roles is to prepare the business for onboarding more staff, increasing the sales aspect of the business and improving the operations to support this increase in business activity.
Promoted internally, these director level roles have produced an advanced progression route for high achieving members of staff.
Archie Harvey, previously an Associate Director, leading the XP division (Experiential, Events & Exhibitions Recruitment) has now been promoted to Sales Director. Having amplified the XP division’s output, he is perfectly placed to take on this new role, working with mustard’s Divisional Leaders to elevate the client and candidate experience, helping them to understand the best recruitment solution from the range of products that mustard provides.
“9 years ago I joined mustard off the back of working in the music festival industry with no previous experience in recruitment, so it’s personally an exciting period of time to be taking on the responsibility for business wide sales at mustard. We have a fantastic team of dedicated Manager’s and Consultants that I can work with to get us there, along with the freedom to implement our sales strategy and direction. At the moment, an ever changing market makes this a challenge but one I’m looking forward to continuing to tackle it!” – Archie Harvey, Sales Director.
At the forefront of mustard’s business operations, Joe Bungey has been placed as Operations Director. Having started his journey as a trainee recruitment consultant in the BE division; Joe worked his way up the business with skill, passion and determination. This new role will support all the departments of mustard and oversee management of the systems we use to provide the best possible service to both candidates and clients.
Keeping the people within the business happy is a crucial element to growing and scaling a business, therefore mustard have promoted Phil Boshier to Associate Director of People and Culture. This new role involves developing our existing sales staff but also managing our internal recruitment strategy, along with onboarding and training new starters. As a previous team leader to the ID division, Phil’s an expert in our culture and has gone above and beyond to support the mustard family.
“The whole team has worked super hard to grow and scale the business over the last few years, as a bigger business we can provide opportunity to capable and loyal members of the team. All 3 of these people add real value in their respective arena’s to help us push on further in a structured and organic way… exciting times!” – Peter Browne, Founding Director.
B2B and corporate PR and communications specialists, AMBITIOUS PR is celebrating the second year of achieving 50% year-on-year revenue growth.
Now, the agency is setting its sights on £1.65million revenue in 2023, securing its position as one of the largest independent PR agencies in the South West.
The agency’s expansion over the last year came from new retained clients including Acorn Property Group, Albert Goodman, BGF, Lifetime, Neighbourly and Truespeed. Growth also came from the agency’s existing client base expanding their remit.
To drive forward further development, AMBITIOUS is investing in marketing technology to deepen the insight they can provide to clients through data and analysis.
The agency will also be launching a dedicated digital PR offering and an end-to-end content strategy, creation, and marketing service.
Based on client demand for international PR support, AMBITIOUS has joined the IPRN (International Public Relations Network) – the international network for independent agencies. This will provide clients with access to a global network of PR agencies as well as driving new business and international knowledge transfer.
In the last year, AMBITIOUS owners Lis Anderson and Sarah Woodhouse have promoted four team members and have now created four new positions which will represent a 22 per cent growth in headcount, taking the agency to a 22-strong team.
Sandra Hodgson has been promoted to Finance Director, Joe Wright to Strategy Lead, Katy Barney to ESGLead and Joanne Wilson to Office Manager.
AMBITIOUS is now hiring for an associate director, senior PR consultant, PR executive, and bookkeeper. Working with UWE Bristol and The Strive Internship Programme, the agency is also committed to a comprehensive internship programme to support entry level talent.
The agency, which has experienced no staff attrition in the past three years, has invested in a competitive benefits package designed in consultation with employees and created to be industry leading.
Lis Anderson, Founder & Director, AMBITIOUS said: “Our growth has been fuelled by investing back in the business – investing in our employees through personal coaching and development, through our competitive salary and benefits package, through new hires, new software and new technology to constantly develop and move our business forward.”
Sarah Woodhouse, Director, AMBITIOUS said “Many of our recent new business wins have come from large companies based in the South West or companies with a regional office here, procuring the national, regional and sector PR and communications support they need on their doorstep.”
AMBITIOUS focuses on b2b and corporate PR in core sectors including technology, ESG, property and placemaking, professional services, financial services, education and skills, healthcare, and the public sector.
Core services include strategic planning and communications, media relations, digital PR, press office management, thought leadership campaigns, issues and crisis management, stakeholder mapping and engagement, employer brand communications and media training. Content services include content strategy, creation, and marketing.
Female-founded, owned, and run, AMBITIOUS celebrated its first decade in business in 2022.
Interested in working for or with AMBITIOUS? Please email Sarah or Lis at [email protected]
Independent brand consultancy, Mr B & Friends, has continued its run of recruitment with four new people in the Client Services team. The new additions will enable the team to be better structured for the continuing growth of the agency with more breadth across client accounts.
Maiara Fernandes has joined as Senior Account Manager. Maiara started her career working for a BTL agency in Brazil before moving to the UK. For the last six years she’s worked at an integrated agency, primarily on public sector accounts across a wide range of campaigns from internal comms to social activity. Maiara will be teaming up with Senior Account Director, Andy Kaye. Outside of work she’s kept busy by her bouncy Springer puppy and enjoying the great outdoors.
Hannah Reed has also joined as a Senior Account Manager, working alongside Senior Account Director, Joe Baptiste, for clients including The LEGO Group and Principality Building Society. Hannah has wide ranging experience from integrated comms to in-store to employer branding for global FMCG brands, including Wilkinson Sword, Ocean Spray and Spontex. As well as enjoying the pace of agency life, Hannah competes in Motorsport events on circuits around the UK, clocking up two championship titles among her achievements.
New Account Manager, Emmy Mitchell, joins us from ForrestBrown, where she worked in the marketing and then partnerships teams. With a host of transferrable skills, the team will benefit from Emmy’s client-side experience, as well as her understanding of the psychology of advertising. Emmy will work closely with Andy and Maiara on accounts including IHG and Plaidis. Away from work, Emmy has been making the most of post-Covid travel with trips to Thailand, Porto and Vietnam. With a passion for fitness, Emmy has already signed up to take on the Mighty Macmillan Hike with the Mr B & Friends team later this year.
Last but not least, Sunniegh Baker has joined as Senior Account Executive. Sunniegh impressed us while she was working client side and, when her role there came to an end, she was snapped up to work at the agency. She’s skilled at collaborating and keeping people organised, and is keen to be more involved in the process of ideation. Sunniegh will be working with Account Director, Liv Cox. With bags of positivity and a flair for fashion, Sunniegh has already slotted into the team perfectly.
Managing Partner, Ellie Wilson, says, “To enable us to deliver our company vision, which is centred around being the most valuable creative partner to our clients around the world, restructuring and strengthening our Client Services team was a key strategic move. I’m delighted to welcome these four bright and ambitious individuals to our Client Services team, their appointments will ensure that we continue to build and nurture strong partnerships with our clients whilst also delivering against our ambitious growth plans.”
Istoria Group has today revealed the winner of its inaugural Micro Business Incubator Hub Competition – Self Agency, which was founded by Devon Lowndes with the aim of improving the lives of neurodivergent people in the Bristol area.
The idea behind the competition, launched in March 2023 on International Women’s Day, was to find a women-led micro business in the Bristol region to support by offering free office space over a six-month period at Istoria Group’s Paintworks offices; mentoring from the creative business group’s leadership team in business, financial management, PR and marketing, along with a raft of creative services, including a brand review by the group’s design agency Phoenix Wharf and a website build by its digital transformation experts Tiny Spark.
The competition was also supported by local organisations Babbasa and Black South West Network, ensuring news of the competition would reach groups who have traditionally been under-represented in business, whether because of class, gender, ethnicity, age or a participation-limiting condition.
‘We received a fantastic set of entries’, Sam Rowe, CEO of Istoria Group commented ‘and were inspired by the number of amazing women out there fighting for social progress and to diminish inequality. We picked four finalists, all of whom were highly deserving, but in the end it was Devon Lowndes who stood out because of the clarity of her vision, her commitment and ambition. I am quite sure that as well as helping Devon move forward, we will also learn a great deal ourselves in the process, with that knowledge also going on to benefit our agencies and our work across the board.’
‘I’m absolutely thrilled to have won’ Devon Lowndes commented, ‘especially having met the other great finalists at the announcement ceremony! For me, one of the best things about Istoria Group’s Incubator Hub programme is how accessible it was to apply for as a person with ADHD. I could tell at once it was a friendly and accessible organisation with a really open outlook. I know it’ll be an environment that offers trust and flexibility, as well as creative and business expertise. I can’t wait to be part of it!’
The competition was judged by:
Cecilia Thirlway, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Bristol
Matt Rogers, Head of Development at Babbasa
Istoria Group CEO Sam Rowe and Istoria Group Chief Marketing Officer Lindie Kramers.
The four finalist companies and initiatives were:
Better Together’s Founder Angela Loveridge helps parents keep children safe online by signposting them towards practical tools, techniques and resources, facilitating safe spaces for those awkward safety conversations and coaching parents so they are empowered to respond, not react, in a way that will keep channels of communication open and permit constructive conversations. Angela’s innovation is to recognise that people have very different parenting styles, meaning safety guidelines need to be approached without judgment and aligned with the unique needs of their child or children.
https://btogether.org.uk/
Bristol Achieve, founded by Hetty Brown, recognises that one of the biggest problems facing British schools is the gap between rich and poor and its subsequent effects on educational attainment and social mobility. This action-based business aims to increase the educational attainment and life opportunities of young adults with academic potential, so that they thrive in whichever life path they choose. Hetty and her team’s innovation is to promote peer mentoring and focus on essential life skills, as well as encouraging reading for pleasure, proven to improve academic achievement.
https://bristolachieve.com/
Nicoleta Moldovan and Begumhan Girgin of Sassy Sisters Studio have founded a new creative agency offering graphic design services, advertising and marketing, motion graphics, packaging design, publications and typographic design. They are two hardworking women/mothers with diverse creative backgrounds, who switched careers, went back to university, and completed their education in order to follow their vision. At their studio, they produce meaningful designs for businesses, charities, and non-profits while prioritising sustainability and women’s empowerment.
http://www.sassysistersstudio.com/
Self Agency was founded by Devon Lowndes to improve the lives of neurodivergent people in the Bristol area. The CIC-registered (Community Interest Company) agency offers organisational neurodiversity cultural development and neurodivergent community building. Devon is on a mission to educate people about neurodiversity and to further her vision of everyone embracing every mind equally and realising the positive impact an all-inclusive environment can have on individuals, communities and businesses. Devon advises organisations on best practice and is working with Bristol City Council as their sole neurodiversity champion. Her vision is to make Bristol THE neurodiversity city in the UK.
https://www.self-agency.org/