At PeoplePlus, we worked on the Nu-traxx project, which helped lots of young people in Manchester start their own businesses. This was really successful and amazingly rewarding. But...
What is next for me?
It’s a great question.Do I continue with my agency, Great Marketing Works, training people and organisations like O2? And consulting for startups and established companies?
Or do I move into something new?
I can tell you in the first instance that I am planning to work part time as a consultant for The Landing. Helping them with their new offer LAUNCH.
As this new venture is something I believe in. A place and space different to what is out there at the moment in Manchester. It’s something that is needed in our growing UK tech ecosystem.
A new playground for growing tech businesses.
A place where they have world class infrastructure, unrivaled technology, and an ecosystem second to none, with the like of the BBC. As well as a plan to double in size in the next ten years.It really would be foolish of me not to work with them, even part time.
As reported in Manchester Evening News, at LAUNCH I will:
“lead The Landing’s direct engagement work with businesses based in the north west on a part-time basis, with an emphasis on scale-ups and fast growing SMEs within the health tech, VR and IoT sectors.”These are all sectors I think have amazing potential.
Not just for Manchester but for the world as a whole.
In addition, as reported in the Insider, LAUNCH are:
“developing a range of business membership options which will allow external companies access to its world-class technology and labs.”The role with my love of technology, startups and changing the world is a dream come true. PLUS I also get to work with Jon Corner. Which is something I have wanted to do for years….
However, should I do this JOB forever?
This is something that we all have to answer at some point. Should you stay where you are, in your career for a long time. Modern research says we SHOULD change the companies that employ us every 3 years. Which seems like a lot in a career but it's what we have done with my agency. We kept clients for between 3 - 5 years.
But at my age – 40 - is it really wise to start entirely again?
I have no answer for this.
I only have a couple of questions. One’s which we all might need to think about at some point in our lives.
What would you do if you did something for 8 years but felt it was stagnating?
You see for 8 years (almost to the day) I have had a marketing training and consultancy agency. We have specialised in digital marketing and start up marketing. Training up companies and individuals, as well as taking on part time roles and projects in different organisations.The work has been great. I have been able to employ myself. To employ others. To work with some amazing people and for some great companies.Each company and role has taught me something different – and each one has got me to where I am now.
I have been able to work on some great projects all which pushed the technology boundaries at the time. Many of which are now common place like online webinars with NCGE years before people did them.
Online video courses with Your Marketing Trainer. Augmented Reality, half a decade before it became fashionable, with GoAugmented. We created branded mobile games for business to business campaigns before many others dared. Increased employee engagement with gamification before people in the UK even knew the term.
We have been at the forefront of lots of these, with lots of people.
And I thank our daring clients who have allowed us to succeed with them.
But in the end – what do we have to show for it?
As a sub contractor of mine brilliantly put it with Great Marketing Works…“Our clients at Great Marketing Works win awards - so we don’t have to.”But after 8 years of workshops and training (and clients) and helping people succeed. What do we have?
What does anyone really have with an agency – especially a small one like ours?
We have over 30 different workshops in marketing. But most of these are redone each three months as digital marketing changes daily. So what do we really have?
- A reputation for doing fun and memorable training events? Yes.
- Maybe a brand people kinda recognise? Maybe.
- Myself getting more famous? Hardly.
- Even though it is nice to be asked to go on the BBC once or twice.
You know after 8 years. I don’t know.
Dan Norris, author of The 7 Day Startup: You Don’t Learn Until You Launch, felt the same thing so he sold his agency. Perhaps I should have done the same?I haven’t but I can change my company. So from now on – I will only work with people and for people that create something worth doing. We did this with Barclays with The Escalator - which has now grown to become RISE – a global startups ecosystem.
We want the same success for LAUNCH. We want to create a new playground for growing tech businesses. With unrivaled technology and an ecosystem to be proud of for Media City. Full of tech, startups, scaleups and investors.
We will create something very special. Something that I can believe in.
Something I can stand for. But after that?
What should I do?
What I do know is that I can choose to make a difference. And the difference is to be building an asset instead of building a job. As Duct Tape Marketing author tells us..“Building an asset takes investing in you, in others, in creating things that didn’t exist before, in following through on audacious ideas. Building an asset almost always means letting go of your current thinking, finding ways to think bigger and surrounding yourself with people that lift you rather than hold you back.”Maybe LAUNCH will be this community.
A community made of people testing, building and proving tech ideas and businesses. Not just for startups but for scale ups and for established businesses that want to grow.
That’s our goal. Perhaps that's your goal too? If so sign up today.
My question to you is...
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