NATIONAL BRAND DAY: INTERVIEW WITH DISCOVERY'S FOUNDER STEVE HARRISON

What inspired you to start Discovery Agency?

How did you start your business?

Discovery was born during the COVID pandemic after Dylan and I was both made redundant within a few weeks of each other. I contacted Dylan, and we decided to launch our own agency (which I had been wanting to do for a long time), and the rest is history.

How did you come up with the business idea?

Working in digital for nearly 20 years has exposed me to the good, bad, and ugly of agency and client-side life. The plan has always been to take the good aspects and use them to create a truly great business, which I believe we have done.

Did you want to become your own boss? (Personal reasons, sense of accomplishment, being in charge, improving personal finances, more family time, etc.)

Most people like the idea of being their own boss, but it takes a lot of time and dedication (and a huge amount of understanding from your family). There are extreme highs and extreme lows, particularly as a startup, but the rewards are tremendous, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

How did you know your business idea would work and what kind of research did you do before you started?

How did you know the business idea would work?

The digital agency model is a proven entity, but everyone is unique in their own way. I knew that by assembling the right team and believing in what we do, we would succeed, and despite COVID and the Cost of Living Crisis, I believe we are on the right track.

How did you know there was a market for the type of business you were planning to open? (target market, ideal target demographic, etc.)

After working in digital for a while, I knew it was a growing market; after all, almost every business nowadays requires some sort of digital presence.

What makes your business unique?

Although cliche, our team and our ethos (everybody says the same thing). I'm very proud of my team; they've all grown with the company and are all vital cogs in its operation. I hope they see Discovery as a company they will stick with as we grow, and that they will help shape and mould the company's future.

What motivated you to turn the idea through from conception to reality? (determination, commitment etc)

I could say true entrepreneurship, but in reality, it was the lack of a job, the need for money to keep a roof over my family's head, and my wife telling me to get out from under her feet.

What challenges did you find at the beginning of your journey and how did you overcome them?

What challenges did you face when starting your journey?

As with most startups, I believe our biggest challenges were cashflow, new business, and resourcing that business when it did come to us; fortunately, we were surrounded by a lot of supportive people.

What challenges do you think you could've avoided?

Even now, I'm sure there are things I wouldn't have done (buying the office a pair of Sonos speakers, for example), but I believe that the only way to learn is to make mistakes; they create drive and, more often than not, a desire to get yourself out of the situation you're in. (By the way, the speakers sound fantastic!)

What would you do differently if you could go back in time and change one thing?

Invest in new business support sooner; a recent change in our approach to new business has resulted in significant growth over the last few months.

How did you market your business?

How did you market your business, what was your plan for a marketing strategy?

Do exactly what it says on the tin. We created a good website (a new version will be available soon, so stay tuned), we invested in good marketing, and we put ourselves out there, attending networking events and business expos, putting on seminars and providing advice to those in need.

How did you create brand awareness? (posting on social media, attending networking, word of mouth, etc.)

I don't believe we began with a 'brand,' but we do have a bit of a space theme behind the agency now, and that does get recognised through our website and email footers; people love the individual spacemen we all have on our email footers.

What daily habits do you use to help you succeed?

What goals did you set?

I'll be honest: I'm terrible at this. I don't set daily goals because they're too difficult to stick to, especially when you're spinning as many plates as I seem to. However, more recently (and thanks to the Northern Max Accelerator run by Ad:Venture and Greenborough), I have become much better at setting (usually bi-weekly or monthly) goals for myself and sticking to them.

What targets did you set?

There are numerous deadlines to meet, including client work, proposals for new business, sorting and reconciling our accounts, managing staff, and the mundane task of paying suppliers on time. So I just try not to take on too much at once, and if something does slip, I know it won't be the end of the world.

What routines did you start? (to keep disciplined, focused, consistent, increasing productivity, organising time or creating a better work-life balance)

Routines can be rigid for me; I know when things need to be done and I complete them. If something comes up in the middle of what I'm doing, I decide which is more important and who takes the presidency.

What do you most enjoy about working for yourself?

Why do you enjoy doing what you do? (success, passion, helping others, the creation, the outcome, flexibility, working from home/anywhere, etc.)

I'm in a unique position because I'm a bit of a geek who loves data and (I like to think) I'm also pretty creative. Running the agency allows me to get involved with SEO and PCC, getting lost in spreadsheets and data tables, and then work on UX and design for a new website the next moment. In my opinion, nothing beats that.

How do you keep motivated?

This relates to an earlier question about the need for money to keep a roof over my family's head and my wife telling me to get out from under her feet. But I also have the added emotion of having started something from scratch, nurtured it, and transformed it into something amazing.

Do your own values and interests align with the business?

I like to think they do, but I suppose if you want an honest answer, you should speak with my team. I'm sure I drive them crazy at times, but they've all stuck around this long, so I must be doing something right?

What are your tips for employing a team?

As a start-up, what do you look for in potential candidates?

Like-minded individuals. Obviously, you want to hire a team with the right skill set, but you also need to be aware of current team members and how this new addition will fit in. A broken cog stops a clock from working, so you must be very aware of your company's culture and how everyone fits into it.

How did you decide to employ your existing employees?

Partly out of necessity (I needed people who could manage PPC accounts and build websites quickly), but mostly because I knew these people already, knew their personalities, and knew they would work well together. As we grew and Chloe joined the team, I knew from her interview that she was the right fit and that she wanted to prove herself, so it was a no-brainer from my perspective.

What's your take on how each employee shapes the business in a start-up?

Whether you like it or not, everyone who works in a small business shapes it in some way. Personally, I welcome this; I appreciate that every member of the team is willing to share ideas and suggestions about what we should do next or how we should market ourselves; there are some interesting discussions, and then we do it my way (just kidding). It all comes down to the fact that we are a team, and that is what distinguishes us.

What plans do you have for the future?

What direction do you have for the business?

Always looking ahead, I set a revenue target of a million pounds by the end of year 5 last year. Looking at the figures for the coming year, I believe we will exceed that, and having recently taken possession of our new office, I am confident that we will be able to realise that vision.

Plans for expanding? (Office, team, services, products, etc.)

One step at a time. We plan to move into our new office by the end of December 22, which coincides with the launch of our new website. We have a fantastic strategic partnership in place that enables us to provide an end-to-end marketing solution for all clients, from branding and strategy to web deployment and ongoing marketing. If things continue as they are, I believe the team will have more than doubled by this time next year.

What advice would you give to someone who is trying to become an entrepreneur and just starting out?

Advice you wished you’d known before starting up?

Everyone says it's difficult, with long days and nights and a lot of stress, but it is.

Any guidance on an action plan to follow?

KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid is a great rule to follow; don't try to run before you can walk. Do one thing exceptionally well before moving on to the next.

Important tips about mistakes to avoid when setting up?

As soon as you can afford it, hire a bookkeeper and an accountant.

What would you say to a young individual?

Having motivation and funds is great, but (in my opinion) you also need experience. Get a job in a company that does what you want to do and learn the ropes. This also helps you make good business connections, which will benefit you later on.

What would you say to an older individual?

I started Discovery at the age of 39 (I'll let you decide if that's old or not), so no, you're never too old, but be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. If you run a social media business, for example, make sure you or a member of your team is up to date on the latest trends and platforms.

What would you say to experienced individuals who may be scared to get out and set up?

Simply take the risk; it will be the best thing you've ever done!