We’re a people-first agency, and apart from nebbing at our team page, our clients always love to know a little bit more about the people they’re (potentially) working with. This time we’re talking to Jen, our Founder and Director! 🙂
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Jennifer and I’m the Founder of BFBC. I’m the agency director and that doesn’t necessarily come with a predefined role or set responsibilities. I have to be diverse and flexible and do whatever meets the needs of the business first. Typically, this involves supporting with new business, account management (which I love), looking after the team and making sure they have what they need to work unhindered and the rest is a variable mix of shopper, cleaner, admin, and social secretary!
What does a typical Monday look like for you?
Emails and messages. I have tried to condense my mailbox but there’s always 50+ emails waiting on a Monday morning so that usually kicks off the day. Following that, I love a good list! Every day starts and ends with a do-list and some days I even make it to the end.
But having a mind that’s in perpetual motion makes it difficult to feel finished. There’s always something else that could be done!
What drives you?
Stability and normality is something overlooked and taken for granted by most people. I’m a driven person by my very nature or I wouldn’t be writing this blog as the Agency Director, but in the real world the truth is you have to work damn hard to achieve security and stability. It’s no small thing and it’s a massive achievement.
Last year we grew our business and it remained stable and secure. In 2023 we have high growth targets and those will be in line with careful financial responsibility and planning so that the business remains stable and profitable.
Quote to live or die by?
I don’t have one personally, but I do stand by our NO Dickhead Policy if that counts? It’s not as harsh as it sounds and it’s not meant to offend, but what it translates to is we don’t want to work with people who are on the offensive from the start and on high alert for fault and mistakes. Our job requires a LOT of trust from the clients we work with and that’s not lost on me, but you can’t be half in half out and on the offensive. You need to 100% in. That’s all it means!
What’s so great about working at Be Found?
Well, this is where I get the doubt and start to worry. But that’s a good thing. The aim of our culture is to make work something you leave behind at the end of the day. This doesn’t mean our team isn’t passionate or crazy about what they do- it’s just I’d like to make sure they’re crazy and passionate about being at home and spending time with their families and friends.
And of course our FOUNDERS!! Entrepreneurs and Founders are the reason we exist. Supporting growing businesses and seeing the success and greater good that comes from that is the reason we get out of bed.
Highlight of your career so far
It was a good and bad moment – depending on your outlook. But I suppose being so dangerously run down and struggling to the volume as a freelancer that it led me to scale BFBC. Moving on, we’re 8 strong and hiring 2 more as well as maintaining a strong financial outlook.
Best bit of digital marketing advise in one sentence?
Be curious. Your numbers and spreadsheet don’t tell you the whole story. If you haven’t picked up the phone to the person in the sales team then you should. They know more about the end user than you do and they know what people ask about the products or services everyday. Could that information help your ad copy or UX? Be open, ask questions and value other people’s perspectives.
Favourite marketing campaign?
Greggs and the fantastic team at Drummond based here in our very own Newcastle upon Tyne. These guys never fail to deliver and the exponential growth of Greggs as a UK brand is testament to that. There are so many to choose from I don’t know which one, but particular highlights have got to be the Vegan Sausage Roll launch and lately the Gregg’s X Primark campaign. I have as always, huge admiration for the team at Drummond
Best thing I’ve learnt this year?
Roll with it. You win clients, you lose clients, Google and Facebook change the goal posts, you miss out on new hires, staff leave, staff come and life does what it does. Take joy from the bad as well as the good and look at the good parts, what you’ve learned and don’t waste time worrying about things you can’t control. If something ends it’s normally life pushing you on to better things! Just keep your eye on the horizon and kick on!
What does it take to work here?
An entrepreneurial spirit. We’re about solutions, not long explanations about why things can’t be done or they won’t work. We are a team of experts and we are fast and reactive. Everyone here has the confidence and drive to find solutions and not dwell on why things can’t be done.
The main attitude you need here is : Get It Done!
Dream client?
Oh that’s easy. More of the same please! We work with fabulous people, extraordinary entrepreneurs, the risk takers, the doers and the future of ecommerce. More of these wonderful people.
Next 5 years?
I would guess that we will pivot to a more expansive service and this is already underway and is heavily underpinned by our continuous investment in the team. We are also planning on opening another office in the next 18 months in the beautiful city of Glasgow. So that’s going to be an exciting adventure! Continued expansion in our own home town of Newcastle and most likely some internal and structural changes to our fantastic railway arch.
We’re planning expansion to our team and looking at growing the sales team as well as the core specialists.
And who knows – we’ll have to roll with the punches laid out by the likes of Google, Meta & Tik Tok and see where that takes us.
But overall, I know we will focus on having the genuinely best place to work and providing our clients with the best service and results.
A bit of fun…
Death row dinner – Shepherd’s Pie
Favorite place – In the north sea with my best mate
Favorite time – On the sofa with the family singing the EastEnders theme tune, loudly and out of key. Do do do do dooooo do.. Duff duf duf duh duff
