Will you go out with me?

I’m  terrible at this formal writing thing– I have to communicate with you in this article format because that is how it works. I write some articles on subjects  that I think you might find diverting and you kindly read them.

We’re kind of flirting really…well I am. I’m trying to show you how clever I am, how right I am for you so that you’ll want to come on a date ( sorry first meeting) with me.

I told you I was terrible at this…

Now if we were sat down together at our first meeting, cup of coffee in hand, some pleasant light conversation taking place as we get to know each other. As we get the measure of each other before we then go a bit deeper into the reasons we might want to see each other again?

Now that I’m great at!

Our First Meeting

I love meeting people and I love talking to them about their lives professional or otherwise and I love helping them.

If we’re actually talking together rather than me spouting at you in an article  then I feel able to be more useful, to look for clues as to what you might need from me and if I might be the one to help you get it.

Also, it doesn’t hurt that no money has changed hands and as there is no commercial obligation for me to fulfil a contracted need, I can start the way I always mean to go on.

Talking frankly is vital to the process. No need for  ceremony  just enjoyment of the experience of  talking with you.  Most importantly,  I can  be me – and that’s the point – if I can’t be me, I don’t want to be with you, no exceptions. It’s a commitment on both sides. I expect you to be you too…it’s how we’ll get things done.

It’s not for everyone I know but it does make for one hell of an honest relationship, and it leads to a real sense of loyalty and trust on both sides as we start to dig into the work itself – helping you to enjoy running your business.

Agency life is dynamic, things change constantly, and this means being adaptable, working the way that best suits you and your business and  not being hamstrung by  the strategic theory that I’m promoting this week. Nothing wrong with strategy of course it’s super important and you should have some, but you take my point, I hope!

Helping Business Leaders enjoy themselves

I fell in love with helping  business leaders when I left agency world and was looking for something new and exciting to do. I decided that I was going to retrain as a chef and start my own food business….I set about it with vigour but found myself yearning a little, if not for the agency life, then for the chance to talk to clients, to advise them again and I found myself picking up pieces of consultancy work for the type of brands that I’d worked with throughout my agency career.

This was fine but I started to find myself in the same kind of position I’d been in agency  in terms of responsibility but without the support of the teams and individuals  I’d relied on and trusted so much to deliver the work. It was frustrating and it was an epiphany of sorts that helped me break the cycle.

An old client of mine asked me for some help with the brand work for his new business…we had lunch and during the course of that long and fun filled meal we had put the Word to rights and without realising it, because I was relaxed, under no commercial pressure to produce expected results and could think straight, we had spoken well into the dinner service of the Soho establishment we were in. We had changed so much of the plan that it was unrecognisable. We had effectively worked together to change the new business’ core offering – the way they looked, communicated, and behaved…it was brilliant!

He turned to me and said – “You should help people with this stuff more often!

And I’ve been doing just that it in one form or another since then…

Your Creative Business Coach ( or whatever you want)

Now I come to you specifically , fellow agency people and offer you Oliver Russell – Creative Business Coach with my pleasure.

I call myself a coach because that’s how it works but you could call me your coach, your mentor, your NED , your sounding board, agony aunt, whatever works for you. When it comes to our work together …call me what you like…as long as you call me!

Let’s chat!

If you fancy coming out for a kind of date with me then we can have coffee (and cake) put the World to rights and who knows we might even start an evolution!