Entrepreneurs in the Wild

Today Ian is joined on the wild side by ex-pro gamer, co-founder and CEO of NewGen agency Mike Craddock. For Mike it all started with video games, quickly becoming a gaming influencer from his bedroom. After building a strong network of influencer and content creator friends, Mike soon began to negotiate their sponsorship deals.Realising there was something in bridging the gap for his friends, this naturally led to Mike co-founding his own talent management company, Kairos Talent. But Mike’s business has had many identities during its rapid growth. What started as talent management soon evolved into content creation generating hundreds of millions of regular views across social platforms. Things have now come full circle so he’s now in charge of an agency at the forefront of social & gaming with a roster of influencer talent to back it up.Mike then talks about his evolving branding journey. With multiple business names used from 2017, the business identity was unclear.After realising they needed to go to the world as one brand, with many clients valuing agencies that ‘do everything’ they eventually landed on NewGen. This was chosen as it encompasses their ambition and the shifting nature of the gaming audience. What Mike makes very passionately clear is that the new generation of gamers has many forms. From deep gaming to casual CoD players to mums mobile gaming on their commute - and NewGen can target them all.When Mike talks about his entrepreneurial background, we learn that it runs in the family - Mike being exposed to the highs and lows of small business from an early age. We also hear that Mike may have got a lot of his business acumen from (ironically) gaming as a kid, as he recruited others to get him the best items in the game to then sell on to Americans due to demand. Later on, when Mike became a YouTuber, he gamified this system too. When he was starting out he was the sole creator of his content - filming, editing and uploading it. The ever-changing nature of algorithms, what’s effective and what pays might be why the mindset of Creators is one of the most entrepreneurial around.When it comes to traditional ad agencies trying to break into the gaming space, Mike thinks their strategies need to go deeper. Gaming isn’t just video gaming, it’s on a spectrum made up of different audiences - like sport is. Where NewGen, made up of gamers of all types, may have an advantage is that they ensure the people who play a certain game are on the project from the get-go. They’re already on the journey.When Mike offers advice to his younger self, he admits he would have taken on more mentors and experienced people from an earlier stage. And also, find your niche and stay true to it; don’t try and be everything to everyone…people (and clients) will respect you for who you are. Mike CraddockLI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-craddock/ Ian Millnerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/EitWIG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ Music courtesy of Filmstro | Music that Moves

Is there an infamous 7-year itch? Today Ian Priest, founder and the ‘P’ in VCCP joins us on the wild side. Now the CEO of charity Onwards & Upwards, when he discusses his illustrious career journey to the EITW podcast studio today, the entrepreneurial spirit is tangible. Growing up within an entrepreneurial family, Priest was familiar with the high and lows of running a business from a young age. We learn that the environment you grow up in affects the way you perceive and navigate risk, which in turn reflects in your willingness to do what’s needed to be an entrepreneur. Going on to study Business at university, he was able to gain work experience in the ‘big, rigid corporate’ world of insurance and in what felt a more liberated marketing and advertising industry. That’s where Ian’s Agency journey began.Ian Priest initially worked at the agency IMP (now evolved and trading under a new name) which was well known for its dynamic, competitive edge. Guest Ian then describes how he took the early influence of IMP and used it as a springboard to form his first merger, HHCL. One of the important things we learn is that, to match the inevitable ups and downs of business, you need complementary partners on the journey with you.Finding the right people was exactly what Ian did as he went on to found VCCP, now among the highest profile agencies in the world, in a select group including Iris Worldwide. When it comes to picking your partners, it goes beyond people too. Ian explains how scaling up with the right business partner can lead to great things.After a successful exit, wanting to return to small business, today Ian’s most excited by his charity work with Onwards & Upwards. He’s taking everything he’s learned in his various roles and is now training ex-offenders from Brixton Prison as bike mechanics. As Ian offers advice to his former self it seems simple. If you have that ability to keep going and work with partners you trust, especially on the bad days, then you’re on the right track as an entrepreneur.Ian PriestLI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-priest-5316a55/details/experience/ Ian Millnerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/EWIG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast  Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/  Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ 

Robert White and Stewart Hilton are the founders of ZEAL Creative, winners of Agency of the Year at the 2023 IPM Awards. Since launching in 2014, the duo have elevated ZEAL Creative to their status as one of the UK’s most influential and inspiring agencies, with particular expertise in the FMCG section. From its humble roots, ZEAL Creative now consists of almost 100 employees split between offices in Manchester and London, with a people-first attitude at the heart of their philosophy. ZEAL’s mission is to build the world’s most recommended agency.  They create campaigns that help some of the world’s biggest brands to inspire and motivate consumers into action. And that’s precisely what they’re renowned for, delivering results for an enviable A-Z of famous brands including Nestle, Carlsberg, ARLA Foods, Suntory, Kellogg’s, McCain, Pringles and many more.. In this episode of Entrepreneurs In The Wild, Robert White and Stewart Hilton join host Ian Millner for an in-depth discussion which charts their back story, the philosophies that underpin their success to date, and their continued ambitions for the company. The pair take us on an illuminating journey through their experiences, with particular focus on ZEAL’s launch, what makes a successful entrepreneurial business partnership, how to balance continued growth with a strong company culture, and the value of identifying and especially allowing staff to thrive for everyone’s mutual benefit. Much like host Ian Millner, Robert White and Stewart Hilton are serious about business but share the belief that fun, laughter and enjoying the challenges of the working day are all an important aspect of the experience. As such, the camaraderie between the ZEAL duo is palpable, as is Millner’s respect for all that they have achieved - making this an engaging and entertaining 40-minute listen for anyone involved in or fascinated by the creative business industries.Stewart HiltonLI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewart-hilton-62a7403/ Robert WhiteLI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-white-5922693/ ZEAL CreativeLI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zeal-creative/IG:https://www.instagram.com/zealcreative/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewildX: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Today Ian welcomes new Iris Creative Chair Eduardo Maruri to the Wild Side.Originally from Ecuador, Eduardo has held some incredible roles across the world before Iris - all united by one thing: raw passion. When taking Ian through his career to date, we quickly realise he’s taken his creativity and passion everywhere - from leaving a Marketing Manager role to set up his own agency at 23 to running for Ecuadorian Congress to even being a football chairman. It becomes clear that in periods of adversity, Eduardo’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through. When others might sell up and move on, he sees opportunity and gets to work.We really feel Eduardo’s passion in spades when he and Ian discuss the future of creativity. For Eduardo, in order to go forward - we need to look back. Instead of churning out quick, dirty “thumb-stopping” content, we must treat our brands like Hollywood Stars. As brand guardians, we need to build slow, meaningful relationships with our audiences over time. The inevitable success will follow. Ian and Eduardo then share their worldviews. Both are “universal citizens” having lived and worked on multiple continents. As such, they both have the ability to recognise the ebbs and flows of numerous cultures and equally how to give them the respect they deserve.Ian and Eduardo then talk about agency reputation - the international currency of this being awards. Similar to winning an Oscar, if you’re regularly winning awards, chances are you’re a pretty good agency. Plus, with a rigorous process in place, winning awards becomes a natural part of the agency day-to-day and as natural as going to the gym. Eduardo finishes with some advice to his younger self: Don’t forget to have fun. Otherwise, what’s the point of it all? Eduardo MaruriLI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardo-maruri-26620995/ Ian Millnerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/ EWIG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast  Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/  Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/  

Today Ian is joined on the Wild Side by organisational psychologist John Amaechi. When John takes us on his career journey, we quickly feel his sporting entrepreneurial spirit coming through. Simply being told “you can’t” inspired one kid from Stockport to be the first Brit to make it in the NBA and the other, Ian Millner to co-found one of the world’s best advertising agencies, Iris. After a decorated NBA career, John got back in tune with one of his lifelong passions - psychology. Pursuing this formally at Penn State, John then formed his consultancy, APS Intelligence.Things get really interesting when Ian and John delve into the psychological aspects of the workplace and the biases we may have in place when we picture certain roles. Together they unpack the misconceptions around the ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ and the associations the term ‘entrepreneur’ brings to mind. John then shares his view on the traits he thinks should be celebrated versus the ones that are currently held in high regard.They then move on to call out some of the business terms that may actually be detrimental to the entrepreneur, ultimately attracting the wrong following.John brings his unique view on work to the table and how he thinks, balanced with our own self-awareness, we can find that harmony between our job and our lives. Having lived and worked in both the UK and US, John shares his views on the differences between those two cultures - from perception of failure to even the very definition of work and the unrealistic expectations that are often set. When it comes to “talent”, it’s never been more important to know the skills we’re looking for.Especially with the nature of the jobs we do always in flux.  Regardless of market, John then talks about “the cascade of consequences” we can create if businesses jump on trends too quickly. We then hear John’s insightful definition of what “being on a team” actually means. Many of us may think we’re in teams - but drawing analogies from his NBA career, John suggests we might need to adjust our definition or what teamwork really is. John leaves us with his two cents - if you want to succeed, there’s a level of mundanity that comes with it.John AmaechiLI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amaechi/IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast  Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/  Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ 

As the pivotal producer behind British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN showspace since 2016, an initiative central to London Fashion Weeks, Sara Blonstein extends a far-reaching cultural impact over the industry. The founder of Blonstein Creative Productions, Sara has helped launch the careers of Gareth Pugh, Henry Holland, Richard Quinn, Saul Nash, and LABRUM (the latter three all winners of The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design) and catwalk producer for designers Molly Goddard, Roksanda, and has taken over Harlem for Ozwald Boateng OBE. For British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN, she excels at nurturing young designers, including 2022 LVMH Prize winner S.S. Daley.Sara challenges expectations, collaborates with new talent, and brings her passion for repurposing derelict spaces to deliver events that leave guests feeling blown away. Her 30-year career has flourished with immersive and experiential events for brands like MAC Cosmetics, TikTok, and Netflix.In this Entrepreneurs In The Wild episode, Sara shares extraordinary tales from her fashion industry experiences with host Ian Millner. Her stories range from her early days as a stylist for Bros to the groundbreaking post-feminist Pussy Posse party with exclusively female staff.Discover why Davina McCall credits Sara with landing her first big break at MTV, how she gave Graham Norton his first paid commercial job, and what happened when she took Ozwald Boateng and a 90-strong cast to Harlem for a fashion spectacle at the Apollo Theater.Sara also recounts her experiences with the late Queen Elizabeth II, involving Richard Quinn’s first major show, Anna Wintour, gimp masks, motorbike helmets, and thrash metal, nearly missing a career highlight.Sara hails Gen Z’s versatility and dogged determination, and praises influencers for bringing something fresh to the entrepreneurial spirit. She shares her truths, seeing fashion as a fusion of culture, art, and history that evolves and provides an escape from our existence. Entrepreneurship, she says, is about following passions and desires, with expertise unlocked by trial-and-error. Her philosophy is simple: “I hate anything boring!”Sara Blonstein:LI: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sara-blonstein-15a357IG: https://www.instagram.com/blonners_sarablonstein/Ian Millner:IG: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewildX: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Should the entrepreneur wait for the perfect opportunity, or create their own?Andy Day, founder and CEO of Capital A & agencies.co joins Ian on the Wild Side today. As a serial entrepreneur, let Andy take you on a rollercoaster journey from aspiring 90s band member to moving to London with nothing to disrupting the M&A industry today.Andy’s entrepreneurial spirit has always been there - perhaps without always knowing it himself. We hear about Andy starting out at MTV new music sourcing, and getting a flavour for the music business. That led to Andy founding Gigwise.com - the first online music media hub of its kind. Being an out and out entrepreneur, it grew into a leading UK online magazine for fourteen years. Alongside this, Andy founded Giant Digital, a media and marketing company with over 9 million monthly users. At one point, Giant powered the entertainment news for AOL, MSN and Yahoo! In the studio, Andy shares how he cut his teeth in M&A scenario, successfully exiting from big businesses. Now having experience growing big business and navigating M&A, this led to Andy becoming an advisor to others on how it can be done; his message being it’s more accessible than we think.Ian and Andy then move on to talk about one of the most important aspects of the entrepreneur: drive. Having both been there and done it, drive combined with “bounce-back-ability” is what you need during the inevitable ups and downs of entrepreneurship.There’s definitely a difference between an idea in your head and turning it into business. We see how greatly Andy believes in just starting, instead of waiting for the perfectly formed thing or the perfect moment. Even in his own podcast, we see his entrepreneurial trait of “just trying it” shine through again.Where Andy is most entrepreneurial today is in his approach to M&A. There’s certainly an advantage to not coming from a conventional “super serious” background. Backed by his team of expert investment bankers and ex-agency founders, we see how his focus is the initial relationship and protection of creativity above all else.We then hear Andy’s views on the importance of kindness as an entrepreneur. Kindness will only create more opportunity. When this philosophy is combined with Andy’s infectious approach of “give it a go and see what happens”, we’re left with a killer cocktail.Finally, being the disruptor that he is, we hear about Andy’s other company Agencies.co…and how he’s on a mission to not only transform the M&A space for marketing companies, but level the playing field too.Andy Day LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andydday/IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

How do ambitious businesses land investor backing?Daina Spedding joins Ian on the Wild Side to help answer this fundamental question. As an Investor at BGF passionate about bringing more diversity and inclusion to the whole industry, Daina tells us how picking companies to back can sometimes be like speed-dating. She shares that ‘gut-feel’ has such an important part to play along with her four measures of business success.Beyond investor ‘red flags’, Daina has very clear ideas on the traits of successfulentrepreneurs. She shares which traits she and BGF look for most, as they are most needed to navigate the pressure and uncertainty of today - especially in a world where almost half of founders are considering leaving to try something less stressful.She also shares the insight that entrepreneurs are more likely to succeed if they’re not from the country where their business is and potentially how you’re at your best when everything’s on the line.Daina and Ian then discuss the importance of purpose, the entrepreneurial spirit and ensuring you hold on to it as your business scales. They have a shared belief that openness to risk is a good thing and it’s only when you step outside of your comfort zone that you really learn what you’re made of as an entrepreneur.When it comes to female representation in the investment arena, Daina doesn’t hold back. She gives us the real numbers and current industry issues, along with the things that need to happen to make it a level, more inclusive playing field for female founders.Finally, we’re reminded of the importance of just keeping going. Never losing that ambition and surrounding yourself with people who will help you thrive is so important - and is sometimes the difference between success and failure.Daina SpeddingLI:https://www.linkedin.com/in/daina-spedding-a763592/IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast  Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/  Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/