I’m coming to the end of an intensive couple of weeks in Brisbane, helping a start-up business take it’s first tentative steps in the real world after months of development.
Yes that’s right, Brisbane Australia, half the world away from where I live. And yes, I know just how fortunate I am to be able to make this trip, but it also demonstrates how well the virtual office model of Busy as AB works, and has worked for over 12 years.
How did I become involved?
A good question, and one that I’ll deep dive into for the next blog. But to answer it, very briefly, I was asked to consult on the ‘work to date’ by one of the founders. He’s a friend and he’s also watched the work that I deliver for my clients from afar, literally the other side of the world. We were both in Manchester at the same time, and whilst our paths don’t cross as much as they used to, we make an effort to keep in touch. He’s in a totally different professional world to me and wanted some of my ‘magic’ for his new business.
What did I deliver?
There was a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ preparation. Working together, we have shaped and tested the proposition with a group of people who are closely connected to the founding team.
This is what I call the ‘nuts and bolts work’ that goes on behind the scenes. The work that I believe too few people acknowledge. This is core brand building work. There’s no fancy visuals or quirky copy at this point, and there’s a very good reason for that. We’d be shooting in the dark. Right now it’s about listening and understanding the needs of the people we want to connect with. Giving ourselves the time to do this is crucial, as it’s from here that we can start to build.
The process starts with a lot of questions
I cannot help anyone without discovery sessions. These are so important. A time when we are all learning. For me, it’s about understanding the client – structure, culture, direction, ambitions…the list a very long. And every aspect reveals important information and learning. Equally it’s important that the clients get to know me and the working methods, structure and deliver of Busy as AB.
Challenging the thinking
Working with passionate people is great. Passion drives innovation and that energy is infectious, but it can also be a barrier to seeing the world in the same way your customers see it. The classic ‘being too close’ is something that doesn’t always sit well with clients, who have masses of passion, but forget their customers aren’t duplicates of them.
My role is to challenge these assumptions, test theories and research the reality of the situation. This can be a tricky path to navigate, emotions run high at times and the sense of personal ownership can be huge. I’m not going to deny it, these discussions can be uncomfortable at times, they’re also invaluable to the direction and overall health of the brand, and so are always worth having.
For example, last night was the first time I met one of the company directors in-person, after months of online video calls and chats, it was wonderful to be together in person. We shared a lovely warm greeting – like seeing an old friend. His first words, “We wouldn’t be here without you!” lovely as that was to hear, I was a little taken aback and wanted to know more. When I enquired why, he simply said, “You stopped us, challenged what we were doing and ensured we packaged this into something people can understand.”
Accountability
Of course this runs both ways. Whilst I am accountable to clients, those same clients also need to provide me with information and feedback with honesty. We don’t need perfection, in fact perfection is highly unlikely and not useful, especially in the start-up phase, with MVP developments. If the accountability isn’t reciprocated, the effectiveness of our work will be compromised. More than that, the working relationship between the teams starts to strain.
Accountability isn’t about strictly adhering to every rule, deadline or meeting because with the best will, things change and everyone needs to be prepared to adapt. Life happens. As a supplier I need to adapt and change to accommodate clients as well. It goes both ways.
This is where clear communication comes into its own – speaking up, letting people know when things aren’t going to plan, having those uncomfortable conversations where you explain why and work together to achieve an outcome that works for everyone. This is important at every stage of brand development.
Strategy and planning
Right now this business is ready to share it’s first product. We are at MVP – minimum viable product – so we need to strike the right balance of information and function. We need to be lean. We need to be clear, we also need to measure, interpret and understand what we hear.
Developing a strategy to get from spreadsheets, diagrams and text docs is crucial. In order to do this you need to have alignment across the team. Setting realistic goals, acknowledging where personal strengths lie, and where people can be stretched (always asking ahead of time of course). It’s where the central building blocks of the business are tested and refined.
Of course we’ve researched, strategised and planned what we want to achieve, but we’re also realistic about where the product sits currently. We need to put just enough work in to demonstrate the potential. We don’t need every eventuality, every extension, link up or bolt-on. This is ‘less is more’ – one of my favourite expressions – keeps it as simple as possible to see how people react to what they see and hear.
Testing the ideas
Last week we did this with a closed launch. We revealed the business brand name/identity and the product to a select group of people at The Precinct in Brisbane – a brilliant venue with a fantastic support team.
This was the culmination of months of work. The client team (and me) were physically buzzing, excited and animated. Confident about what they had to say and how to say it. Standing on stage with them it was wonderful to watch each person come alive, sharing their passions with the people in the room. It really is a privilege to be part of events like this, especially when the less confident members of the team step-up, sharing their knowledge and are flourishing.
What we really wanted was to measure the response. Ask a few questions and find out how the information sat with people. What was clear, what wasn’t and where improvements could be made. We made some deliberate segmentations in the people we invited, allowing us to test various ideas across the wider group. Me and the other directors took copious notes during the session. We also filmed the audience (enabling us to re-run aspects of the presentation and read body language) and we listened a lot.
Applied learning
It’s been an intense couple of weeks. The culmination of a lot of work behind the scenes. This kind of preparation and planning is what brings a brand alive. Yes there’s also a load of visual, graphical and messaging work involved, and that doesn’t happen by magic either. All elements need to be aligned before we jump into that (as mentioned at the start of this post).
These projects are the result of decades of experience, remaining true to my values – being human. Showing respect for others, and ensuring that I provide the right things at the right time, presenting the brand/business in its best light.
Adapting the plan and revising the strategy
We had an really good catch-up that day after the event. Overnight we’d all had time to digest and reflect on what we had heard and seen. Now we could share that, determine what was useful, which segments responded well to the various things we shared and determine where to put our collective efforts over the coming months.
Clockwork
I’m not going to say that everything went to plan, because it didn’t. Like every project we’ve had our challenges, curved balls and things that we simply could not do anything about. These all bring greater learning, they shape us and they are shaping the brand we are building together.
Show me the work
Later this year I will be able to share more information about this brand journey. I’m hoping that will be around July/August all being well. But if this is of interest, you’ve got questions or simply want to know more, please get in touch below. Thanks for reading.
Busy as AB 