- Tell us a little bit about your business…
Oaks Consultancy is a leading Third Sector consultancy firm: we help non-profits and socially-minded organisations to become more commercially minded and financially sustainable without detracting from their core values. We primarily offer these services to clients within the sports, education, and social housing sectors.
- How did you get into the industry?
I joined Oaks in 2009, very shortly after the company was founded, when we were in a ‘classic start-up mode’… i.e., figuring it all out as we went along! I studied Sports Marketing at university and have always been passionate about the unique ability sport has to connect with people in ways that are difficult to intellectualise. As a result, Oaks has always felt like the perfect space for me and I haven’t looked back since!
- What are the biggest opportunities and challenges in your industry?
Like most industries, everything is currently conditioned by the impact of the pandemic. Equally, there’s still a lot of uncertainty regarding the next few months as we continue to navigate economic recovery alongside the easing of restrictions.
In terms of sector-specific issues, our recently published Fundraising in Sport: State of the Sector report highlighted the profound economic challenges facing the sports sector, after the initial lockdown starting in March last year virtually wiped out all operations at the time, overnight.
However, the continual resilience of the sports sector leaves me confident that there is ample opportunity to pivot and adapt and so many news ways to find more creative and impactful methods of supporting the sector. Organisations will, more than ever, need more robust and diverse business models when considering their next steps for during the coming months and years ahead – and that’s where we come in!
- How would you describe your leadership style?
Authentic. I wouldn’t call it a ‘style’, but – for better or worse – the ‘me’ outside of work is the same as the ‘me’ in work. No matter what, I have the same values, same personality and same ideals. The first step to getting buy-in and engagement, with both colleagues and clients alike, is to be genuine with people. In my opinion, maintaining positive relationships and clear communication with those around you is absolutely key to creating a healthy, working environment.
- How do you get the most out of the people who work for you?
By trusting them and enabling them to have as much autonomy as possible: it’s obviously important to also provide any necessary support for each individual, but ultimately, I try to get out of their way and let them take ownership of their work. At Oaks, we try to cultivate a fearless environment, where people feel empowered to try new approaches and can confidently back themselves: in my experience, this is the best strategy to helping those around you to succeed.
- What are the most crucial elements to your business running smoothly and being successful?
Our amazing team and equally, a good relationship and cultural fit with our clients! In my experience, having a motivated, rewarded and talented team that feels confident and is well-supported, generally translates to optimal client performance, which is then what helps to pay the bills.
- How has the past 12 months been for you?
As I imagine for most people, it’s absolutely had its ups and downs. However, I’m unbelievably proud of what our team has achieved, how we’ve adapted and supported one another through such tough times to come out onto the other side in a great position for the remainder of 2021 and beyond.
- Is there anything you’ve learnt during the pandemic that you’ll take forward in your business?
So much! We’ve accelerated the pace of some of our ideas and adapted to a whole new way of working, which has really shaken things up for the better. We’re so much more efficient with our time and more creative with how we engage with our clients, despite the move towards working virtually.
We won’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, though, as I can’t wait to get our team back together in the office for a real-life interaction!
Whilst there are definitely some aspects of the team and the way we work that just aren’t the same over a screen, it’s great to have been able to explore a much more flexible way of working over the past year. Once we are able to work together in person more regularly, I think a balance of hybrid working will be key to keeping everyone safe and happy in equal measure.
- What will the next 12 months look like for your business?
All being well, I’m confident that the next 12 months will be filled with exciting opportunities for the business to grow and develop even further. The last year has been all about adapting, consolidating and finding a way through. Now that we’re (hopefully!) through the worst of things, we can really start to think big again and look at how we can push the business on further. After years of building a strong team, a credible reputation and a series of exciting client wins, we have a growing international footprint – especially within the sports sector – and this is a huge focus of our long-term growth strategy. Watch this space!
- What are the highlights of your career so far?
It may sound surprising, but the last 12 months has an undoubtedly been a major highlight. Our primary goal at the start of the pandemic was to bring the whole team with us throughout the journey of 2020: as of 2021, we’ve been fortunate to not had to lose a single member of staff.
On the contrary, we’ve actually grown the team and been actively recruiting for new roles in recent months, which is an unbelievable achievement only made possible because of the amazing team we have. That in itself is another highlight! Getting to work with a group of people who care so much about each other and the company they work for is rare, in my opinion, and I’m always grateful to be surrounded such great co-workers.
Other than that, whilst I won’t pick out individual clients, the work that we carry out as a business and the impact it has never fails to inspire me. We’re lucky that we get to collaborate with so many different organisations across several industries and sectors; when we see the impact, our work has for them and their beneficiaries, it’s always hugely rewarding!
- What’s the biggest business mistake that you’ve learnt from?
Definitely spreading ourselves too thin and trying to be absolutely anything and everything for potential clients! In our earlier years, we would sometimes go after work that wasn’t always best suited to us or try to unlock lots of different new markets simultaneously, which inevitably hampered productivity and could be quite stressful. In more recent years, we got to a place where we recognised that in order to grow and scale the business as we ideally intended, we had to simplify, realise what we are good at and re-focus in on achieving that and continuing to deliver unbeatable value for our clients.
- What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
Don’t be a hero. You don’t have to have all the answers: other people, no matter where they are in the company, will be able to add value that you can’t. Listen to them, trust them and get out of their way!
To find out more about Oaks Consultancy, visit: www.oaksconsultancy.co.uk.
