What initially attracted you to work at Good Growth?
There was a stack of different things! I think one key part was the ‘small but mighty’ element. We’ve always punched well above our weight, and it’s rare to find a company of our size with the calibre of clients that we have. I’d spent a few years working in much larger organisations, so the chance to come into a much smaller team with more exposure and more chances for collaboration across departments was unmissable.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned during your time here?
The list of lessons is endless, but if I had to pick one, it’s probably that inspiration really can come from anywhere at any time. There have been times when I’ve been walking to the train station with someone, grabbing a coffee, or even during conversations that are totally unrelated to work, that something will be said that unleashes a sudden rush of creativity. It’s quite a nice moment when you’ve had a mental block for a while that is suddenly solved by a seemingly random remark or idea.
How does your role contribute to Good Growth’s mission and core outcomes (Data, Insight, Technology)?
Probably in a different way to most! I’m not on the frontline so to speak as a lot of my work is focused on Marketing, Branding, Events and Communications, so it tends to sit around those key outcomes rather than directly in them. It does, however, mean I get to spend a lot of time with a lot of different teams and work on some very cool projects.
George with two of his main passions in life – Good Growth and The Arsenal.
In your opinion, what sets Good Growth apart from its competitors?
There’s a level of personality and familiarity that comes with us that clients don’t always get from much larger organisations. It’s been mentioned in a few other Employee Profiles – it’s something that we’re all extremely passionate about.
How do you collaborate with team members from different expertise backgrounds?
I think an integral part of functioning well together is understanding that everyone communicates differently. If you apply the same communication style to every colleague or team member, it won’t be as effective as if you tailor your approach. That can be applied to simple things like Teams messages – knowing who appreciates a “How was your weekend?” and who would rather you just get straight to the point is important!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone new joining Good Growth?
There was a piece of advice that I was given on my first day, which was to “be a sponge”. It’s still a very important piece of advice to this day. At Good Growth you’re surrounded by people with incredible knowledge and experience, so to be able to soak that all up, listen to their thoughts, and get their opinions on projects and ideas is invaluable. Particularly early on, when you’re finding your feet and getting immersed in what the company does – there’s no need to panic and rush into wanting to deliver immediate value. Take your time and figure things out first.
“One thing I’ve loved about working for Good Growth is the friendships I’ve made along the way. How the three of us didn’t sink this canoe somewhere down the River Exe is beyond me…”
What TV show or film are you currently obsessed with?
I’ve fallen back in love with Twin Peaks. Not that I ever fell out of love with it, but it is – in my view – the greatest TV Show ever created, and I’ve just started rewatching it. It’s just incredible. The soundtrack, dialogue and photography is faultless, and it’s one of those shows where if you allow yourself to be fully immersed into it, it’s quite a surreal experience at times.
If you could travel to one place in the world, where would it be?
Death Valley in California. I read Lol Tolhurst’s (original Drummer of The Cure) Autobiography a good few years ago, and he described how spending time in the Valley had an extremely profound effect on him. Ever since then, I’ve dreamt of going one day.
Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
A fair few talents and hobbies, but I’m not sure that I’m too good at keeping them hidden… I am fairly good at identifying films from single frames. Is that a talent? I’ve set myself up for failure there, though. I guarantee the next time I’m in the office someone will have a list of films and I’ll flop. Maybe I should have said juggling. Only issue is I can’t juggle.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want with you?
A guitar for definite – whenever I’m asked what my happy place is, it could be anywhere as long as there’s a guitar to play. Probably a keg of Guinness – obviously it would eventually run out, but it would make the first few days a bit easier. Then finally a notepad (can I have a pen as well?) – sounds like I’ll have a lot of time to work on a Christmas Number One, so I’ll need some way of writing it down.
