A Tough Beginning Maketh A Good Ending

PAUL COOMBE

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lot can happen in three months; it’s 12 weeks, and 84 days to impact your business. It’s also 84 opportunities to learn in the here and now. Paul Coombe officially launched Affinity Marketing in July in Birmingham so we wanted to circle back from the last time we spoke and find out how it’s all been going.

Hi Paul! Lovely to speak with you again! We were totally inspired by your article in the previous edition: “To Affinity and Beyond”, so what’s new?

Well, we’ve got a fantastic new Recruitment Administrator on the team, Romarna, she likes to be called Marna. She’s doing such a marvellous job, learning and evolving so quickly. She really gets stuck in and gets behind the team too. We also have Seanah too, also doing a fantastic job!

What have been your highlights?

I’d have to say getting into the office has been brilliant, the buzz of Birmingham brings everything to life. And the unbelievable recruitment opportunities the city can bring, we’re just all so excited to be here. what would it be?

“A learning curve”. Nothing can prepare you for opening your own office. You’re constantly learning in real-time so you soon figure out how not to do things, but also what works. It’s like learning to drive, you get to grips with it once you’re out there on the roads by yourself.

Something that was interesting for myself and the team was the difference in clientele from Cheltenham to Birmingham. Although it’s a city, Cheltenham seems to have a slower pace of life, whereas Birmingham is much busier, people are on the move. So we’ve been working with other offices who have worked in similar territories to learn how to more quickly qualify our customers, and work in harmony with the demographic.

When you’re having a challenging time, what do you do to support yourself through it?

Get advice as soon as possible. I get myself around people who have faced similar hurdles and have the experience I perhaps am lacking at that point. Talking always helps.

I also find that taking a moment to consider your goals can really put some perspective into the matter; you know there’s a way through the problem, you just need to figure out what it is.

“We analyse and we refocus, but the goal has always been to be the top office in the UK so that’s what we’re going to do."

Have you been able to pull any of your previous knowledge from horse racing into running your business?

Resilience has definitely been a factor in both careers. It’s something I’ve built up over the years so now when I see a challenge or a problem that needs solving, I see it for what it is, not how it may feel at the time. A challenge is a challenge, you problem-solve and carry on!

The importance of adaptability - What are your thoughts?

As humans, we adapt and we always have done. Through evolution, economic crisis, and times of countrywide mourning like we’re experiencing now - You have to work with what’s in front of you. In business, you have to focus on what you’re doing, do the best you can with what you’ve got, and try to learn from everything around you.

So, you’ve reset from the first quarter, what’s the plan of action now?

We’re building the core team, so strong leaders, prioritising our core values and building strength. By the end of the year, we’re looking to acquire 300-400 new customers per week so solid foundations are paramount.

Personally, I’m excited to go to Zambia for a safari, so I’ve set my associated business goal to develop our first Assistant Owner for Adaptive Marketing.

So when we see you with a giraffe we’ll know you’re on your way to expanding into a second location! Have your goals altered at all?

Absolutely! We analyse and we refocus, but the goal has always been to be the top office in the UK so that’s what we’re going to do.

An honest account from Paul for his first three months heading up Affinity Marketing. We can learn a lot from our new owners; they’re experiencing new cities, varied recruitment opportunities, each with their own personalities and business character.

Each time we expand the organisation we’re fascinated by the diversity it brings, broadening our industry insight, and building our core strength to pass that knowledge on and help others in the future.

Paul is someone who thoroughly embraces the network, so he’ll always be more than happy to take your call.

“As humans, we adapt and we always have done. Through evolution, economic crisis, and times of countrywide mourning like we’re experiencing now - You have to work with what’s in front of you. In business, you have to focus on what you’re doing, do the best you can with what you’ve got, and try to learn from everything around you. ”