Tag Archives: Ashley Holman

Roundtable: Creating a brand with longevity and the factors that build a programme with steam

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Richard Pink, Ashley Holman, Nikki Samuels, Gabrielle Sims, and Asda/George children’s buyer, Ruth Golightly, are among the licensing experts taking part in a specially curated panel session at next week’s Festival of Licensing, exploring the topic of brand longevity and the multitude of factors that need to be aligned in order to nurture one.

Titled, Building a Long-Term Programme: What do Licensors Need to Do? the session will be available from 9am on Tuesday, October 6th, and will be available to view on demand for 30 days afterwards.

Licensing.biz spoke to all five ahead of the session to offer up a flavour of the topics, conversations, and conclusions that viewers and attendees of Festival of Licensing can expect from the special panel session. So settle in and get your first taste of what’s to come here. Remember, licensees can register to attend for free at www.festivaloflicensing.com. 

Hello, firstly, to the four of you and thank you for taking the time ahead of what’s looking like a busy four weeks for us all!

To kick off the conversation and give us a flavour of your panel session, let’s jump right in to it. So, can you tell from the outset when a brand is going to have longevity? And if so, what are the key markings of an ‘ever green’ brand?

Richard Pink, MD, Pink Key Licensing


Richard Pink, managing director, Pink Key Licensing: I think it will always come down to the motivation and commitment of the brand owner to put the elements in place, anyone else in the licensing chain will feed off this but if it isn’t there then the brand will struggle regardless of how strong it is. 

Ashley Holman, managing director, Riverside Brands: In terms of new brands launching this is very hard to tell, but if an established brand is getting into licensing for the first time it is easier to tell by looking at how they are entering the licensed market. If it is through considered, well thought out brand extensions that make sense to the core brand values, then it has a chance to build for the long term versus quick win deals that aren’t meaningful to the core values.

Nikki Samuels, CEO, Factory: Evergreen Brands understand what their consumer wants. You can’t tell from the outset if it’s going to be an ‘evergreen property’ but if the brand makes the consumer feel like a hero and positions itself as a guide there is a chance it will have longevity.

Ruth Golightly, head of buying, children’s clothing, ASDA/George: I do get a gut feeling for what will be successful in my section of retail. I engage with licensees and other buyers at my company in other categories to get their thoughts, but you never really know how much longevity brands will have as the customer now wants new and different more often.

Gabrielle Sims, head of licensing, FatFace: I’m a firm believer that a brand that has a strong identity and if it evolves with consistent and clear brand values it will always run the test of time. It’s key that brands listen, inspire and engage their core target market without compromising their values and brand promise.

Ruth Golightly, head children’s buyer, Asda/George

So looking at the big picture then, what role would you suggest each element of the brand creation process – from licensor to retailer – have to play in creating a brand with longevity? 

Richard Pink: The more disparate the elements become, the more difficult it is to have a cohesive programme. The closer communication between the parties, the more a brand programme will become greater than the sum of its parts

Ashley Holman: They are all intertwined, and one doesn’t work without the other. The licensor needs to be clear on the brand positioning and what the consumer might like to see in terms of licensed extensions, as well as provide the tools needed for licensees and retailers to activate through internal resource, style guides and so on.

The licensee needs to have a good understanding of the brand, design interesting and exciting products as well as present to retail in the right way. The retailer needs to buy in to the overall concept, dedicate adequate space in store for it to be visible and not get lost on shelf and support in store where possible.

Nikki Samuels: The licensor must have a very clear strategy and a plan for the brand and who its consumer is. This must be communicated with all the licensor’s partners. If you confuse you lose, not having a clear plan is a guaranteed way to lose longevity.

Ruth Golightly: The most important thing is communication, and listening to ensure you all have similar goals, timing is also a key element.

Gabrielle Sims: All elements of the process have to play their part. It’s really important for brands to partner with the right companies and retailers that have the same vision and goals.

Nikki Samuels, CEO, Factory

So it’s communication, cohesion, and stringent planning. How then do you nurture a brand with longevity through licensing? How important is it to get this element right?

Richard Pink: This is everything and it’s all about patience and doing the right deals to enhance the brand value. Delivering a long-term strategy sometimes means turning down short term financial deals if they don’t fit. 

Ashley Holman: Considered brand extensions versus label slapped quick wins is crucial.

Nikki Samuels: Brands need to be nurtured with great partners that are all working towards the same vision for the consumer. When the consumer interacts with a brand they want to know how this brand can make their lives better.

Ruth Golightly: As a retailer, it’s important that the brand has a presence across all channels – physical stores and online. At Asda we ensure we have a credible offer on George.com across many categories such as clothing, nightwear, toys, home and accessories, so that the customer can buy into the brand for every aspect of life.

Gabrielle Sims: Brands don’t evolve overnight. It takes time and a lot of love and effort. Like anything, the more time and investment you put into a brand, the more you get out of it. It’s so important to listen to your customer, gain trust, and have a clear vision on where and how you want your brand to seamlessly evolve into for licensing.

Your panel session is going to be delving into the topic of ensuring your brand has steam as a key element of creating a brand with real longevity. In such a competitive space that licensing now is, how do you ensure your brand has steam? 

Richard Pink: Always go back to core brand values, as these are the things that differentiate it from other brands. Also, identify the consumer – that way you can match the two together with the right product. 

Ashley Holman: Refreshing of creative and other marketing assets to keep things fresh for the end consumer, even if the brand itself remains consistent.

Nikki Samuels: Brands have to become part of a consumer’s life and be trusted. In today’s world, with so much competition, being authentic and speaking directly to the consumer, making them feel like a hero, will gain steam. Brands that position themselves as heroes don’t last long, they need to be positioned as the guide.

Gabrielle Sims: One of the hardest and challenging things to overcome these days. But if you have a strong brand, loyal customer base and you stay true to your core values, innovate and excite, you are set to come through the other end.

Do you think a brand’s staying power be curated through licensing alone?

Richard Pink: Yes, but it’s harder and there has to be a commitment to delivering everything that is necessary to provide resources to the licensing chain. That’s a how a brand like Pan Am can stay relevant, long after the planes have stopped flying.

Ashley Holman: To a degree, if the strategy is executed correctly then the licensed product itself can become so intertwined with the core brand offering that it can live on, even if the original brand heritage wanes.  

Ashley Holman, MD, Riverside Brands

Nikki Samuels: Definitely not, licensing is only a part of a brand’s marketing and it’s very important that the right consumer products that fit the brand’s values are licensed. Products that don’t fit with brand values will confuse the consumer. 

Gabrielle Sims: Yes, if curated properly – having key strong partners that work together and communicate is key. It’s about partnership, long term vision and investment by all.

What is it that consumers are consumers from their brands today? 

Richard Pink: Value and imagination. The consumer is way too savvy for label slapping, they have strong associations for some brands, and they want them reinforced by the product they see.

Ashley Holman: Authenticity, interesting extensions and something that is relevant to the core DNA of the brand identity.

Nikki Samuels: I believe consumers want brands that they can trust and know what they are doing. They want to know if investing their time and money in this brand will be worth it.

Ruth Golightly: Customers want trust in a brand they are buying into, whether that’s knowing the ethics and sustainability ethos of a brand, or knowing that products are the right quality they expect.

Gabrielle Sims: Consumers expect so much from brands. The obvious being quality, price, loyalty, transparency and sustainability, but today brands need to be nimble and convenient too to allow for that ‘ instant’ ‘I want it now’ turn around.

How has this changed the boxes that need to be ticked to become a brand with longevity?

Richard Pink: It really hasn’t – you just have to be firm of what the appeal of your brand is (which could be many things) and keep delivering on it in spades. Oh, and keep innovating!

Gabrielle Sims, head of licensing, FatFace

Ashley Holman: It hasn’t really, those brands that have stood the test of time, especially those with extensive licensing programmes have always adhered to these principles. They may have just moved with the times in terms of new categories and marketing techniques, but the principle remain the same.

Nikki Samuels: I think that brands now have to have clear values and guide their consumers how to interact with them every day because they are making their consumer’s lives better.

Ruth Golightly: It’s not just about selling ‘stuff’ anymore, it’s about a lifestyle that customers buy into.

Gabrielle Sims: I don’t think this has ever changed I just think brands are under more pressure to deliver on all levels. Especially speed to market.

Available on demand from 0900 Tuesday 6 October at www.festivaloflicensing.com – attendees must register in advance to access the platform and all of the Festival’s content.

Building a Long-Term Programme: What do Licensors Need to Do?
Nikki Samuels, CEO, factory
Ruth Golightly, Head of Buying, Children’s Clothing, Asda/George
Ashley Holman, Managing Director, Riverside Brands
Gabrielle Sims, Head of Licensing, FatFace
Moderator: Richard Pink, Managing Director, Pink Key Licensing

Rugby League World Cup 2021 is ‘biggest project the sport has ever seen’, and there’s no better time to brand build

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As the world waits for sporting events across the globe to open their doors to the crowds once again, the Rugby League World Cup 2021 brand has its own, additional project underway – developing and rolling out a comprehensive licensing programme designed to ‘transcend the sport’ itself and tap into the millions of potential fans worldwide.

Licensing.biz talks with Jon Neill, commercial director, Rugby League World Cup, and Ashley Holman, MD and founder of Riverside Brands, the agency tasked with building the RLWC 2021 brand through a portfolio of licensing partnerships about sport licensing, and developing the blueprint for sports teams to follow in the years to come.

Firstly, we hope you guys are well and have managed throughout this pandemic. How is the Rugby League World Cup brand positioned as we begin to emerge from it all? There must be some pent up energy among fans and consumers?

Jon Neill, commercial director, Rugby League World Cup: We’re all very well thanks at RLWC2021. It’s obviously been a hugely testing time for everyone around the world in recent months. It’s put sport and events into perspective as there are clearly more important things going on than our tournament. Although we’re fortunate that we’ve been able to continue with our planning during the period. There are certain things outside of our control, but we are hugely optimistic that we’ll be in a position to deliver the best ever Rugby League World Cup and the biggest standalone sporting event in England next year.

Last month we actually launched our new brand to celebrate 500 days to go until the tournament starts. Part of this was a new positioning around ‘Power of Together’, which is very apt in terms of our inclusivity values, but also appropriate given the times we are experiencing and people wanting to get back to seeing friends and family.

The fans are at the core of everything we do and we’ve been conducting detailed research into propensity to purchase tickets and attend events, with our pre-sale going live in September this year. This shows there is clearly a desire for live events with fans attending again, and we want to create and allow people to share experiences with each other.

Ashley Holman, founder and CEO of Riverside Brands: Thankfully, as a nimble agency operating across three key areas of the industry, we have managed to weather the storm relatively well. Not least thanks to the support of our existing clients and the great brands we work with.

We are also really fortunate to have picked up new opportunities, such as working with Jonathan Neill, Rob Hutchison and the team at Rugby League World Cup 2021, particularly as it’s set to be the largest and most exciting event the sport has ever had. It is also here in England and with everything that has happened in 2020, we think sports fans and those living locally will really engage with it. That means we will have a really engaged and enthused customer base to be able to provide best-in-class licensed product to further their experience of the tournament and keep those memories going beyond the final.

How have the past few months shaped your approach or strategy for the RLWC brand? Has it given light to new avenues or platforms for the brand, or how have you guys evolved with the changing lay of the land?

Neill: Everything we do is focused on our vision, mission and values, and they are all relevant and even more appropriate in the current circumstances we find ourselves in. There is much talk for companies of being able to ‘pivot’ at the moment, and we think we are in good position to continue to provide something positive for people, communities and our stakeholders.

From the beginning of our journey, dating back to the successful bid in 2016, our mission has been about creating inspirational moments, that engage, excite and leave a long lasting legacy. We’ll do this in many ways via RLWC2021 and we have plenty of hard work to come, and we need partners who will support us in achieving that, such as Riverside Brands for our licensing programme.

We’ll be the first major tournament to run the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments concurrently, so inclusivity is hugely important for us. Our matches will be held at 21 venues across 18 towns and cities, with 85 per cent of those in the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ region. We also have a fantastic legacy programme taking place before, during and after the tournament, which is engaging people within communities in multiple ways. So we have a huge opportunity to celebrate our host locations, drive civic pride, and create positive engagement and memories for people.

Holman: The strategy was agreed with the RLWC2021 team in early February and we still feel the base is there for sure. However with the changing dynamics of bricks and mortar retailers, and the surge in online purchasing now, we need to ensure this element is factored into our plans accordingly.

You talk about transcending the sport of Rugby League to engage new audiences – what form do you think this will take and how will licensing achieve this for you? What areas do you think Rugby League World Cup will work particularly well within?

Neill: We have overall targets for RLWC2021 that require us to positively engage new audiences, ones that are outside of the core rugby league fan. The core fan is hugely important to us, and quite rightly they can’t wait to celebrate and engage with the biggest and best ever Rugby League World Cup next year. Just in the UK there are 14 million people who ‘follow’ rugby league, so the potential is there for us.

To sell 750,000 tickets for example across our 61 games, we have to bring new people into the tournament, alongside our core fans. We’ve spent a great deal of time looking at who these people might be, and Deloitte, one of our official partners, have helped massively in this space. These audiences include broader sports fans, families, women, millennials, students etc. We have to provide a reason for them to engage with our tournament, and we think licensing, merchandise and consumer products is one way to do this.

Holman: As Jon says, the licensing strategy revolves around catering for the core fans who follow the sport avidly, while also playing on the history of the tournament, teams and rugby league itself. These elements will also be used to proactively engage a wider audience, including families and children in particular, who are much newer into the sport. This is being done by a really progressive style guide that we’re developing working with the great team at Skew Studio and will allow us to cater for both sides of the audience.

Why is now the right time to be looking at building the brand in this way? What do you think building out a licensing programme for the brand can do for the sport overall, particularly from a grassroots level, and will this be a key market for you guys?

Neill: Rugby League World Cup 2021 is the single biggest project the sport has undertaken in its 125 year history, so now has to be the right time to build the brand in this way – we ultimately won’t get a better opportunity to do so. Our objectives for licensing are to increase our profile, create fan engagement and ultimately drive revenue.

Grassroots is very important, and also creating future fans for the sport. We have to create a legacy from the tournament and engage people in a positive way. This isn’t about picking up a rugby ball – we’re doing this in a variety of ways, whether that be through our volunteering opportunities, our mental fitness charter, our schools education resources, watching a form of rugby league – like Wheelchair rugby league – that someone might not have done previously, creating new heroes, or by engaging with licensing and the associated products and exposure.

Holman: I think the fact that for the first time ever this tournament will bring together the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions into one place, creating a world class stage for all categories of the sport, is a huge USP. From a merchandising point of view, this means we’ll be able to cater to a much wider fan base those tournaments will attract, rather than having to focus on just one which is the norm. Not only is this important for getting new fans from all three elements engaged and building brand loyalty, it also provides licensees and retailers with more potential customers for the products on offer.

2020 has by all accounts been a very tough year for sports overall – how do you think the trials of the last few months will impact on the potential for sports licensing? Do we have to re-engage audiences, or will there be a pent-up demand driven by the restrictions of this year?

Neill: “Much of this is still unknown and things are obviously changing on a daily basis, and we need to be flexible, reactive and responsive. We’re committed to a partnerships approach which understands the objectives of all parties and how we can collaborate, so we hope and think there is potential, although clearly the economic impacts are massive.

I think it will be a blend of both – there are going to be lasting impacts, but as you say, that will be balanced with a desire by many to get back to live sport and what that provides. We hope to be able to play a positive role in supporting people as we emerge from the pandemic. Sport has a unique opportunity to emotionally engage people, so we need to find our appropriate place moving forward.

Holman: I really believe there will be pent up demand. We are a nation of sport lovers and the loss of so many great sporting moments this year means next year there will be huge demand for sports brands, especially ones daring to be bold and brave like RLWC2021. Naturally alongside that demand to participate and view sport is the desire to show support for your favourite team, player and event through the consumer products range that will be on offer.

What role do you think licensing has to play in the audience engagement with sport in general in the coming future? How would you apply that directly to Rugby League? And what benefits would come from driving that engagement with the sport in the mainstream?

Neill: Sport and fan engagement is ever changing, and we need to embrace trends, technology and be insight and data led. Licensing has a critical role to play in that, and for us it’s in driving fan engagement and ultimately commercial opportunities to enable us to deliver an event like Rugby League World Cup 2021. At the same time, we can support other businesses and develop a ‘win win’ environment for all parties via mutually beneficial partnerships.

Our fans are hugely passionate and loyal, and the sport perhaps hasn’t embraced licensing too much previously, so we’re excited about the opportunities of bringing like-minded parties together.

The BBC is our broadcast partner in the UK for RLWC2021, and will show all 61 games across the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments live on their platforms, which is a huge benefit for us. We have a great broadcast platform to integrate our activity, alongside the support of our stakeholders such as UK Government, 18 local authorities, commercial partners and sponsors etc. If we can use this network to create and promote positive social impacts from our tournament, then we hope this becomes a blueprint for major events moving forward.

Holman: Licensing plays a huge part in engagement. In the moment, people can show their support for a tournament, sport and team, and it also keeps the memory of the great experience they have had going long into the future.

Any hints on partners you guys may have already lined up for brand? What would the dream partnership be, and what are you looking for in a licensing partner.

Neill: We are really open to speaking and engaging with people who think they can contribute to what we’re trying to achieve, and also help meet their objectives also. We’re delighted to have Riverside Brands on board to lead the charge for us in this space with their fantastic creative thinking and contacts.

The hard work starts now, and we’ll be taking a data and insight led approach to uncover opportunities focused on our audiences, potential customers, and sectors and products which can support this. It’s certainly an exciting time and we’re fascinated to see the progress we can make with licensing over the next 18 months.

Holman: “We have already had some really exciting conversations since the announcement went live. We are keen to explore a plethora of categories from the more obvious ones, such as apparel, accessories and commemorative but also – in line with RLWC2021’s ethos of being bold and brave, world class, authentic and inclusive – we are interested to hear from anyone that has a product category that they feel would be a good fit.

The Entertainer partners with Riverside Brands for ELC brand extension programme

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The UK’s family owned high street toy retailer, The Entertainer has partnered with Riverside Brands to lead its brand extension strategy for Early Learning Centre.

Under the new partnership, both the Happyland and core ELC brand will look to build out wider brand extensions into categories such as apparel, nightwear, health & beauty, publishing, nursery and experiences.

It’s been billed as ‘an exciting partnership for all involved as The Entertainer focuses on growing the Early Learning Centre brand since its acquisition in February 2019’. The partnership also marks a significant move for a retailer into the licensing, highlighting the commitment of the group to support the ELC brand during highly tumultuous times for UK retail.

Stuart Grant, global sourcing officer at The Entertainer, said: “We are extremely excited to be partnering with Riverside Brands on this exciting opportunity for the Early Learning Centre brand. With such a strong heritage as an iconic part of early years development we are confident there is more opportunity for the brand to be an even bigger part of children’s early years by giving them greater access to the characters through carefully selected brand extensions.

“We are confident that Riverside Brands is the right partner to achieve this in a way that protects the brand by securing opportunities to compliment the existing brand heritage.”

Ashley Holman, managing director of Riverside Brands, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with The Entertainer on this exciting opportunity for Early Learning Centre. ELC has been a much-loved brand for nearly 50 years and we’re looking forward to making its iconic characters more accessible through brand extensions into areas such as apparel and bedding.

“Children love these characters, they’re an important part of their early years and we’re looking forward to making them available in categories which will compliment the core toy ranges.”

Licensing chatter: 10 questions with Riverside Brands’ Ashley Holman

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In these unprecedented times for the global community, it’s nice to keep connected – and for an industry as reliant on peer to peer networking as the licensing business, maintaining those connections with our industry colleagues is paramount. That’ why Licensing.biz is kicking off a new series of interviews to get to know a bit more about the people driving it forward.

Continuing our Licensing Chatter interview series, we catch up with the founder of Riverside Brands and Licensing.biz Power 50 alumni, Ashley Holman

Hello Ashley, hope you’re staying safe and well! to kick us off, can you tell us how you got into the licensing business?

I’m one of the few people that actively looked to get into licensing from the outset. While studying for a degree in Marketing at university I was introduced to a number of people by my father in all sorts of industries from Banking to Specialist Ship Insurance Brokering. One introduction was to David Scott from Rainbow Productions who invited me for a beer with Ian Downes from Start Licensing and himself one half term…

They gave me an overview of the industry, the different roles that existed and how it all fitted together as an industry. Following a visit to Brand Licensing Show Europe in 2003 as a visitor I was amazed at the scale of the industry and the size of the commerce but at the same time the fun nature of the subject matter …….(including the Roy Lowe & Son boys walking around in Elvis suits for good measure).

I then knew that it was licensing over insurance for me… Following my graduation, I then managed to secure a role selling advertising into the industry with LicensingPages which gave me a great network and experience before a stint at Coolabi in my first licensing role. From there I moved to Nickelodeon where I had various licensing roles over a 12 year period before setting up Riverside Brand at the end of 2018.

That must have given quite a varied perspective of the industry – what have been the biggest changes you’ve seen in the space over that time?

I’ve spent most of my career in the kids’ space of the industry and the main shift there has been the sheer level of competition. Previously for kids content, consumer products was seen as the icing on the cake commercially but now with so many shows, so many different platforms, CP is a core revenue driving element to a kids IP from the outset.

More day to day in the workflow; retail is now the first element to onboard, with licensees then much more likely to partner once they know there is demand. This is in contrast to around 2005 to 2007, when it was a much more licensee first approach.

What then Ashley, has been the proudest moment of your career to date?

The day I got the Companies House registration certificate for Riverside Brands Limited. Setting up my own business is something I have wanted to do since the very first moment I started my career and I came very close a number of times over the years in doing it, however to have finally taken the plunge and received the industry support that I have been lucky enough to have been afforded has been incredible and I am truly thankful.

Have you got a favourite licensing deal/partnership on the CV – what makes it stand out for you?

Tough one to answer this as I have been fortunate to work on a number of great partnerships from multi-million dollar strategic partnerships which are exciting to be a part of, to smaller yet innovative ones too. A couple that stand out have to be:

My first deal at Nickelodeon was for a range of SpongeBob Real Musical Instruments with John Hornby Skewes and Sons. It was their first foray into licensing, it went on to win a number of awards, was a great commercial success for both them and Nickelodeon and they were still a partner nearly 12yrs later when I left…

Of course, the first licenses which I signed as Riverside Brands on behalf of ZURU for its brand Rainbocorns were very special too which were with Danilo, Fashion UK and Roy Lowe & Sons. I am grateful for their support so early on and the other partners that are now onboard with all the brand I work on.

What are some of the biggest hurdles the licensing business is facing at the moment?

Given we are in the midst of frankly an unbelievable moment in time, aside from the immediate issues of stores being shut, the longer term impact is likely to be the reduction of support of new/smaller brands in or coming to the market. Retailers will likely be incredibly risk adverse for a considerable period of time as they look to rebuild themselves. This will have a big impact into the licensing world with IP that perhaps would have been given shelf space, now likely to get a reduced opportunity to show it can work.

Therefore online will become even more important to get right to ensure you stand out from the crowd.

What conversation do you think the industry needs to be having right now?

Aside from the obvious of when will stores re-open, it will be around how do all sides involved work together with fairer commercial terms for all to ensure everyone can survive the coming 18months or so.

No one knows what the full impact will be or when things will be ‘back to normal’, if indeed they ever do so open dialogue will be key.

Retail is one of the biggest topics of talk at the moment – what do you think the future relationship between retail and licensing looks like?

There is always the balance between own brand/label and licensed brands and the margin mix buyers try to achieve between the two. However there is no denying that with the right brand, you will sell more of the same generic product so it’s about better partnerships between all those involved which is a term that gets thrown around a lot but if done properly will ensure there is a great long term relationship between retail and licensing for years to come.

If retailers get burnt time after time after a ‘big sell in’ and promise, then licensed space will only get less and less.

What would be your dream brand to work with or licensing deal to establish?

If I could work on Peppa Pig / Hey Dougie and Fireman Sam / PJ Masks right now, then I would be a hero in my household. Failing that, there are a number of gin licensed deals being done at the moment so I’d love to get a partnership away in that category… not just because I’m a gin fan, of course.

What is the best part of your job?

We get to talk about fun things like cartoons and toys, yet it is part of a huge commercial industry where no two days are the same. I love working on bringing products to market through a great working partnership between the brand owner, licensee and retailer and ultimately seeing a child’s joy through the product they are using / playing with. That gives great satisfaction.

What advice would you give to anyone starting out their career in licensing?

The industry is really welcoming and there are a lot of people out there that will offer you great advice and help you as much as they can (as they did for me all those years ago) so don’t be afraid to ask.

Also, put yourself out there as much as you can, this is a very sociable and close industry. Hard work gets rewarded but be patient and try and get involved and learn as many of the different aspects to the business even if that is informally from colleagues and peers as it’ll give you a greater perspective of the way it all fits together.

Finally, you’ve got to enjoy what you do otherwise you’ll never be good at it if you don’t.