Entrepreneurs in the Wild (Ian Millner)

This week Ian is joined on the Wild Side by Samsung Mobile’s Head of Marketing and Omnichannel Annika Bizon. Together they discuss the importance of drive, the right mindset and how pivotal AI will be for the future of tech now that it’s firmly in the hands of the consumer. They discuss their shared belief that there’s an entrepreneur but also what sets some people apart. We also learn the importance of having a voice and how Annika is breaking down the barriers of gender equality. We then hear about the Samsung Galaxy S24 and just how it’s changing the lives of users with its full embrace of AI. Before we hear Annika’s advice to her younger self, we discover Ian and Annika’s shared loved and respect for the Korean work ethic and culture. 

Annika Bizon

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annikabizon/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ian is joined on the wild side by John Farrell, a bonafide advertising legend. Together, they delve into the fascinating story of their shared history at IMP, a launchpad for some of today’s most influential business leaders and marketing agency founders. They explore the diverse pathways and personalities behind entrepreneurial success and the crucial role of adaptability required in dynamic environments.

John shares profound insights from his illustrious career, from his ascent to Managing Director at 26 to his expertise in leading business negotiations, driving agency mergers and acquisitions across the globe. His unparalleled experience offers invaluable perspectives on crafting effective business strategies and thriving in an ever-evolving marketplace. 

Listen as Ian and John engage in a captivating discussion, offering a masterclass in decision-making, cultural adaptability, and the innovative strategies that drive successful creative agencies in an era of profound change and transformation. Explore candid conversations and bold ideas on Entrepreneurs in the Wild—your go-to Business Podcast for invaluable insights and inspiring stories. 

John Farrell

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-farrell-a32b8623/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ian is joined by fellow Iris co-founder, friend and ultra-runner Claire Humphris. Now CEO of Iris London, Claire and Ian discuss the Iris origin story.

After taking the jump to be Iris employee number 1, she talks through her early career and the opportunities you can create when you’re the person who puts their hand up to do the hard things. They then discuss the importance of creating your own luck, so much so that you make yourself indispensable, even when things seem against you.

We learn how important the entrepreneurial spirit is when motivating teams to win pitches. From simply making a team believe they can win, to breaking world records and winning world-first projects like the London 2012 Olympic mascots, Ian and Claire discuss how this continues to drive success at Iris. 

Claire and Ian then discuss Claire’s passion for ultra-running and her unique ability to just keep going. Sometimes when we do really hard things, it puts the rest of our lives into context. 

Claire Humphris 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-humphris-3843995/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Music courtesy of Filmstro | Music that Moves

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Ian welcomes IPA Director General, Paul Bainsfair to the wild side.

With almost forty years in the industry, Paul takes us through his advertising journey. From starting out at Saatchi & Saatchi (yes, the 80s really happened!) to founding his own agencies, all the way to championing diversity at the IPA today.

Entrepreneurs are everywhere across the creative economy. Ian and Paul pull apart the differences between owning your own business and applying that same entrepreneurial spirit successfully within big agencies and the good habits that come from both.

Having been in the industry since the 70s, Paul is witness to the rapid changes triggered by technology.

From what was a glossy, glamorous industry generating newspaper headlines to the ever-evolving media landscape today, Paul tells all. And leads the debate on how AI will shape the nature of creativity, along with the risks.

Paul then talks about his current role at the IPA and the mission he’s on to increase diversity within the industry. As marketing has become more professional, it’s our job to lift up the weird and wonderful personalities. In order to make big creative leaps forward, we need these people with us.

If we create a culture where everyone’s free to approach things differently, world-famous ideas will follow.

Finally, Paul shares the traits of the successful entrepreneurs he’s worked with over his career. We learn that there’s no one-size-fits-all method, along with the things he’d wish he’d known before starting in Advertising.

Paul Bainsfair

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-bainsfair-828ba2233/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ 

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild 

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast 

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ 

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If we train AI so well it sounds like us, who does the IP belong to?

Today Ian welcomes Professor Michael G Jacobides from the London Business School to join him on the wild side. As a leading business mind globally, and expert in strategy, innovation and entrepreneurship, he reveals his journey to the studio today.

Starting in economics, Michael moved into the strategy and entrepreneurship space because he was fascinated by the reasons why there are so many different approaches to business and why some succeed, some skyrocket and some fail.

Having experience in both, Michael then identifies the shared traits of the entrepreneur and the academic, pointing out that the paths they’re on and the methods applied share many similarities..

Ian and Michael discuss what really drives the entrepreneur, and we learn it isn’t always profit. As a globally recognised thinker, Michael goes into detail on the other motivating factors behind some of the world’s most successful business people. With their practical caps on, Ian and Michael also discuss where an entrepreneurial culture thrives and argue that maybe not all types of business need it….

Michael then puts innovation under the microscope, zeroing in on the stark differences between Mark I,  II and III innovation types. You might have thought it's a case of ‘us’ and ‘them’, but there can actually be a symbiosis between large Fortune 500 firms and entrepreneurial ones in their orbit.

Iris always being front of mind, Ian then compares his agency structure to the Mark III innovation model - a stable core with lots of subsections in a frantic orbit of relentless change.

Ian and Michael then focus their attention on AI and the entrepreneur. As a key voice when it comes to future business scenarios, with an alternative position to marketing, Michael reveals his thoughts on AI and how it can create great disparity between companies, and quickly.

When it comes to training generative AI, Michael also shares his concerns on the risks that AI can bring, and how we must be careful what we let AI know about us.

Michael G. Jacobides

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-g-jacobides-b9302a8/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ 

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild 

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast 

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ 

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do ambitious businesses land investor backing?

Daina Spedding joins Ian on the Wild Side to help answer this fundamental question. As an Investor at BGF passionate about bringing more diversity and inclusion to the whole industry, Daina tells us how picking companies to back can sometimes be like speed-dating. She shares that ‘gut-feel’ has such an important part to play along with her four measures of business success.

Beyond investor ‘red flags’, Daina has very clear ideas on the traits of successful

entrepreneurs. She shares which traits she and BGF look for most, as they are most needed to navigate the pressure and uncertainty of today - especially in a world where almost half of founders are considering leaving to try something less stressful.

She also shares the insight that entrepreneurs are more likely to succeed if they’re not from the country where their business is and potentially how you’re at your best when everything’s on the line.

Daina and Ian then discuss the importance of purpose, the entrepreneurial spirit and ensuring you hold on to it as your business scales. They have a shared belief that openness to risk is a good thing and it’s only when you step outside of your comfort zone that you really learn what you’re made of as an entrepreneur.

When it comes to female representation in the investment arena, Daina doesn’t hold back. She gives us the real numbers and current industry issues, along with the things that need to happen to make it a level, more inclusive playing field for female founders.

Finally, we’re reminded of the importance of just keeping going. Never losing that ambition and surrounding yourself with people who will help you thrive is so important - and is sometimes the difference between success and failure.

Daina Spedding

LI:https://www.linkedin.com/in/daina-spedding-a763592/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ 

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild 

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast 

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ 

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should the entrepreneur wait for the perfect opportunity, or create their own?

Andy Day, founder and CEO of Capital A & agencies.co joins Ian on the Wild Side today. As a serial entrepreneur, let Andy take you on a rollercoaster journey from aspiring 90s band member to moving to London with nothing to disrupting the M&A industry today.

Andy’s entrepreneurial spirit has always been there - perhaps without always knowing it himself. We hear about Andy starting out at MTV new music sourcing, and getting a flavour for the music business. That led to Andy founding Gigwise.com - the first online music media hub of its kind. Being an out and out entrepreneur, it grew into a leading UK online magazine for fourteen years. Alongside this, Andy founded Giant Digital, a media and marketing company with over 9 million monthly users. At one point, Giant powered the entertainment news for AOL, MSN and Yahoo!

In the studio, Andy shares how he cut his teeth in M&A scenario, successfully exiting from big businesses. Now having experience growing big business and navigating M&A, this led to Andy becoming an advisor to others on how it can be done; his message being it’s more accessible than we think.

Ian and Andy then move on to talk about one of the most important aspects of the entrepreneur: drive. Having both been there and done it, drive combined with “bounce-back-ability” is what you need during the inevitable ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

There’s definitely a difference between an idea in your head and turning it into business. We see how greatly Andy believes in just starting, instead of waiting for the perfectly formed thing or the perfect moment. Even in his own podcast, we see his entrepreneurial trait of “just trying it” shine through again.

Where Andy is most entrepreneurial today is in his approach to M&A. There’s certainly an advantage to not coming from a conventional “super serious” background. Backed by his team of expert investment bankers and ex-agency founders, we see how his focus is the initial relationship and protection of creativity above all else.

We then hear Andy’s views on the importance of kindness as an entrepreneur. Kindness will only create more opportunity. When this philosophy is combined with Andy’s infectious approach of “give it a go and see what happens”, we’re left with a killer cocktail.

Finally, being the disruptor that he is, we hear about Andy’s other company Agencies.co…and how he’s on a mission to not only transform the M&A space for marketing companies, but level the playing field too.

Andy Day

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andydday/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the pivotal producer behind British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN showspace since 2016, an initiative central to London Fashion Weeks, Sara Blonstein extends a far-reaching cultural impact over the industry. The founder of Blonstein Creative Productions, Sara has helped launch the careers of Gareth Pugh, Henry Holland, Richard Quinn, Saul Nash, and LABRUM (the latter three all winners of The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design) and catwalk producer for designers Molly Goddard, Roksanda, and has taken over Harlem for Ozwald Boateng OBE. For British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN, she excels at nurturing young designers, including 2022 LVMH Prize winner S.S. Daley.

Sara challenges expectations, collaborates with new talent, and brings her passion for repurposing derelict spaces to deliver events that leave guests feeling blown away. Her 30-year career has flourished with immersive and experiential events for brands like MAC Cosmetics, TikTok, and Netflix.

In this Entrepreneurs In The Wild episode, Sara shares extraordinary tales from her fashion industry experiences with host Ian Millner. Her stories range from her early days as a stylist for Bros to the groundbreaking post-feminist Pussy Posse party with exclusively female staff.

Discover why Davina McCall credits Sara with landing her first big break at MTV, how she gave Graham Norton his first paid commercial job, and what happened when she took Ozwald Boateng and a 90-strong cast to Harlem for a fashion spectacle at the Apollo Theater.

Sara also recounts her experiences with the late Queen Elizabeth II, involving Richard Quinn’s first major show, Anna Wintour, gimp masks, motorbike helmets, and thrash metal, nearly missing a career highlight.

Sara hails Gen Z’s versatility and dogged determination, and praises influencers for bringing something fresh to the entrepreneurial spirit. She shares her truths, seeing fashion as a fusion of culture, art, and history that evolves and provides an escape from our existence. Entrepreneurship, she says, is about following passions and desires, with expertise unlocked by trial-and-error. Her philosophy is simple: “I hate anything boring!”

Sara Blonstein:

LI: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sara-blonstein-15a357

IG: https://www.instagram.com/blonners_sarablonstein/

Ian Millner:

IG: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Ian is joined on the Wild Side by organisational psychologist John Amaechi. When John takes us on his career journey, we quickly feel his sporting entrepreneurial spirit coming through. Simply being told “you can’t” inspired one kid from Stockport to be the first Brit to make it in the NBA and the other, Ian Millner to co-found one of the world’s best advertising agencies, Iris. 

After a decorated NBA career, John got back in tune with one of his lifelong passions - psychology. Pursuing this formally at Penn State, John then formed his consultancy, APS Intelligence.

Things get really interesting when Ian and John delve into the psychological aspects of the workplace and the biases we may have in place when we picture certain roles. Together they unpack the misconceptions around the ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ and the associations the term ‘entrepreneur’ brings to mind. John then shares his view on the traits he thinks should be celebrated versus the ones that are currently held in high regard.

They then move on to call out some of the business terms that may actually be detrimental to the entrepreneur, ultimately attracting the wrong following.

John brings his unique view on work to the table and how he thinks, balanced with our own self-awareness, we can find that harmony between our job and our lives.

Having lived and worked in both the UK and US, John shares his views on the differences between those two cultures - from perception of failure to even the very definition of work and the unrealistic expectations that are often set.

When it comes to “talent”, it’s never been more important to know the skills we’re looking for.

Especially with the nature of the jobs we do always in flux. 

Regardless of market, John then talks about “the cascade of consequences” we can create if businesses jump on trends too quickly.

We then hear John’s insightful definition of what “being on a team” actually means. 

Many of us may think we’re in teams - but drawing analogies from his NBA career, John suggests we might need to adjust our definition or what teamwork really is.

John leaves us with his two cents - if you want to succeed, there’s a level of mundanity that comes with it.

John Amaechi

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amaechi/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ 

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild 

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast 

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ 

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Ian welcomes new Iris Creative Chair Eduardo Maruri to the Wild Side.

Originally from Ecuador, Eduardo has held some incredible roles across the world before Iris - all united by one thing: raw passion. When taking Ian through his career to date, we quickly realise he’s taken his creativity and passion everywhere - from leaving a Marketing Manager role to set up his own agency at 23 to running for Ecuadorian Congress to even being a football chairman. It becomes clear that in periods of adversity, Eduardo’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through. When others might sell up and move on, he sees opportunity and gets to work.

We really feel Eduardo’s passion in spades when he and Ian discuss the future of creativity. For Eduardo, in order to go forward - we need to look back. Instead of churning out quick, dirty “thumb-stopping” content, we must treat our brands like Hollywood Stars. As brand guardians, we need to build slow, meaningful relationships with our audiences over time. The inevitable success will follow.

Ian and Eduardo then share their worldviews. Both are “universal citizens” having lived and worked on multiple continents. As such, they both have the ability to recognise the ebbs and flows of numerous cultures and equally how to give them the respect they deserve.

Ian and Eduardo then talk about agency reputation - the international currency of this being awards. Similar to winning an Oscar, if you’re regularly winning awards, chances are you’re a pretty good agency. Plus, with a rigorous process in place, winning awards becomes a natural part of the agency day-to-day and as natural as going to the gym.

Eduardo finishes with some advice to his younger self: Don’t forget to have fun. Otherwise, what’s the point of it all?

Eduardo Maruri

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardo-maruri-26620995/

Ian Millner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

EW

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ 

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild 

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast 

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ 

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert White and Stewart Hilton are the founders of ZEAL Creative, winners of Agency of the Year at the 2023 IPM Awards. Since launching in 2014, the duo have elevated ZEAL Creative to their status as one of the UK’s most influential and inspiring agencies, with particular expertise in the FMCG section. From its humble roots, ZEAL Creative now consists of almost 100 employees split between offices in Manchester and London, with a people-first attitude at the heart of their philosophy.

ZEAL’s mission is to build the world’s most recommended agency.  They create campaigns that help some of the world’s biggest brands to inspire and motivate consumers into action. And that’s precisely what they’re renowned for, delivering results for an enviable A-Z of famous brands including Nestle, Carlsberg, ARLA Foods, Suntory, Kellogg’s, McCain, Pringles and many more..

In this episode of Entrepreneurs In The Wild, Robert White and Stewart Hilton join host Ian Millner for an in-depth discussion which charts their back story, the philosophies that underpin their success to date, and their continued ambitions for the company.

The pair take us on an illuminating journey through their experiences, with particular focus on ZEAL’s launch, what makes a successful entrepreneurial business partnership, how to balance continued growth with a strong company culture, and the value of identifying and especially allowing staff to thrive for everyone’s mutual benefit.

Much like host Ian Millner, Robert White and Stewart Hilton are serious about business but share the belief that fun, laughter and enjoying the challenges of the working day are all an important aspect of the experience. As such, the camaraderie between the ZEAL duo is palpable, as is Millner’s respect for all that they have achieved - making this an engaging and entertaining 40-minute listen for anyone involved in or fascinated by the creative business industries.

Stewart Hilton

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewart-hilton-62a7403/

Robert White

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-white-5922693/

ZEAL Creative

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zeal-creative/

IG:https://www.instagram.com/zealcreative/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there an infamous 7-year itch? Today Ian Priest, founder and the ‘P’ in VCCP joins us on the wild side. Now the CEO of charity Onwards & Upwards, when he discusses his illustrious career journey to the EITW podcast studio today, the entrepreneurial spirit is tangible.

Growing up within an entrepreneurial family, Priest was familiar with the high and lows of running a business from a young age. We learn that the environment you grow up in affects the way you perceive and navigate risk, which in turn reflects in your willingness to do what’s needed to be an entrepreneur. 

Going on to study Business at university, he was able to gain work experience in the ‘big, rigid corporate’ world of insurance and in what felt a more liberated marketing and advertising industry. That’s where Ian’s Agency journey began.

Ian Priest initially worked at the agency IMP (now evolved and trading under a new name) which was well known for its dynamic, competitive edge.

Guest Ian then describes how he took the early influence of IMP and used it as a springboard to form his first merger, HHCL. One of the important things we learn is that, to match the inevitable ups and downs of business, you need complementary partners on the journey with you.

Finding the right people was exactly what Ian did as he went on to found VCCP, now among the highest profile agencies in the world, in a select group including Iris Worldwide. When it comes to picking your partners, it goes beyond people too. Ian explains how scaling up with the right business partner can lead to great things.

After a successful exit, wanting to return to small business, today Ian’s most excited by his charity work with Onwards & Upwards. He’s taking everything he’s learned in his various roles and is now training ex-offenders from Brixton Prison as bike mechanics.

As Ian offers advice to his former self it seems simple. If you have that ability to keep going and work with partners you trust, especially on the bad days, then you’re on the right track as an entrepreneur.

Ian Priest

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-priest-5316a55/details/experience/ 

Ian Millner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

EW

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/ 

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild 

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast 

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/ 

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/ 

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/ 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Ian is joined on the wild side by ex-pro gamer, co-founder and CEO of NewGen agency Mike Craddock. For Mike it all started with video games, quickly becoming a gaming influencer from his bedroom. After building a strong network of influencer and content creator friends, Mike soon began to negotiate their sponsorship deals.

Realising there was something in bridging the gap for his friends, this naturally led to Mike co-founding his own talent management company, Kairos Talent.

But Mike’s business has had many identities during its rapid growth. What started as talent management soon evolved into content creation generating hundreds of millions of regular views across social platforms. Things have now come full circle so he’s now in charge of an agency at the forefront of social & gaming with a roster of influencer talent to back it up.

Mike then talks about his evolving branding journey. With multiple business names used from 2017, the business identity was unclear.

After realising they needed to go to the world as one brand, with many clients valuing agencies that ‘do everything’ they eventually landed on NewGen. This was chosen as it encompasses their ambition and the shifting nature of the gaming audience. What Mike makes very passionately clear is that the new generation of gamers has many forms. From deep gaming to casual CoD players to mums mobile gaming on their commute - and NewGen can target them all.

When Mike talks about his entrepreneurial background, we learn that it runs in the family - Mike being exposed to the highs and lows of small business from an early age. We also hear that Mike may have got a lot of his business acumen from (ironically) gaming as a kid, as he recruited others to get him the best items in the game to then sell on to Americans due to demand.

Later on, when Mike became a YouTuber, he gamified this system too. When he was starting out he was the sole creator of his content - filming, editing and uploading it. The ever-changing nature of algorithms, what’s effective and what pays might be why the mindset of Creators is one of the most entrepreneurial around.

When it comes to traditional ad agencies trying to break into the gaming space, Mike thinks their strategies need to go deeper. Gaming isn’t just video gaming, it’s on a spectrum made up of different audiences - like sport is. Where NewGen, made up of gamers of all types, may have an advantage is that they ensure the people who play a certain game are on the project from the get-go. They’re already on the journey.

When Mike offers advice to his younger self, he admits he would have taken on more mentors and experienced people from an earlier stage. And also, find your niche and stay true to it; don’t try and be everything to everyone…people (and clients) will respect you for who you are.

Mike Craddock

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-craddock/

Ian Millner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

EitW

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://twitter.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Music courtesy of Filmstro | Music that Moves

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode of Entrepreneurs In The Wild is the first in an Iris festive mini-series, hosted by Ian Millner. It explores how leadership, culture, and entrepreneurial spirit have powered Iris to become a global force over 25 years.

Ian is joined by Iris co-founders Claire Humphris, former CEO of Iris London, and Adam Wright, former key player at Iris now Managing Director of Big Potato Games, as well as Zoe Eagle, newly appointed CEO of Iris London.

Together, they reflect on the company’s early days, marked by youthful chaos and an emphasis on clients and work. As Iris evolved, so did its culture. While processes matter, they realised that empowering the right people to do what they do best drives success. Despite growth, Iris has stayed true to its core philosophy: innovation, calculated risk-taking, and fluidity.

The discussion covers entrepreneurship, team potential, and whether Iris can still be considered an underdog. Despite their distinct personalities, the four leaders share a passion for their work. Zoe, with her fresh perspectives, is well-placed to continue the legacy of Ian, Claire, and Adam. 25 years on, Iris’s future remains bright. Stay tuned for more episodes in the trilogy.

Ian Millner / EITW

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://x.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Zoe Eagle

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-eagle-482b84129/

Claire Humphris

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-humphris-3843995/

Adam Wright

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-wright-bb041b3/

Music courtesy of Filmstro | Music that Moves

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winner in the Creating & Marketing category of the 2024 Signal Awards, Entrepreneurs In The Wild unveils the second part of the Iris 25 festive mini-series. Host Ian Millner explores how Iris has become one of the world’s most influential creative marketing agencies over its 25-year history. This episode dives into the intersection of creativity and culture in an industry undergoing a major shift due to AI.

The panel includes four pivotal figures: Grant Hunter and Shaun McIlrath, who bring 30 years of senior leadership at Iris, and two rising stars, ECD Katy Hopkins and Global CCO Menno Kluin.

The conversation reveals how Iris’s early, anything-goes spirit still thrives today. Once an upstart challenging the industry’s conventions, Iris now proves its creative expertise in an era where clients are more informed, and AI plays a growing role. Yet, the human connection remains vital, with Iris continuing to challenge the status quo.

Grant and Shaun share memories of navigating the industry’s changing landscape, while Katy discusses Iris’s role as an outsider and disruptor. Menno offers a unique perspective from his career journey from The Netherlands to the US, now landing in the UK.

Ian Millner orchestrates the conversation, drawing parallels between Iris’s past and future. Despite industry changes—cultural influences, emerging tech, and shifting consumer behaviour—his lessons from Iris’s evolution feel like timeless truths.

Ian Millner / EITW

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

X: https://x.com/EitW_podcast

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Katy Hopkins

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-hopkins-6422a747/

Grant Hunter

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/granthunteriris/

Menno Kluin

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mennokluin/

Shaun McIlrath

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-mcilrath-842564b/

Music courtesy of Filmstro | Music that Moves

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode of Entrepreneurs In The Wild is the third and final installment in the Iris 25 festive mini-series. Host Ian Millner leads a conversation exploring how strategy, participation, and planning have shaped Iris’s journey and their impact on the industry.

Ben Essen, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Iris, Karen Correia da Silva, Senior Strategy Director, and John Grant, experienced strategist and author, join Ian to share their expertise. Ben reflects on Iris’s evolving strategy, from experimentalism to market-leading brand strategies, always grounded in participation.

Karen discusses how culture mediates MarComms, with social media empowering individuals as brands. Platforms like TikTok put all brands on equal footing, and success comes when brands engage with people, not just talk at them.John explores the role of participation in effective marketing. He highlights the need for connection, from big ideas to internal agency accounting and target communities.

The conversation shifts to short-termism in marketing. Karen highlights Nike’s shift from OOH ads to digital during the pandemic. While large brands may focus on short-termism, smaller brands are investing in long-term views, offering their communities something to believe in.

The team finishes by discussing the future of climate-focused marketing. As almost every brand adopts a green philosophy, consumers demand change, and green innovation is poised to thrive as the corporate market recovers.

Ian Millner / EITW

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmillner/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurs_inthewild/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneursinthewild

Executive Producer Addi: https://addi.london/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addi-merrill/

Iris Worldwide: https://www.iris-worldwide.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/irisworldwide/

Ben Essen

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benessen/

Karen Correia da Silva

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karencorreiadasilva/

John Grant

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejohngrant/

Music courtesy of Filmstro | Music that Moves

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.