5 things I’ve learned about running a business: Jeff Michon, Michon

Jeff Michon is managing director at Nottingham-based full service creative agency Michon, established in 1982. With an enviable client base including Ronseal, BT, E.ON and Hanson, Michon provides marketing and creative services that help businesses achieve their commercial goals.

The five things he has learned in business are:

 Invest in local talent
As a business that has proud roots in Nottingham, we’ve recognised the importance of celebrating talented people from our local area, particularly in the creative industries. As an example, we recruit interns from local universities – two of whom are now part of our senior creative team.

It’s about walking the talk, and we’re really proud to donate our time and resources to help nurture the city’s top young creative talent, as well as future-proofing our local creative businesses by encouraging our brightest and best individuals to build their lives here.

For example, we’re one of the Trustees of a charity set up to help young creative people in Nottingham. Part of this is the Young Creative Awards, an initiative that is close to our hearts. An annual competition open to all 13-24 year olds who work, live or study in Nottingham is a great way to develop and support young creative talent in the region, put young people in Nottingham on the creative map and make the city a world-class creative hub. To date we have provided 450+ hours to develop their brand, website and marketing support for the awards, leading to a 45 per cent increase in entries.

Green credentials
Being green makes good business sense – and is a value we hold dear. Over the years we’ve decided to invest in our offices in a sustainable way to keep overheads down and protect the environment.

As a business we recycle wherever we can, including over 1 tonne of paper every year. We use digital files and technology to cut our carbon emissions and every single desk is made from 100 per cent recycled materials.

A third of all the electricity we use is generated by the solar panels we had installed on our roof (that’s 8,500kW every year) – and this all goes to show that you can still operate successfully as a business and be green too.

Celebrate your team
There’s a reason why many of our team members have been with us for years. As well as making sure our team have a great place to work, we show a bit of personality on our website’s biography page, look after our staff by promoting from within where possible, and celebrate successes on a regular basis.

We’re not afraid to be forward thinking either – recently we promoted a staff member who had only just announced she was pregnant. Whereas some other businesses might be reluctant to give someone about to go on maternity leave more recognition, we see our talented team as the most valuable part of the business. After all, if you have talent in your team, why wouldn’t you do everything in your power to encourage them to return.

Thinking bigger than a ‘small business’
Having ambition is about thinking beyond your station. If you put yourself in a ‘small business box’ that’s how everyone else will see you (and your capabilities). As such, though we have a relatively small team with 32 of permanent staff, we have made internal policy changes to reflect a much bigger organisation.

For example, we’re committed to diversity, having joined We Will Make The Leap, a campaign devised by the IPA, adam&eveDDB, Campaign and in partnership with Twitter UK. This is a pledge to increase diversity in senior teams, eliminate bias through training, and increase flexible, agile or working policies by leap year 2020 – usually for firms much bigger in size than us.

Commercial first, creative always
Lastly, the biggest lesson I’ve learned in business is to keep your clients’ objectives front of mind. As such, at Michon we know that results are paramount, and budgets are finite.

By ensuring our answer to any brief is consistent, engaging and telling the right story, it means clients stay with us as we get them great results time and time again. We are “commercial first, creative always”.