Logged In With…David Worthington, managing director of brand specialists 10 Associates
Describe yourself in a Tweet
A Liverpudlian, living in a welcoming Yorkshire. A bit quirky but has his feet firmly on the ground.
What are your career highlights?
It has to be winning a creative pitch against leading London-based branding companies to work with FTSE 100 company Associated British Foods.
What’s on your iPod?
My ipod has such a variety of songs, podcasts, photos and movies.
Songs range from The Script to ABBA.
What has been your favourite/worst job?
My worst job was at a well-known direct marketing company. I was 21 and travelling from Huddersfield to Bradford every morning for an 8am start in a clapped out Cortina.
My favourite job is working at 10 Associates. I get great satisfaction from being able to run it the way I always thought businesses that I worked for should run. Simple.
Who is your ideal dinner guest or which public figure do you admire most and why?
My ideal dinner guest would be Bob Monkhouse. I want to ask him ”When the inventor of the drawing board messed things up, what did he go back to?”
Are you worth what you’re paid? Why?
Of course! I only get paid if the work I do makes a positive difference to a client’s bottom line. It’s all about brand achievement.
What has been your biggest business mistake/achievement?
My biggest mistake was trusting a debt collection agency that collected a debt and then kept it! What a mug.
My biggest achievement was when 10 won its very first design award. It’s a moment to savour and say to yourself ‘we must be doing something right’
What is your pet peeve both in and out of work?
Hearing Jeremy Vine’s voice at 12pm drains my enthusiasm until we turn the radio station over at 12.01pm
I also hate chronic, repetitive radio advertising… ‘we go compare any cars.com’ for example.
Who has had the biggest influence on your career?
My mum. She gave me £5,000 of her ‘pension pot’ to start 10 Associates back in 2004. I owe her so much for trusting me with her ‘security’ fund. I never forget this generosity and it puts everything that I do in work into perspective.
What do you enjoy most and least about your role?
I love it when we promise a client that our Brandschool Programme will change their business for the better and it does.
I hate having to deal with hundreds of emails, 90% of which are needless.
What’s the key to managing people?
Simply remember the best/worst boss you have ever had then implement the best bits and avoid the bad.
What are the biggest barriers to your organisation’s success?
The ONLY barrier is my drive and determination. That goes for anybody. Overcoming obstacles has to become a part of my job and NOT something to get down about.
What would make Yorkshire an even better place to live and work?
I love to see regeneration happening. Towns and cites in Yorkshire getting new skylines inspires me to be an even greater part of it.
If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what alternative career would you choose and why?
I’ve had a love of horror films since I was a boy. I always wanted to work in horror make up and special effects. You can guess who wins at fancy dress parties.
