Platinum Live

Founder and Managing Director 

MarketZ

Consultant

Alive Entertainment Group

Executive Director

Founder of Platinum Live - We Catapult Brands | Award-Winning Entrepreneur | PR & Media Management

Hey, I'm Oliver! Born and raised in the Lake District.

I’m a passionate media commentator talking about Gen Z, mental health, politics and young people in business.

Back in 2020, at the age of 16, I decided the PR industry needed a shake-up. 

That's when I started Platinum Live. 

Now, you may be someone who’s having problems with things like:

→ Driving visibility and awareness for your business 
→ Speaking on stage
→ Building your brand image 
→ Gaining media attention 
→ Wanting to speak on panels and not knowing where to start

So that’s where we come in. 

But we’re not your typical PR agency… 

We're storytellers at heart, passionate about helping people and brands share their journeys. 

Our game plan? Creating compelling communications and experiential strategies, with a content-focused approach.

Our toolkit? Public Relations, social media, content creation, and orchestrating live events.

Our clients have been featured on Sky News, ITV News, BBC News, CNN, This Morning, The Mirror, talkRadio, Times Radio, BBC Radio One, and The Metro… 

Just to name a few.

Oh, and we've helped people like Gary McKee raise a jaw-dropping £1.4 million for charity.

Keen to learn more about what we do? 

Drop me a message, and let's have a quick chat!

www.platinum-live.co.uk
www.oliverhodgson.co.uk
www.market-z.co.uk

Oliver Hodgson

Kurogo

We turn entrepreneurs into credible thought leaders through personal branding so they can scale their businesses, unlock untapped opportunities and outlast their competition.

It’s not a question of IF you should be building your personal brand, but why you haven’t started yet. 

1️⃣ Customers are willing to pay 13.57x more for those they consider to be elite experts 
2️⃣ 86% of customers trust a company when their senior management team are active on social media
3️⃣ Global executives believe up to 45% of company market value is attributable to CEO reputation

The figures speak for themselves, but if that isn't enough to convince you, check out some of our client results: 

🚀 Jack generated 2.5M views and 6 figures in revenue in 90 days with us 
🚀 Sue generated over 8.3 million views in 4 months
🚀 Olly generated 15,000 newsletter subscribers. 
🚀 Debbie got 1,021,073 views and generated 10,494 profile visits in her first 90 Days!
🚀 James became an Amazon Best Seller 
🚀 Mike won over £13K of new business within 1 Month!

Kurogo is the go-to agency for building powerful personal brands and converting them into meaningful opportunities and real ROI. Our results-driven approach has helped over 150+ founders and CEOs become credible thought leaders and achieve their business goals. 

Ready to become your industry’s go-to thought leader? Find out how we can help you build your personal brand, head to www.kurogo.co.uk or get in touch at hello@kurogo.co.uk.

Director of Growth

FUNC

Hi! We're FUNC!👋 The home of functional drinks. Through our online shop, in-person events and ever-growing community, we curate the best of functional drinks - helping people discover, buy and experience drinks with a purpose.

FUNC was founded two mates and I (officially in 2024), on a mission to make functional drinks mainstream (and actually easy to find!) In 2024 alone, over 260 new functional drinks launched across the UK and Europe, yet there was still no single place to discover and shop them all. So we built it.

FUNC brings the best of functional together - from chill to focus, good-for-gut to perform - making it easier than ever to find drinks that do good and help you feel your best. And the timing couldn’t be better: the UK’s no- and low-alcohol and functional drinks market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% between 2022–26. We’re for the first-timers and the functional pros - a community for the curious. And we live, breathe (and drink) functional. 

Our vision? To be the go-to for functional drinks - for everyone, every day.

Co-Founder

Child Action Northwest

Vice Chair

Non Executive Director and Trustee

BWOWNIES

Supporting the Founder of BWOWNIES, Keelan Waldock, on his mission to be the world’s most-loved brownie company. 

www.bwownies.com

Advisor

Spring North

Spring North's core vision is to develop innovative solutions to create a positive impact on the lives of children, young people, families and the communities in which they live whilst challenging inequality and disadvantage – to enable them to meet their full potential.

Spring North is a member-based organisation which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in the North West - with a focus on addressing inequalities, a target on deprived local communities and a concentration on vulnerable individuals and families. 

Member organisations of Spring North can gain a number of benefits, including: quality improvement, negotiating power and funding prospects, image and profile, strategic capability, business support and bid writing services.

If you’re a grassroots community group, new charitable start-up or an established voluntary organisation, and want to tell us about your work, please email office@springnorth.org.uk or call 01254 503200. 

Registered charity number: 1150126

Armago

Investor and Advisor

Hullo

Hullo is a national not-for-profit organisation born during the pandemic in March 2020. We exist to unlock the power of conversation and create an inclusive, safe and non-judgmental space for people to chat and connect with others. 

Our mission? To connect communities, one conversation at a time. 

Our vision? A world where everyone has someone to chat to.

Since launching, we've built a community of 100+ volunteers, we've connected with thousands of people across the UK and we've unlocked the power of conversation.

Founder

TEDx

Delighted to have spoken at TedX Durham University. The event, titled “Things Left Unsaid, was held on Saturday 8th June 2019 at the Gala Theatre in Durham. 

With 10-days to prepare my TedX talk on mental-health, my first hurdle was to decide specifically on a title. In the end, I chose the title “Mental Health: Where do we go from here?” 

My talk explored my battle with clinical depression in 2015/16, as I explained my symptoms and how my recovery continued well-beyond counselling and therapy. 

I also offered my thoughts on how we can, collectively, move to a better understanding of mental-health as a construct and change the way we perceive it. 

Mental health is being talked about more than ever before. We must build upon the foundations of awareness, and introduce 3 core strategies into our every-day life and society to improve mental-health awareness and support. 
1. Compassion 
2. Connectivity 
3. Community 

My TedX talk is on the official TedX YouTube.

Tedx Speaker

COO @ Kurogo | We Create Thought Leaders Through Personal Branding | x2 TEDx speaker | Advisor, Investor & NED | Law Graduate | I talk about entrepreneurship, agency life and grief

Hey! I’m Lewis. 👋 

Passionate about start-ups and all things charity. Love bright-coloured shirts 👚 and caramel lattes ☕️

- COO @ Kurogo. We create thought leaders through personal branding. Over the last 2 years, we've worked with some of the world's most exciting founders, CEOs and entrepreneurs to build their personal brands. 

- Advisor @ BWOWNIES

- Vice Chair and Non Executive Director at Child Action Northwest 
- Non Executive Director and Spring North.

Here’s 3 random facts about me: 

1️⃣ I’ve played the trumpet for 12+ years 🎺
2️⃣ I’m an only child 
3️⃣ I’m scared of rollercoasters and chalkboards

Lewis Alexander Baxter

9 years ago, I wrote my first post on LinkedIn.

This month, I hit 20,000 followers.

And the best part?

It didn’t happen overnight.
It didn’t happen in a week.
It didn’t even happen in a year.

This has taken nine years of showing up consistently.

I first started posting at 18.

I was described by a few uni mates as “the LinkedIn guy.”

(And then they realised the importance of the platform, so started posting themselves! 😅)

Over the years, I kept going.

And that’s been my biggest learning:👇 

Growth compounds over time.

Go at your own pace. 

Don’t compare yourself to others and their growth
(I know this is easier said than done)

The second lesson?👇 

I’m grateful I pressed post that first time.

LinkedIn has unlocked countless opportunities for me. 

- I landed my dream, first-ever job (@ Kurogo)
- I’ve joined boards of charities I care about. 
- I've been invited to speak at universities.
- Most importantly, I’ve built meaningful friendships.

All of that came from showing up and leading with value.

That’s something I’ll never change.

Every post is written with intention, aligned with my values, and focused on helping others.

If I can’t answer “What’s the purpose of this post?”, it doesn’t go live.

(I scrap dozens of ideas every week… because if there’s no value, it’s not worth posting).

Not every post hits the mark, and that’s totally cool.

But, the fundamental goal has always been the same:

To share lessons, learnings and reflections. 

So, if you feel like your growth has stalled, don’t quit.

Refine your purpose.

Ask yourself, “Why am I posting this?”

Because when every post leads with value, growth always follows.

--

I’ve we’ve been connected for 9 years, we can celebrate our DECADE-LONG friendship next year. 👀 

And if you’re new here, hi. 👋

--

PS. Hey, I’m Lewis. I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. For the last 4 years, I helped scale Kurogo, one of the leading personal branding agencies, as COO. Now, I’m exploring Australia and Fiji, creating space to explore what’s next.

COO & Builder | Co-Founder @ FUNC | Experienced NED | Exploring what’s next (and sharing stories on entrepreneurship, leadership & life)

I’ve spent 4 years scaling one agency to 7 figures.

Now, I’m helping other founders do the same.

When I joined Kurogo, we were a two-person team with a bold vision.

We were doing $6k-$10k p/m consistently. It had strong foundations.

Four years later, we’d scaled to ~$125k/month, built a global team, and partnered with 300+ leaders across 18 countries.

And I noticed something.

(At Kurogo, and with many founders since)

Between $25k and $50k/month, things start to strain.

The ambition is there. The demand is there.

But systems, culture, and clarity often lag behind growth.

Delivery breaks.
Teams get stretched.
Processes live in people’s heads.

Everyone’s busy, but it doesn’t always feel like progress.

That’s where operations matter.

Because scaling isn’t about working harder. It’s about working smarter.

Helping founders to step back, and work on the business, not in weeds of the business.

Creating the structure so everyone knows what good looks like (and how to get there!)

That’s the work I love most.

Over the last 6 months, I’ve partnered with founders to remove bottlenecks and build scalable foundations:

1/ $2k → $10k/month in 4 months 
2/ $15k → £30k/month in 3 months

Less chaos. More clarity.

That’s why this next chapter matters.

After four years inside one business, I’m now partnering with early-stage B2B founders and agencies as a Fractional COO, helping them build the clarity and structure to scale sustainably.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll share:

- The lessons
- The frameworks
- And the stories that shaped this shift

If you’re somewhere in that messy middle - growing fast, figuring it out as you go.

Stick around.

I think you’ll find this next chapter useful.

--

PS. Hey, I’m Lewis. I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. Co-Founder of FUNC. For the last 4 years, I helped scale Kurogo, one of the leading personal branding agencies, as COO. Now, I’m exploring Australia and Fiji, creating space to explore what’s next.

For 21 years, I talked to my mum every single day.

Without fail.

Some days, we’d chat for two hours on FaceTime.

Other days, I’d receive a little message:

“How are you?”
“Thinking of you.”
“Good luck today.”
“Love you xx.”

At the time, I didn’t think much of it.

It was just... normal.

So woven into my day that I barely noticed it happening.

Until it stopped.

When she died, everything suddenly felt quieter.

In the mornings, when my phone stayed quiet.

In the evenings, when I’d reach for it without thinking.

And, then remember.

Grief doesn’t always live in the big moments.

It’s the little things, really.

A call that never comes.
A message thread you still scroll through sometimes.
A photo that catches you off guard on a random Tuesday.

The love stays.

You just can't send it anywhere anymore.

So if someone crosses your mind today - your mum, your dad, grandparent, your friend:

Reach out.

Even if it feels small.

Even if it’s just “thinking of you.”

Because one day, the little gestures or messages you took for granted, might be the thing you’d give anything to do again.

♻️ If this message resonates, feel free to repost. 

--

PS. hi, I’m Lewis! 👋 I talk about operations, agency life and human leadership.

This is for anyone who’s lost someone they love.

A few days before I flew to Australia, I visited my mum’s grave.

A peaceful, yet poignant place in equal measure.

I'd bought some flowers.

The lady at the counter smiled and asked, “Who are these for? They’re beautiful.”

I said, “My mum.”

She replied, “Aw, I bet she’ll love those.”

I smiled, “She would.”

And walked off to the car. 

I sat there for a while.

Staring at the flowers.

Thinking about how grief sneaks up on you in the quietest moments.

It’s 5 years since she died.

But sometimes, it still feels like yesterday.

There have been countless moments like that since. 

People speaking about my mum as if she’s still here.

“What are your parents up to these days?”
“You doing anything nice for Mother’s Day?”
"What do your parents do for work?"
“Are you doing anything with your parents for Christmas?”

And every time, I hesitate.

Because for a split second, I forget she’s gone.

And then it hits me all over again.

I’ve spoken openly about losing her.

I’m not afraid of grief.

But there are still moments that leave me lost for words. 

Moments where words feel too small for what I feel inside.

Maybe I don’t correct people because I don’t want to make them uncomfortable.

Or maybe it’s because a part of me still wishes I could say:

“She will love those flowers.”

And mean it.

If you’ve ever lost someone, you’ll understand this:

Grief doesn’t fade.

It finds new ways to live with you.

It’s in the songs you skip.
The photos you still can’t delete.
The scent that takes you back for a second (before reality returns).

So if this finds you today…

If you’re missing someone too, I get it.

The ache changes shape, but it never really leaves.

It’s love, learning to live differently.

--

PS. Hey, I’m Lewis. I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. Co-Founder of FUNC. For the last 4 years, I helped scale Kurogo, one of the leading personal branding agencies, as COO. Now, I’m exploring Australia and Fiji, creating space to explore what’s next.

After 4+ years leading teams across 6 time zones, here’s what I’ve learned:👇

You don’t need to be in the same room to build trust.

I remember leading a team call once (15 people, all remote).

A kitchen in Liverpool 
One from a beach in Bali 
Homes in Spain and France 
Another from a New Delhi coffee shop

And there I was, in a hotel lobby in Belfast.

No fancy setups. 

No shared office.

15 people, showing up from different corners of the world.

Sharing ideas, laughter, and a vision we all believed in.

And in that moment, it hit me:👇 

Real connection has nothing to do with distance and everything to do with shared purpose.

Some teams share the same office every day, yet still feel disconnected.

Let’s be real.

When people care about what they’re building together, distance stops mattering.

I'm curious, have you ever felt deeply connected to a team you’ve never met in person?

--

PS. Hey, I’m Lewis. I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. Co-Founder of FUNC. For the last 4 years, I helped scale Kurogo, one of the leading personal branding agencies, as COO. Now, I’m exploring Australia and Fiji, creating space to explore what’s next.

PPS. throwback to Kurogo's awesome summer social where the whole team spent 2-3 days together.

Earlier this year, my flatmate asked me something and I said no.

That “no” ended up becoming the best “yes” of my life.

He said: 

"I'm travelling to Australia and Fiji later this year. Fancy it?"

My gut reaction: No chance.

Life felt full.

Work was busy.

And I had about 257 reasons why it wasn’t the right time.

But for once, I didn’t brush it off.

I’d actually told myself at the start of the year that I wanted to say “yes” more.

Not to everything. But to things that stretched me and would pull me out of my routine a bit.

And this felt like one of those moments.

I also realised I hadn’t had a proper break in five years.

I’d been head down building a business, managing a team, trying to keep everything moving.

And somewhere in all of that, I’d forgotten what taking a step back felt like.

So I changed my mind.

I said yes.

Not because anything settled down.

Or because the timing magically improved.

But because if I waited for the perfect moment, I knew I’d never go.

And honestly? 

It’s turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Sometimes the things you need most don’t show up as big life plans.

They show up in moments where you could easily say no.

This was one of the rare times I chose 'yes'

And, I’m better for it.

--

PS. hi, I’m Lewis! 👋 I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. After 4 years as COO scaling an agency to 7 figures, I now advise early-stage B2B founders as a fractional COO - writing this post from Australia while exploring what’s next.

Wrapped up 9 days in Sydney. 🇦🇺 

Plenty of walking, beaches and (of course) exceptional coffee.

I think I averaged about 9km a day - without really meaning to.

It’s that kind of city.

You just keep walking - it’s actually the best way to see the sights and explore the shops, bars and restaurants. 

One of the first things I did was visit the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

I’d only ever seen them on my mum’s postcard from her trip there.

So standing there, in that exact spot, felt special.

I spent three nights staying in Bondi Beach.

One morning I did the Bondi -> Coogee coastal walk.

The views were PHENOMENAL - cliffs, beaches, the sea right beside you the whole way.

Bondi is definitely one of my favourite parts of the trip (so far!). 

Absolutely somewhere I could live. 

(yep, I've been looking at coastal property prices... slightly out of budget right now) 

Took the ferry to Manly Beach another day.

Beautiful spot. 

Too windy to swim or surf, sadly. 

Fell asleep on the beach after attempting to read a chapter of my book.

And the food…

Some great meals out across the week, especially around Bondi and the harbour.
 
Australia does casual dining so well.

And to top it off… saw Oasis live at Sydney Olympic Park.

What a night.

TL;DR: 

Sydney was brilliant. Would 100% go back.

Currently in Byron Bay for the next few days, will be back with another trip update soon! 🌴

I’ve arrived in Bali!

Here for just under two weeks.

Travelling has been epic. I’ve loved every single minute.

BUT, I’ve been itching to get back to work.

Time to “lock in” (isn't this what we say nowadays?!?)

Work looks very different now.

Up to mid-October, I was in a full-time COO job.

I'd been in the role for 4 years; learnt so much and made some brilliant friends (clients and colleagues!)

Now, I’m working fractionally and supporting a few scaling companies.

That includes:

- A sports marketing agency (now consulted for ~3 months now)
- A client in gaming marketing (excited about this one, huge potential!)
- Growth Index (in Oct, we launched Retail Index ‘25, featuring the top 100 fastest-growing retailers).

Plus, I have a few more discovery calls in the next 1-2 weeks.

I’ll also be back in the trenches with FUNC. With Christmas and Dry January coming up, will be a fun few months. 

And after consuming a ridiculous amount of food in Australia (and Fiji), it's time to hit the gym again. 

If you're in Bali, let me know. I'm keen for a coffee or a co-working day! ☕️ 

--

PS. hi, I’m Lewis! 👋 I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. After 4 years as COO scaling an agency to 7 figures, I now advise early-stage B2B founders as fractional COO. After travelling Australia and Fiji, I'm currently in Bali! 🇮🇩

The simplest culture shift I made as COO.

A Friday ritual worth stealing.

Every Friday, at my previous agency, 20 team members joined our call from four continents.

We shared our ‘highlights, wins and learnings’, and it shaped the culture more than anything else.

When we were scaling, I started to notice something:

The wins mattered.

But what brought people closer was sharing HOW we got there (and the reflections along the way).

So we built a Friday ritual that became the heartbeat of the team.

This is what it looked like:👇

--

1/ Highlights & Wins -> Win Together Mindset.

Before any client status updates, we opened with the good stuff:

- What went well this week?
- Who deserves recognition?
- What are we proud of?

We split this into two parts.

Part 1: Client Wins

- Awards
- Viral posts
- Major shoutouts
- LinkedIn News features

These moments gave everyone visibility of the impact we were making, across the business.

Part 2: Team Wins

- Meaningful client feedback
- A great client call someone led
- Someone demonstrating our values
- A colleague going above and beyond

People felt seen.

Quiet contributions weren’t missed.

The team took a second to acknowledge each other.

It was never “my win”.
It was our wins.

We carried this energy into the rest of the week too.

Slack channels (# TeamWins, # ClientWins, # Learnings) filled up constantly.

--

2/ Learnings -> Staying future-proof.

Every week, someone brought something new:

- A Canva update someone spotted
- A change to LinkedIn’s algorithm
- An automation that shaved hours
- A Notion feature worth exploring

If it helped one person, it could help the whole team.

Somewhere along the way, we’d built a learning culture.

Curiosity spread.
Ideas compounded.
People started experimenting again.

When a team learns together, it grows together.

--

3/ Failures & Experiments -> What I’d add if I did it again.

Looking back, there’s one thing I’d introduce earlier:

A ‘Failures & Experiments’ segment.

Because I’d say this on calls:

“If failure isn’t safe, people won’t experiment, and results stay average.”

I’d carve out 10 minutes each week for:

- What someone tested
- What didn’t work
- What surprised them
- What they’d try next

No judgement.
Only learning.

Most breakthroughs come after a string of failed attempts.

It only takes one good experiment to shift how the whole team operates.

That’s the kind of environment I’d build even earlier next time.

--

So, why does this matter?

Whether you’re a team of 5 or 50, this simple ritual builds:

i. Connection - People feel seen
ii. Collaboration - Wins become shared momentum
iii. Psychological Safety - Failure isn’t feared
iv. Culture - Remote work feels human
v. Learning - You stay ahead without forcing it

These Fridays shaped the culture more than any system I introduced.

It gave people a space to show up as a team.

That made all the difference.

--

♻️ Found this interesting? Please repost.

When athletes use their platform for good, people listen.

This year’s Movember × Google campaign proves it.

Three very different groups came together: athletes, a charity, and a global company.

Each played a distinct role in turning awareness into action.👇 

--

1/ Athletes: from performers to role models.

Athletes have always influenced culture, but in this campaign, they helped spark real change.

Football players Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, plus Luke Littler and Tom Daley, lent their credibility to a movement that transcended sport.

And they weren’t alone. Mo Farah and Peter Crouch joined in too.

They’re:
- Building visibility with audiences who see them every week
- Strengthening their reputation beyond their sports
- Becoming ambassadors for men’s health

Millions of men follow football, darts, and diving.

When those faces talk about health, the message lands differently.

It’s not a campaign talking at people. It’s trusted voices speaking with them.

That’s how real influence works now: honest, human, and earned.

--

2/ Movember: leveraging trust at scale.

Movember’s strategy here is smart.

By aligning with top-level athletes, they built a bridge between cause and culture.

They:
- Used athlete voices to open real conversations about men’s health
- Tapped into audiences via existing communities
- Paired entertainment with purpose

They’re sharing an important message, and scaling a movement through trust.

That’s how a charity becomes a cultural force.

--

3/ Google: employees as the media channel.

For Google, this campaign began from the inside out.

Senior leaders, VPs and colleagues across the UK business shared it. 

And it resonated deeply across a workforce.

It's employee advocacy - done right and done at scale.

When belief runs deep, the message spreads naturally - through teams, networks, and external partners. 

Search: #gen_a_mo to see exactly what I mean!

This is an effective campaign, as it's employees carrying the message, not top down from Google's marketing team.

--

Three stakeholders. One outcome:

Men’s health moved into the mainstream - powered by people.

That’s the future of influence: real voices with shared purpose.

Excited to see how the campaign develops in the next few weeks. 

--

♻️ Found this post interesting? Feel free to repost.

--

PS. Hey, I’m Lewis. I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. For the last 4 years, I helped scale Kurogo, one of the leading personal branding agencies, as COO. Now, I’m exploring Australia and Fiji, creating space to explore what’s next.

At 15, I was earning £3.79 per hour.

Today, I see my 15-year-old cousin making £20 p/h doing what he loves.

Car washing.

It made me think about how much things have changed.

When I was 15, hard work meant long shifts.

E.g., in a restaurant or café.

Turning up early.
Inevitably staying late.
Earning every pound through effort.

Sometimes I’d work 12-hour shifts, just to save a little extra.

This definition of work will still resonate with many teens.

For my cousin, it’s different.

He’s built something around what he enjoys.

And he’s already thinking about how to grow it.

People often say teenagers are lazy. 

That "these youngsters don’t want to work these days."

I don’t see that.

He’s figured out something that took me years to learn:

The value of money.
The pride in doing things well.
The joy in doing what you love.

He’s not behind a screen. He’s out there, grafting.

And he’s also learning how to market himself online.

A mix of old-school hustle and new-world thinking.

That’s the future of work right there.

Young people redefining what ‘work’ means to them.

Love it. 👏

PS. If this post resonates, feel free to repost or share it on. ♻️ 

--

PS. Hey, I’m Lewis. I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. Co-Founder of FUNC. For the last 4 years, I helped scale Kurogo, one of the leading personal branding agencies, as COO. Now, I’m exploring Australia and Fiji, creating space to explore what’s next.

This is the longest stretch I’ve ever worked on the road.

It’s changed the way I think about work more than I expected.

I’ve done the odd few days remotely in other cities.

Lisbon, Paris, Copenhagen.

Nothing like this.

I've been blending work with exploring, whilst travelling the East Coast of Australia. 

Travel has taken priority.

Exploring new cities, long days out, sightseeing, beaches (all that good stuff!)

But, I've needed to weave work around the travels. 

20-25 hours this month.

I’ve learnt about what 'work' actually means to me:👇 

--

1/ I struggle to work from home when I’m “home” (or in  a hotel room!)

In familiar surroundings, I slow down.

I get tired.
I drift.
I’ll happily lie in bed a bit longer.

But in a café?
A new environment?

My brain switches on.
I focus properly.*
I actually enjoy the work more.

Turns out I do better when I’m “out in the world”, not tucked away at home.

This isn't groundbreaking stuff. But, before my travels I was honestly pulling 15-hour days working in my room. 

When back in London, I'll mix up my environments. Hotel lobbies, coffee shops, co-working spaces.

*with coffee

--

2/ I’m reflecting on what a productive routine looks like for me.

Being away has made analyse my working habits more honestly.

- What pace feels sustainable?
- What do I genuinely value in a working week?
- What rhythm helps me do good work? 

For the first time in a while, I’m questioning my current defaults or habits.

I’m paying attention to what gives me energy.

And, what drains it. 

I'm thinking about how I want my days to look like, not just what they “should” look like.

Shaping a routine around your values, rather than someone else’s expectations, changes how you show up.

--

3/ I’m learning to let go of the “always on” mentality.

For years, I worked 60+ hour weeks without thinking twice.

Partly out of necessity.
Partly out of habit.

And in 22-23, because I was juggling a full-time job with my final-year studies.

Being away has shown me how that mindset sticks.

Even now. 

Without a '9-5', I catch myself feeling guilty for not clocking the same hours.

It's been tricky.

Not refreshing emails every hour. 
Holding back from replying to client messages immediately.
Trying not to refresh LinkedIn notifications the moment they pop up.

This month has reminded me that productivity isn’t measured in hours.

It’s measured in intention, energy, and doing the right things (at the right pace)

I'm still learning. 

Let's be real:

Boundaries aren’t a luxury; they’re part of doing good work.

--

This month has given me something I didn’t realise I needed:

Perspective.

A reminder that work can fit around life. Not always the other way round.

--

PS. hi, I’m Lewis! 👋 I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. After 4 years as COO scaling an agency to 7 figures, I now advise early-stage B2B founders as a fractional COO, writing this post from Australia while exploring what’s next.

I finally read The 4-Hour Work Week word-for-word.

It challenged more of my assumptions than I expected.

For years, it sat on my shelf as “the productivity book everyone talks about”.

I’d flick through a few pages here and there, but never gave it a proper read.

But reading it fully, slowly, gave me a different perspective.

Here are 4 ideas that really stayed with me:👇

-

1/ Productivity ≠ progress.

Ferriss talks a lot about the trap of being busy.

There’s a line that captures it perfectly:

“Focus on being productive, not being busy.”

It made me realise how easily a full day can deceive you.

Messages.
Quick wins.
Back-to-back calls.
Endless bits of “stuff”.

You get to the end of the day feeling active, but not necessarily any further forward.

It’s easy to confuse activity with progress.

A few years ago, when I started my first full-time job, I fell into this trap
(and it's hard to get out of!)

So, here's the critical question to ask yourself:

If I only had 2 focused hours today, what would genuinely move things forward?

--

2/ Start with the life you want, then build the work backwards.

Most of us do it the other way around.

We build our work first… and then try to fit a life around whatever space is left.

(usually very little space!)

Travelling Australia right now has made this land differently.

The environment you’re in shapes the energy you bring.

Your rhythm shifts depending on the boundaries you set.

Ferriss nudges you to design your weeks and months on purpose, not as an afterthought.

The more I travel, the clearer it becomes that you don’t stumble into the life you want.

You have to shape it deliberately.

--

3/ Test small. Move fast. Learn quickly.
 
The book is full of “mini experiments”.

Tiny two-week tests that teach you far more than long-term planning ever does.

The more I think about it, the more universal it feels.

It applies to scaling a business.
It applies to your career.
It applies to life in general.

You rarely need a perfect plan.

Instead, try something small, pay attention to what you learn, and let that guide the next step.

Some of the most important decisions I’ve made started as small tests like this.

And they compound in ways you don’t expect.

--

4/ Subtraction is often the unlock.

This was the bit that quietly resonated with me.

It applies to life as much as work.

We instinctively add when something feels off:

More meetings. 
More processes. 
More things on the calendar.
More you feel you “should” be doing.

Ferriss puts forward a simple principle:

“Eliminate before you delegate.”

Because if something shouldn’t be done at all, delegating it only scales the inefficiency.

Sometimes the thing that moves you forward is the thing you remove.

--

TL;DR: 

Reading the book properly made me rethink 'busyness', boundaries, experiments, and the value of doing less, but better.

PS. Have you read the book? Curious to hear what stuck with you.

Two days in Cairns and it’s felt like five different trips.

Australia really does variety better than anywhere I’ve been.

Yesterday was my waterfalls day, plus a walk through a rainforest.

And an (unsuccessful) attempt to chase the sunset… by the time I finally got to a viewing point, the clouds arrived!

Then today… completely different energy.

I went to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures

(a spot so many travellers recommended, most of them coming down the East Coast while I’ve been making my way up).

Crocodiles everywhere (naturally!)
Kangaroos.
Koalas.
Reptiles and tropical birds (including one that got a little closer to me than I planned) (see pic 😆) 

After that, lunch and a stroll in Port Douglas. Beautiful spot; a quieter pocket just north of Cairns.

What a great way to wrap up my time in Australia.

Fly to Bali tomorrow. 

--

PS. took a few cool photos in Cairns whilst out and about. Will add to comments!

For 5+ years, I spoke with a 90-year-old friend weekly.

He passed away earlier this year.

We didn't talk about business strategy, career moves, politics or the news.

We just… talked.

About life.
About his stories.
About mine.

He'd tell me about life growing up in the 30s and 40s, about his love for cruises and travel, and about every small moment in his life that ended up mattering most.

And I'd listen.

Those conversations became one of the most grounding parts of my week.

What I've realised since he's been gone:

The most valuable conversations aren't always the ones that teach you something.

They're the ones that remind you what matters.

Time. 
Presence. 
Listening.

Not because it's productive.

But because it's human.

I miss those calls.

But I'm grateful I showed up for them.

If you’re lucky enough to have someone like that in your life, call them this week.

♻️ If this post resonates, feel free to share.

Going off-grid for the next three days.

Fraser Island, East Coast of Australia.

No WiFi or phone signal. 

(Therefore no excuses to be using my phone!) 

Camping. 
Swimming. 
4x4 driving across the sand.

And a great opportunity to switch off for a few days.

It’s going to be a hot one (early 30s today!)☀️

I might even finish my book… we’ll see.

Back soon. 👋

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In early November, it was Trustees’ Week.

I became a trustee at 18. I’m now 27.

It’s not a typical path.

(Especially in the UK, where the average trustee is 61.)

To be clear, that experience matters. 

Boards need people who’ve spent decades in the sector or in industry. People who’ve managed risk, navigated crises, and understand governance at a deep level. 

That depth is essential.

For me, stepping into that role so young shaped my understanding of leadership, responsibility, and service. 

Currently, I'm Non-Executive Director for a charity that provides funding and support to other charities, and Vice Chair at Child Action Northwest, a leading children and young people’s charity.

Charities sit at the heart of civic life in the UK.

They show up in the places where government and markets often can’t: social care, youth services, mental health support, education. 

They fill the gaps most people don’t see.

Behind every one of those organisations is a Board.

A group of Trustees and NEDs responsible for strategic direction, governance, finance, and safeguarding.

Boards are the backbone of how an organisation is led and supported.

And trusteeship is one of the most meaningful forms of volunteering.

You give your time, judgement, and skills not for reward, but because the work matters.

But here’s the part we don’t talk about enough:

Young trustees are still missing from the table.

Only around 3% of trustees in the UK are under 30.

That gap matters: symbolically and practically.

Boards need diversity of age, and the diversity of thought that comes with it.

Young trustees bring lived experience, curiosity, challenge, plus a clearer sense of how culture and expectations are shifting.

We help boards stay future-focused...

rather than anchored in legacy thinking or “how things have always been done”.

Starting at 18 taught me this quickly.

Sitting alongside senior leaders forced me to listen hard, ask better questions, and widen my understanding of impact.

It grounded my approach to leadership and the way I think about responsibility.

When you’re accountable for safeguarding, budgets, outcomes, risks, at 18, it stays with you.

You grow up fast. 
In a good way.

Being a young trustee is about representation. 

Building boards that genuinely reflect the communities they serve.

So Trustees’ Week is a valuable reminder:

If you're a Chair or CEO of a Charity:👇

Create space for young trustees.

Do it with intention, and make sure they’re able to contribute meaningfully.

And if you’re a young person:👇 

Don’t underestimate what you bring.

- Your insight is relevant.
- Your lived experience is needed.
- Your voice carries more weight than you think.

(Ask yourself: 'What perspective do I bring to a board that doesn’t exist there yet?')

If we want a resilient, forward-looking charity sector, we have to build it intentionally.

Making space for every generation is part of that work.

I’ve reviewed 11,500+ Cover Letters and CVs.

Here’s what the top 1% do differently:

(After hiring 50+ people over the last four years, the patterns are impossible to miss). 

For context, at my previous agency, we hired for content writers, account managers, and strategist roles that attracted hundreds (sometimes thousands) of applicants. 

I read every single Cover Letter and CV.

It took hours, but it mattered. 

And like most hiring managers, I’d spend ~20-30 seconds scanning each one before deciding whether to keep reading.

These are three patterns that stood out:👇 

--

1/ Most people undersell themselves. 

Candidates list what they’ve done but they don’t explain why it matters.

They share their experiences, but they don’t connect it to the role they’re applying for.

The Cover Letters that stood out weren’t the longest. They were the ones that were relevant, clear, and intentional.

--

2/ Preparation is the fastest way to stand out.

In our most recent hiring round, less than 20% even mentioned the agency by name.

Ever fewer showed signs of doing deep research.

Out of the 11,500 Cover Letters and CVs I’ve reviewed, the candidates who did prepare stood out instantly.

- They mentioned our clients.
- They referenced content our team had created.
- They’d listened to podcasts with our founder/team

Those 1% were almost always the ones we hired.

--

3/ Communication skills separate the good from the great.

The candidates who connected with us on LinkedIn, sent a thoughtful thank-you note after the interview, or checked in during the process?

They stood out.

Every time.

That’s what being professional, responsive, and human looks like.

If you're applying for roles right now, remember this:

The hiring manager is scanning hundreds of Cover Letters and CVs.

Maybe thousands.

Don’t just apply.

Make them remember you.

--

Hope you found this valuable!

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more practical advice on becoming a top-1% applicant, and landing great roles at marketing and comms agencies.

--


PS. hi, I’m Lewis! 👋 I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. After 4 years as COO scaling an agency to 7 figures, I now advise early-stage B2B founders as a fractional COO, writing this post from Australia while exploring what’s next.

It’s Monday tomorrow.

And if you’re already feeling a bit overwhelmed. I’ve been there.

Sometimes the week creeps up on you before you’ve properly switched off from the last one.

Right?!?

One thing that’s helped me (more than any fancy system) is taking a few minutes on a Sunday to ask myself a couple of grounding questions.

It brings a bit of order back into things.

A few you might find useful:👇 

1/ What actually matters this week?
The handful of things that will genuinely move the needle.

2/ What isn’t urgent? 
Because a lot of things pretend to be.

3/ What’s been quietly draining me?
A conversation you've avoided. A task you've been half-carrying. A small thing that’s taken up too much space.

4/ What would make this week feel like a win?
A simple, honest answer goes a long way.

5/ Where can I make things easier for myself?
There’s usually one small tweak that removes a lot of friction.

Funny how a few minutes of clarity on a Sunday can take the edge off a whole week.

Have a great week, folks. ✌️ 

--

PS. hi, I’m Lewis! 👋 I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters. After 4 years as COO scaling an agency to 7 figures, I now advise early-stage B2B founders as a fractional COO, writing this post from Australia while exploring what’s next.

Most agency founders don’t audit their business.

Then wonder why growth feels chaotic.

Over the last few months, I’ve worked with three agency clients who all came to me with the same request:

“Help me scale.”

On the surface, it sounded simple enough.

But when I asked what was actually holding them back, none of them had a clear answer. 

Not a confident one, anyway.

That’s when it became obvious:

They didn’t need more tactics. 

They needed clarity.

Clarity on what’s working in the business.
Clarity on where the bottlenecks are.
Clarity on what’s slowing them down (without them realising it!)

So I introduced them to the framework I use: the Operational Audit.

A 2-hour deep dive into how the agency really works today, and what the founder actually wants the next stage of growth to look like.

Before the session, I share a set of questions. 

Nothing too complicated. Just the basics most founders never stop to interrogate:

1/ How do you currently win new business?
2/ Where do you feel the biggest bottlenecks are?
3/ What’s going well in the business right now?
4/ What does success by the end of this year look like?
5/ Which parts of running the agency do you most enjoy?
6/ Which parts feel the most draining?
7/ If you stepped away for two weeks, what would break?
8/ How confident are you in your systems and processes as you grow?
9/ And zooming out 12 months, what would “excellent” really look like?

Then there’s one quick exercise I always include:

If you could spend £10, £100, and £1,000 to improve the business tomorrow, what would you do (and why)?

It forces founders to separate:

- A £10 problem
- A £100 problem
- A £1,000 problem

Because so many agencies spend £1,000 solving £100 issues. 

And for all three clients, the audit changed everything.

1/ One realised their bottleneck was slow, inconsistent decision-making.
2/ Another realised they didn’t need more clients; they needed stronger systems to serve the ones they had.
3/ And the third realised they were spending their time on work they actively disliked, instead of hiring for it.

None of that would have surfaced without slowing down long enough to actually diagnose the business.

So if you’re an agency founder and you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself:

- Do you truly know where your current problems are?
- Or are you making educated guesses?

Because if you don’t diagnose the real issue, you’ll keep treating symptoms.

But when you do create that clarity, everything else becomes easier:

Hiring decisions.
System decisions.
Growth decisions.

Even how you spend your time as a founder.

Get the diagnosis right, and the path forward stops feeling chaotic.

--

PS. Hi, I’m Lewis 👋. Ex-COO who helped scale an agency to 7 figures, now supporting early B2B founders as a fractional COO, sharing this from Australia.

PPS. I’ve got a couple of December slots to run these audits one-to-one. If you think it would help, DM me.

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