2024 has been an Olympic year – always my favourite kind of year – and a momentous one for PMW as we celebrated our 30th anniversary. I got to attend the greatest sporting event in the world, and it’s been a year filled with big milestones, unexpected surprises, and countless proud moments at PMW.
Reflecting on all that’s happened over the last 12 months, I’d like to share some of my highlights and the insights that I’ll be carrying into 2025 – some might ring true with you as well.
Listen to and empower your team – success will naturally follow
First-off, I’ve loved seeing my team absolutely flourish this year.
OK, it might seem like a cliché, but seeing how everyone has rallied together and thrived with challenges this year has been incredible. Each year, I listen to what the team wants from working at PMW and I do as much as I can to make things happen. The way I see it is, if everyone is getting what they need, they’re going to be happy in their jobs and will naturally thrive.
As the big global projects are rolling in, I’m seeing my team shine and produce seriously good work. With everything we’ve implemented, we were recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work which stands out as an extremely proud moment.
In the same vein, when planning our 30th celebrations, I asked our team to put forward their ideas for how to mark the occasion and it was unanimous that we should give back and support 30 worthy causes. The team gave this project their all and it has made a big difference to the organisations and charities we worked with. We even ended up winning a Third Sector Award as a result!
To top it all off, I turned 60 this year and the team surprised me with a wonderful day in the office, all dressing in outfits I’ve worn over the years and putting on a wonderful slideshow of special memories from my life. It was as hilarious as it was heartwarming – the team put so much effort in to surprise me.
Takeaway: Surround yourself with people who inspire you, support them to do their best work, and celebrate shared victories. A thriving team is the foundation of lasting success.
Consistency and perseverance build momentum
For five years now, I’ve been using my cross-trainer daily without fail. I’ve also got a big sign in my office that reminds me to do something that scares me every day – and I’ve committed to this religiously. Even if there’s nothing in my calendar that’s going to raise my adrenaline levels, I know I’ve got the thought of my daily icy plunge to test me. This is when I jump in a special cold-water therapy tub and submerge myself up to my neck for four minutes. As a result, I have learnt how to control my breathing in temperatures as low as 0.5 degrees. After about 20 seconds, the initial shock wears off, the body’s sympathetic nervous system kicks in and I feel positivity flowing through my body. It was a real challenge to commit to at first, but now I’m used to it, I’ve found it’s the best way to start my day and it’s become a wonderful addiction.
I’m proud I’ve stuck to both these activities, and I don’t intend on stopping any time soon. It might seem like madness to some, but my dedication to this has had an impact on everything I do – health, happiness and business.
That Kevin Costner quote, “if you build it, they will come” [Field of Dreams, 1989] popped into my mind and it got me thinking. . . I set up PMW 30 years ago and while initially we started off with only a small number of clients, that figure certainly grew quickly – because of our united and steady determination. Consistency and perseverance have been key to PMW’s growth over the years, especially during the pandemic.
Fast forward to today, and now we are attracting bigger, corporate clients. Our portfolio is more exciting than ever! But these successes didn’t happen overnight. They’re the result of showing up, pushing through challenges, and committing to excellence day after day.
Takeaway: Build habits that challenge you. Be consistent. Every. Single. Day. Persevere on those days you really don’t want to and face the things that scare you head-on;it lays the foundation for lasting achievements.
Discover your unique strengths and put them to good use
As we go through our career and through life, we each take a different journey and gain new skills and experience along the way. This layers into a completely unique set of abilities which have real value to other people. This year, I’ve loved sharing our combined knowledge and skills through our Social Mobility Programme.
I’ve been attending local secondary schools alongside my team, playing host to multiple students for work experience, and even worked with HMP Ford, helping serving offenders to learn about and experience the world of marketing as part of their rehabilitation. Extending our knowledge and expertise gives others a chance.
I was also surprised by one of our radio partners this year who came to us for some training on how to sell ad space. This has been completely ingrained in me since day one of PMW and is something that’s helped me grow the business to what it is today. Now I understand how valuable this knowledge can be.
Takeaway: Set time to take stock of your combined skills and discover what makes you unique. Which skills or experiences differentiate you and your team? Lean into them, refine them, and don’t be afraid to share them with others – it might lead to opportunities.
