I went to university in Bristol and studied Business Management, later specialising in marketing for my final two years. It was more statistics-based than creative, which gave me a solid grounding in the analytical side of marketing.

After graduating, I realised that getting a high-paying job straight out of university wasn’t going to happen, so I started in regional media sales at Courier Newspapers, earning just £8,500 a year, selling classified ads. From there, I worked my way up to become Group Commercial Manager at Archant, one of the UK’s biggest regional media groups.

In 2008, I set up my first company, launching several regional magazines including So Tunbridge Wells, So Brighton, So Guildford, and So Essex. My father, who had been the News Editor of the Sunday Mirror, was retiring and looking for a challenge, so I brought him in. He set the editorial bar high and also introduced us to some hacks (ie. seasoned journalists!) who were happy to write for next to nothing!

Unfortunately, while So Tunbridge Wells was successful, the other publications struggled in a very crowded market and fierce online competition, eventually we closed the other titles, but the experience was invaluable.

In 2011, I sold my company to the Markerstudy Group, and became Director of Operations for the Elite Leisure Collection, which owned Bewl Water Country Park, One Warwick Park Hotel, Salomons Estate and One Media.

I was heavily involved in the sales activity for the group whilst overseeing the operational aspects of two great venues. However, I’m a media and marketing person at heart, and after ten years in the role, when I hit 50 in 2023, I thought, “What do I actually want to do for the next ten years?”

I knew I wanted to return to media and marketing, and my original plan for 2024 was to launch a boutique marketing company, leveraging the contacts and experience I’d built over 20 years.

My plans changed slightly when Markerstudy announced they were closing their media division, including Times of Tunbridge Wells and So Tunbridge Wells. Overnight, there was a ready-made and highly experienced media team looking for work. We got together over dinner, and the Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine was born.

Probably! I grew up in a household where print was king. My father worked for Fleet Street papers for years, so newsprint was part of everyday life.

Even today, I still buy a Sunday newspaper because I love the experience of print - the feel of the pages, the variety of content, and the sense of discovery. That’s what digital media lacks. Online, everything is prescribed for you, whether it is your social media feed, your email newsletters and everything else. You’re only shown what algorithms think you want to see.

With a magazine or newspaper, you don’t know what’s coming next; you turn the page and discover something unexpected. That’s part of the enjoyment, and it’s why print still matters.

When we launched Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine in April 2024, people said: “If no one else is doing it, maybe there’s a reason.” But I saw it differently. If there was no competition, that meant there was a gap in the market. Fast forward to February 2025, and our latest issue is our biggest yet. So, clearly, print still has a valuable role to play.

Both. We knew there was a gap in the market, but we also knew that printing is expensive, even at a local level.

So we created a magazine that gave us access to 60-70 local businesses, allowing us to talk to them regularly about their marketing needs. It starts with print advertising and editorial but quickly extends to digital marketing, branding, and strategy.

For the first four to six months, we focused on establishing the magazine as a credible platform. We also launched a quarterly business members club, bringing advertisers and clients together. Now, the magazine is not only a great platform for local businesses, it’s also a launchpad for us to have broader marketing conversations.

Absolutely. Tunbridge Wells has a huge professional sector—solicitors, accountants, HR specialists and financial advisors but they had no real way of talking to each other.

Yes, they all use social media, but how do you reach businesses that aren’t actively searching for a service?

That’s where the magazine comes in. It gives businesses a platform to showcase their expertise, and it creates a sense of credibility and prestige, especially when we feature a local business leader on the cover. It establishes them as a local authority in their industry.

That’s the value of print. It feels more tangible and significant than a fleeting online post.

Definitely. Print still has huge strengths, especially its longevity and credibility.

Writing for print forces people to be more considered in their approach. Unlike a social media post, where you can quickly edit or delete something, once an article is printed, it’s permanent.

Because of that, copy is checked far more rigorously. Every piece in the magazine goes through multiple rounds of proofreading and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and credibility. It’s not just about avoiding typos, it’s about making sure the content is legally sound, well-researched, and genuinely valuable to readers.

There’s also a greater sense of pride when writing for print. When someone sees their article in a high-quality magazine, they know it’s something they can show clients, share with their network, and use to build authority in their industry. It’s a tangible, lasting way to demonstrate expertise, far more impactful than a fleeting online post.

That’s why businesses still value print. It carries a level of professionalism and credibility that’s hard to replicate in digital media.

Businesses that use print as part of their wider marketing strategy (alongside digital, social media, and events) tend to see better returns. Smart integrations, like QR codes and trackable offers, make print even more effective.

But print has to be used strategically, as part of a long-term plan, rather than just a one-off campaign.

Not at all.

Some national magazines are still thriving. Vogue still runs 300-page issues, GQ has 220-page editions. However, in business publishing, local relevance is key. Since the pandemic, people value face-to-face connections more than ever. That’s why local business magazines work so well - they foster genuine connections.

I know it may sound cliché, but I’ve always been inspired by Richard Branson.

He’s successfully launched over 400 businesses across six decades, which is incredible. But what really impresses me is how he appears to have remained grounded, always emphasising the importance of family, friends, health and colleagues.

Beyond that, I’m inspired by entrepreneurs I meet every day, people who take the leap to start their own businesses, leave secure jobs, and pursue their passions. It’s risky, bold, and incredibly inspiring.

I enjoy watching the classic Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola rivalry; some of their head-to-head advertising and social battles are incredibly creative and fun. They have built an entire cultural conversation around their brands.

Then there’s the KFC chicken shortage crisis from a few years ago. Instead of hiding from the problem, KFC turned it into brilliant marketing. Their now-famous “FCK” campaign, where they rearranged the letters of their logo to apologise for running out of chicken, was a masterclass in brand transparency. They owned the mistake with humour and humility, and customers actually respected them more for it.

On a local level, I also see some fantastic work from smaller businesses, particularly those that understand their brand identity and communicate it well. The most effective local campaigns are from businesses that truly understand their audience. They know what will make their customers stop and listen. That’s the key to great marketing, no matter the size of the brand.

AI is completely transforming marketing, and it’s happening faster than anyone expected.

In marketing, AI is great for data analysis, automation, and even content ideas, but it’s important to use it in the right way. AI can assist with creativity, but it can’t replace human intuition. A strategic, human touch is still required to make content engaging and relevant.

Good marketing is storytelling. AI can help with structure and speed, but it can’t replace human creativity.

Marketing has always been about data and audience targeting. AI is just making that process faster and more efficient. Businesses are increasingly looking at how they can use a variety of marketing channels instead of relying on a single tactic.

I do think there’s a growing scepticism around social media claims where people boast about ‘20 guaranteed leads a week’. How can a company that’s never met you, never spoken to you, and knows nothing about your business claim they can deliver that?

That’s why we take a different approach with our marketing clients. Before we even get to the proposal stage, we have at least one or two in-depth meetings. We want to fully understand their business, their market, their competitors, and their long-term goals. Only then can we create a bespoke marketing strategy that actually works.

The next 6-12 months will see more companies rethinking their strategies, moving away from one-size-fits-all solutions and focusing on marketing that actually drives quality results.

For the magazine, we’re expanding into events and local areas, bringing the brand to life in a more interactive way.

For JJL (our marketing business), we’re focusing on helping SMEs that lack in-house marketing teams, giving them the support they need without having to hire a full-time marketing director.

The goal is to keep growing, keep adapting, and keep supporting businesses.