Around three weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of experiencing ‘Spring Drinks’ in the fabulous surroundings of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, courtesy of renowned executive search firm, Saxton Bampfylde.
The great and the good were there (plus me), and it was a very humbling experience connecting and reconnecting with several luminaries who had nothing but positive things to say about Tayburn. The fact that I was even on the guest list in the first place signalled the high regard in which our business is held.
As a relatively new member of the Executive Committee of WeDO Scotland, I’ve spent much of the past few months reflecting on what entrepreneurship and owning a business really means, both as a concept and to me, personally. Whilst I’m the proud Co-owner of Tayburn, alongside Malcolm, we didn’t found the business, yet we share the same risks and rewards that founding business owners do. Without doubt, there is a great sense of responsibility that comes with stewarding a business that celebrated its 45th anniversary in March this year.
As a former rugby player, the gripping account of the New Zealand All Blacks and their values and culture told by James Kerr in “Legacy”, has always resonated powerfully with me. There’s a particular chapter that expresses one of the concepts the team holds dear, which is that an All Black never owns the jersey: they are entrusted with its care. This refers to the idea of respecting and honouring the legacy and tradition of the team.
For the All Blacks, the jersey symbolises not just the players who wear it now, but all those who have worn it in the past and will wear it in the future. It represents a legacy of excellence, commitment, and responsibility.
Previous Tayburn colleagues have gone on to forge careers at major network agencies, and some have founded their own highly successful creative agencies. Others have gone client-side and work for major global brands. And of course, many of our current colleagues have been with us for over 10, 20 and, in two cases, 30 years! This is a proud legacy to uphold and makes me feel even more strongly that I need to look after the Tayburn jersey.
With that in mind, it’s my belief that our decision to join forces with LEWIS will create an abundance of opportunities for our team to develop their expertise further, to create resilience in the face of the adversity that our industry can present and to work effectively together with our clients ensuring that we are at the heart of their businesses.
When I (gratefully!) look at our new combined client list and I reflect on the overwhelming influx of kind messages following the announcement, I can’t help but feel that the possibilities that lie ahead are entirely limitless.
