OUR BUSINESS GROWTH DIRECTOR’S FIRST MONTH AT TEN TOES
Maddie Coutts, Business Growth Director
First of all, I’m going to caveat that this is a summary of my first month at Ten Toes, even though I started two months ago. How does that work? They very kindly honoured a pre-planned sabbatical, meaning I had four weeks to meet everyone and understand the business inside out, before a few weeks away to gather my thoughts.
So here they are…
When I was first approached by Founder and CEO, Ben, I told him (somewhat probably too honestly), “I’m not sure I want to work for an agency again”. His response of, “excellent, I’ve got just the job for you to make you think otherwise” were words that changed my career. For the better.
My main takeout after a month of working here is: I’m impressed.
Surely I would say that, but please hear me out…
Impressed by the sheer scale of output; with a team that continuously strives to over-deliver for their clients.
Impressed by the people; genuinely some of the smartest, most switched on I’ve worked with. And super nice.
Impressed by the ambition; but not at the expense of doing 'the right thing’.
Impressed by the global footprint; with people on the ground in Copenhagen, Dubai and Delhi, as well as some very exciting new projects on the horizon and underway in New York.
Simply, impressed, and something that I’m genuinely excited to be a part of and continue to shape.
What sets Ten Toes apart is the business model, bringing brands, organisations and talent closer to their fans - and each other - in sport.
There’s a legacy of strong work in activating partnerships in sport, which I’m enjoying learning about from the inside. Having been a fan of the iconic Wingmen series with KFC, it was good to understand more how the follow-up format - Wingin’ It - came to life, as well as watch first-hand their latest, highly engaging social campaign with LG be released in the lead up to this summer’s Euros. From a content series to BBC documentary, Ten Toes have cracked how a brand should talk to a sporting audience. This area of the business also has the power to create change when working with talent as well as organisations, which leads nicely onto…
The leagues, clubs and federations arm of the business. I’m super impressed (again) because a lot of this work has gone unnoticed in the industry yet is so so important. For the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the team supported the launch of the FIFA Social Media Protection Service in a bid to tackle the awful online abuse players, coaches and officials receive. Across all 32 teams, 5.1 MILLION comments were analysed and 117,000 comments hidden and reported to the social media platforms. This is impactful work, and yet doesn’t scratch the surface of the deeper consultancy offering with leagues, clubs and federations.
Lastly, there’s an agency legacy of building elite talent’s personal brands; a world which is somewhat new to me. I’ve had a fast-tracked onboarding to the incredible work we do with athletes, such as Ons Jabeur, Alessia Russo, Harry Kane, Martin Ødegaard and more, and am excited to learn about this aspect of the Ten Toes offering. From all sporting walks of life and integrating with brands spanning every category, there are endless opportunities in this space.
So where do I fit in?
I’ve joined at such an exciting and pivotal time. So much has been done, but I can see that in a way this is only the beginning.
‘Growth’ means lots of different things and over time I’ll be shaping what it means for Ten Toes.
Internally, I’ll be overseeing how we grow culturally, operationally and strategically.
Culturally, keeping the Ten Toes magic as we expand including hiring the right people at the right time
Operationally, ensuring we are continually set up for success and advising on what this looks like around the world
Strategically, maximising the unique offering we are built upon whilst simultaneously challenging the status quo across each business unit
Externally, I’ll be covering everything from how, when and where we show up as an agency.
Simple, right?
Finally, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t finish with: if any of the above is of interest and you want to know more, catch up and/or play some golf over summer, do get in touch. I’ve got a lot more to say!
Maddie Coutts