Twenty years of Heavenly. Twenty learnings.
Richard Sunderland, May 2023
Time, as is its tendency, flies. And in the fast-moving, eclectic ideas business, there’s rarely time to take stock. This month, as we celebrate our twentieth year as a consultancy committed to using ideas to create commercial and cultural value, I look back on some of the things I’ve learned at the helm of the good ship Heavenly.
1. Do what you love.
Life is short. And many people spend the majority of their time working. Being happy at work is something to strive for. I’m lucky to do what I love. The next idea is what gets me out of bed in the morning.
2. People buy people.
Our clients choose to work with us because of the quality of our team. In the creative industries, talent is hard to find and harder to hang onto. It’s not always easy – and I’m by no means the best exemplar – but invest time adding nurture to your nature.
3. What goes around comes around.
Be thoughtful and generous with your time. It might be a favour here or there. Or giving a jobhunter a break. Heavenly is a business built on referrals and I can vouch for the value of generosity.
4. If you don’t embrace new things, you age quickly.
If we were still doing what we were doing in 2003, we wouldn’t be around in 2023. Staying relevant is the main challenge for any business, particularly in the ideas game. Like Bowie: keep reinventing to keep relevant.
5. Shiny things can be distracting.
As the saying goes, if you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete. We know where we’re strong and where we’re weak when it comes to the work we do. So we don’t waste time wandering too far off the beaten track.
6. Thinking big is good for the soul.
Ten years ago, we launched Heavenly in the United States. Now, half our business is based there. It would’ve been much easier to stay in our comfort zone of the UK, but far less exciting or enriching. What’s the worst that can happen?
7. It pays to keep the faith.
If you aren’t a glass-half-full person, then working in the ideas business is tough. We’ve been through a few ups and downs over the years but tried to stay positive, even on dark days. There’s usually light at the end of the tunnel, even if some tunnels are longer than others.
8. Trying isn’t always succeeding.
From the madcap (Heavenly Wine) to the magical (Heavenly Arabia), we’ve put our money where our mouth is on a few occasions, not always with the greatest success. But, even when we’ve been burnt, we’ve still learnt.
9. Put yourself in people’s shoes.
We might think that what we do is the most important thing in the world. But, for our clients, we’re often just a fragment of their busy day. Be considerate, think about their lives and don’t take it to heart if they take a while to engage.
10. Trust in your team.
Give people their head. And let them get on with the things they’re good at. It might not be the way I’d do something, but it’s the only way they’ll learn and grow. Empowerment is liberating for everyone.
11. Sell products, not services.
The world is impatient. And attention spans are shrinking. By packaging up what we do, thinking about the problems we’re solving and creating ‘consumable’ products from our services, we make it easier for clients to buy from us.
12. Make time to reset.
Any high-paced job can be exhausting. And it’s often hard to see the wood for the trees. Taking some real downtime will help you regain your sense of perspective and purpose. Which is good for you. As well as those around you.
13. Dot-joining is difficult.
Putting two and two together doesn’t come naturally to everyone. And, in the age of AI, it’s more of an art than a science. The business of ideas is about clever connections, not just creativity. The more you practise, the better you get.
14. Thoughtfulness works.
A well-timed gesture goes a long way. Birthday wishes or an occasional ‘good luck’ are always welcomed. I send too many emails that start ‘I just thought you might find this interesting’. Unsubscribe is always an option if it gets too much.
15. Loyalty is everything.
To your team, to your clients, to your partners. It’s at the heart of any company’s reputation and my ambition, above all else, is to preserve Heavenly’s good name.
16. 😊.
Ideas are energy-giving, charming little things. They create moments of levity and joy. Making the process of having them a happy one for everyone involved is essential. There are worse jobs than working in the ideas industry.
17. Appreciation is a great motivator.
I work harder for clients who are respectful and responsive, even when they’re framing bad news or criticism. It’s human nature to gravitate towards the good guys. And unsurprising that they get far more value from behaving that way.
18. The squeaky hinge gets the oil.
Working with lots of clients in lots of categories means lots of ideas on the slate at any given time. Getting disciplined about deadlines is the surest way to save time and keeping promises. I can feel the *eyeroll* from my colleagues as I write this.
19. Courtesy is contagious.
Over the years, I’ve noticed that courtesy can crack even the toughest nuts. I’ve always loved the expression ‘do as you would be done by’ and believe we all deserve our fair share of reciprocity.
20. Serendipity rocks.
Aha, the great unknown. Luck, karma, good fortune, just desserts. I don’t profess to know how happenstance happens. But, over the past two decades, Heavenly has been its happy recipient. Thank you. I’m very grateful.