About me
Jason CampbellBusiness coach & mentor
You have to start somewhere!
I set up my first business at the age of 17; buying pizzas from a local factory and selling them to hungry students at my college. Not groundbreaking by any means, but it taught me a huge amount about business, and paid for my social life, as well as funding a modest expansion in the form of a chest freezer, delivery bike and eventually a van. More importantly, this little pizza business gave me the knowledge and confidence to develop my next idea.
Competing with Filofax
At 19, I designed and manufactured a range of products to compete with the global brand ‘Filofax’ (for those who remember them). My first order (from WH-Smith) was manufactured in a rented bedroom in Tring, Hertfordshire, and the business quickly grew big enough to win several innovation and business awards. Within 18 months the range sold through many major UK and European retailers, including Liberty’s and Selfridges, as well as being used as commercial folders and gifts by brands like Mercedes Benz and Shell Oil.
Growing companies
Since selling that brand at 22, I’ve grown several businesses with the majority of the last 25+ years running and owning companies in the branding, design, marketing and business development sector. From turning 2 people working from a bedroom making very little to a 30 headcount agency turning over £2.5m through to a 20 person agency in London to have 400 people in offices all over the world. Always with a focus on growth and working closely with my clients, it is here that I have advised many hundreds of different companies on their positioning, brand, marketing, customer development, growth and efficiency.
Coaching & Mentoring
Much of my work has been and still is, with small to medium-sized companies in the UK. While this is where my passion lies, I have also worked with and advised some of the largest organisations in Europe and around the world, some of which you can see below.
With a career of owning SME businesses, I've been through the highs and lows that you have probably experienced, and admit I’ve learned big and often expensive lessons by making mistakes. That said, every one of these experiences means I now have a broad and in-depth understanding of what really makes an individual and company successful.
I do most of my work now with small to medium size organisations, which have become my passion. However, I hope these names demonstrate the experience, variety and depth of the work I can deliver.
Ready to take your business forward?
Book a free one-to-one meeting or phone call with Jason. You tell me about your business. After clarifying some objectives, I will let you know if my coaching and mentoring is right for you and if it’s not, I will tell you.
“Jason is one of those 'stand out' kind of people. He's massively driven and always delivers. He is brutally honest and transparent in the way he deals with people which builds success for his clients. On top of that he's just super good to be around; positive, sees opportunity and full of passion”
Alistair Bryan - Managing Director, Bray Leino
“Jason has a canny knack of creating a positive impression with anyone he engages with. Coupled with a sharp business brain, without a doubt he would be a valuable asset to any business he works for or with. Proof is in the pudding, give him a call”
James Callard – Business development manager, Globe Business Media Group
"I have been working with Jason for the past year and he has been really brilliant. He's very easy to work with, offering pragmatic advice and also making sure that things get done. We have looked at every element of my business, and from the re-branding to changing the way I operate and develop my revenue streams, he has been excellent. It's felt like a full business 'makeover', and I am now in a much better position both professionally and financially than I was a year ago."
Sarah Pohlinger - Director at Leabourne Financial Advice Ltd
“I needed help to develop my consultancy into a sustainable business. Jason quickly got to grips with the marketplace I cover (charity fundraising) and was able to help me focus on selling the key benefits of my service. We're now working up a marketing strategy together using customised materials that is already winning new clients. I couldn't really ask for more.”
Rupert Tappin. Partner, Decaid Consulting
"Jason has a fantastic ability to engage. His commercial awareness, developed through his deep understanding of both branding and marketing puts him in a unique position to lend his diverse and highly successful experiences for the benefit of his clients."
Matthew Armstrong – Business Development Manager, SAI Global Property
"I would definitely recommend working with Jason. He's a creative with a commercial brain, and he really understands what makes businesses work. He's done loads of great work across a range of sectors but I know him from the legal world and he knows that market inside out."
Charlotte Collins-White. Partner and Associate Director, Lansons Communications