Our latest participant in our Startup for 10 feature is Megan Gibson-Jones, Founder of Bristol-based Seed to Oak.
Seed to Oak exists to enable leaders to find the headspace they need to achieve growth and make the most out of their teams.
All too often, management are distracted by the day-to-day business, which makes finding time to develop, action and monitor strategic projects difficult. Sometimes they don’t quite know the forward steps to take (e.g. if entering new markets or geographies), and sometimes they do, but barriers stop them from progressing. Seed to Oak provide experience, resource and energy to support management teams in overcoming these barriers, so they can see the wood from the trees, focus on the important and realise their ambitions.
Meet Seed to Oak
"Accepting that I didn’t need to do all the things and bringing in team members who do the majority of those things better than I can enabled me to focus on the areas I add the most value – to our clients."
— Megan Gibson-Jones, Founder of Seed to Oak
1 – In your own words – what do you do?
I’m the Founder of Seed to Oak. We exist to enable leaders to find the headspace they need to achieve growth and make the most out of their teams – to see the wood from the trees, via coaching, consulting and mentoring services.
2 – What’s the most exciting thing about what you’re doing?
Our client’s growth journeys. Across our client portfolio, we’ve seen between 10%-50% growth in gross profit over the past year, despite covid. Yes, potentially we have a self-selecting group of excellent entrepreneurs who choose to work with us, or possibly the constant drumbeat of focus and momentum means things get done and changes last – perhaps a combination of the two. Either way I’m excited to be a part of it.
3 – What are you most proud of so far?
Surviving. I never planned to start Seed to Oak, an unexpected redundancy at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic left me with two options, either go-it-alone, or give up on a career and service I truly believed in. So the fact we turn two in July, having grown to support clients from London to Devon, ranging in size from SMEs to PLCs and with a wonderful team delivering in line with our founding values, I’m extremely proud.
4 – What have you found most difficult about being a startup?
Taking the time to be consistent in developing our own business, as well as our clients. We are a client-centric business, and ensuring I carve out time to focus on our own growth journey, as well as our clients growth, has been a difficult balance. It also shows me exactly why it’s important that we keep doing what we do, because providing that time, headspace and focus is exactly what we offer our clients. The fact I know exactly how to do it and have all the tools, but still find it hard, shows how needed our service is for others.
5 – What would you do differently if you started now?
I’d take on help earlier. Whether it was imposter syndrome or something else, I spent the first year of business trying to do everything myself, from marketing, content creation, building the website, designing the logo through to accounting and client delivery. Accepting that I didn’t need to do all the things and bringing in team members who do the majority of those things better than I can enabled me to focus on the areas I add the most value – to our clients.
6 – Where do you think you’ll be in 12 months?
In 12 months we’ll nearly be celebrating our third birthday. I’d like cake. I also hope we’ll continue to have a portfolio of dynamic and interesting business who we’re supporting to do great things, and have fun along the way.
7 – What’s the best thing about the Bristol & Bath tech cluster?
Having the opportunity to connect with others whose businesses address very different markets, but who we share common business opportunities and challenges allows me to think differently and learn with every interaction.
8 – Who will you be nominating for a SPARKie this year?
I’d nominate Peequal – I met Hazel and Amber when the business was a CAD design. They have developed the UK’s first female urinal, solving a simple problem through innovation and design to deliver a safe, sustainable solution for pee-equality. The manner in which they’ve scaled the business is truly worthy of accolade.
