Fractional Leaders feat. Simon Dodd

In this first feature of our Fractional Leaders series, we highlight leaders who bring full-time impact to businesses and offer insights into “C-Suite on Demand.” Today, we introduce Simon Dodd, an experienced marketing leader with decades of experience in top-tier agencies.

Now a Fractional Leader, Simon shares his journey, the value of external advice, and the transformative impact he’s had on businesses. Here he shares his approach to leadership and scaling success.

Can you please introduce yourself and your journey to becoming a Fractional Leader?

I am Simon Dodd and I have lived in the world of Marketing Communications agencies, Brand et al for many years. From my first agency in wonderful Newcastle-upon-Tyne to London to Dorset, and now everywhere. I have done regional to national to global. I started as a Trainee Account Executive on a salary that felt so big, I didn’t know how to spend it! I then went through the classic “suit” route of Account Director to Board Account Director to MD, to CEO.  Along the way I went from Redheads to Yellowhammer to HHCL to TBWA to MBA to RLA Group to Digger to Unlimited. A crazy range of growing, declining, comforting, scary, invigorating! Client highlights included VW, PlayStation, Thomas Cook, EDF Energy, Premier Inn, Goodyear Dunlop, Marie Curie, Kingfisher. Bosch… the list goes on.

I also became closely involved in the IPA – there are lots of “industry bodies” and intermediaries, but there is only one that is Chartered and can and does give 360 supports to agencies.

Overall, a brilliant journey which I loved, and am still on.

But I got to a point where I was starting to be asked for my advice based on my experience, as well as running people, running client relationships etc. I realised that I was starting to have more fun and fulfilment helping people and other companies/agencies than making another “ad’.

So, it started.

And it’s great. I am deeply involved in the intimacies of several agencies. I am and feel a core part of the team. I love guiding on the heavy lifting – the positioning, the team, the process, the profile, etc. But also, the soft stuff – the morale, the energy, the confidence and sometimes the personal stuff.

After all, all we’ve got is people. We need to look after and grow them!

Let’s talk impact, what achievements are you proud of the most?

I would like to think my impact has been huge, in lots of ways. Probably best to talk to my clients, old and new, and see what they say!

But a few great moments, from my point of view…

An agency when the founder and driving force had lost their mojo – personally tired and disillusioned, everything felt worn-out, the team felt jaded, not winning enough decent new business, etc. etc. (sound familiar?). Well, after a few months of working together the founder’s spirit and energy was coming back. 2 years later the agency has grown in size, quality, profile and is winning major business.  Deeply proud of that one.

Another one is a charity I was closely involved with for some years. A great cause, but awareness a real problem, underfunded, etc. – all the usual charity problems. I lead the process to rebrand and relaunch, with great results and a renewed energy and belief. Quietly proud of that one.

Loads more, but last one for now – a fledging VFX company. Great talent, great belief. Great clients. But pretty loose when it came to running a structured business, no real Management Team, no functioning Board. I loved coming in as the grown-up, setting a Management Process, mentoring key people, helping raise investment, and loads more. A few years ago, but where are they now? One of the top studios in the world. Very proud of that one.

Based on your work with start-ups and scale-ups, do you have any pieces of wisdom you could share with businesses in scale-up model.

Yes, definitely.

1. Everyone needs wisdom. I don’t care if you are the most talented young start-up in the history of agencies or established with an amazing reputation and a huge ambition. You don’t know enough. The really smart start-ups and established agencies know this and seek advice from the outside looking in.
2. Don’t give up. There are times when it is all too much, insurmountable, beyond repair. It isn’t.
3. Don’t try to do it all yourself. Running a company is lonely and tiring, even at the best of times. Looking for external help is not a failing.
4. When you find the right support, really use it. Don’t think it’s just for the formal stuff. Yes, that’s important, but if you have the right person, they are there for all you need.
5. Enjoy it, and back yourself. Remember those and all things are possible.

Onwards and upwards!