DBA Twenty/Twenty pairs rising industry leaders with established design pioneers for a 12-month one-to-one mentoring relationship. Applications for the 2019 programme are open until 23 November 2018 so why not think about what you need right now, or what you can give. Find out more and apply.
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01/11/2018
The impact of Twenty/Twenty
“At the end of the day, it’s about the people running those businesses – their motivation, their creativity and their energy are what makes them interesting and great to work with.”
Lynne Dobney, on why she’s been a mentor six times on the DBA’s Twenty/Twenty programme.
Lynne Dobney and United Studio’s Chris Bradley were paired as mentor and mentee in the Twenty/Twenty programme last year. Here they share their experiences and why they’d encourage you to get involved.
Why did you decide to get involved in Twenty/Twenty?
Lynne Dobney, Mentor: With a long (and quite varied) career in design, branding and coaching, it was great to be able use this to help other businesses facing issues at different times in their development.
Chris Bradley, Mentee: Our business is owned and run by myself and my partner of 20 years. We had a number of items on our agenda that we needed to work through (recruitment, business building, retirement, forward planning etc) and we both thought it would be worthwhile having an outside, objective view on some of the decisions – including some very personal ones – that we needed to make. We are a very busy studio so to have someone who I could chat to offline, without bothering my partner who was busy on project based tasks, was great.
How would you sum up the experience?
Lynne Dobney, Mentor: It’s been fun, and I’ve learned new things. I’ve met some really great people, who’ve become friends.
Chris Bradley, Mentee: I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My mentor Lynne and I got on really well – we were very well suited (well done to the DBA for doing their homework). She has oodles of experience and has dealt with many of the issues we discussed.
Also, getting away from the daily studio tasks to think down the line was a really good discipline for me. Things that we had been putting off or just never got round to doing were getting addressed.
What impact has the mentoring had on you and your business?
Chris Bradley, Mentee: Lynne has made me think more about forward planning and we are a better-run studio for it. She also confirmed that a lot of what we do is good, sound practice, which was great to hear from someone who ran a large, successful business. You just never know when you are doing it in isolation. We have and will continue to work with Lynne even though the programme has ended. I really value her viewpoint and knowledge and really enjoy her company.
What would you say to someone who was undecided as to whether they should get involved?
Chris Bradley, Mentee: Get involved! On a personal development level it really helped me. Just talking things through helped me sort out my own thought process.
I am sure for many businesses like ours – owned by two owners – having a third viewpoint really helps to round-off/stimulate the discussions without anything getting personal or awkward. The discipline of getting away from the studio to talk the ‘business’ cannot be underestimated and having tasks and an agenda to run through really focuses the mind.
Lynne Dobney, Mentor: I’d say – get involved, and pay it forward. (Mentees become mentors!)
What is the secret to a successful mentoring relationship?
Lynne Dobney, Mentor: Listening, not judging.
What has surprised you the most about the programme?
Chris Bradley, Mentee: I didn’t expect to make a friend!
About: United Studio
United studio are a design agency built around a more commercial, more modern approach to branding and packaging.
We understand that to be properly ‘fit for purpose’, brand and packaging work has to tick more boxes than ever before. We have the full suite of specialisms, under one roof, delivered to clients via small, agile, teams. We are highly experienced in solving problems around brand invention and reinvention, portfolio management, international markets, production and sustainability issues. That’s why organisations like Unilever, Up field CBRE and EY rely on us, as well as entrepreneurial start-ups.
About: Lynne Dobney
Lynne’s early career involved helping to build the influential design business, Newell and Sorrell, feted for its work on the British Airways ‘tailfins’ identity project. As MD and Co-Chair of Newell and Sorrell, she also oversaw the acquisition and cultural integration of the business with Interbrand.
On leaving Interbrand, Lynne qualified as a Business Coach, set up the London Design Festival, co-founded independent agency Fortune Street, joined French-owned international business Dragon Rouge, co-authored a book, became a founding trustee of successful educational charity Lapwing, and she currently works with businesses, individuals and teams as a consultant, coach and mentor.
Image credits:
Lynne Dobney
United Studio
Alejandro Escamilla | Unsplash