DBA Twenty/Twenty pairs rising industry leaders with established design pioneers for a 12-month one-to-one mentoring relationship. Why not think about what you need right now, or what you can give. Find out more and apply.
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Transformational Twenty/Twenty
Having found the experience ‘transformational’ when he took part in the DBA’s mentoring scheme three years ago, Andy Gray, MD of StudioLR was so impressed he decided to book himself and a colleague onto it again last year.
In this two minute read, Andy talks about his own experiences of Twenty/Twenty, how his colleague has grown in confidence, and why, financially, they’re having the best years since they started the business.
The DBA Twenty/Twenty programme has helped me learn fast from someone who really understands the design industry.
This is my second time on the programme. The first time I worked with Andrew Eyles (CEO / Co-Founder of Bluemarlin). It was transformative and helped me understand how to move StudioLR from a design studio to a design business (which just so happens to be called a studio).
This time round I’ve been fortunate to be paired with Myles Pinfold (Founder and MD of WPA Pinfold). Myles has been sharing with me his experiences of how he built a successful design business. Having Myles as a sounding board has boosted my confidence to make changes (and in some cases the confidence not to), which keep me focused on moving forward.
We also asked our Design Director, Dave King to join the programme. Dave is developing himself to take the step up to Creative Director and is working with a London based CD. He tells us the confidence he’s gaining is invaluable and he’ll soon have all the tools in his kit to make that step.
Be prepared … for blood, sweat and tears because a good mentor will challenge you. It’s not easy, but that’s what gets results.
The bottom line. Yes, financially we’ve had our best years since we started the programme, but the real value is in how we approach our business now. There’s a confidence and understanding in who we are and where we’re heading.
If you’re thinking about it, get your head up from the day-to-day and go for it.
Image credit: Francesco Gallarotti | Unsplash