Jay Hynd is founder and CEO of The Guide Liverpool.
Launched in 2015, the online news and what’s on platform has grown its local, national and international reach online and via social media, and recently launched its own video production company – Guide Video.
Prior to launching The Guide Liverpool, Hynd’s career started at Radio City over twenty years ago and he has since presented on shows such as Juice FM, Capital Radio and In Demand.
Here, Hynd shares a recent week in his life in what he describes as ‘probably the best city in the world’…
Monday
As always, Monday is our team check in day – we kick off a new week with our team week ahead meeting, which gives everyone that important time to look at what’s on their task list and what are our key priorities for the week in front of us.
We’re heading into the summer holidays, soon, which means we’re working with a lot of attraction and experience-based clients this week – using our video production expertise to show off their destinations and offerings to families.
So, this week is looking like a busy one for the team and we use this meeting to check in on filming times, equipment requirements, editing blocks and who’ll need any extra support. One of our big filming projects today is with the North West Air Ambulance, a charity we’ve proudly worked with for many years. They’ve long embraced the benefits of video when it comes to sharing messaging on fundraising initiatives and events, or to showcase the work of their teams on the ground and in the air.
You’ll often still see me in front of the camera, presenting is where it all began for me and I love being able to work in this way – and today is no exception! I am going deep down underneath the River Mersey to experience a Mersey Tunnel Tour.
This is a unique tour to go on, a hidden gem in the city, actually. I’ll be joined by Tom, one of our brilliant videographers and I know he’s excited about this one!
From the Tunnel Tour, I head over to Liverpool ONE to meet with our client team, catching up on their Summer of Sport campaign with The Guide Liverpool. The Olympics is the next big sporting event that this amazing retail destination will be celebrating, and we’ve got some GREAT ideas for video content to bring this to life.
After a busy afternoon of filming and meetings, its back to the office to wrap up the day with our content team to review our schedule for this week. In Liverpool there is – quite literally – something happening all the time and The Guide Liverpool stays on top of it all, to make sure we’re continually sharing the most up to date news and info on what’s on.
Our content team are a hardworking and continuously ‘on it’ bunch, they keep our social media platforms up to date every day!
Tuesday
My day starts everyday at 7.30am, this is my time to plan out the day and go over my to do list. And, I make sure I get any of my bulkier jobs done & dusted before the team arrives. As a business owner, giving yourself a daily head start is so important and helps to support that essential focus you’re going need to throughout the day.
Once we’re all in the office together, it’s time to look at our commercial strategy for this next half of 2024. My sales team and I get together to look at our current campaigns, our pipeline, our targets and our wish lists. We’re always looking to work within new sectors and industries, especially through our UK offering with Guide Video and our wish list brands have often become a reality as new clients, in years gone by. It’s exciting to continually forward plan and aspire towards working with new people in new places.
Our Port of Liverpool lunchtime meeting is a great example of this: having the opportunity to work with new people and new places. This first meeting also includes a grand tour of Liverpool’s iconic docks, there are miles of them, and it is quite a sight to behold from where we’re looking out!
This is also an important day for me to check in with some of our current clients, as their campaigns are starting to go live across July and the summer. I appreciate the variety in the people we’re working with, at the moment. It means no day or campaign is the same. I’ve got time set aside to catch up with National Museums Liverpool, The Royal Court and North West Cancer Research.
And, making sure the team are firing on all cylinders during such a time of variety and big campaigns being worked on is mega important – so, we take the opportunity to go out for a working lunch at Stoke at Radisson Red as another chance to catch up away from the office, whilst also being able to capture foodie content from one of favourite hospitality clients.
Wednesday
Liverpool is renowned for its music heritage. We’re most famous as being home to The Beatles of course, and we proudly hosted Eurovision in 2023. However, there are musical locations and venues dotted all over the city that each have their own unique story – and the Jacaranda is one of those special venues, where our Wednesday filming schedules begins.
Back at The Guide HQ, I’ve got a project run-through session with my video team. These guys are, in my opinion, the best in the business – they seamlessly turn every client brief into something so unique and so entertaining, I am continually impressed by what they do and how they do it!
And, from completing existing client briefs to reviewing new briefs, its then time to look at what our clients are asking us to work on over the summer. The sales team and I work together on what proposals are needed, how we can ensure the best value for our client investment and what proactive campaign ideas we can suggest to really boost their asks of The Guide Liverpool.
My Wednesday afternoon is BUSY! It kicks off with a meeting with Liverpool John Lennon Airport, another brilliant client of ours whom we’ve worked with for many years, highlighting their routes & destinations to travellers and holiday makers every year.
Then, I need to switch into Podcast Host mode as I am recording the latest edition of our NAILING IT podcast today, my guest is a founder of Maray restaurant, Tom. This is such a great place to eat in Liverpool, however today we’re focusing more on his journey as a business founder and successful entrepreneur than what’s on the Maray menu.
And all good things – or afternoons – must come to an end, which mine does with a meeting with my accountant. Our latest VAT bill has certainly ended this Wednesday less enjoyably than it started!
Thursday
An important day. Thursday starts with a hospital appointment.
This is one of my regular check-ups, and my time and focus is totally ‘here’ for the morning. I’ve been open about past health challenges and how I’ve learnt, in recent years, to listen to my body more. Making sure past issues don’t get in the way, by looking after myself and ensuring I attend these check-ups, is a priority.
Once I am back in the office, the team and I get ourselves down to our stunning Liverpool waterfront for a walking catch up. Stretching our legs, getting our steps in, catching up and getting to enjoy our city’s backdrop – which never fails to make me feel proud. I’ve also got a session with my business coach, Andrea, this afternoon. If you’re thinking about how best to boost your confidence, your development, your focus on personal and professional growth – I’d highly recommend you seek out a coach. This has been, and continues to be, invaluable for me, particularly in recent months as I’ve launched a new business: Guide Video.
In the same I am committed to looking after my physical health and wellbeing, working with a business coach is how I am improving and continually focussing on my professional and entrepreneurial journey. The rest of my Thursday flies over in a blur, including Weekend Guide feature filming at St Georges Hall, overseeing the arrival of new camera kit and a check in with our SEO partners who we’re working with to help boost our online presence for both The Guide Liverpool and Guide Video.
It is not often I’ve got a week which doesn’t include an evening social or event invitation, and this week is no exception – tonight I am looking forward to heading over to the launch of a new city centre restaurant with some of the team. If you’re a follower of The Guide Liverpool on socials, you’ll know our team nights out are always A LOT of fun. We’re really regularly out & about together, after a day’s work, to enjoy what the city has to offer.
I am often asked if we actually do any work, as people see us enjoying ourselves so much. The answer is absolutely yes. We work really hard, and we have a unique team culture, which means we have full social lives but we make sure we get good work done. This is always our priority and it means that we can enjoy downtime and fun times together.
Friday
After another busy week, Friday is spent working from home – giving me that much needed time to catch up on my own admin and tasks, as well as to look at next week and what we need to deliver (ready for our Monday team check in meeting, of course!)
I do find working from home minimises distractions, sometimes, and keeps me productive on my own to do list! However, the team and I are still in pretty much constant communication through calls and emails, particularly as we’ve got a handful of big campaigns about to go live with LFC and Roxy Ballroom. And the content team want to make sure our weekend coverage is spot on, especially as we’ve covering a three-day music event: In the Park.
I am using this Friday to look at GROWTH: what does the remainder of 2024 look like, for my businesses, and where do I want us to finish the year. I thoroughly enjoy this – thinking ahead, visualising, setting out my goals. This year has been an exciting one, so far. Not without occasional challenges, of course, but overall, I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved as a business.
And, a lot of that success comes from working so well together, as a team. I am continually grateful for my team and how they show up day in, day out (and yes, even after we’ve had a big social together!) So, this Friday includes an early dart for everyone.
The weekend has landed. Tonight, I’ll head back into Liverpool to enjoy a meal and a theatre show with friends, before dropping in to experience some of the new bars and venues across the city centre. I always make the effort to see what’s happening, for myself – it helps The Guide Liverpool stay on point with everything new and exciting in probably the best city in the world!
