Barrie Jarrett is CEO and co-founder of Planet Sport.
Based in Leeds, Planet Sport is a sports media publisher behind a number of websites including Football365 and Teamtalk and acquired YouTube channel The F1 Word earlier this month.
From his lucky break to job challenges, Jarrett shares all more on his career journey with some words of advice.
How did you first get into the industry?
Back in 1998 I was studying an integrated business technology course at Leeds College of Technology. One night I was out in Leeds and someone told me about a job at an exciting project they were working on: Teamtalk.com. It was one of the UK’s first football websites and working there sounded like the perfect job. Fast forward 26 years and Teamtalk now sits within the Planet Sport Group of which I’m the proud CEO of.
What do you love about your job?
As well as being passionate about sports media, digital content and new tech, I absolutely love working with the innovative people in Planet Sport. I’ve been in the digital media industry long enough to recognise great talent, and I strongly believe in hiring people in their areas of expertise rather than a generalist like me. Watching these creative people constantly innovating and evolving what we do means I enjoy great content and learn new things every day.
Who or what has inspired you in your career?
Early on in my career at TEAMtalk there were so many people who encouraged and developed me, but a really pivotal moment came when David Annat, managing director of 365 Media Group, asked me to head out to lead the company’s South African operation. To be trusted by such an experienced executive to take on that role was inspiring.
In my time at Sky I was fortunate to be able to work for and learn from great leaders like Piers Croton and Richard Flint. Seeing them build substantial operations at Sky Sports Digital Media and Sky Betting & Gaming was hugely motivating. I’m also driven by the desire to spot opportunities, create new things and leave a mark with achievements. It’s incredibly rewarding when I hear people talk passionately about the great brands or products I’m involved with, like Football365, TEAMtalk and PlanetF1; genuine feedback from users is really exciting.
What are the biggest challenges about your job?
There are so many challenges running a business: cashflow is a major one for any growing business; industry changes – particularly in digital content consumption – are also constant headaches. But I relish these challenges — they’re opportunities. Where others might see obstacles, I see chances to reinvent, reevaluate, and move the business forward. It’s all about spotting the opportunity in every challenge.
What skills have been the most crucial to succeeding in your career so far?
Communication and interpersonal skills have been crucial to success for me. Running our business touches on many areas – sport, technology, editorial, finance, investment – and you need to be able to communicate and influence effectively across all of them to achieve success. I always try to be constructive, honest and direct with everyone I meet. Being able to identify the right people to bring into the right roles to drive innovation forward is also invaluable because no one knows everything and having a network of experts you can trust is essential.
What was your first salary, and what could someone entering the industry expect to earn nowadays?
When I started my career in 1998, I think I was on around £7 per hour, which was considered pretty decent at the time! Entry-level starters in digital media and tech are looking for salaries of £25,000 – £30,000, depending on the role.
What educational training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
Regardless of whether you’re into technology, operations, marketing, or commercial, it’s all about spotting opportunities and being open to learning new things. Having an entrepreneurial mindset isn’t often something you necessarily learn in school, you need to try things out and not be afraid to fail. A degree is certainly useful, but it’s not everything; what really matters is attitude, passion, and a natural talent for what you do. People often focus too much on how much money they can make, rather than on how much they can learn. The key is to prioritise learning and growth – money will follow when you focus on building skills and gaining knowledge.
What advice would you give to someone looking to follow your path?
My path comes with a lot of responsibility; by running Planet Sport I’m ultimately accountable for the livelihoods of many great people. That can be challenging to consider sometimes. My advice would be to stay true to yourself. Authenticity is key, and if you are true to who you are, you’ll be successful.
