Graeme Coyle is founder and managing director of Seller Presto, an amazon-focused marketing agency based in Middlesbrough.
Established in 2019, the agency currently has five staff working for the likes of TJ Hughes, Helix and board game brand Football Billionaire, which was featured on Dragons’ Den and received investment from Peter Jones.
From lucky breaks to his best failures, Coyle shares all the lessons he’s learnt across his personal life and career.
Which single daily habit or practice could you not do without?
As a business owner with a family and two small children, the single daily habit or practice I couldn’t do without is undoubtedly maintaining a structured morning routine.
This routine sets the tone for my entire day, allowing me to balance the demands of running a business with being present for my family. And of course, eating a carb-free breakfast, the most important meal of the day.
What’s been your luckiest break?
I was working as a market researcher and I landed a job at what happened to be one of the largest Amazon sellers in the UK, Andrew James Worldwide, at a time when Amazon was taking off in terms of Amazon Prime and its advertising platform. At Andrew James, we sold a range of kitchen products such as food mixers, kettles, toasters etc.
My role was to help the company generate sales via e-commerce channels, including the website, but mainly on Amazon as that was where 90% of the company’s revenue came from, which just illustrates the power of the channel if managed properly.
I’m fortunate to have learned a lot about Amazon marketing just as the platform was taking off, which gave me a distinct advantage in terms of my knowledge of how to be successful selling on Amazon.
The core principles I learned are used today at Seller Presto and they are definitely our secret sauce!
What’s your best failure?
Early 2000’s I was inspired by all the property programs on TV to become a property tycoon. I purchased a house that was in desperate need of renovation, which turned out to be far above my capabilities.
My first mistake was buying at the end of 2007, when house prices were at their highest, just before the recession. I ended up spending way too much on professionals to complete the build and then rented it out. The rent barely covered my expenses and after repairs, I had made a loss. Then when I sold the property, I barely made back what I purchased it for, and that’s not including the thousands I spent on renovations! They made it look so easy on the TV!
It’s safe to say I’m a much more successful agency owner.
What is the best investment you’ve ever made, either financial or time?
The best investment I’ve ever made, undoubtedly, is in my staff and team, which includes investing in mentorship. Building a strong, dedicated team has been instrumental in the growth and success of Seller Presto.
Investing in my team goes beyond financial considerations; it’s about nurturing a culture of collaboration, trust, and empowerment and I’ve had the opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals who have navigated similar challenges and achieved success in their respective fields. The return on investment from prioritising my team has been huge.
Which podcast or book would you recommend others to read and why?
‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. The book emphasises the importance of financial literacy and education, suggesting that traditional schooling often fails to teach crucial money management skills that are required for both personal and business success.
I would recommend it as helps you to move beyond the traditional mindset of working for money towards the idea of making money work for you. It also changed my perspective on assets and liabilities, encouraging me to focus on acquiring income-generating assets that contribute to long-term wealth accumulation, rather than liabilities that drain financial resources.
What one piece of advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
You don’t have to have loads of qualifications, wear a fancy suit or talk posh to be successful. Anybody with the drive to succeed can do anything.
Who or what has had the single biggest influence on your working life?
The single biggest influence on my working life has been my wife, Kathryn.
When I first mentioned wanting to go into self-employment full-time, she encouraged me to take the leap. One of the most significant displays of her support was her willingness to allow us to use our savings as a fallback if my venture didn’t succeed initially.
Fortunately, we didn’t have to do that, but without that safety net, it would have pressured the business to succeed quickly.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people.
Despite owning a marketing agency I received a pretty poor grade in my marketing degree. I now put this down to being more of a hands-on person rather than listening to lectures and I’m terrible at exams.
I think, while professional qualifications certainly have their place and can provide a strong foundation of theoretical knowledge, they should be complemented by hands-on experience to truly excel in the industry.
If there was one thing you could change about your career, what would it be and why?
I don’t think I could change anything, I made a lot of mistakes which were learnings that helped me get to where I am today.
For example, in the early days, we employed someone who didn’t align with the company values and as we are a small team it disrupted the cohesive culture that we rely on for success. We now have a robust recruitment process, focusing on people, wellbeing and culture fit.
Without having the time to make those mistakes the business wouldn’t still be thriving nearly five years later.
What does success look like to you?
Having free time to spend with my family and not having my work/life balance being dictated by someone else.
Success, to me, is about striking the right balance between work and family life and enjoying it all.
