Simon Patchett is Operations Manager at Saltaire-based digital agency Xpand.
Xpand, which was set up by Director Jag Panesar in 2007, recently led the redevelopment of a new website for food manufacturer P & B Foods.
Following a promotion from content marketer to his current role in 2017, Patchett manages day-to-day activities at the agency as well as the creation of marketing strategies.
He shared the lessons he has learnt.
Which single daily habit or practice could you not do without?
I’ve recently started to limit my access to apps on my mobile during specific times, especially later in the evening. In all honesty, I never realised how much time I was spending looking at social media or playing games and even responding to WhatsApps. You think that as it’s just a scroll here, or a quick reply to a text there, that it’s not taking up a lot of time. But, when you add it up, it’s a huge amount of time out of your evening. I’ve found that turning them off after a certain time at night allows me to get a good night’s rest and be fresh for work the next day.
I’ve also found that on the back of this, time-blocking is also a useful practice. It’s all related to discipline and structuring your day to ensure priority tasks are completed without distraction.
What’s been your luckiest break?
Accidentally falling into SEO, for sure. When I was given the opportunity to work at Branded3 in February 2013, I never imagined it was the role that would pave the way for my career. I can 100% say that the opportunities I was given there accelerated my career and led to me having the right skills and attributes to join the team at Xpand.
I’ve now been at Xpand for six years – the longest time I’ve spent with a company – and in that time, I’ve got to know the business inside out, so much so that I recently received a promotion to be part of the senior management team. I often think to myself that if I hadn’t started the role at Branded3, would I have gone down a different path and never found my dream career at Xpand?
What’s your best failure?
Like many, not getting a role I thought I wanted at the time. Before joining the team at Xpand, I’d spent a little time searching the job market for a suitable role. Interestingly enough, a lot of the roles I was offered were based on my experience and association with Branded3, but this felt rather demoralising so I never accepted any offers. However, I did come across a role which I felt was perfect and that saw the value I could bring to the agency as a person.
But, after three rounds of interviews, I wasn’t offered the position. It did cut a little deep I have to admit. However, if I hadn’t received that rejection, I wouldn’t have been actively searching for a new role and wouldn’t have found the role at Xpand.
What is the best investment you’ve ever made, either financial or time?
I’d have to say it’s the time investment I made in myself during lockdown. Like many, prior to lockdown life was busy and I had gotten into bad habits. When lockdown hit, I chose to make time to exercise more and improve what I was eating, which significantly increased my overall health.
It wasn’t an overnight shift and it was hard to develop and stick to the routine at first but having done so for over 12 month now, I can hand on heart say it has changed my outlook on exercise, how I think about food and my overall mental health.
Which book would you recommend others to read and why?
The Operator by Robert O’ Neill. It’s a first-hand account of him becoming a Navy SEAL in which he details the missions he took part in – three of which have actually become feature films. From the first moment I picked it up, I was engaged – I just couldn’t put it down.
The beauty of it is, he tells the stories in such a way that you receive lessons about leadership, persistence and teamwork. I’ve been able to apply many of these learnings to how I work and interact with the team.
What one piece of advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
Embrace the adversity – often, it’s never as bad as it feels. When things do go wrong, it’s important to know that they usually don’t last forever. Many times, you can take the negative and turn them into positives, especially in business. When you can’t, surround yourself with a great network of supportive people who can help you come out of the other side.
Who or what has had the single biggest influence on your working life?
Definitely Jag Panesar, the Director here at Xpand. I started here in a less senior role, and now I’m part of the senior management team. Jag has always seen the value I could bring to the business and invested both time and money into helping me shape my career – not just for the business’ benefit for my own benefit too.
His belief and support gave me the confidence to really take ownership of my role here and consistently develop.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people.
I like heavy metal and I used to have shoulder-length hair. Nobody ever believes me, partly because there are no images.
How will the COVID crisis change work for the better?
I definitely think it accelerated businesses and individuals’ capabilities. It also paved the way for a more flexible approach to be taken in businesses. Many wouldn’t have considered it before but given it became a necessity, business leaders have seen that it works and actually comes with many benefits.
What does success look like to you?
From a personal perspective, I’d say a role where I’m not working ridiculously long hours and have the weekend to myself without being pressured by guilt to work. I’ve never been materialistic or driven solely by money, but I feel it’s important to earn a salary that can support a comfortable lifestyle.
Within my role, success is when I’ve made an impact. I’ve never been the kind of guy which just does what is required to tick a box. I like to know that my efforts have had a real positive impact on someone, whether that be the team, the client or another in my network.
