“Working with One44 was just what I needed”
CASE STUDY: Sam Sayer, DeType creative agency
About the Company
DEType Ltd is a leading digital and creative agency based in Kettering, Northamptonshire that focuses on three key areas: brand, web, and video.
The company is well known for the friendly, reliable, and innovative service it has been providing since 2012, and they are continuing to grow organically. The team now has nine digital and creative professionals.
Over the years Sam Sayer, the founder and Creative Director of DeType Ltd, has used different business coaches to support the organisation’s growth.
The Requirements
Sam was looking for a local and reliable training and consultancy specialist, and approached One44, knowing they had all the services and experience DeType were looking for.
“Although I have worked with other business coaches in the past, Liz had a different approach, some really good ideas, and a completely different way of thinking. In my first call alone, I got clarity on what I needed and how I could get there. I felt reassured I had found a business coach who understood us.”
Before any work begins, One44 will always undergo a discovery session where the requirements, objectives and aims are explored.
One of the most important things for Sam was that the business coaching met his specific needs and provided tangible outcomes.
The 10-session package included the following objectives:
- To provide direction for DeType which would enable the company to build on its strong business successes
- To refine DeType’s Mission, Vision and Values against the company’s culture
- To create business goals aligned to DeType’s strategic priorities
- To equip Sam as the founder and creative director with a clear plan for business development activities
- To support Sam with bringing the team on the DeType journey
Sam added: “A lot of our requirements were about the culture side of the business, which is difficult to do when you are inside the business looking out.
“It started out with it being just me in the business, and then all of a sudden we were busy and recruited more people. Before you know it you are just running the business and then you start to think what does it mean to work with us?
“We do visual branding but when you are looking at your own business you can’t see the wood for the trees, which is one of the reasons I spoke to Liz.”
The Activity
Sam and Liz agreed on a block of 10 coaching sessions over six months, where One44 would work with DeType to look at their current approach and strategy, and drill down deeper so that new tactics and processes could be tested. Sam would implement agreed actions in between their sessions, so that outcomes could be discussed at their next meeting.
Sam said: “We had regular check-ins together and there were activities and projects I could implement in between each of our meetings. That was particularly good if things were not working for me.
“We looked at our vision and values, as well as our objectives and key results. It was always very focused on how we could get even more results and business growth.”
Outcomes and Results
After working with One44, Sam says he now has the clarity on particular aspects of his businesses which needed development. He also has a roadmap on which to move his business forward.
“A key thing for me is that I’ve been able to distil things in my head and detail it in a document,” said Sam.
“It has given us a clear plan for what we want to do and what we want to keep building. It has also given me much more of a focus on what our clients want from us as a business. This will help us deliver better customer service and a far improved overall offer.”
The Future
One44 has given DeType stronger foundations on which they can move the business forward, and Sam would highly recommend business owners with similar issues to speak to Liz – 100%.
“I have used business coaches before where it feels like it’s just a box-ticking exercise, but Liz makes it more tailored to you, and that’s a really key thing for me”.
“I felt like I could say whatever was in my head and she could make sense of it. Liz is someone who will really listen and draw the best out of you”.
