By writing "Rob the cartoonist" I'm not imploring you to go and mug an illustrator.
Please don't.
But do listen to this new interview with Rob Middleton, a cartoonist, illustrator and teacher based in Japan, on my latest radio show.
The programme also features studio guests James Barthorpe and Paul Simpson of Food Circle Supermarket.
James and Paul cover:
- Food Circle Supermarket is an online retailer purchasing surplus food from manufacturers, which would otherwise go to waste, and selling it to consumers at a discount.
- The business has grown at least 10-fold since March, and this week won the Hallam Enterprise Award.
- How the business has progressed, highs and lows of the last few months.
- Understanding their customers' requirements and figuring out a marketing formula which works.
- Testing, tracking (but avoiding vanity metrics), learning and refining.
- "Not everything works first time. It took us a few months to find the formula that works; now we've found it we're experiencing significant growth."
- Developing partnerships.
- Help from Business Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and RIDO.
- Other winners in the Hallam Enterprise Awards.
- What Paul and James can do with their £5,000 prize.
Rob Middleton covers:
- Rob's journey from financial advisor to illustrator and from Lowestoft to Japan via Budapest.
- His influences as a cartoonist.
- Creating resources for use in the classroom.
- How feedback from children changed his cartoons.
- Rob's work illustrating books for authors all over the world.
- How he's secured clients, his previous "half hearted" approach to marketing, and what's working now.
- A lightbulb moment: "If I'm making some money by people finding me by accident, if I actually learned how marketing worked, I would get more customers."
- Doing (business and marketing) courses doesn't lead to results unless you implement what you've learned and take action.
- The importance of accountability to freelancers and small business owners – not in doing what you sell and are good at, but in taking action to develop your business.
- Gerald the Goat.
- The social media approach that works for Rob.
- How to give a designer or illustrator a tight, specific brief.
- Living and working in Japan.
Timings:
- 0 - 3:01 introduction and updates, including Sheffield named third best city in the world in which to start a digital firm; Sheffield Business Awards shortlist revealed; reminder about new Social Enterprise UK research,
- 3:01 - 17:52 James and Paul, Food Circle Supermarket,
- 17:52 getting in touch with the show,
- 18:25 - end Rob Middleton.
