Jane Slimming - CEO Zeal Digital Agency

Phil Fraser speaks to Jane Slimming, CEO of Leeds digital agency, Zeal. Jane explains to us the importance of company culture on a business how it saved her business after 70% of revenue disappeared, and how she now helps other businesses to develop their company culture. She also tells us about her near-death experience and how it changed her, and her business, forever. Plus you’ll also learn how to run a tech project when you’re not even a techie.INTRODUCING JANE SLIMMINGJane Slimming is Founder and CEO of Zeal - an agency that helps E-commerce startups and scale ups achieve growth through branding, tech and marketing. Jane founded Zeal in 2010 following a 7 year career working at some of the UK's largest media buying agencies. She has grown Zeal into a £2m+ turnover agency employing 30+ staff and offering clients a range of services in the creative, tech and marketing space. Zeal works solely with start-up and scale-ups helping them achieve ambitious growth plans both with the services Zeal offer and by allowing them access to the Zeal Connect network. Jane is passionate about helping businesses scale quickly into household brands and Zeal has a proven track record of achieving this for clients across numerous industries.Jane is also Founder and Director of Culco - a company that helps SME's develop and imbed values and become culture-led businesses - and holds Directorships at two further ecommerce businesses.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:40] How Zeal changed post-Covid[00.06:15] Turning away valuable, but incompatible clients[00:12:50] Setting up an agency and the lessons learnt from previous employees[00:16:00] The importance of culture in a company[00:23:15] Zeal Connect and how it helps clients[00:30:16] Jane’s near-death experience and how it changed her and the company[00:37:15] How to run a tech project when you are not a techieKEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Turning down troublesome clients because they don’t fit your culture is the strongest message you can send to your staff that you are culture driven• The importance of curiosity and work ethic, and having worked in crap jobs in superstars• Company culture can be measured• Losing 70% of the revenue doesn’t have to be the end of a business• Look at the risk of launching a business, mitigate the downsides, have a plan B, then go for itBEST MOMENTS“You have to want to grow and not be a dickhead – they are the key things for us when looking at clients”“I dressed as a Kangaroo, and it’s the only job I’ve been fired from”“Starting a business isn’t hard. If you want to, anybody can do it with the right support and the right opportunity”“Nearly dying fundamentally changed me and I like the change”“Don’t waste your energy on shit that doesn’t matter”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com Website: www.wehavezeal.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-slimming-698a4a3/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/compa....ny/zeal-media-ltd/In https://twitter.com/janeslimmingShout outs: https://www.luckynorth.co.uk/ https://hatch.group/Book recommendation: ‘Good to Great’ by Jim CollinsWant to watch instead of listen? Subscribe to our You Tube channel - https://youtube.com/@LeedsBusi....nessPodcast.DON' FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘GENTLEMENS AGREEMENT’My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has three simple steps;1. Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2. Post a review of th