Since Bwlb started in the summer of 2019 we have worked with a huge variety of clients from a whole range of industries. Here are a few thoughts on some of the work we have done. At the end of the page you can find a longer reflection on our first ever client - FinCo - who have a special place in the Bwlb story.
​

​
​Niki Roach was named President of CIWEM (The Chartered Institution of Water And Environmental Management) in 2019, wanted to start a podcast, and approached Bwlb for help. We came up with the format, trained Niki on equipment, how to present and interview and guided her a little in the art of guest sourcing and production managing (though she is an absolute natural). Bwlb has exec produced, edited and mixed every episode of the 2 seasons so far. This is a full wraparound podcast package - from original idea to final delivery. It's a hit too - achieving the Number 1 position in the UK not-for-profit podcast charts.
Bwlb was approached by Blinkist to produce their Shortcast series 'Beyond The To-Do List'. Shortcasts are to podcasts what Blinkist's book summaries ('Blinks') are to books. Making the Shortcast of this acclaimed productivity podcast was brilliant fun. Presenter Erik Fisher did a great job of voicing up the new script and I learnt a huge amount listening to the original episodes and finding the best bits. Blinkist are a brilliant company to work for, and, as a start-up themselves, have been really encouraging and supportive on Bwlb's growth and focus on tech innovation. 

​Bwlb went through a competitive process to be commissioned to produce the 'In The Driving Seat' podcast for Entale and Halfords. This series was produced remotely at the peak of lockdown restrictions and was a complex project to manage with many layers of very involved stakeholders. There was a fair bit of talent management involved with the celebrity guests too, who were all lovely, but had their own restrictions, boundaries and pressures due to the pandemic. My experience in combining BBC-esque focus on production quality and editorial nous with Global/Capital-esque focus on efficiency and commercial concerns... resulted in an end product that was both popular with the audience and delivered results for all stakeholders. 

​One of the most enjoyable and impactful creative consultancy projects that Bwlb has ever done. Author Dr Mandeep Rai approached Bwlb with a problem. She had a book ready to publish - about the lessons she had learned about different approaches to life and business from 101 countries around the world she had personally visited. She had her publishing deal, the manuscript was finished, the printing presses were ready to roll... but she didn't have a name for the book. Bwlb designed and delivered a creative process that originated over 100 possible names, and amongst them all was the winner - The Values Compass. The book has gone on to be an International Best Seller (topping The Wall St Journal and Sunday Times charts) plus recently won the coveted Business Book Of The Year Award in the Diversity, Inclusion and Equality category.

​And where it all started...

FinCo Coffee

Alex, Founder of FinCo Coffee was Bwlb's first ever client, so has a special place in my heart. This guy is just so passionate about coffee and it comes through from the first second you meet him. I was doing a business course in Cardiff city centre, buying a coffee from him each day (it was great coffee) and when the challenge was issued to find a client, and, crucially, make it someone you'd love to work with, Alex popped in to my head. To his great credit, he took a chance on me, we did a creative session together and he paid me in coffee, which I was more than happy with.

FinCo is a small business, a one-man coffee shop located in a bit-hard-to-find-but-a-hidden-gem kind of place called the Castle Emporium right in the heart of Cardiff City Centre. He was making great coffee (because he knew his stuff, was passionate about it and didn't cut corners) but he was having a hard time getting the numbers of sales he wanted and deserved.
​
I did a basic creative session with him where we came up with small, easy, quick, obvious ideas he could implement straight away to improve footfall and sales. Things like working more with the nearby Cardiff Blues Rugby team, coming up with little share-able time specific deals such as on A-Level results day, and 'one free coffee' cards his regular customers could hand out to their mates. With some practical 'easy-win' ideas in the bag we started to think deeper.

I knew Alex was a big Liverpool FC fan, so I designed a creative exercise around a hero of his, Jurgen Klopp - "What Would Klopp Do?" We spent some time listing Mr Klopp's qualities, things like resilience, positivity, playing to strengths, respecting club history and culture and totally backing his team. Then we tried to work out some ideas that would be FinCo's versions of these values. I challenged Alex to come up with an idea in each area. What's an idea that plays to FinCo's strengths? What's something that Alex could do which would be totally backing his and the brand's strengths? What would reflect Finco's culture and history?

The bit about culture and history struck a chord with Alex and led us to discussing the classic Citroen van which he first started serving coffee out of. It had issues and was out of action. He had been resigned to losing it, but perhaps would reconsider after the discussion we had. I always pop in on Alex when I'm in Cardiff city centre and I was so happy to see him still going, still passionate, and with plans for the future of the van (and a cool little model van now part of his premises design).

​I believe creativity is so important to every business, person, project or organisation at every part of their journey. Thinking creatively can deliver instant practical wins but it can also make you think in a different way about the bigger picture and, in my experience, always has a positive influence even if that is in an unpredictable way. I can't claim to have increased FinCo's sales massively from that one creative session, but I do know I've made a good mate in Alex, he feels he got a lot out of our session and he is still there, still making a go of what he loves doing, still making great coffee (and he's still got the van, and big plans for it).