Blog Series NWBLT Career Insights with Paul Corcoran
Paul Corcoran, CEO of Agent, shares some reflections on his career, the value of building your own networks and the importance of bringing people together, providing opportunity, good growth and responsible business leadership.
Tell us a little bit about your current role?
I have two concurrent roles. My main day job is CEO of Agent, a full-service marketing agency with studios in Liverpool and Manchester. We work across the region and wider UK with clients across the net zero, sustainability, transport and general good business spaces.
Agent is a growing team of 40 made up of a whole range of disciplines from strategy and creative to digital and communications. Our team is a lively bunch of planners, researchers, designers, programmers, animators and everything in-between. We turn 19 this year – it feels like yesterday when I set the company up.
Agent, almost two decades later, is a business where good growth and profitability is never at the detriment of people, place or planet. At Agent, we look after our people and make decisions that benefit us all.
In 2014, I also established our not-for-profit sister enterprise Agent Academy, which unlocks opportunities for young people in the creative, digital and technology sectors. I am incredibly proud of the impact we have made to lives of thousands of young people across our great region.
How did your career start? Did you have a career plan mapped out?
I most definitely did not have this career map in mind! I fell into marketing by chance. Originally, I wanted to go into language and linguistics but soon realised I was really drawn to consumer behaviour and the general psychology and sociology of marketing. I loved the idea of what marketing can do when used for good.
I started out at a small agency in Liverpool for a couple of years, before taking the huge risk of creating Agent. Looking back, I was certainly naive, but I was incredibly ambitious and determined for the agency to succeed, grow and inspire real change in the spaces I am passionate about.
What’s the greatest challenge that you have faced in your career or as a leader?
Being a leader will always be challenging, but likewise, it is extremely rewarding when you achieve what you set out to do. I can set my own course, but there are always going to be obstacles and barriers that can get in the way. I’ve grown used to knowing that they do, and strangely, welcoming them when they turn up.
One of my biggest challenges was when I first started Agent and I had to learn and understand how the regional landscape worked. Who was who? Which organisation does what? Who plays what role and where? It was a minefield! It was difficult because investing a significant amount of time and energy into my own learning, whilst still delivering services and bringing in new clients, was always a delicate balance.
Procurement can be a challenge, too. It’s one of my biggest! Procurement (the bidding process) is a significant cost to our business and many other smaller firms we work with. We win brilliant work at Agent, but sometimes the hoops and loops we jump through to secure and maintain contracts are not always as transparent, straightforward and accessible as one might like. I would always encourage procurement teams to understand the vast amount of work (that is nearly always at risk) that goes into making submissions and the overall cost of the process.
Who has inspired you?
I am very lucky to have been inspired, and continue to be, by so many people. I am inspired by those who use their business acumen, status, networks and knowledge for a greater good. That always inspires me because I want to ensure Agent does the same.
This is why I love NWBLT. I am surrounded by so many colleagues, many of whom I proudly call friends. They are at the very top of their game and yet remain humble, willing and enthusiastic about reaching out and helping others.
Why did you decide to set up Agent Academy?
It was a lightbulb moment: I wanted to see more young people across the North West coming out of college and university and going into well-paid, long-term and sustainable jobs across the creative, digital and technology sectors. I knew our sector needed new talent and I wanted to make sure that every young person knew there was a place for them regardless of their postcode, accent, ethnicity, sexual orientation – or anything else for that matter.
I knew there was a chasm in many instances, with young people gaining amazing qualifications but lacking the networks, commercial acumen and confidence to take the next step.
I felt very passionate about putting my hand up and saying: “I am going to use my business to help with this!”. I think if you see something that can be fixed – do it. Don’t moan – do the work. Agent at the time was a tiny team, but we were right to do it. 10 years down the line, Agent Academy has become a huge catalyst to support young people who would have otherwise been locked out of our industry.
Hundreds and hundreds of Agent Academy graduates have now gone on to have the most wonderful careers, and now they themselves support the next generation by connecting our learners to new and exciting opportunities.
Agent Academy has just celebrated its 10th birthday. What have you learned and what are you most proud of?
I am incredibly proud of the fact Agent Academy continues to be a powerfully diverse, rich and kind community. We could not do this alone. We have the best business leaders, partners, sponsors, funders and experts who all bring something to the table because they can see the real impact and proper change we are driving. That takes a lot – it really does take a village.
It all makes me so proud, and I believe Agent Academy epitomises what it means to be socially enterprising and responsible. As a leader, Agent Academy has made me realise people, collaboration and partnerships are fundamental to shared success. When you bring in different people with different ideas, but similar purpose and values, you can achieve incredible things.
What skills, values, and behaviours are you looking for from future talent so that Agent continues to be successful?
I look for people who have energy, talent, and genuinely care about delivering a great service. I want people who are hungry for opportunities, who will always put their hand up and encourage others to improve alongside them. I want to work with people who care about our region, our communities and the work we are doing to make a difference. I love it when we find new people who are genuinely fascinated by the marketing spectrum and want to get involved, learn more, develop and help others to achieve great things.
What advice would you give to those thinking about their first career steps?
Build your gang! It is what I always say when I speak to Agent Academy and our new team members. Your network, partners, colleagues and team members are incredibly important. Your career needs to be a living, breathing eco-system where you always help each other, because the time will come when you need a friend, or someone to listen to your triumphs and challenges. But most of all, enjoy it. Trust me, it shows when you do!