The Making of Reel Creative.

I’ve always been creative and curious. Visual learning made far more sense to me than sitting still with textbooks. Media: Moving Image felt like the right route over A-levels. It was practical, hands-on and varied. It let me express ideas through video, sound and experiences rather than essays. It confirmed what I already felt, that I’m not wired for a desk job. I needed a career built on creativity and plenty of change.

I moved to Jersey with my parents at 18, not knowing anyone, seeing it as a chance to grow up a bit while having a base. I took all the work experience I could find, but the ITV role felt like the first real step on the ladder.

Channel was a brilliant training ground. The team had talented seasoned pros and younger operators, which meant you were always learning and always being tested. Working live was a buzz, but it exposed every mistake you made to the whole Channel Island audience. You don’t make the same mistakes twice.

My time there taught me the core principles of camerawork, editing and directing. The technology has evolved since, but those fundamentals underpin everything we do now, from commercials and corporate videos to podcasts and livestreams.

Heading to NZ was about adventure more than anything. I started volunteering at a “mega church”, Life NZ, then joined their creative team producing content for TV, web and their services.

The big shift was rediscovering creativity. After five years working in news cycles, it was refreshing to flex my creative muscles again and experiment with new ideas. It showed me I wanted a more creative path, not just a technical one.

While I was in New Zealand, Freedom Church in Jersey were setting up a media business and asked if I’d lead the video side. It aligned with my plans to come home and offered the chance to guide projects end to end.

We started small, then grew steadily for more than a decade. We delivered campaigns that won local and national awards, and I worked alongside some incredibly talented people. Everyone went their separate ways, but many of those relationships are still strong today.

I’d felt the entrepreneurial itch for a few years. I wanted to build something of my own, focused entirely on video. It’s what I know, what I’m good at, and what I care about doing well.

I didn’t want to be a freelancer. I wanted a proper team made up of people who are exceptional at what they do, so together we can deliver big projects for big clients. I’m not the world’s best camera operator, editor or audio engineer. But I’m good at understanding clients, turning their needs into ideas, and assembling the right team to deliver.

That approach has shaped how I lead. I want a business that’s versatile, agile enough to adapt to different clients, and committed to the highest standards of experience. Clients come back to us because they trust us to deliver. We don’t need hand holding, and we produce consistently high-quality content.

It meant a lot. I genuinely wasn’t expecting it. I started the business with no previous experience as a director, so everything was new. Not all my decisions have worked out, but I’ve backed myself when I’ve felt strongly about something.

I invested heavily in Reel Studios so Jersey could have high-end podcasting, livestreaming and recording facilities. We began exporting our services too, producing for US firms and filming in the UK, Europe and Africa. And most importantly, we attracted clients who value video and what it brings to their strategy.

The IoD award was a reassuring moment for me personally, and recognition for the whole Reel Creative team’s efforts. It confirmed the direction we’re heading was right. Joining the IoD community has been a real benefit too. Being on the judging panel in 2024 gave me the chance to pass that experience on to someone else.

I wouldn’t claim to know the realities of football management, especially as an Everton fan. But, other than the perhaps obvious “ups and downs”, there is one parallel I can draw - you have to look after yourself.

When running a business, it’s easy to give everything to everyone else and forget your own wellbeing. I show up far better when I’m taking care of my health, eating well, exercising and resting properly. Sadly, that also means leaving the toffees in the box and sticking to watching them on TV instead.