This is a blog about Bridgehead Agency from an employee’s perspective. If you’re interested in working for Bridgehead or learning what it is like then read on. If you’re a potential client wondering whether Bridgehead is the right agency for you you might want to read this article instead (or also!).
Few months ago now I had a call with Simon, one of the recently appointed client directors who will be looking after the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) portfolio here at Bridgehead. I was tasked with interviewing Simon for a blog piece, and as a newcomer to Bridgehead myself, I didn’t know what to expect from this call. I wasn’t even sure what I would ask or where I would start. That will be awkward, I thought to myself, but it’s a new job and I’ve got directors to impress so a little awkwardness is a small price to pay. To my surprise, I did not need to use any of my pre-planned excuses to cut the call short, and was actually pleased that our wifi didn’t let me down and my laptop didn’t overheat, for once. Not only was Simon great company (it started with some comments about the great british weather, and strengthened over the struggles of parenthood), but I also learned so much more about the company than I ever thought possible over a one hour video call.
This is quite lengthy but bear with me, I’ll get to the point eventually! (At the point of this interview) I’ve been with this team for just over 3 weeks now, and during that time I must have asked about 3 million questions. Paul, Bridgehead’s founder and managing director, has been nurturing this company for many years, so he has a slide deck for just about anything. Certainly for every one of my questions!
One of the projects that I’m involved with is our Bridgehead Associates Network – in short, we’re building a network of experts in certain industries, regional areas or with unique skill-sets, that would be able to consult or manage projects based on the specific needs of our clients and their go-to-market strategies. In trying to gain a better understanding of the company, how it works and what it is like to work here to help me promote this Associates Network, I’ve read through various slide decks and had many calls discussing our company values, our USPs as an agency and as an employer, requirements from associates, etc. But I didn’t think too much of it all – a lot of companies “have” values, or rather have a board of directors that would like to believe that they have those values.
How Bridgehead is different became very apparent to me after my call with Simon (and just like this, we’re back to the point of the story!). The way those values that I read about in Paul’s presentation were shining through Simon, down to the detail of specific words he used to describe things, was astounding. Unexpected, but in a very good way. Best part – this was all his own words!
Teamwork and team ethic came up a lot throughout our call. Simon said that there’s no egos at Bridgehead. It’s the real team effort that counts, true collaborative culture. There hasn’t been an argument of who “owns” one deal or another, because if the client wins, everyone wins. Therefore everyone is happy to share their unique knowledge or point of view and pitch in, help each other out.
Diversity is a large part to thank here – everyone has their own story, comes from a different area, has different work, industry or product experience, each bringing something unique to the table.
Management who listen and care – Simon said that no one is scared to put their hand up to share an idea or a suggestion. On the contrary, it is encouraged. Everyone is willing to listen and learn from each other rather than compete. (That’s not to say there’s no friendly competitions going on though! I personally will not be taking part in any team quizzes anymore though, unless I’m the one coming up with the questions… Signed – recent sore loser).
Trust and flexibility – the Covid-19 pandemic has made many businesses realise that you don’t need to be in the office, and/or work 9-5 to succeed. Bridgehead has always had this thinking – we’re not limiting our talent within a small radius of the office, and you can fit work around your other commitments.
And I’ll finish with – clients sincerely are at the heart of everything we do. They become so embedded within our team and vice versa, they have access to everything we do in real time via our systems, everything is shared, discussed and agreed upon – everything is 100% transparent from the get go. As already mentioned, when the client wins, we all win. And it seems everyone truly lives by that here at Bridgehead.
If you’re interested in working with us, send your CV to Kerri on Ke***@br**************.com.
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