Liquid comes of age
As Liquid comes of age our CEO, Lis Lewis-Jones, reflects on building PR Week’s Best Agency Outside of London over the last 18 years…
It’s hard to think that it’s 18 years since Liquid was incorporated and I started working out of the room above my mother’s garage.
It was a cold empty space – as garages are but with two little windows that let in some sunlight and with an Ikea wooden floor, desk, chairs and magnolia walls, I was proud of it.
I had left the role of MD of the then Midland’s largest independent PR consultancy in order to spend more time with my 3-year-old toddler and 5-month-old baby. I thought having my own business would give me a better work life balance. How foolish.
Liquid, my third child, has been all consuming, demanding, petulant and hard work. The last 18 years have seen 4 offices in the UK, 2 in Jersey, 3 in Guernsey, an acquisition, a recession and a pandemic.
Just as a teenager blossoms into adulthood, so has Liquid. In the last year we have developed the best team we have ever had. Hard working, committed, energetic, creative, professional experts, the team works across 15 different countries in numerous industry sectors and in PR, social, digital, marketing and design.
Our team of nearly 40 has grown the company to be the 5th largest working in the public sector in the UK (PR Week 2021) and the 19th largest to be headquartered outside of London. And just 6 months ago we were named by PR Week as The Best Agency Outside of London.
Our interns have won awards, our workplace has won awards and we have pushed the business into new areas such as the Channel Islands, e-commerce and investing in a development kitchen and our own team of chefs.
This week we have expanded our only 2 ½ year old office in Birmingham (the one that was supposed to future proof us for 10 years) to include a media studio and a well-being space for the team.
This wasn’t in the business plan 18 years ago. This wasn’t even in my dreams. The team we have has enabled Liquid to reach goals unimaginable. Our senior leadership is strong, constantly learning and constantly challenging and the board is supportive, tenacious and visionary. It’s a partnership as we bring out the best in each other.
Happy birthday Liquid. You quite rightly stay under the radar, but on your birthday, you can have a moment to shine in your newfound adulthood. Always stay humble and let’s see what we can achieve next. The journey isn’t over.