We’re Yee Phillips and Clàudia Baldellou, co-founders of POD Studios.

What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?

With 20 years’ combined agency experience, we felt that there was a better way to approach the relationship between the agency and client. At POD Studios, we want to offer transparency and establish long-term partnerships based on both trust and access to senior strategists.

Our end goal is to both scale and differentiate ourselves from other agencies in our industry with proprietary technology, while building a great team, in order to ultimately sell. 

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

That nothing is consistent, anything can change at any time of day. It’s part of the fun, but can also make it hard to plan for the future. Resilience is probably the most important trait required to make something a success. 

Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?

We can definitely say that we are both different in that respect! Claudia has more of a defined routine. She loves to be an early bird and starts off her day with some exercise which usually consists of a run around her local park. Yee on the other hand is less regimented, but more driven by the prevailing mood and her surroundings, always energised by a proactive agenda for the day.

As a business owner, do you know when to walk away from a sale?

For us, it definitely took us a little while to understand when it was the right time to walk away from a sale. But ultimately, we can now say yes, we know when to walk away. It is a hard thing to do when you are just starting out and there is a potential contract on the table.

However, it is important to remember the priorities that come first, such as having a healthy work-life balance and working with great people.

Working with a co-founder can be tricky, so understanding and compromise is important. How have you both found the process of building a business together? What makes it work?

Building a business together has been really insightful and we have learned a lot over the past two and a half years. Throughout this process we’ve had to learn new skills, for instance, drafting up terms and contracts, understanding EU, UK and global billing and tax requirements and recruiting. There is so much to think about when running a business and it’s easy to overlook the basics at the beginning which is something that we were very conscious not to do.

Personality-wise we are the complete opposite to each other which ultimately makes it all work. When one of us needs a pep talk, the other can be there to deliver it! This is because we thrive on different types of tasks and situations and luckily we have complementary skills which helps us navigate circumstances. Importantly, we are super aligned on the big things like values and goals which helps us work well together and achieve things.

How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?

Our expertise, access to a senior team and the quality of client servicing are the big differentiators. We pride ourselves on being proactive, transparent and communicative, never missing deadlines, bringing solutions to the table and quick turnaround times.

POD Studios is best suited for brands who want to establish a long-term partnership, are looking to innovate and test, and want to work with us in a collaborative way.

Our focus lies in constructing a lean team of strong marketers with expertise across all digital channels who can excel through both account management and delivery. With this approach, we ensure that our client’s strategies are designed holistically across the digital landscape and that communication is fast and streamlined.

How important is company culture and what is your top tip to get it right?

As the company expands and grows, we want to create an inclusive environment where all ideas are given valid consideration and a place where every voice is heard, regardless of background or seniority.

We have designed an employee benefits package with a strong focus on wellbeing and work life balance, which includes a free subscription to a mental health app and the ability for  employees to ‘work from abroad’ for 45 days a year. This provides people with the chance to combine both travel and work or spend additional time with families who live outside of the UK.

Is word of mouth working to your advantage?

Word of mouth has definitely been an advantage for us at POD as the majority of our clients have come through either referrals or because we have worked with people in their business in the past. This has been fantastic for us and now we’re also focused on rolling out a more structured business development strategy to continue our growth.

What are your thoughts on ‘no sleep’ culture as an entrepreneur?

While we know that entrepreneurs work hard and probably need to put in more hours than the average employee to grow and expand the business, we don’t believe in the whole ‘no sleep’ culture. This is because working around the clock is not physically or emotionally sustainable and usually just results in a decrease in productivity, creativity and health.

We understand that this may not align with society’s idea of what building a business looks like, eg the always on, hustle culture. In reality, both creativity and innovation can come from anywhere. In fact, some of the best ideas that we’ve had were during a walk in the park or whilst listening to a podcast. The key to success is to know and trust yourself, which surroundings you work best in and making the most of opportunities to work with great people.