Profile: Matt Desmier
Matt joined the Leapers community in October 2017, and has been a vocal member since.
Matt — you seem a prolific individual, well connected across Bournemouth, London and known for your events — but tell us briefly: what do you actually ‘do’?
I’m an independent strategist, primarily focused around branding, positioning and messaging. I run workshops helping agencies and brands uncover what they do, why they do it and how they talk about it. It’s a bit more than that and I can and do, do more than that. But keeping it brief and simple helps folk — and me — understand better.
Is it getting harder to explain what you do for work?
No. On the contrary, it’s getting easier. In recent months I’ve become much clearer about what I do, more aware about how I add value and importantly more confident in talking about what I don’t do.
That seems to be a trend for many people as they develop their career — but how different is your work now to one year ago?
Vastly different. This time last year I believed I ran strategy workshops with a side project in conferences. Whereas in reality, the majority of my time was focused on creating and producing events and conferences. I went through a metaphorical bloodletting process — which was quite cathartic — reimagining where I put my energy. And it’s been wholly worthwhile.
That’s quite a level of awakening about what you do. How would you describe that journey of changing the way work you do, and how you do it?
Timing, lack of judgement and luck. A previous employer and I had a difference of opinion on where my time was best spent and the idea of being independent was born. That’s the timing bit. However before I could enact my independent plan, another organisation dangled a golden carrot, distracting me and taking me down a route I should’ve avoided. That demonstrated a lack of judgement that I’ve since learnt from. When that contract ended and independence loomed again, as luck would have it, an idea I’d had took hold and took off. It’s been exciting. Exhilarating. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Learning from previous experiences is obviously hugely valuable to you— but is there something you wish you knew three years ago that you know today?
How to manage finances better. I mean, I wish I knew how to manage my finances better today but if I’d known it three years ago, that skill might be just about embedded by now!
That’s really a core skill that many would benefit from — I certainly would. Is there anything you would change about your work, if you were able to?
It’s going to sound terribly cliched and I don’t want to say it, but I don’t think I’d change a thing. I’m fortunate that I’ve been on this journey for seven years now and I’ve survived. Now the time seems to be right and working in a more fluid manner seems to be much more acceptable. Selling just strategy and workshops was a lot harder seven years ago. The audience is a bit more educated now. If I could change anything, I would want the audience educated better.
You’ve been a member of Leapers for almost 12 months now, what does Leapers mean to you as a community?
I think I can say with some considerable truth, that my new found confidence in what I do and how I talk about it, is as a result in some way or another, of the Leapers community. Hearing, albeit virtually in the main, others talk about what they do and how they do it, has absolutely influenced me. Knowing there is a community that is much bigger than you expect and incredibly accommodating and friendly is a real confidence boost.
Finally Matt, I’m sure you have an incredibly long to-do list — what’s next on it?
Finish my website! The design was created nine months ago and there’s a guy waiting to build the site for me. The bottleneck is me. I need to write the content: the case studies, the product pages and examples, etc. I’ve got a bunch of ideas for things I’d like to get started on, but I need to get this website off my To-Do list!
Thanks to Matthew Desmier for being the first profile of our community. You can find him at Wise Old Uncle, or pop along to the Leapers community and say hello.
Each week, to celebrate our first birthday, we’ll be profiling another member of Leapers, to capture the diverse group of backgrounds, interests and what people have gained from being part of the network. If you’re interested in being part of the team — sign up for an invite.
