Jake Summerhayes

Working with founders and business Leaders to craft powerful and authentic personal brands. 

Why? Because reputation matters. 

- 82% of customers trust a company when their senior management members are active on social media

- Brand messages are shared 24x more on personal accounts compared to company accounts

- Customers are willing to pay 13.5x more for elite industry experts

Yet only 1% of LinkedIn's 700 million users share weekly content. 

Our mission at Kurogo is to solve that.

Kurogo is derived from the Japanese ‘Kuroko’ referring to the black clad stagehands in traditional Japanese theatre.

The convention of wearing black implying the invisibility of the wearer on stage. 

We are your Kurogo. 

Directing, driving and delivering your personal brand from the background. 

Giving you the spotlight to excel in what you do best.

Head Of Client Services

Client: “Content approved, no changes”
Me (a nearly 30-year-old man ):

Client Services Director @ Kurogo | We create thought leaders through Personal Branding

“Who the fuck is Steven Bartlett?”

That was the response my Mrs had a few years ago when I said I wanted to watch Dragon's Den, because it was his first season.

This marketing bubble is much smaller than you think.

Go and touch some grass.

Just admit it, you’re never going to look at that saved post again…

I’m 29. I lead client services at a remote agency. 

My day: 

7:00am-1:00pm Work
1:00pm-3:00pm Break
3:00pm-4:30pm Work

Honestly any structure other than this would be bullshit, because it changes everyday.

My metrics for success are:
- Client Retention
- Team Happiness
- Team Performance

And whilst there is a list of tasks and responsibilities that fall under the pursuit of those, every day, week or month ends up being different. 

Things come up, priorities shift and I’m given the freedom to be flexible.

As long as we’re growing the business, and making progress towards those metrics, nothing else matters.

I am really not looking forward to 2026 

It's going to be an incredibly tough year for myself and Kurogo.

We're going to be dealing with a lot of consequences of 2025.

- Hitting Record MMR multiple times
- Crossing the £1,000,000 ARR mark
- Having our largest team yet 
- Having our biggest social ever
- Signing a record number of clients 
- Records across all client delivery metrics
- Record campaign performance metrics 

These are all huge problems because now we have to beat them again this year.

AND I need to hire a bunch of people to help us do it.

My steak is too juicy and my lobster is too buttery.

If you can be arsed being a part of it, keep an eye out on all personal and company socials.

We'll be releasing some roles soon...

I once fired a client during their onboarding call. 

They spent less than 15 minutes on the books.

What did the job was they were throwing around phrases like:
”What guarantees do I have after the contract ends?”
”This other agency offered me x, y and z”
”Can we add a refund if I’m not happy?”

(Bearing in mind they had already been back and forth with the sales team for over a month)

But these things weren’t the issue; they never are. 

Just symptoms of someone who’s jumped into something before they were ready. The reasons for which ultimately don’t matter. 

As soon as it becomes obvious we’re starting off on that foot, it’s best we end it before we both have a shit time and the regret spirals into resentment.

Like my first relationship
- I didn’t actually fire them, it was ‘mutual’ of course
- They went with someone else and came back a few months later
- We had a great time for 6-months and parted ways amicably 

Alls well that ends well.

When people say social media is cyclical this is what they mean…

4 years ago, I joined Kurogo as their 4th hire.

We’re now up to 20 of us with over £100k MRR.

In honour of that anniversary here’s my 4 biggest lessons beginning with f….

- Fucking focus: 1 thing done well is better than 10 things done poorly.
- Fuck Hustle Culture: Slow is smooth and smooth is fast, stop rushing
- Fucking Plan: It will never go the way you think, but it gives perspective.
- Fuck being scared of feedback: It’s never personal, but it is necessary.

4 years, 4 f’s, very fucking worth it. 

Here’s to another year of doing what we do. Sometimes wrong, mostly right, never boring.

Bonus For 2026: Fuck your shit AI content (still)

I check one number every week: client churn. If it's high, nothing else matters.

Most agency owners obsess over new leads.

But if your clients keep leaving, you’re running on a treadmill.

Acquisition feeds your ego. Retention feeds your bank balance.

Every Monday, I review churn with my senior team. If that number’s not low, nothing else in the business works. You can pile on as many new clients as you want-it’s like running a bath with the plug out.

Here’s what moved our retention from “average” to “best-in-class” in the last 6 months:

1. Set real expectations.
Tempting to promise the world in sales calls. But if you do, you’ll deal with unhappy clients and refunds. Be clear about what they get and what they don’t.

2. Nail the first 30 days.
Onboarding sets the tone. Give them a win in the first 48 hours. Show progress, no matter how small. Always tell them what’s next. Uncertainty kills trust.

3. Over-communicate.
We send weekly roundups: what we did, results, stats, next steps. Monthly reports give the big picture. Never let a client wonder if you’re working for them.

4. Do what you say, when you say.
Missed deadlines are worse than missed features. I left an agency once, not because they failed to deliver, but because they never did it on time. Consistency > fireworks.

5. Incentivise your team on retention.
Forget fancy bonus schemes. Reward your team for keeping clients. Simple target, simple reward.

Retention is not just about service. It’s about trust, clarity, and doing the basics right every time.

Want to scale? Obsess over churn.

ps. Save this post for the week you feel like you’re losing clients faster than you gain them.

Every business has three core systems:

1️⃣ Acquisition (get attention and leads)
2️⃣ Value Delivery (give clients what you promised)
3️⃣ Infrastructure (everything behind the scenes)

Most people scale the first one too early. 
They pour fuel on the fire before fixing leaks.

Here’s my rule: Don’t scale until less than 10% of your clients have problems. 

If you ignore this, you only scale the headaches.

Client experience is the same. 

Call clients at key points. 
Ask where the process broke. 
Use their feedback to smooth the journey.

Acquisition feeds your ego. Retention feeds your bank balance.

Everyone loves chasing new clients. Feels good. Makes you look busy. But if you can’t keep them, you’re running a business with the plug out.

Here’s what I see all the time:

- People refuse to work for free, saying they’re “worth more.” They spend 6 months searching for that first paid client.
- Meanwhile, the ones willing to work for free land their first client in 30 days, get proof, and start charging real money within 60.
- The ego crowd is still arguing about their value. The others are building a real business.

You don’t need to quit your day job to start. Validate your offer. Get a few case studies. Then focus on what actually matters: keeping those clients.

Retaining clients is where the real game starts. Most people obsess over acquisition. But acquisition is vanity. Retention is sanity.

Here are 5 things that have doubled our retention rate in the last 6 months:

1️⃣ Set real expectations. Overpromise in sales and you’ll create unhappy clients who leave fast. Be honest about what you deliver.

2️⃣ Nail the first 30 days. Give your client a clear win within 48 hours. Remove uncertainty. Let them know what happens next. First impressions stick.

3️⃣ Weekly communication. Every Friday, we send clients a roundup: what we did, what worked, and what’s next. If you don’t remind clients of your value, they’ll forget it.

4️⃣ Do what you say, when you say it. I’ve left agencies-not because the work was bad, but because promises weren’t kept. Reliability beats over-delivery every time.

5️⃣ Incentivise your team for retention. Tie bonuses to client stickiness, not just acquisition. The team cares about what you measure.

If you can’t retain clients, you’ll never scale. It’s that simple.

Acquisition is loud. Retention is quiet-but it’s where the money is.

Save this for the days you’re tempted to chase shiny new leads.

MattressTek

MattressTek excels at developing and producing innovative mattress making machines improving
our customers productivity, profitability and compliance.
All our machines are British-made, in-house and are built on rock-solid foundations using our own manufacturing facilities and the latest state-of-the-art machinery equipment (Amada). Our in-house CAD designers know how important it is to understand good design and build quality in the mattress making industry, using their 30 years of experience.
Our current mattress machinery products include Tape Edge and Tufting machines and Conveyors but we’re developing a full portfolio of mattress making machinery including Border, Panel Cutting and Slitting machines.

mattresstek.co.uk

● Full-suite marketing strategy to take the business forward and enable the development of business and growth through existing contacts and capitalisation of opportunities within the bed industry and beyond, through international growth, trade, awards, trade shows, grant funding and widespread awareness..
● Exploration and analysis of partnership and networking opportunities, promoting the pride to be a British manufacturer status and developing of links around export and international relations, utilising social media, industry and trade press and email marketing.
● Facilitation and management of marketing activities and operations for sister company (Tek-Dry Systems), as well as a sub-brand (AutomateTek), US distributor (AtoZ Automation) and a subsidiary (MPC Tek - Machined Precision Components).

Marketing Coordinator

All of the tasks under Marketing Coordinator, as well as further Operational, Servicing and Sales support and coordination.
As well as designated driver of the fleet.

Marketing, Servicing and Sales Coordinator

The Jenna Wilkins Foundation

The Foundation was set up in memory of Jenna who was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after her 21st birthday. She was studying to be a teacher and working with those with special educational and emotional needs (SEND). She lost her battle with cancer when we was just 25 years old.

Marketing (Digital) Advisor

AUTOMATE TEK

Our presence online and at trade shows like Foam Expo and interzum has meant that we have also received enquiries from all across the world to use our machines, in an adapted form, in other industries of manufacturing, far beyond beds and mattresses, to serve the automotive, interiors, furniture, industrial and fulfilment and logistics sectors.

As a result, we are introducing AUTOMATE TEK to differentiate the machines that can be made bespoke and modified to your tailored requirements and specifications.

A new offering that will help manufacturers and processors to find our machines and provide a solution that fits their needs, no matter what their industry. We are experts in problem solving and preventative solutions that fit into existing and new production lines to automate and streamline facilities and plant operations and make them more efficient, reducing time wastage, downtime, increasing productivity, capacity and volume of output.

automatetek.co.uk

Marketing

Phoenix Dryers & Engineering

Marketing Support

Plus Importance Project

As the UK’s first registered charity with a focus on the + of LGBT+, we aim to create a world where those who identify fully or partly in the + of LGBT+ experience equal rights, respect and representation.
LGBT+ defined as sexualities, gender identities, relationship orientations and sex characteristics including, but not limited to; POC, asexual, genderfluid, genderqueer, intersex, non-binary, pansexual, polyamorous, queer and neurodiverse, etc.

Our identities are valid and should be recognised, understood and celebrated.

As Marketing Lead, I work with the founder and chair, as well as other trustees and volunteers, and oversee the management and administration of the marketing, brand and awareness of the charity, ensuring we keep to our values, and contribute to our strategic direction.

Marketing Lead

Clothing Collective

Outreach to support organisations across the North West of England to provide them with pre-paid gift cards to distribute to those in need to spend on clothes in charity shops listed with the Charity Retail Association.

We partner with charity shops who accept our gift cards in return for clothing stock held at their shops. We also partner with charities such as food banks and shelters who distribute our gift cards to those people in need to redeem them at one of our ‘charity shop partners’. 

It’s a win-win scenario: those in need get access to warm comfortable clothing in a humane and dignified way, our ‘gift card distributing partners’ are able to support their beneficiaries in an additional way, and our ‘charity shop partners’ are able to turn around more stock from their stores, generating additional revenue for their charity cause.

A helping hand for those in need and those who help them.

clothingcollective.org

Outreach (users and partners)

Rescue Partners

Guidance around marketing, strategy and fundraising, as well as outreach to shelters to be listed (semi-automatically) onto a national directory.

For the shelters, we offer a free to use, national platform, on which to publicise their animals. We've built it to be quick and easy to use, and offer the option to link with their own website and social media - ultimatly reducing the time and effort they spend on trying to keep their online presence updated.

For those looking for their next furry friend our site offers a unique search function, allowing you to look for animals up and down the country whilst offering a range of filters such as age, breed, good with pets, and many more... all to make your search that little bit easier.

We exist to help match animals with their forever homes, as quickly as possible.

www.rescue.partners

Marketing Strategy and Development Advisor

HAPHE

Strategic communication to enhance HAPHE’s public image and reach more individuals in need of mental health support and playing a key role in educating the community and stakeholders about the importance of mental health prevention. Also in anticipation of a film launch involving post-trauma struggles and experiences of university students.

Public Relations Specialist / PR Advisor

Fearless Adventures

Community Member

The Spiritual Arts Foundation

Marketing (strategic) team member

Marketing & Communications💡| Manufacturing👨‍🏭 | Hospitality🎩 | Mental Health🧠 | Media📣 | 🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Equality & Diversity

"Sometimes it is the people noone imagines anything of who do the things that noone can imagine" ~ Alan Turing

Multi-award-winning marketer with over a decade of cross-industry experience who has been referred for roles and managed a whole spectrum of projects.

A highly-motivated creative professional with extensive experience in many aspects of public relations, communications, media, customer service and strategy, I am constantly focussed to ensuring efficiency, innovation and best utilisation of resources and maximum return on investment (ROI), putting customer experience at the forefront of my thought-processes, and decision-making. 

Ensuring the highest standards in all work undertaken, my excellent communication and interpersonal skills and intuitive approach to communication and collaborative working, along with a friendly, enthusiastic yet approachable personality, have proven effective in establishing strong working relationships with clients, suppliers and colleagues, among other critical stakeholders.

Having undertaken a variety of responsibility- and authority-driven roles, working on contracts and projects of varying scale, my diverse background has spanned a whole decade;  embracing sectors covering construction, legal and FMCG, recruitment, hospitality and leisure, and more recently returning to the manufacturing sector, always ensuring the improvement of processes, maintenance of quality service and product delivery, and adherence to compliance regulations.

I am a true people person with an infectious thirst for continuous improvement, development and empowering others to succeed.

taplio

The Battle

Jake Summerhayes

Chris O👨‍💼 ~ Serial Networker and Connector of People 🤝

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJake Summerhayes's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Jake Summerhayes

Chris O👨‍💼 ~ Serial Networker and Connector of People 🤝

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jake Summerhayes's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJake Summerhayes's LinkedIn Performance