🌟 I’m Ricky, the proud Co-Founder and CEO of the Delightful Food Group, founded in December 2023 as part of a strategic growth initiative.

🚀 Delightful Food Group is at the forefront of the food and drinks industry, bringing together the strengths of two well-established businesses. Our journey includes a pivotal strategic move, with IBC Simply, a renowned player in shaking up the beverage landscape for over 25 years, acquiring March Foods.

☕ IBC Simply (Italian Beverage Company) are manufacturers and suppliers of food and beverage products all around the world. Our range of Simply products are renowned for their quality and taste.

🌐 March Foods stands out as one of the UK’s leading co-packing and co-manufacturing entities, specializing in working with esteemed household names. We uniquely offer co-packing and co-manufacturing services anonymously, providing bespoke tailored bays to meet client's specific requirements.

💡 The synergy between IBC Simply and March Foods has been a driving force in our success, propelling both businesses to new heights. At Delightful Food Group, we pride ourselves on providing end-to-end expertise in innovation, product development, production, and packing.

🤝 Our dedicated teams are here to collaborate with you, leveraging insights and knowledge to bring your products to market successfully. Whether it's identifying the latest trends, presenting innovative ideas, or meticulously co-manufacturing and co-packing your products to exact specifications, we are committed to your success.

Ricky Flax

I’m really proud to share that the wonderful Tracy Southwell, Managing Director at March Foods Ltd, will be speaking at IFE – International Food & Drink Event 2026 as part of a panel on “Powering progress: Supporting women in food leadership.”

Tracy will be joining Amy Wilkinson (Fearless Foodies) and Ross Dennison from Greencore to talk about something our industry can’t afford to ignore anymore… how we properly support, elevate and retain female leadership across food manufacturing.

IFE’s theme this year is Feeding the Future, and that couldn’t be more relevant. The expectations on food brands right now are relentless. Health, transparency. sustainability, cost pressure, and innovation all at once.

You don’t navigate that with outdated leadership models. You navigate it with diverse thinking, strong operators, commercial clarity and cultures where people actually feel empowered to contribute.

I’ve worked alongside Tracy long enough now to see the impact that kind of leadership has. 

She has over 25 years of experience in the industry, she’s operationally sharp, commercially strong, and relentless about standards. 

But above all, she’s incredibly passionate about building inclusive, collaborative teams.

If we want long-term, sustainable businesses in food manufacturing, we need leaders who can build environments where the next generation actually wants to stay and grow.

If you’re heading to IFE this year, I’d highly recommend sitting in on this one!

📅 31 March 2026
🕒 11:15 – 12:00
📍 IFE Manufacturing – Trends & Innovation Platform

CEO of Delightful Food Group, IBC Simply & March Foods | Deal Partner at Boardy | 2025 Scale-Up Entrepreneur of the Year

Another great event at the City Food and Drink Lecture last night. Huge thanks to Roythornes Solicitors for hosting me. 

The focus tonight was the future of food and healthy eating, which is a conversation that I am super passionate about, and it’s a conversation that needs to be had. 

However, with a lack of focus on educating children, yet again, except for the ever-amazing and hilarious HRH Princess Royal. 

In the Q&A, I raised what feels like the obvious question… “Why aren’t we treating food education as a core curriculum subject?”

Because making food choices isn’t just about marketing and taste. It should be choice made by knowledge gained. 

It’s food tech.
It’s science.
It’s farming.
It’s cooking. 
It’s economics.
It’s practical life skills.

From primary school through to secondary, food should be embedded in the national curriculum and supported by properly signposted, nutritious school meals that reinforce what’s being taught.

If we’re serious about tackling health, productivity, and protecting future generations, this is a foundational lever.

Bridget Phillipson MP Emma Reynolds MP, we need to act to protect future generations. And this is something that, if done right, would have massive long-term positive impacts.

International Women’s Day is a reminder of the work still needed to ensure women have equal opportunities in the workplace, but it’s also a moment to recognise and celebrate the incredible women who make a difference every single day.

Across IBC Simply and March Foods Ltd, a massive chunk of our team is women (as you’ll see in this week's upcoming Science week series). From production and technical teams to marketing, operations and leadership, a huge amount of the work that keeps our businesses moving forward every day is driven by the women in our teams. 

We’re so fortunate and incredibly grateful to work alongside them.

I also wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today without the amazing women in my life… My wife, mum, and sister. 

They’ve always been a constant source of support, perspective and encouragement.

Today is simply about recognising and appreciating the women who help shape our lives.

I couldn’t be more thankful for those in mine.

Happy International Women’s Day 💜

One of the biggest things I’ve learnt over the years is that most founders are terrible at stepping back.

I definitely have been.

When you care about what you’re building, it’s very easy to stay switched on all the time. There’s always another problem to solve, another opportunity, or another thing you feel you should be doing.

But if you never create space, you lose perspective.

Last summer, I went to one of Tony Fields’ events on a farm.

There were no phones, emails, Teams meetings, or anything like that. But we did have so much time to think.

Honestly, it was exactly what I needed.

So I’m looking forward to joining Tony for his 5-Day Re-Set Challenge starting on 3rd March, where we’ll be talking about things that I think more business owners need to think about:

• Building something with real purpose
• Growing a business without losing everything outside of it
• The sacrifices founders make (sometimes without realising)
• And why the people around you matter much more than you think

Running a business is a long game. You need moments where you pause, zoom out and make sure you’re still building the life you actually want.

If that sounds useful, feel free to join us.

Here’s the link if you want to take a look: https://lnkd.in/eEnU_sSm

When did “build to sell” become the default setting for so many founders?

Every founder I meet seems to have the same sort of plan, and normally ends with them wanting to exit their business in 5 years.

Somewhere along the line, I think exit culture became the benchmark for ‘success’. 

I trace a lot of it back to tech. Fast-build companies, huge valuations, and eye-watering exits. It almost created a playbook that looked glamorous and repeatable.

But what worked in Silicon Valley doesn’t automatically translate to every industry.

And yet now, in food and drink especially, I see founders starting businesses with the end already in mind. Not “How do I build something brilliant?” but “How do I position this to sell?”

I’m not quite sure that’s the best way to go about things.

If you’re building to sell, you optimise for speed, for perception, and for valuation.

But when you’re building to keep, you optimise for culture, for profitability, and for resilience.

You think in decades, not funding rounds.

The danger with sell culture is that it can make businesses fragile. You chase growth at all costs. You prioritise scale over stability. You focus on what looks good externally rather than what feels solid internally. I genuinely struggle with that bit.

What’s wrong with creating a company you’re proud to run for 20+ years?

Not everything needs to be “built to exit.”

Some of the best businesses I know are boring on the surface, but incredibly rewarding over time.

Maybe I’m old school.

But I still believe there’s something powerful about building a business you actually love, and want to be working in long term

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this…

When did this sell culture become the narrative we’ve all subconsciously adopted? And do you think it’s good for the future?

As the weather starts to lift in Spring, customers naturally start looking for drinks that feel lighter, fresher and a bit more playful. 

But that shouldn’t mean sacrificing the speed of service for cafes and coffee shops. In spring, great menus come off the back of small, smart changes.

Here’s what’s worth paying attention to for Spring 2026, and why:

1. Quick-serve drinks that don’t compromise on flavour

Smoothies, spritzes, and coolers continue to perform because they’re fast to build, easy to batch, and ideal during peak periods, which helps reduce queue times while keeping throughput high.

2. Milkshakes and frappes aren’t slowing down

Milkshakes accounted for 15% of beverage sales across UK restaurants in 2024, and demand is only becoming more creative. But the trend isn’t about novelty for novelty’s sake. It’s about bold, recognisable flavours that still feel familiar.

3. Iced chocolate

The rise of iced, indulgent drinks isn’t just about coffee. Iced chocolate sits right at the intersection of nostalgia and premium treat culture, which is why we’re seeing strong momentum heading into 2026.

4. Classic flavours… with a twist

This remains one of the most reliable menu strategies. Customers want comfort, but they also want something new. A touch of toasted, a pinch of salt, or a subtle cookie note is often all it takes to make a drink feel different.

5. Matcha is now firmly mainstream

The global matcha market is forecast to grow at a 9.44% CAGR between 2022–2027, and its move from niche to everyday menu staple is clear across the UK. It works because it ticks multiple boxes at once… functional, globally inspired, and highly adaptable across hot, iced and sparkling formats.

If you’re building your Spring 2026 menu and want proper data-led inspiration, the IBC Simply have pulled everything together in one place.

Our brand new SIMPLY Resource Page is packed with free downloads (trend magazines, recipe booklets, whitepapers and menu ideas) all designed to help operators plan smarter, not harder.

It’s worth bookmarking if you’re looking to plan your menus more thoroughly this year: https://lnkd.in/eHTch7x3

For years, citrus was treated as a garnish. A slice on the rim of a glass or a squeeze over the top.

Now, it’s a lead flavour.

The global citrus flavour market hit $4.7B in 2023, growing at 3.9% CAGR, and it now features in 22% of new global beverage launches… with continued 4% growth over the past three years.

That’s not a micro-trend.

Citrus does something very few flavours can do well:

– It brings brightness.
– It cuts through sweetness.
– It balances richness.
– It feels fresh, seasonal and functional all at once.

In a market where consumers are looking for lighter options, cleaner profiles and drinks that feel “lifted” rather than indulgent, citrus gives foodservice operators a really smart lever to pull.

And the best bit, it’s incredibly versatile…

Sicilian lemon in iced teas.
Yuzu-style twists in coolers.
Blood orange in spritzes.
Lime layered into cold foam coffees.
Citrus paired with botanicals, florals, even chilli.

You can modernise a classic menu without completely reinventing it.

That’s exactly why we’re spotlighting it in 2026.

If you’re planning spring/summer menus (or even just looking to refresh a few lines), citrus is one of the simplest ways to create energy on your menu without adding complexity behind the bar.

ps. For more flavour trends, insights and practical menu ideas, head to the link in my profile.

When people think about food science, they often imagine labs, microscopes and white coats. But a huge part of it actually comes down to creativity.

Coming up with new flavours.
Experimenting with combinations.
Turning an idea into something people actually want to drink, eat or put on their menu.

That’s where our New Product Development comes in.

As part of our Food Science Week series (inspired by British Science Week), we’re introducing some of the people behind the science of what we do across IBC Simply and March Foods.

Today, it’s Luke from our NPD team at IBC Simply.

Luke’s job is to help create the recipes behind many of the syrups, sauces and drink ingredients you’ll see in cafés and coffee shops.

In the carousel, Luke talks about:

– How an idea turns into a real product
– Why science and creativity go hand-in-hand in food development
– Why food careers are far more creative than people think.

One thing he said that really stuck with me is this:

“Food doesn’t have to be intimidating. It can be creative, expressive and fun.”

And that’s probably something we should be teaching much earlier.

More from the team tomorrow as we continue our Food Science Week series!

Food Science - Behind New Flavours!

I was reading a recent piece in Food Manufacture on soluble vs insoluble fibre and its impact on the gut. It sums up something I’ve been saying for a while now:

Not all fibre is created equal. Yet we still talk about it like it’s one single thing.

“Eat more fibre.”
“High fibre.”
“Add fibre.”

Fine. But which fibre? How much? And for who?

Around 96% of people in the UK aren’t hitting the recommended 25–30g a day. That’s staggering. At the same time, protein has been marketed brilliantly for decades, and everyone knows their protein target. Almost no one knows their fibre target.

Then we wonder why gut health is such a mess.

Emma Cahill’s article highlights that nearly 9% of the European population lives with IBS. For those people, fibre isn’t just “good” or “bad”, it’s much more nuanced. 

Soluble fibres ferment differently. Some are better tolerated. Some can actually support satiety, calcium absorption, and even help manage digestive side effects in people on GLP-1 medications.

This is where I think the industry has a real responsibility.

If someone eats a product with added fibre and feels bloated or uncomfortable, they don’t blame the specific fibre type used at a certain dose.

They blame fibre, and that perception stays around for a long time.

We have to be more intentional as manufacturers, as brands, and as retailers. If we’re adding fibre, be clear about what type. Be honest about tolerance and dosage. 

Fibre isn’t just a fortification badge, it’s a functional ingredient that can reduce sugar, support satiety, and genuinely improve nutritional profiles when used properly 

But it has to be done with expertise.

For me, the bigger issue is education. We should have learned this at school. We should have been taught about where it comes from, why we need it, and how much we need.

Instead, we grow up thinking fibre equals brown bread and digestive biscuits.

We managed to reposition protein as cool, aspirational, and performance-led.

Fibre deserves the same reset.

If you’re in food manufacturing or product development, I’d strongly recommend reading the full article in Food Manufacture. It’s a sensible, balanced take on where fibre is heading and why formulation choices matter more than ever: https://lnkd.in/eKpwJE6F

Too many people don’t realise just how much science sits behind the food they eat every day.

Shelf life.
Food safety.
Ingredients behaving consistently.
Products doing exactly what the label says they will.

None of that happens by accident.

And yet, food science is something we never seem to talk about publicly.

This week is British Science Week, and it felt like the perfect opportunity to shine a light on something we’re incredibly proud of across our businesses… the people behind the science of food!

So this week we’re running our own Food Science Week series.

We’ve been speaking to team members across IBC Simply and March Foods to talk about what they do day-to-day, and why more people should understand how the industry really works.

Behind every drink, sauce, powder or ingredient is a huge amount of science, process and discipline that most consumers never see.

To kick things off, we’re starting with Poppy, our Technical Co-Ordinator at IBC Simply.

Poppy’s role is all about making sure everything we do is safe, compliant and exactly what it says on the label. 

It’s a role that seems to sit quietly in the background, but without it, the entire industry simply wouldn’t function.

In the carousel, Poppy also talks about:

• Why “processed food” isn’t automatically a bad thing
• The surprising amount of science behind validating shelf life
• Why technical roles in food are far more interesting than people realise
• And why schools should teach more about how food is actually produced and kept safe. 

If we want the next generation to care about food, nutrition and safety, we probably need to start by helping them understand the science behind it.

More from the team coming this week!

Food Science - What Actually Keeps Your Food Safe?

Food and drink can sometimes feel intimidating with the complex terms, technical processes, and scientific language.

So a big part of our role in this industry is in how we explain it, share it, and make it useful for people.

Even the best products in the world only become valuable when customers understand how to use them, why they work, and what makes them different.

As part of our Food Science Week series, today we’re introducing Amelia Campbell. Amelia’s role sits right at the intersection of food, creativity, and communication.

Her job is to take everything happening behind the scenes and turn it into content that helps people understand and use our products.

That might mean:

• Turning industry insights into simple, practical ideas
• Jumping on set to help bring new product campaigns to life.
• Explaining flavour pairings so customers can confidently experiment with new drinks.

One thing Amelia pointed out in the carousel that I think is worth repeating is the internet is FULL of myths around food and drink.

And that’s exactly why clear communication around it matters.

Because when people understand the why behind products, ingredients and flavours… they can enjoy products with more confidence.

More from the team tomorrow!

Food Science - The Role of Marketing in Food & Drink

COO @ Kurogo | We Create Thought Leaders Through Personal Branding | x2 TEDx speaker | Advisor, Investor & NED | Law Graduate | I talk about entrepreneurship, agency life and grief

Hey, I’m Lewis! 👋 I'm an operator, builder, and believer in doing work that matters.

For the last 4 years, I helped scale Kurogo, one of the leading personal branding agencies, as Chief Operating Officer, partnering with 300+ world-class founders, CEOs, C-Suite Execs and public figures to grow their influence and impact. I joined in September '21 and within 4 years, we scaled to a 7-figure business, with a global, remote team of 20+. We had clients across the UK, Europe, USA and MENA regions.

I have 5+ years' experience as a Non-Executive Director, particularly within the non-profit and social impact sector. At present, I continue to serve as:

- Vice Chair & Non-Executive Director, Child Action Northwest
- Non-Executive Director, Spring North

Currently, I’m travelling and building quietly behind the scenes - creating space to explore what’s next.

Lewis Alexander Baxter

Five months ago, I went all in on myself.

This is the honest version of what that's looked like.

A recap of '26 so far (can't believe it's nearly mid-March):

Let me rewind:👇 

In mid-October, I left my full-time COO role after four years in agency life. We scaled to 7 figures, hired 25+ brilliant people.

I gave it everything. And I learned more than I could have imagined.

60 to 70-hour weeks, consistently. 

What a ride.

But somewhere along the way, I wanted something different. More control over my time. More freedom to build my own things. Work that fits around life rather than consuming it.

So I left.

Travelled. Australia, Fiji, Bali, New Zealand. A proper reset.

Landed back in London mid-December and hit the ground running. Picked up my first few clients, working with agency founders as a fractional COO and ops consultant.


January and February:👇 

My first working week of 2026, my grandad died.

It wasn't the January I'd hoped for.

Work took a back seat (and rightly so!)

Early February, I moved back to London properly. Got back into a rhythm and slowly things started moving again.

Now at 8 clients, up from 3 in mid-December. Starting a 9th this week (a cool agency in Slovenia!). 

In the last couple of months I've worked with founders scaling to £10k per month, helped one agency go from £30k to £45k per month in under three months, and I'm deep in the weeds on a 'road to £1 million ARR plan' with another.

The honest version of why I started this was never just money. 

It was about building work around life, not the other way around. 

More freedom. 
More travel. 
More saying 'yes' to what matters. 

Space to build something of my own. And eventually, time to give back to charities and social impact organisations too.

I probably undersold myself on what was possible.

The consultancy is growing fast, hitting numbers I'm proud of (but the bigger win is that it's on my terms!)


What's next:👇 

In a few months, I've grown a business with a lot of moving parts.

So I made my first hire. Two days a week. Supporting on my content systems, lead gen, and being an extra brain.

Next, I'll build out a network of partners. 

(Part-time, full-time, or specialist experts in specific tools and ops challenges, so clients get the right person for the right problem!)

Because the goal was never to build myself another job. It was to build something sustainable and intentionally designed.

Oh, I'm also building an agency in a space I genuinely love, alongside a co-founder. 

(more on this soon 👀 )

It's been a difficult few months in some ways. A genuinely exciting few months in others.

I'm learning to hold both.

March will be a BIG one. 🚀

The last Mother's Day card I bought was 2020.

My mum died that July.

Yesterday was hard. 

Five years on, it still is.

It doesn’t get easier. You just learn how to carry it.

One of the first things I did yesterday was message two friends who’ve also lost their mums. 

One is around my age. One is about 30 years older than me.

Both came back with the same thing: it’s always one of the worst days of the year.

Not comfort, exactly. More recognition. The knowledge that what you’re feeling isn’t strange. It just is what it is.

Milestone days have their own weight.

Mother’s Day. 
Anniversaries.
Birthdays. 

The dates that arrive (whether you’re ready for them or not!)

The people who’ve been through it are the ones who don’t need it explained.

But here’s the part I keep thinking about:

A close friend of mine, someone who still has his mum, messaged to ask if I wanted company. 

We went for coffee and dinner.

He didn’t try to 'fix' anything. He just showed up.

And I think that’s one of the things loss makes you notice.

You notice who understands without needing to be asked. And you notice those who show up anyway, even when they don’t fully understand.

Both matter more than people realise.

I’ve always tried to be forward-looking about grief. Not because the hard days go away.

They don’t.

But difficult days are still survivable. And the people around you make them that way.

If yesterday felt heavy for you too, you’re not the only one.

And if someone in your life is carrying it today, you don’t need the right words.

You just need to show up.

I've started being more intentional with my weeks. Here's what that looks like for me:

(w/c 23rd Feb edition)

It's my third week back in London. Starting to find my rhythm.

My plan:👇 

- 4 discovery calls for my operations consultancy 
- A full day in Leeds on Wednesday with a new client 
- 2 coffees (making more time for IRL this year) 
- Co-working with aryan on Thursday
- I'm a guest on Sarah's podcast on Friday

Oh, and I'm building a business in an industry I love. The branding and naming kicks off this week. More on that soon.

My non-negotiables:👇 

- Gym x3 
- Clean eating all week 
- Saturday is mine - Reading v Bradford City (my flatmate's a Bradford fan). Then a (brief) visit to the pub.

--

Accountability is easier when you say it out loud. 

Consider this me saying it out loud. 

Curious, what does your week look like? Do you have any non-negotiables? 

--

PS. hi, I'm Lewis! 👋 I share reflections on business, life and travel. Right now, I'm on a mission to design work around life, not the other way around. I'm a fractional COO, builder and believer in doing work that actually matters.

Tonight I'm locking my phone in a box. 📱 

Literally.

I'm heading to a dinner in Soho.

14 founders, early-stage and exited, coming together for an evening of honest conversation and proper connection.

No phones in sight. Everyone fully present.

We don't do it enough.

So, go on. Put the phone down. Even just for a few hours.

You might be surprised what happens when you do.

--

PS. Can't wait for another YES Club event. I've spoke about how awesome these IRL events are and tonight will be no exception. Arthur is the brains behind it. 🙌  

Look forward to catching up with Louis and Samuel too.

“So, what do you do?” 

It's one of the most common questions in the world.

And for a growing number of people, one of the most reductive.

Last Thursday, I went to Charlie Rogers’ launch for his debut book: 

undefinable life design.

I stayed for ~4 hours.

And, you know what really stood out to me? 

Who Charlie brought together under one roof.

Around 60 people, brilliant minds, and real warmth. Genuine conversations - that remind you life and work can be bigger than one label.

That’s why Charlie’s core premise lands so well.

For me, this looks like:

Agency operator.
Business owner.
Charity trustee.
NED. 
Friend.
Son.

All true.

None of them are the full picture on their own.

Charlie and I had known of each other for years, but we probably connected properly last summer. 

I first saw him in action at Life Design Day in September...

(where I spent the day thinking more honestly about what I actually wanted from life and career!)

By that point, I’d already handed in my notice from a 4-year full-time COO role.

Not long after, I went off on a 9-week trip across Australia, Fiji, Bali and New Zealand.

Since then, I’ve thought a lot about something Charlie and I have spoken about at length:

That the 'portfolio career' is not a fallback.

It’s a deliberate architecture.

Multiple income streams.
Multiple interests.
Multiple contributions.

Held together by a common thread.

Most people make life fit around work (without even noticing they’re doing it!).

The more deliberate alternative is to decide what you want your life to look like first, then build work that funds and fits that.

I’m still very much on that journey. But I believe that more as every month passes.

Charlie, congratulations! It was a brilliant book launch, a brilliant room, and a brilliant reminder that we do not have to be defined by one title, one employer or one path.

--

If you’re looking to intentionally design your work around your life, drop a comment below and I’ll pick someone to send a free copy to.👇 

P.S. Fancy buying a copy? Link in comments!

5 agency & creator-led marketing opportunities YOU can apply for this weekend:👇

—

1/ Email Marketing Copywriter
act Copywriting Ltd
Salary: £34K (+ bonuses)
Location: Remote (UK only)

act Copywriting specialise in email marketing and sales page copy for B2B coaches, consultants and course creators. You’ll be writing emails people actually open and read. Funny, sharp, conversion-focused copy that makes clients money. You’ll work closely with the founder and Head of Strategy, with real responsibility early on.

—

2/ Content Lead
Compound Content Studio
Salary: $95K -$105K
Location: Full-time, remote

Compound Content Studio is a B2B SaaS content agency working with technology companies on founder-led growth. You’ll lead written content across LinkedIn and newsletters, interview founders and execs, edit ghostwritten thought leadership, coach junior writers, and own quality end-to-end.

--

3/ Senior Video Editor
Chris Donnelly Ltd
Salary: £55K (+ bonus) (OTE £71.5K - £77K)
Location: London Bridge (Hybrid)

Chris Donnelly has built four businesses before 35, scaled to eight figures, and grown 3M+ social followers. Now he's building the most practical high-performance business YouTube channel ever. You'll own the full video production system - long-form YouTube, Shorts, Instagram content, and thumbnails. Be accountable for retention, performance, and quality while building scalable workflows. 

--

4/ SEO & Content Executive
Cedarwood Digital
Salary: ~£26K
Location: Manchester (Hybrid)

Cedarwood Digital is a digital marketing and PR agency based in Manchester. You’ll write SEO-led content, support strategy, manage client communication and gradually build deeper technical SEO skills. A great role for someone early in their SEO career who enjoys writing and wants to get closer to how search and performance actually work.

--

5/ Campaign Manager
The Goat Agency
Salary: £35K
Location: London (Hybrid)

Goat is a global influencer marketing agency working with brands across multiple markets. You’ll manage campaigns end-to-end. From influencer selection and briefing through to delivery, optimisation and reporting. This role suits someone organised, calm under pressure, and comfortable coordinating across clients, creators and internal teams.

--

Every week, I share cool opportunities at marketing agencies and creator-led businesses. All were posted recently. Salaries included.

♻️ Repost to share these opportunities with your network.

The best things I've built didn't happen at my desk.

These are my (unstructured) thoughts on why.

There's something about a conversation over coffee that no Google Meet or Zoom call can replicate. The energy shifts when you're sat across from someone. You pick up on things you'd never catch on a screen. Body language, energy, the natural flow of a conversation.

I think we've accepted a diluted version of human connection and called it 'efficiency'.

As someone building businesses, it's easy to fall into the trap of locking yourself away. Head down, door shut, grinding through the to-do list.  

I've been there.

In my final year of university I was juggling a full-time COO role and my law degree. 16 to 18 hour days were just the reality. When you're in the trenches of scaling a 7-figure bootstrapped business, sometimes that's what it takes.

I'm not glorifying that. But those years taught me something important. 

The real breakthroughs - the ideas that actually moved things forward, the relationships that opened doors - rarely came from being sat at my desk. They came from being in an actual (not virtual) room with someone. From conversations that started as a catch-up and turned into something neither person expected.

Harvard Business Review found that 95% of people say face-to-face meetings are essential to building long-term relationships. 

I'd go further: they're essential to building anything worth building.

Today I worked from a coffee shop in West London, had a meeting with two incredibly sharp guys who are building something exciting (in stealth right now, so I'll leave it there), then moved to a hotel lobby for the afternoon. Different environments, different quality of thinking.

That last part matters more than people realise. Where you work shapes how you work. The coffee shop gives you one kind of energy. The hotel lobby gives you another. Your desk at home gives you another. None of them are wrong - but treating one as the default for everything is.

This is all part of something I'm trying to be much more intentional about. 

Building work around life, not the other way round. Protecting the things that matter - the conversations, the experiences, the moments of genuine human connection - and fitting the work around them. Not the reverse.

It's a different way of thinking about productivity. And I think it's a better one.

This won't look the same for everyone. Not everyone works well in a coffee shop, and that's fine. But getting out from behind a screen and meeting people in person? That part's universal. You'll thank yourself for it.

If you fancy grabbing a coffee, in London or elsewhere, lmk! 🤝 

--

PS. hi, I'm Lewis! 👋 I share reflections on business, life and travel. Right now, I'm on a mission to design work around life, not the other way around. I'm a fractional COO, builder and believer in doing work that actually matters.

KSI just bought a 20% stake in a sixth-tier football club. 

The strategy behind it is worth paying attention to.

He's now a shareholder and strategic partner at Dagenham & Redbridge FC.

It's one of the more interesting moves in football right now.

Here's why I think this matters (for KSI, and for Dagenham):👇 

1/ KSI brings a distribution network most Premier League clubs would envy.

17 million YouTube subscribers. 
A music career. 
A boxing empire. 

He's has spent 15 years building audiences and converting attention into commercial value. Lower league football is desperate for new revenue models.

A creator-owner who knows how to monetise attention unlocks things a traditional investor with deep pockets simply can't.


2/ This isn't his first move in football...

KSI has been president of Baller League UK since its launch in 2025. 

He's already been learning the football business from the inside. 

Buying a stake in a club like Dagenham is the next logical step.

That context matters. 

The club aren't getting a celebrity who turns up for photos. They're getting someone who's been in the space for years now. 


3/ Dagenham has something money can't buy: community loyalty.

Football has something almost impossible to manufacture:

Genuine local belonging. 

In February, Happy Fan Group completed its takeover of the club. 

John Grabowski, who leads the investment group, said the partnership is "a clear statement of our intent" to build a club relevant to both its local community and a global audience. 

That dual positioning is where the real opportunity lives. KSI knows how to serve both. Local clubs at this level rarely get that combination. 

--

KSI said he wants to take the Daggers to the Premier League

(that's a bold claim for a side currently five points off the National League South play-off spots!)

The Wrexham comparisons are already coming. But KSI isn't Reynolds or Mac

And that's the point.

Taking a sixth-tier club to the Premier League is a long shot.

What KSI is doing at Dagenham is worth paying attention to regardless of where they finish.

-- 

♻️ Repost if you found this valuable. 

PS. Hey, I'm Lewis! 👋 Fractional COO by trade. Curious about where business, culture and sport are colliding. Follow if that's your thing...

5 agency marketing opportunities YOU can apply for this weekend:👇

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1/ Senior Social Media Executive
Plus 1 Communications
Salary: £31K - £35K
Location: Windsor / Hybrid

Plus 1 Communications is hiring a data-focused Senior Social Media Executive to own campaigns across paid and organic channels. You’ll work across ideation, scripting, production, amplification and reporting, with a strong emphasis on KPIs, testing and ROI. A strong role for someone who wants real ownership over both creative output and measurable growth.

--

2/ Paid Social Executive
The Good Marketer
Salary: £31K - £35K (DOE)
Location: London / Remote options

The Good Marketer is a growing digital agency hiring for its performance team. You’ll be hands-on with paid social delivery across Meta, TikTok and LinkedIn, working across varied client accounts and helping drive results for SMEs. A strong role for someone early in paid media who wants real responsibility inside an agency environment.

--

3/ Marketing Manager
Chris Donnelly Ltd
Salary: £35K - £40K
Location: London Bridge / Hybrid

Chris Donnelly Ltd is hiring a Marketing Manager to support The Creator Accelerator, a creator-led business helping founders build personal brands that drive leads, revenue and opportunities. You’d be working across lead generation, email, landing pages and webinar content. A strong fit for someone who wants a commercially focused marketing role close to creator-led growth and direct response.

--

4/ Creative Strategist
MHI Media
Salary: £45K + performance-related bonuses
Location: Remote (UK timezone overlap required)

MHI Media is hiring a Creative Strategist inside a performance marketing agency focused on scaling DTC brands. You’d be owning creative strategy across paid social accounts, turning performance data into stronger briefs, hooks and concepts that actually convert. A strong fit for someone who understands paid social creative and wants to sit close to both strategy and commercial results.

--

5/ Social Media Executive
Cowshed Collective
Salary: £32K - £35K
Location: Greater London

Cowshed Collective is hiring a Social Media Executive inside a business built around entertainment, creators and social-first content. You’d be helping shape channel output in a culturally connected environment, working close to brands, creators and media-led ideas. A strong fit for someone who wants a social role with sharper creative energy and more relevance to where culture is actually moving.

--

Every week, I share fresh opportunities at marketing agencies and creator-led businesses, all posted in the last 7 days. Salaries included.

🔗 Links to every role in my comments!

--

♻️ REPOST to share these opportunities with your network. 
✉️ SHARE this post with a friend looking for a new role.

Formula 1 had the best racing in the world. 

But, fans just couldn't connect with the sport, the drivers or the story behind it.

For many of us, F1 felt inaccessible. And commercially it was paying the price. 

Drive to Survive changed that.

Before the series landed, F1 didn't fully recognise the extent to this problem. 

The racing was spectacular. But emotionally? It felt out of touch. Drivers said the right things in press conferences. PR teams carefully controlled what got out. The paddock felt like it belonged to a different world.

Then Netflix put cameras in the middle of it.

Three things happened that are worth paying attention to - as a fan, and as anyone working in sport, content, or brand.👇 

--

1/ The paddock stopped feeling like a closed world

Suddenly it felt accessible. 

Fans were seeing what happened after a retirement, after a race win, in the conversations that never made it to broadcast. 

Connecting with drivers as actual people. That connection turned passive viewers into properly invested fans.

True fan engagement. 

(Season 7 of Drive to Survive remains the most-watched sports documentary on Netflix, with 10.4 million views)


2/ A new audience found the sport and actually stayed

F1's social following exploded. A new generation of supporters - many of them younger, many of them women, a huge number of them in the United States - found the sport through the documentary and stayed for the racing. 

The average age of the F1 fan dropped noticeably. 

The sport stopped being a largely European institution and started feeling genuinely global.


3/ The commercial story rewrote itself entirely

Sponsors follow attention. And Drive to Survive created attention in markets F1 had struggled to crack for years. Las Vegas got a race. Miami got a race. 

Oracle signed as Red Bull's title sponsor. LVMH committed to a 10-year global partnership with the sport. 

ESPN's average US viewership grew from around 547,000 in 2018 to over 1.2 million by 2022, and F1 used that momentum to renegotiate broadcast deals from a position of actual strength.

A sport that had plateaued commercially found a completely new gear.

--

The new series drops on the 27th.

What Netflix proved here goes well beyond F1. 

Audiences don't need stories to be manufactured. They need access. Genuine access to the people behind elite performance.

Give people a way in. The rest takes care of itself.

PS. Who has watched Drive to Survive? And who's ready for the new series?

Everyone talks about product-market fit like it’s a lightbulb moment.

“We found it. Here’s how.”

But that’s hindsight talking.

The people I love following on LinkedIn are the ones in the thick of it. Sharing lessons live. Not polished retrospectives once the hard work is done.

The reality? Most of the interesting work (ie. the messy, uncomfortable, expensive work) happens before you find the fit. And not many people post about that part.

Right now I’m building a few businesses simultaneously. An operations/fractional COO consultancy, an agency within the sports space, and FUNC - an online health store. 

All at different stages. All still finding their footing in some areas.

And honestly? That’s the part I want to talk about more.

Because the gap between what you think the market wants and what people will actually pay for, consistently, is where most businesses get stuck. 

Agencies, B2B services, physical products. It doesn’t matter the model. The challenge is the same.

A few things I keep coming back to:👇

1/ Validation ≠ revenue:

Someone saying “that sounds amazing” is not the same as them buying. Enthusiasm is easy. Commitment costs something. 


2/ The model matters as much as the offer: 

You can have the right product or service with completely the wrong commercial structure. Retainer, project, subscription, one-time purchase - each one attracts a different buyer and builds a different business.


3/ Distribution is underrated: 

You can have the right offer at the right price and still struggle if you’re reaching the wrong people. How you get in front of buyers matters as much as what you’re selling.


4/ Iteration > perfection:

Waiting until the offer feels fully formed before putting it out there is how you spend months optimising something the market doesn’t actually want.


Still figuring it out. Still adjusting.

But I think there’s more value in documenting the journey than waiting until I’ve “cracked it” to share anything.

Who else is in the thick of it right now?

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The Battle

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taplio

The Battle

Ricky Flax

Lewis Alexander Baxter

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);}Ricky Flax's LinkedIn Performance

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