This month, we’re celebrating 12 years of Skout (yes, we’re nearly a teenager). To mark the occasion, we thought we’d sit down with the man himself, our founder, Rob Skinner.
The story of Skout started all the way back in 2010…David Cameron became UK prime minister, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement, and Apple released the iPad. With just a laptop and mobile phone along with two new clients, Rob brought Skout into the world.
Fast forward 12-years and despite the odds (and a global pandemic), Skout is a thriving and successful B2B PR and marketing agency with numerous clients, spanning across various industries including legal, finance, technology, and manufacturing. We asked managing director Rob how it feels to reach the momentous milestone.
How does it feel to reach the 12-year milestone?
Satisfying! I always planned to establish Skout as a proper agency but 12 years ago today it was just me, my laptop and mobile phone, and two new clients. Nothing was certain. I always say, when you’re running the business day- to- day it’s easy to forget where you have come from and stop to think – “I did this.”
What achievement of Skout’s are you most proud of?
Although I’m proud of what I’ve achieved personally, I am most proud of the team we’ve built at Skout and the winning culture they have all helped to build. We don’t always get it right (who does?) but we are totally invested in the team, both collectively and as individuals. I believe business success radiates mainly from team strength and stability.
What has been your biggest learning curve over the past year?
We’ve doubled in size in the past year – our fastest growth ever. And we’ve more than held it together. The learning curve was my risk averse side realising that we can do more than we think we can. It’s led us on to new directions and more maturity as an agency.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own business?
Firstly, “don’t overthink it, just do it.” What I learned from day one was that I could do anything I needed to (within reason). I quickly exorcised my demons about all the things I thought I couldn’t really do. The other piece of advice is “be like Madonna” – be ready to reinvent yourself to stay current in the changing world.
With 12 successful years under Skout’s belt, the future certainly looks promising. Happy 12-year anniversary Skout PR!
