A serial entrepreneur is pushing for more recognition of the talents of small, independent agencies and freelancers.

Pete Sayburn, founder and CEO of London-based matchmaking platform Studiospace, says there is a wealth of under-utilised talent and expertise, and that bigger companies should pay more attention to independent creatives.

“It never fails to surprise me just how much remarkable talent is out there. Yet, at the same time, I hear people complaining of skills gaps and problems they are struggling to solve.

“One thing I’ve learned from years in business is that solving a problem is often more about ‘who’ rather than ‘how’.”

“There’s a huge amount of creative talent out there but the right people aren’t always coming together. One of my favourite things to do in business is to make an introduction between two people and then to see the sparks fly.”

Sayburn says he would like Global Entrepreneurship Week (November 14-20) to be a time when bigger companies reach out to smaller ones to tap into their expertise.

However, the serial entrepreneur, who previously founded innovation company Market Gravity, which he sold to Deloitte in 2017, says this is often easier said than done.

“I’d really like to see major brands and big corporates adopt more entrepreneurial thinking and engage with more innovators, disruptors and those on the cutting edge.

“However, there is often a risk-averse mindset within large companies, which means people choose to play it safe rather than take a chance on a new, more exciting supplier.

“Also, smaller independents companies often struggle with the procurement policies, admin and payment practices of many big brands.

“If I had one wish for Global Entrepreneurship Week, it’s that we all recognise the remarkable talent in our midst and start taking advantage of it.”

ABOUT PETE SAYBURN
Pete Sayburn is the co-founder and CEO of marketing agency matchmaker Studiospace. The company connects independent businesses with major brands such as Aviva, Jaguar Land Rover and AXA.

Studiospace was launched in January 2022 and has over 100 agencies on its platform as well as offices in London and Sydney. In September 2022, Studiospace received £1.5m of funding from Fuel Ventures.

Sayburn is a serial entrepreneur who previously founded innovation firm Market Gravity, growing it to over 100 staff before selling to Deloitte Digital in 2017.