Impression is an award winning digital marketing agency. It went full-time in 2014 with a team of just three people, including co-founders Aaron Dicks and Tom Craig. Since then, the team has multiplied in size, and currently has 25 full- or part-time members, including experienced digital professionals and graduates from both of Nottingham’s universities.
The activity and ambition of local Nottingham businesses played a big role in the founders’ decision to start a business in the area, and similar local initiatives and events have supported Impression’s growth in the years since then. Not only are they a great source of industry knowledge, but they also provide the perfect environment to meet local digital talent and potential clients.
Second Wednesday (taking place, unsurprisingly, on the second Wednesday of each month), was an event that that Tom and Aaron got involved with as they were starting out in the city. Hosted in the Antenna building, the monthly event was a space for Impression’s founders to get to know other businesses in the city, and to meet people who would go on to become clients in the future.
Though Second Wednesday no longer runs in Nottingham, there are current industry events that allow Impression to maintain good relationships with other businesses in the area, and to share knowledge with other professionals. In Impression’s current season, events like Drink Digital are less about meeting potential clients, and more important for growing expertise in the industry, and meeting people who we may go on to employ.
Beyond the industry events are opportunities to network with general businesses in the area, at events like the Nottingham Means Business lunches, or Institute of Directors East Midlands’ Young Directors Forums. We also enjoy working with both universities and other businesses to pass on the things that we’ve learnt, and to encourage a new wave of graduates to look to Nottingham as an exciting place to live and work.
Events like these that don’t have a specific industry focus are just as important for our development as a company within Nottingham. Not only are they places where we could meet future clients and employees, but they are also places where we can be a part of wider initiatives in the city.
When Aaron and Tom first started thinking about starting Impression in 2012, the Creative Quarter was also nothing more than an idea. Since 2012, however, the Creative Quarter has become a vibrant place to work, with creative companies making it their home, filling empty offices, and providing a host of new jobs for Nottingham’s professionals.
Now, thanks to the Creative Quarter’s ever-growing reputation, job-seekers and businesses have another reason to look to Nottingham as a place to work. The community of businesses that has been created in this part of the city is a big draw for entrepreneurs looking to find their feet with an innovative startup, professionals looking for a fresh challenge, or graduates searching for a meaningful career after university. Local events facilitate and continue the relationships that led to the creation of the Creative Quarter, providing a means for businesses to connect with each other, potential employees, and potential customers.
Impression’s story is naturally tied to that of the Creative Quarter and Nottingham as a whole. Our growth to date wouldn’t have been possible without the links to other businesses in the city that we have made over the years, through local meetups and other initiatives.