Sizzle turns twenty on 29 November. When Andy and I started, it was nothing more than an idea we worked on late at night while still holding down our agency jobs. Cash was tight, so we kept things going through a simple agreement with S&S Northern. We carried out their marketing work and, in return, they gave us a small spare room to build the agency from. That room became our first base and our first chance to grow.
Over time, the work increased, the client list expanded, and in 2011, we bought our own premises in Bolton. That move felt like a milestone. It gave us a home and signalled that we were no longer a small operation trying to find our feet. S&S Northern is still with us twenty years later. Their growth into a multi-million turnover business is one of the stories we are proud to have supported.
Two decades of nurturing a business have brought highs, lessons and plenty of change.
The financial crash in 2008 forced us to adapt. COVID reshaped the industry overnight. Technology and trends continue to move faster than ever. Through all of it, we stayed focused on protecting the business, doing the work properly and looking after the people we were responsible for.
One thing that has always mattered to us is that the agency grew through trust, not advertising.
Every client who came through the door arrived because someone chose to recommend us. That created relationships that lasted. Our average client lifespan is now over eleven years. It is a statistic I am incredibly proud of because it reflects trust and consistency.
We have also been fortunate to work with a wide range of organisations.
From tech start-ups looking to raise revenue and drive growth to global blue chips with detailed targets and big expectations. What stands out most for me are the people behind those projects. The marketers, founders, product teams and senior stakeholders who put their trust in us and gave us the chance to be part of their journey. Many of those relationships turned into long-term partnerships. A few became friendships. We are grateful for every one of them.
I also want to recognise the people who have been part of Sizzle along the way.
From Connor, our first hire, to Ho Yin, who joined recently from Hong Kong. Some began as apprentices and developed into senior roles. A few have moved on to new opportunities but still stay in touch, and a couple have even become clients. Each person played a significant role in shaping what Sizzle is today.
The world feels uncertain at the moment.
Politics, the global economy and AI are shifting at speed. There is trepidation, but there is also excitement. We are working on new services and preparing to share some news in Q2 2026. We approach the future in the same way we approached the start, with curiosity to explore new opportunities, while retaining a foundational ethos of delivering a quality-first service.
Sizzle is no longer two people in a borrowed room.
It is a mature, departmental, multi-service agency that brands rely on for measurable outcomes, whether that means stronger brand value, wider reach or increased sales. Andy and I are incredibly proud of how far it has come and motivated by what comes next.