170 - Importance of collaborations and how to do them

Champ Consultants is an award winning independent firm of highly experienced, qualified accountants and tax advisors based in Caterham, providing a fully comprehensive range of accountancy. And tax services. If you would like simple but creative answers to your tax problems, called Champ Consultants your business partner on one double eighty three three four nine three hundred. Good morning and welcome to your business hour with me Chantelle.

And today I've got two guests on the show, Gary and Verena. Have I said that correctly? You have? That's all right?

Then the worst thing is getting their names wrong. So Gary was born in Manchester and you'll probably tell that by his accent. He is now the owner of the Missing Link, which is his own agency which focuses mainly on sport. He has I'm not really going to tell you all about him, but he is in a partnership arrangement, shall we say, with my club, to introduce Kitfunder to the movers and shakers in the sports industry, with the aim of forming partnership in the grassroots area of sports.

Now you might think, what's that got to do with anything, Well, Verena has a background in hotel business and marketing in Germany, but she moved to the UK a very number of years ago and in the hospitality sector. She joined my group ten years ago and since then has seen the company evolve through multiple stages and has supported the business in a wide range of roles. They are also so basically Gary and Verena are working together to heading up the kitfunder project, which works to grow and scale any exciting initiative that supports grassroots bought.

So I'm going to. Talk to them about themselves individually in what they do and how they get to do what they do, but also how do they actually start partnership because that's the thing with businesses. When we want to scrow or scale businesses, we do need to sometimes go partnerships and this is an ideal one. So let's talk Gary Overina whoever wants to go first.

I don't mind. Tell me how you started doing what you do and how you ended up doing what you're doing. Now, okay, I was always had a marketing background, did a marketing degree, and I was brought up especially by my late father who was a football fanatic, but like other sports, cricket, boxing, and I just loved sport. I was never a great player, but I followed it and I've seen some amazing things over my lifetime.

And then one day there was an adversement in Marketing Week. People used to read magazines in those days and go to the back and it went interesting in football question mark, which was actually the last century nineteen ninety nine, that was and unbelievably I got a role at the Football League which is now called the EFL have rebranded. So from then I've had twenty six years of working in and around sports, and in late twenty sixteen seventeen, I decided to use my name Gary Link, which I've been blessed with in terms of it does what it says.

On the tin. In that I created the Missing Link and it was designed to bring what's called rights owners, which are clubs, event owners and with brands, and to break up partnerships and bringing you up to speed. I have really collaborated with a lot of people. I think partnership is a word that sort of sometimes people think of money.

Collaboration is more about working with people within your network. Of those people happened to be Neil Riches, who I'm sure is listening. Hello, Neil. Neil is the founder chairman of my club.

He's a great entrepreneur, has an amazing track record, and he brought me in and effectively, As you said, my role is mainly to connect what I see as a very exciting, dynamic and growing business with the big corporate companies in the United Kingdom, especially who are passionate about grassrooms sports. So how so how did this collaboration actually start? Because I like the preferred the word collaboration to partnerships. I think I agree with you.

Yeah, everywhere big partnerships is like money and project like big commitments. So yeah, so how did the collaboration between you and my group actually? Well, I knew Neil from my time at the FL and my club was in its embryonic stage, that's that, and he remembered me and reached out. He knew that I.

Had a very good network and a good reputation within the industry, and I became you know, what we would call, you know with a small seer consultant, but really it's an introducer. Is my main role with the organization, so effectively, in a nice way, there's no one safe. I know a lot of people. The question is is obviously whether they're going to take an introduction and meeting, a call, a team's call from a business that is obviously in a very competitive field, but has got my endorsement and delighted to say that, no, he can't be everyone's friend.

And timing is always important in business and people have priorities that I've put my club into some fantastic conversations, and the kit funder project in particular, which was only law launched in December, which I think Verena can give you more background because I'm stealing her thunder really, but effectively you get what would be called startups, you know, tech ideas, innovations, and people you know can dismiss them. But in this case, you know, I can look you in the eye, even on radio and say that the actual sort of reception that kit Thunder has received has been very positive.

Of course, a first positive meeting. You know, for all the SMEs you know who listen into this and look for tips as I do, a first meeting can be great, you know, it can. It's a question of how you get into a partnership with a big p and that doesn't have to be a big number, but it has to be respectful of the companies that are involved that it's the right time for them. They have the resource, they have the capability, they have the passion.

So that is something we're hopefully, you know, maybe in a year's time we can come back and say, well, remember we have some great first second meetings. We now work with X, Y and. Z brilliant, right, So Verena, right. So I've been with my club for over ten years.

My club web Founded, was founded by Neil with Grassroot Sports and mind always and as much as we have gone through different products we've worked with and we have now for the last three four years landed on kits. So I've started producing kit for sports teams everywhere. Have grown quite quickly by developing not only our CRM and the procedures that we sort of can pinpoint from start to finish where this kid is. So we guide these clubs all the way from the beginning of taking the ordered inquiry all the way through with an excellent team on board in oxted.

But you know, as you know Gary already said Neil as a true entrepreneur and never stand still and with AI you know, on the rise. We have now developed a matchmaking tool which you should probably mergine a little bit like a dating app for sports clubs or teams in general really and businesses to fund their kid. And originally these ideas came a while back. We had game for Ukraine which was we supplied the kid as such for the game in Chelsea Chelsea Ground back, yet I don't even know two.

Years they or three years ago it was. And we had the conversation with our local and pleaue, Claire Cortino, who make quite a point that they're in dire need after the pandemic to get young people into sports. Mental health is on the rise, and young people in particular, and it was dear to her heart and of course also to Nil. So we were thinking, how about we can match these clubs and you know, sponsors or funders to get these kids for free.

And that's really what we want to do. We want to be able. To give every sports team or any team in general, the possibility to have a fund kit, to be able to play, to participate, and the proportion of what we do will actually go to Clockwork at the moment, our mental health charity as well to give this support, because I think that's something that is so important, you know, and youth is what sort of keeps us going with everything that's happening, and that's sort of the project where we landed at with kid Funder.

We have now a very big project of Oxted School, who actually reached out to Clear Continuo, who was at the launch in November which was hosted by us and a tender boys some Alledie Kiss Cowdry Casey Stoney, so you know, ambassadors from everywhere really in the sports industry and in the sports of football and cricket, and it was really successful. So now we want to take the next move and support a clerk Continue was also there and Richard Big so this was great for us and as a result, Oxford School actually reached out to Clear Continuance that we really desperately need funding for our kid for Ours boards teams in the school and she obviously referred them back to us.

So this is our first little pilot. I've been already out knocking on doors trying to get businesses to help and support and you know what, the first feedback is great, people really on board. And the nice thing is, you know as a business is give you this reach locally. Obviously Gary is more looking on the corporate races on a bigger scale.

But for us, you know, I think sometimes businesses even struggle to find a way and these social media were to get the words out, to get the photos out. By the time you run your business, you really don't have that much more time to focus on. All these other things. So you know, you have these teams who wear it with pride, who are so grateful to have this frequit to play in.

They can do the social media work for you, they can tech you, they can put the photos up for you, and it gives you a s reach. And also there's obviously this community feel or feeling doing something good. You know, Love ox Died was just recently and BBC on the news having this project of giving this gift. Cards of you know, love oxed it.

So we feel like this is the right time to jump on the bandwigh and off sort of you know, doing something from community, doing it right, being proud of you know, part of the community. And that's really what kid funder is in a nutshell and the work up pec he'd bins, you know, finding the businesses because not everyone is always aware and often it is this smaller business. So we'll support the smaller teams. You know, it's like your mechanics, like your plumbers, the local accountant, and so yes, I think that's where the hard work starts and we really want to get people on board to see the potential.

Also from the business point, you know, not only there to sort of do the team a favor, but that it actually contributes in terms of a community feel up for the team. But it gives you, after all, a business platform and you can mostly you know, deducted from sort of the text return at the end. So there is a positive for everyone really and that's what we're trying to get across. And my role is so much more locally at this stage.

We obviously which Gary is great, and it takes us to lots of events to connect and again you know, the reception is very positive of whoever we talk to, so we just sometimes you know, they said a little bit of luck to just find the right person at the right time, and you know, sometimes you have these little stories which take you back and feel like this is really where we do it. So I was invited to see the young epilepsy in Linkfield and went to see them yesterday the day before and she showed me all these facilities for these young people who make them so independent in their own way, you know, when some people you know may not give them the chance.

And we are actually sponsoring their kid. And I could tell how much it would mean to someone like this to play in a sponsored and a funded kid. You know, for us, it just important for us to support it. But it's just it's just really great.

And I think that's the meaningful side of things where we like to see, you know, how things turn out in the end, that we give all these young people an opportunity to play in their kids. To ask question, so if does this influence what's happened historically that your local sports teams they get a kit sponsor and it's usually like a local caf for the local estate agent, and it's because someone on the team knows someone who knows the owner and you get them in. Is there an opportunity we get We still go and buy our coffee from a big coffee chain and not from the guy that's supporting our son's football team.

So do you think there's an opportunity to get the bigger corporates to use some of their say, it's our budgets and put that out through you so that you can sponsor more for kits, for more credit teams. Is that your email? Absolutely? And I think you know, if you can explain it as good as that to like, yeah, people say, explain it to a five year old, it's that it's that simple.

I mean I sort of thought about you mentioned coffee. You know how people say bean to cup, right, this is exactly what we do. So effectively, what normally happens is that you you might get to the local state agents to who puts some money into sponsor the local club, But the club's got to sort everything out. They've got to effectively source the manufacturer of the kits.

Then they've got to ask for the logo of the company. But then they've got to get all the sizing right and all the you know, then if the sublimation of the names and numbers like what this is because of what's happened in terms of online, the kit builder, which most companies will offer, means that you can design the kit online. You know, you can see it's using virtual technology what it would look like, and you can see the brand and my club deliver it. So you know, one of the fears of doing anything with goodwill in terms of the charity area or local community.

Is that you do a good turn and the kit arrives in and it doesn't fit. You know, they haven't got they've got Can we have another large you've got? Yeah? That is real and people or there's less it's not the delivery.

Someone must up the delivery and it's late and you end up sort of. So this is where it is completely doing a holistic approach, which which I believe in. So it does go on. It's not unique that a local company sponsors team.

What worthy crutch is here is we can take that all away using an AI matchmaking software. Where you go, we're in estate agents, we've got five you know, we've got five hundred branches. What we're going to do is going to ask the branches if they're interested in supplying and it could be cricket netboard and have to be football too, and then all the clubs that we've on boarded or universities or schools if we do a matching system. And then it even gets into sophistication like okay, we're not only asking for your kit for the kits and you get your sponsorship, but you also get to be you know, on the website, on social media papes, you also get access to images and to be able to be a partner and you could then go and do a launch away handing the kit over.

So there's so much, there's so much to it, and we're a bit of a disruptor in that in that, you know, only we've got that capability at the moment and we've built this matching system. So which that's why it's getting a very good reception. So ask one question, because you both use term grassroots sports. Now, I've got three boys who've plaid sport since the age of dot and my oldest is twenty five, still plays sport.

And what is grassroots sport? Then? What is it? What sport is included on the grassroots Well, I.

Think every every sport, and I think it's a bit like saying the word community, you know, in terms of people for you know, we're a community club or a community. It's it's one of the it's one of those words where when you drill down to it, what it's actually saying is that it's very much it's obviously not professional or semi professional. And the grassroots is getting into the foundation of that sport. So people will say that it's all about the grassroots because it's about talent development and player development because everyone has to stay start somewhere.

So for example, you know, you might get to a national team who effectively wants to praise all the you know, all the volunteers, the coaches and the clubs and the schools and the actual teachers. That gets you know, someone like Jude Bellingham to play, you know, for Real Madrid and and for England, and a lot of these players will never forget where they started, you know, with you know, like you say, you've got three sons. They're the ones that are exceptional in their elites, but they'll never forget that sort of moment when they're you know, they might have started with soccer tots or some kind of of scheme.

So what we're talking about here is it's it's not professionally, it's not it's not paid, and it's effectively when it says the route, it is actually starting from the beginning of that journey. And for most people, it's recreational, it's enjoyment, it's social, it's they just enjoy playing the sports. But also people will talk about grassroots in that, you know, we need to invest in graand root grassroots to find the next you know, the next sportsmen and sports women. So does that include U nuniversities and stuff like that as well?

That obviously they're not young people in this. In this country. In this country, I'd say yes, if you went to the US, they're in the institutions a professional they make a lot of money, you know, they fill massive stadiums. But here in terms of university it is grassroots because effectively they don't there's no you know, there's there's no broadcasting also show you know, university sport.

There might be somewhere on YouTube or somewhere, but it's totally different. So yeah, the universities are definitely grassroots. Yeah. We go and watch our sons sometimes at his union.

Yes, a field sport and there might be twenty people. Yeah, yeah, the. Same sport in America, Yeah there will be twenty thousand. Ye incredible.

That's the difference. But I think, you know, we have a lot of schools and universities we work with, and a lot of them who approach us, you know, and you obviously as parents, I think that's a nice things. Parents are always very supportive and so invested and in the kids sports and often, as he said previously, there might be some you know, local mom and dads who decide to just sort of put up some funds to sponsor or fund. Their kids as such.

And I think that's sort of what we want to overcome that, you know, the feelings there to just enjoy seeing them. And as you just said, you know where these kids will play there, it's a huge platform for the businesses to actually you know, be featured elsewhere then just locally. So you know, I think this is where we sort of look at giving. Kid fund other platform to not just do one on one you know, I've got you know, sponsorship here is you know, a club.

You can adapt your. Profile as a club as much as you want, you know, be as creative as you like. The more information and the more you talk about yourself, the more attractive you make yourself for a business. And again you know, it's like how far does these kids travel for their matches or cup games and whatever it is.

And likewise it goes you know for the club, who do I see I like to be paired with them and then they have the actually opportunity to be matched and talk one on one and have a conversation, create a relationship boards. So you know, it's taken away all these extra work you have, all these volunteers often who run these teams whilst having a full time job, wiled studying and whatever we actually can do to help them to relieve the pressure to just get on, you know, with a part of just playing and not worry about all these things.

So there's so many apps now for these sports. They all really honestly just communicate via apps. And my husband you know, obviously match and manages my son's team and it's i mean, you know the amount of work he has to do with it and just get people to show up and do this and you know, eventually all you want to do, here's your kid. Enjoy kids and as parents you see in it you're proud of your kids.

You love seeing them there and playing and competing. So yeah, this is sort of what we have in mind. And again diversities and schools are huge part of who we work with. And as you know Gary said, the nice thing is for us it will be complete journey from start to finish.

You know, we see all of it through from the matchmaking and then getting the kid into production, delivering it and having worked on our development of designs Kid Builder. We're also very invested in sort of the women's side of things because it's coming up, it's so busy, and you do need to take care of women's shape. They just don't want to show up in the men's shirt all the time, you know. They've been used to playing in these old kids all the time.

And you know Casey Stony, who's one of our ambassadors, huge in women's boards. She's now the Canadian manager for the women's football team. She was getting hand me down from the boys, you know, because no one took them so seriously at this time. They had to work so hard for their place there.

So we have now developed the new women's kit Builder and the new women's shirt which is Marabella Our she actually worked for in summers at the time, so she's now our product development and designing state. So we have come such a long way and a thing to be able to get the end products so so many more people will be just perfect. Really. So Kitfunder is a project that's effectively run by my group, isn't it.

But it's it's not just for the because my group is based in Oxted, but it's not just for the Oxted area or on the Surrey area. It's a United Kingdom, I should say project and how do people how is it okay? So how does kitfunder work? Do the schools or the universities or the clubs approach kitfunder and then the kitfunder goes to find the sponsors or do the sponsors come to kitfunder?

And how how does it work logistically? How which way do we work? So we have these huge database of clubs already on our website. We serve over six thousand clubs already of customers we had so initially with GDPR we are tied to If we can't op VC, yes, social media can do and we get our increased following as well.

So we have a lot of clubs already signed up because they are need of sponsors right, so again as we just describe, they don't want to do and go out and find other sponsors. Now we're onboarding the class. The business is on the other side and that's probably the most difficult thing. So ideally either of them land on our side organically, which we aim to do at some point at the moment, we obviously have to do the work and get the message out to businesses.

And especially when you have for the local clubs. Sometimes these ones who might be your plumber or your electrician, you know, they probably not that easy to reach on mailing lists or anything like this. It is sometimes sort of getting the workout to the clubs for the clubs to go. This is kid funded to actually you know, communicate also with some of the sponsors or the funders there previously.

But also you know, we're pairing at the moment, which you've just done. We signed up with a FA bags and backupshire. They have obviously a huge amount of clubs on there, and then you know, sometimes it's like we have backing from our local council here to some extent some of them. It's obviously difficult to give a special shout out to businesses, but yeah, it's just hoping that through the clubs, through what we do through our social media, we get the message to the clubs through what we do here, you know, and obviously Gary is great at connecting us as well with the right people, and sometimes it's just a post from someone who's very well connected, you know.

So we do all the networking, which you know, thanks to Gary, we get to do to find the right people to get the message out. And the more support you have from the ones higher abuff who've been doing this for many, many years, the easier it is to actually be picked up. So I think in a time where social media is so important, it's definitely something we rely on. We obviously have our ambassadors who are very supportive who help to sort of get a message out.

And think again, you know, listening to someone that's just relearning to back what Gary was saying, it is grassroots, you know, the ones who came from nothing to work their way through the rings, like Casey And for me, she's probably the most relatable sort of in my age group, and I hear a story personally because she's my husband's cousin. How tough it was for her, you know, I think even more so as a woman in sports. But you know, she would play in a kit for for years and years on end, but it means to everything she remembers the first time she played for a bigger club.

You know what number she. Wore, her name on her jersey. All these kids and all these things are just memories you take with you. So it's being part of the journey and trying to make this as easy and seemless as possible to get them through the rings and you know, play eventually at at a higher level.

Hopefully you know some of them at least. How does the matchmaking work? You know you've got you might get Joe Blogs building services in Nottingham, want to sponsor a club, and you've got five hundred clubs in Nottingham on your books, all probably wanting git sponsors. But Joe Blogs can only.

Do one, and so I'm guessing there's some criteria that Joe might be looking for in But then you might get I don't know, Let's say Amazon came along and said, we've got enough budget to sponsor one team in every county. So how is your matchmaking going to decide how you match them? So it's very much off us the best assessor gone there. And that's what I just sort of been a touch space early a little bit.

You do have to say yourself a little bit as a club. You know, probably the reach, you know, be very descriptive in how many times you probably change your kid, you know, what area, what sort of spectactors, spectators you get but also what you do on social media. So more you sell yourself as the club, the more likely a business is actually tickquick pick you. So you will and up probably with fifty matches, and then the club can decide and go through it.

Well, you know, this is a girl's team, you know, but they're may be a bit too old, and I'm looking more for someone who's more active on social media, who has other teams or some more teams within the club network which we can connect with our later on. So that might be my priority. And also I think sometimes what it is we give people the tools to talk to one another, so there's a message system. Sometimes it's a personality thing.

You know, you might sort of metch an all criteria as you would talk to the person you go. I just don't think this is for us because it's a long lasting relationship. Also at the end of the day, you know, so the more proactive you are as a team to pick up the phone and be responsive and trying to build the relationship and you know, get properly the story across to your business. Why this would mean so much And there might be just a little anecdote that that sort of triggers this you know, as a parent and go, you know what, I like this girl or like this guy who's reaching out to me, because I remember that was me, you know, Or this was my daughter or my son trying to find funding for this kid.

So it's a little bit of this. So we want to give it as much a let's say, are I AI involved? We want to keep some sort of personal relationship in this as well. And from a small business point of view, I mean, yes, we can go to big multi Amazons and whatever else, but from a small business point of view, yes, it's lovely tac deductible blah blah blah.

But financially, cash flow is one of those big topics right now, and I think lots of organizations, lots of small businesses might think to themselves, or I haven't got thousands and thousands that I might be able to put into it. Is there a minimum amount or how does that work? From a sponsor's point of view to a club, there isn't, So there isn't a maximum. So as you said, we know cashlow means everything.

No, I mean a minimum. So someone wants to put that million, they're very welcome. There is no minimum, So you know, we have somewhere. I was just walking, you know, around Oxted.

There's some people say I just want to give a hundred pounds because I want to support a local cause. And that's absolutely fine. You know, with sublimation, as Gooy said, you are so free to all the designs you want to sort of adapt to the shirt. Of course, we then have to say, look, if you have someone else who puts some four hundred pound, you know, then they will have a more you know logo sort of in the center.

Then the other one who gives one hundred pound probably is smaller one somewhere, but there's no limit as such. So it's sort of finding then sort of a popular sponsors and again there might be the team. I say, that just doesn't work for me. I just want one front center one.

I don't want too many. But I don't think it will be the case because people are actually grateful for whatever contribution they will receive. So yes, so. There is no minimum to have to put in, you know, as long as you feel like we like to support the course, and it might actually go.

You know, you see you put one hundred pundsay, look that was actually really worth it. Instent of my Google ads, Who've got me nowhere? Got me out to thousands of people, but no one really relevant. Then everybody clicked through.

Actually, I can see people coming through the door, you know, and I can see these kids tagging posting. Let me do a little bit bigger one because everybody has to sort of go and say, oh, who are you? You know, if you've got the one in the middle, of course, it gives you more presents, so no minimum. You know, you as flexible to as you like to be, and even if it's just to try run, you know, as a business to see how it goes.

Champ Consultants is an award winning independent firm of highly experienced qualified accountants and tax advisors based in cater providing a fully comprehensive range of accountancy and tax services. If you would like simple but creative answers to your tax problems, called Champ Consultants. Your business partner on one double eighty three three four nine three hundred. And welcome back to your business hour, me Chantelle, and we're chatting to Gary and Verena.

So we've talked about Kipfinder before our break, and we're going to talk a bit more about sponsorships. That we say, and the importance of sponsorship and the importance of collaborations. So Verena has explained to us fantastically how kitfunderworks, how the importance of it is and everything else. And now I want to ask Gary something.

So Gary, you're the man, shall we say, who goes out and tries and connects and does this collaboration between one and the other. How does how do you do what you do and how do you how does it benefit somebody like my club to be able to go to somebody like yourself and say I need to collaborate with you. Okay, I think that's a very good question in that obviously you have companies who invest sponsorship. And one of the challenges of sponsorship is that it will be accused of being a badging exercise.

So you have your brand and it's on a shirt or on a stadium, or it's on the led, and people are saying, well, what's actually you know, how do I get involved? You know, in terms of the audience, it's not just about media and the coverage. So one of the challenges of sponsorships is to activate, and one of the ways to activate is through the is through the community. Now there's some amazing examples not just that would would involve kits, where effectively sponsorship can be used.

You know, for example, let's say Cabrits have partnerships with lots of with lots of Premier League clubs. Well what they also do. Is they go into the community and they work with all the you know, the people that sell cabris so they might give them opportunities. So there's obviously they can do things on pack to win to win tickets.

They can also use the what's called the ip of Arsenal Liverpool Tottenham where you can have your your own bars. They did something you know, in terms of in terms of with with green Greenford with a horrible thing that happened the fire, that he actually produced a partnership with them. So there's there's lots of ways to connect. And one of the biggest challenges is companies will say, well, we've spent all this money, but we want to sort of collect with people on an individual and an individual basis.

So it's a national property, but you want to go local. So that's where kit funder can be part of that delivery. I mean, I just this morning I had my Nestle cheerios and I actually got it on my phone, but I didn't even and I bought it. I was just it was an impulse purchase the other day.

And effectually they've got an unpack win ten pounds for a grassroots club, and Kelloggs have also got similar you know, I can see they sort of follow each other. And if you look at some of the you know, the sponsors that for example McDonald's who have always been a big football sponsor. Again, you know, they've put on football festivals that are free to attend. They don't push their products, obviously, they'll give bottles of steel water and fruits, but effectively they want to clout with the community and kit is part and kiss is part of that.

I would imagine the big organizations like Verena mentioned Amazon or big multi big organizations, franchise companies. I mean we all know, not only McDonald's, but there's Specsavers, the Subway, there's I'm just thinking of a few, and Catreum. Really there's loads. How likely are those big multinationals wanting to fund and support small local clubs like example Oxted School or I don't know, like Oxted Hockey Club or Whitely football club.

Because that's the hardest fit, isn't it. It's those big nationals saying will you support a little club? Yeah? And that's why aggregation is the best.

What is the best is the best method is that if you go to a big corporate with one school, it's not that you know, going to be that well certusally for them. But if you go with thousands of schools and you go there, you are and they're already putting money into that age group in terms of target targeting, when it's through family parents, then you've got then you've got a solution. And I can say here that we've had conversations with some very big companies and that you know would include supermarkets, It would include it would include comparasive, comparisive websites where you switch from one to the other.

And we are getting to the point where effectively we just have to marry up to what they're doing. You know what they're femis. So for example, you know with the supermarket that's the school promotion could be a good time, or it could be that they are a partner of a of a football tournament and they want to so it's all about fitting in as you say to their mass marketing machine. But the important thing for us is to deliver us is to deliver scale.

So when you go to these big multinationals, it's not necessarily you saying Spec Savers do you want to sponsor Oxyted School. It's like we've got all these schools. Your money would be able to benefit all of these. Sort of things exactly.

And I think I know enough about specs Savers that it goes on anyway. You know the local manager. It's actually about spect Savings. Isn't a franchise, it's a joint venture where effectively it's a slight difference in that they put in terms of they put the optician in and it's a business unit and effectively, I think the difference is is that there's more there's more autonomy effectively, but that yeah, you can really dig deep into these things in terms of that relationship.

But then if you're if you are in the spect Savers head office, you need to drive traffic obviously to into spect Savers and do national promotions, whether it's free hearing tests and and other things they do. And advertising can be very humorous, especially on yes social and they have used referees and things like that. So but the important thing is is that if it's going on anyway, it's a bit like food delivery and takeaway, it's going on. And they're newber Eats and Delivery, who have worked with both companies very closely, come in with that with that solution, you know, and it's it's it's click and it's click and play.

It doesn't, you know, it doesn't. They don't actually run the restaurants. They're the logistic company between the restaurant and you get in your takeaway. So what's happening now in terms of the kit area is there are there are solutions.

There are other people who've got kit builder, you know, where you can design your kit online. That's the crust of it here is to get enough scale to make us more attractive to, as you say, the big boys who are going to invest. And that is happening. And we have had, you know, with dealings with with the likes of the Caslon and Sketches and Hollywood, Betsy the Breentford sponsor, and we've had we've had corporates that have you know, like Barclay's who who have bought the kits because they just know, you know, they just see, they just see.

And it's then you know, trying to get up the ladder, you know, up the food chain, as they say, to get them to do it on a national scale. Meanwhile they want to you know, they're sponsoring Wimbledon and then they're sponsoring and they've got the media center at Laws. They've just done the Hambden Park. You know you're in.

You're in, As you. Said, you're in a marketplace. But I am convinced what we are cussing through and there's more to come. So you've mentioned some really big names there, and I suppose the benefit for my club group to you to get you involved is your contacts and your information.

So how personally, how did you get your contacts and your information? Because to me you're a little bit of a little god man, aren't you? In said something earlier? Missing link might be and even can correct me if I'm wrong.

Is that you've got contacts in like the governing bodies of yes places, so like the for football, I don't know who runs the lawn tennis associal. Yeah, supporting, I can name the people if you're. The same for crickets, yeah, if you've got contacts in those places, I imagine the big boys will go directly to them. Good question that you can connect you You're not You're not completely wrong, right, You're not completely wrong, but there's it's not as black and white, right.

So effectively, if you are one entity, so you are the r F. You and you approach Amazon, well you can only talk about the r F you. You're employed by the r F you. So they have they have.

Probably around agencies, and these brands have people constantly pitching on behalf of what's known as right zoners. So for example, the r F you. The beauty of someone who is independent and nimble and has the experience is I can say to a brand where you're heading, what you're looking at, and you know how long is this deal going to happen? Right, and then I can find them the solution otherwise known as the consultative cell.

Right. So effectively, yeah, I literally would not always be transacting with these people. So then let's just say there's a company that wants to deal in rugby. Well, I can take them to the r F you.

I can take them to clubs. I can say them to the British Lions. They could do broadcast sponsorship. You know, with Sky.

There's so many ways of getting to that audience. But if I have the brand where they have brought into me as a you know, Fitzer consultants, I can then talk the r F you and say I have a mandate from Amazon. They want to do something in rugby, right would you like would you like a meeting with them? And they'll go, oh, yeah, we know Amazon, Well yes, so when have you got Can you demonstrate that you've got a meeting in a diary?

Is there anything you know? You know them? But I'm telling that they want to speak to you. So you become a broker effectively, and you then the nuances off It is is that, of course as an introducer, some people would like to be you know, if you're the commercials of the RFU and oh thanks Gary, we'll take it from here.

We'll take it. We'll see will be cc CC whatever. Obviously I've been, I've been around enough to know that to get a deal to happen. Right.

For example, I have one company at the moment and they're looking at women's football. The person who's looking at women's football has to write a proposal internally that cuts across media, pr promotions, advertising, you know CSR and everything. I help that person, you know by in terms of sending them reports, market data, helping them. And then there's the negotiation side where you have perhaps people apart want to do the deal, but you know, it's negotiation, so there is always someone in most cases that is brokering, you know, at some point.

Interesting, I hope. So, well, it's just it's just a different world, isn't it really? Because and I think that sometimes people think to themselves that I can do this, like you said, are a few and Amazon thanks for the introduction. I can do this on my own without that interaction of the middle man.

It can very easily fall flat. On it sometimes with the middle money. Do you guys do pretty much any sports? So sports hockey and lacrosse.

I mean it's huge now, right, So I think this is up and coming. So this is another one. So we always developing new garments. That's where we have the team and how and we're also what we started doing is actually concentrating very much what's on trend.

As you can see if you walk around you know, K Tim or whatever, you see everyone in sportswear and leggings and so you have a team that travels to all the trade shows and exhibitions who take. A good look and were adapting to that. You know, we have adapted a lot of new designs also to the kit builder, So it's it's obviously not just about kit funder because the end product they get then through us, we want to reflect you know, huge selection in terms. Of sports, fit, design, everything.

So yes, I think next. Next huge one. We we actually focusing and I think you said peddle as well. A lot of money goes into peddle as well at the moment in terms of sponsorship, deeds being done made, so yes, that's that's something Gary, no doubt mention as well.

And the minimum already said before you can SI scarments is seen as a group and we were told to talk more about you know, not it's not teams because people naturally think teams eleven fifteen. It can be just groups of people that want to play recreationally and want to not have to turn up it where are today or the other words team where it's blue. And I mean the minimum numbers only apply really when your first order, so when you then top up and we have all the czar designs and everything else on file, you know, and what we're trying to do also with clubs, building the relationship of building club shops so that people can come back just click, or the individual pairing can go in when you're.

Five foot striker retires and the next one comes in. Just the one show absolutely absolutely he hasn't got where this one that croub top And exactly. So from a point of view of listeners, how do they get in contact with you? And who's the best sort of people to get in contact with you?

So I think, you know, locally properly myself really and so best is either to go to our website which is kid frondert Ai, so there's a way you can register on there, but also just to reach out for Varina at my club and just via email or give us a call. You know, most people are not on phones anymore. We are on phones all the time, you know, and we love to. Listening to us.

Whose son people get to play in a local team, they need to tell the team to contact your. Yeah, I mean I would love to have, you know, I think initially and that's sort of what I found walking around Oxtite. I think it's good to have a conversation to start with, so you know, and to sort of pick up the phone and understand really what you're looking for and or as a business, how you want to support. And I was going to say, and it's the same for businesses that may want to support or And when we say businesses, we don't mean that you have to have ten members of staff.

You can just be a sole trader plumber on your own. You're still effectively a business basically absolutely brilliant. Right, So we have actually come to the end of our chat. So just again it's kitfunder dot ai.

That's the one, yes, or you can give us a call in the office on oh one double A three seven seven nine. My name is unforty so. Awkward that it's difficult to just say the EMA address, So do you just land on our website. The my club group as well is perfect to go to.

And so yeah, we have been chatting to Verena and Gary and I suppose really if you are a business that you want to collaborate with Gary, then I'm sure Gary is more than happy to collaborate with you as well. Absolutely, and I'm happy to give people advice, especially you know, the next generation. And I do quite a bit of mentoring people want to get into the sports business and it's it's difficult. My website is ww dots the missing Link with an e dot com.

On there. There's you know of various case studies and projects. I've written a few blogs explain what I'll do. You know my history and you know it's all there.

No one's ever said take it down. If that's I do. I do a regular top ten deals of the year which are all on there, which I try and find more quirky ones like the who gives a crap sponsorship of Lewis FC in the in Sussex which one sponsorship of the Yeah, of course their values was to pay the men and women equally and sustainability and yeah, so that was conventually occasionally find. A little gem.

But there's some also, you know, some bigger deals as well on there as well. Brilliant, fantastic. So thank you again to both of you for coming very much, thank you for having us. You're very welcome.

So as you know, you can listen to us live as you have been doing if you've been listening live today on Ridge Radio on a Friday morning at nine am. Alternatively, you can catch this on podcast and all our previous shows on podcast on your Business Hour wherever you get your podcasts from, and don't forget you can catch us on Instagram and on Facebook on your dot Business Hour. That's it from Matthew and myself this week. Thank you very much for listening, and we will catch up with you again very soon soon, Thank you.

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