Getting to know... Tom Stone

In the latest instalment of Bdaily’s Getting to know... feature, which looks at the person behind the business profile, Tom Stone, of London-based digital and creative agency re:act, talks about his desire to found his own business, his pride in the company’s team and reliving his youth.

We know you as the co-founder of re:act agency, but who is the person behind the title? Tell us a little about what makes you tick…

I'm incredibly competitive and very entrepreneurial. 

But I'm also a big believer that we only have one career, so we need to make sure we enjoy it. 

One of my big things at re:act is to help our people build careers they will be proud to look back on, and to be proud of the work they delivered. 

We put a lot of time into our working lives so we need to enjoy it as much as possible, although that can be quite hard sometimes because agency life can get stressful.

One of the first things we do with everyone who starts working at the company is an insights test.

It allows us to understand the person we're bringing in and the kind of people or clients they'll be able to work with best. 

We put a big emphasis on it because it gives a solid grounding for conversations, especially when people are feeling a particular way on a particular day.

Did you always want to work in social media?

I always knew I wanted to have my own business. 

About ten to 15 years ago, I was a frustrated client and saw there was a real gap in the market. 

A lot of the bigger agencies were treating social as an afterthought and weren't finding the right platforms or assets to connect with people properly. 

I absolutely love the fast-paced nature of social media and the ability to cut through to consumers in so many ways.

What's the best bit about your job? And the worst?

I know it's cliché, but the best bit is my team. 

We've built amazing opportunities for people here, both professionally and personally. 

We've had people move to London for the first time.

We’ve had people experience their first ever marketing campaign and land their first big KPI. 

I love that we're helping people achieve professional and personal milestones.

The worst bit? There's an expectation to be always on in social media. That balance is tough. 

The other challenging part is that it can be tumultuous out there. 

My co-founder Pamela and I have to make difficult decisions for the good of the business, particularly when it comes to people decisions. 

That's never easy, though I've become more comfortable with it as the business has grown.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Winning leading global brands from some of the biggest agencies out there is always incredible. 

And winning our first TVC brief and campaign was a major milestone. 

This business has been built on blood, sweat and tears, with no external investment. 

So my greatest achievement is the team we've built in just over five years. 

I'm immensely proud of it.

How do you relax outside of work?

I play football at a semi-professional level, but my team like to take the mickey and say that I’m far too old for that now. 

They could be right, to be honest.

What makes London such a great place to live and work?

Genuinely, it's the diversity of people, thinking and work. It's a fantastic city. 

We're proud of our diversity within the team: more than 40 per cent of our staff come from a minority ethnic background, which is particularly strong when you compare it to other marketing agencies. 

The diversity of backgrounds and perspectives is fascinating, and you genuinely get some of the best opportunities in the UK right here in London.

The social side is amazing too, especially when you're younger. 

We've had people make lifelong friends here, which is wonderful to see.

Tell us something about you we didn't know…

I've gotten massively into trading cards over the last two years, which is quite sad, isn't it? 

I feel like I'm recounting my youth a bit, but I promise you, they're investment pieces!

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