In every issue of our Aycliffe Today Business magazine, we take a break and sit down with a different employee or business owner to ask them 20 questions on a variety of subjects.
In the latest issue, Lemon Top creative director Steve Gill is in the Aycliffe Today chair…
1: What do you do?
A: My official role at Lemon Top is business development, trying to grow and expand the business as well as our client base but I still like to get involved in the creative process and coming up with ideas for our clients.
2: Who have you worked for in the past?
A: I worked at Charles Hollywood Advertising for 19 years, one of the North East’s leading ad agencies. Before that, I used to support/sell Apple Mac kit in the era of grey importers.
3: Best part of your job?
A: Being part of a creative team and thinking creatively as there isn’t anything quite like it. What other way of life allows you to take peoples dreams and turn them into a reality that they can see visually. ‘Show don’t tell’ is what we live by.
4: Is there anything about your job that you really don’t like?
A: Paperwork. I have always been into technology and would love a paperless office for admin and accounts.
5: Favourite thing about working on Aycliffe Business Park?
A: The community feeling. We have been welcomed from our first day on Aycliffe Business Park but the ambition and growth of the park is something special.
6: Which company/individual on the park do you do the most work with?
A: Discover Brightwater. They are one of the few companies who are actively making a difference to our environment, working tirelessly to achieve the cleaning of the Skerne with some ambitious projects on the go.
7: Who’s your tip for future success?
A: Our most recent employee Amba Bradbury is set to become a star in the social media world. She is already breaking new ground by using sign language in her social media posts. Within the next couple of years, we hope to build a team around her that will take social media for business to a whole new level.
8: Four famous people you’d love to have round for dinner and why?
A: Steve Jobs would be the first. It would be fascinating to hear from someone who had the vision to go from building computers in his garage to creating one of the biggest companies in the world. Second would be David Ogilvy. To be known as “The father of advertising” is a testament to his meticulous way of thinking. John Richardson, special effects designer from Lawrence of Arabia to Harry Potter as he would have so many stories to tell. Jo Pavey for never giving up and at 40 years winning the European gold medal for 10,000 metres, proving that age doesn’t matter and had me screaming at the TV.
9: If you could do something else in business, what would it be?
A: I would probably be running a cattery as we do love cats at home. Either that or a games developer as I was hooked on my first computer, an Oric Atmos 48k back in 1984.
10: Who’s your favourite Tweeter?
A: @GrantCardone he has such a great life story and explains why it is okay to be obsessed and not be average and this is how I try to live every day.
11: Have you ever done anything really daring?
A: Karaoke (unintentionally). I have a morbid fear of singing in public but had to take up the microphone in front of a whole audience of friends and business colleagues when I won a fancy dress competition as Freddie Mercury.
12: What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
A: Look outwards not inwards so find out what your customers want and deliver it.
13: If money was no object, what would be your ideal car?
A: Volkswagen ID.Buzz Campervan. It’s at concept stage at the moment and won’t be on sale until 2020, but keep a lookout for this one, it’s going to revolutionise the campervan market.
14: Money no object, your dream holiday would be?
A: A holiday to Walt Disney World Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Theme Park.
15: Do you have a favourite band or type of music?
A: Ethan Stark, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles because if it wasn’t for them I would have never bought my guitar and learnt to play.
16: What is your greatest achievement?
A: Running the Redcar Half Marathon and hopefully one day I will better my result
17: How would you best describe yourself in four words?
A: Meticulous, demanding, creative, talkative.
18: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: To open our first Lemon Top academy for creative minds. This would be a place that explored creative freedom in the arts and a platform for students to excel and employers to find the best talent anywhere.
19: Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever met?
A: Meeting Gareth Southgate at Middlesbrough Football Club (now the England manager).
20: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
A: I’m a complete geek when it comes to Sci-Fi. I grew up in an era where films like Star Wars, 2001 A Space Odyssey and Close Encounters were enthralling cinemagoers worldwide and it has really stuck with me.