Rob Brown
Rob Brown on running a creative agency
Someone who has been successfully running a business since 1992 is probably well seasoned in the world of self-employment. It’s safe to say that Rob Brown, Founder and Managing Director of JUMP, is one of these people. Rob talks to Pattern about his path to business success and how he manages to find balance between long working hours, family and time with his puppies.
Edited by Ruby Guyler Photographs by Christopher Owens
Tell me about your career and background.
I have been running a business since 1992 (I’m showing my age now!). Whilst working as a software engineer for Rolls Royce, I decided that I wanted to build software for companies in my own way.
I became an authorised Microsoft Trainer and began to teach programming and web while also developing software and database applications. In 2007, I had the opportunity to merge my business. That’s when JUMP was born.
Tell me about JUMP. What do you attribute to its success?
Now in its 15th year, JUMP is a Newcastle-based creative agency offering strategic branding, design and digital solutions to businesses.
The success of JUMP is really down to the amazing team we currently have, combined with talented people who have come and gone over the years. There is so much talent to be found in the North East!
What do you love most about what you do every day?
Variety. Every day brings different challenges but in a good way. I have always worked in an environment where variety is at the core of every workday. It’s all I know.
Have you had to make sacrifices in your chosen career, and have they been worth it?
In the early days of being self-employed, taking time out such as holidays was difficult and carrying a laptop everywhere was considered the norm. Of course, back then, laptops were much larger!
Despite this, I didn’t view sacrifices as sacrifices. It was my decision to run a business and I have been very fortunate in being able to do that.
What does work/life balance look like for you?
I work long and hard hours during the work week, so I try not to at the weekend. This is family time.
My wife and I also became the proud parents of two Fox Red Labrador puppies at the end of July 2022, and they take up a lot of our time. They help me to relax and they never fail to make me smile – they’re adorable and they always seem so happy!
“I have always worked in an environment where variety is at the core of every workday. It’s all I know.”
What are some of your daily rituals and why are they part of your routine?
At JUMP, we have daily rituals that involve finances and updates from the team. Deep down, I know that these aren’t necessary because I’ve surrounded myself with a competent and trustworthy team. Maybe I still keep them as part of my routine because I’m getting old!
My personal rituals are changing - I’ve recently been getting into the routine of taking our new puppies for a walk before coming into the office.
How do you stay focused and productive in a world of distractions?
I stop listening to the news during the workday and when I’m in the office. I also love lists and manage a list of daily tasks that I must clear by the end of each day.
When I need to immerse myself in the ‘zone’, I listen to music. It helps to focus the mind and the soul.
If you had the power to change the world, what would you change?
There are so many things that just shouldn’t be happening in a modern society. Currently, it would have to be poverty and homelessness.
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