Sandy Lindsay MBE, founder of Tangerine PR on the PRmoment Podcast

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On the PRmoment Podcast this week, we’re talking to Sandy Lindsay MBE about her career in PR. Sandy is the founder and chair of Tangerine Group & non-executive director of various organisations, including The Rugby Football League.

Sandy launched Tangerine 22 years ago, and the business has grown to have 120 employees with an income of over £7 million in fees. It became an employee-owned trust back in 2017, and it was one of the first PR firms to do so.

Before we start, our PR Masterclass: Agency Growth Forum has now launched. It’s on 12th November 2024, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm GMT. Both face-to-face and virtual tickets are available. The event is held in central London.

Also, the early entry for the ESG Awards deadline is the 13th of September, and the final entry deadline 27th of September.

Thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.

Here is a summary of what Sandy and PRmoment founder discussed:

4 mins Sandy launched Tangerine back in 2002. Did she always want to launch her own business?

5 mins Sandy talks us through why you left Harrison Cowley to launch Tangerine.

“PR is more ethical now than it used to be.”

8 mins The plan for Tangerine was always to run national accounts as a Manchester agency. Has that worked out?

9 mins Is there still a perception amongst some that large national accounts should be run out of a London baked agency?

11 mins Sandy’s previous employer, Harrison Cowley, was well regarded as a regional agency. Why did she not want to follow that model?

13 mins Who were Tangerine’s original clients? What type of work does the agency specialise in now?

14 mins What mistakes has Sandy made along the way?

“We launched the obligatory London office…it was a bloody nightmare…We just didn't need it.”

“It’s fine to make mistakes. If you're not, you’re not trying anything. You’re not taking risks.”

“Your comfort place is fabulous but nothing ever grows there.”

17 mins How do you know when to knock new launches on the head?

20 mins Sandy talks us through the growth of Tangerine. 

“We’ve never gone up and down (revenue-wise), but we have plateaued.”

23.30 mins Sandy on why Tangerine launched the digital marketing training provider Juice Academy.

“600 apprentices have been through the Juice Academy for over 13 years.”

26 mins How does the Juice Academy apprenticeship scheme work? 

30.30 mins Tangerine got into social early. Was it quick off the mark, or were the established PR agencies a bit slow?

32 mins What type of work do Tangerine do for Specsavers?

34 mins Sandy describes why Tangerine expanded significantly during the Covid period.

36 mins Who have been the key people in Tangerine’s story?

38 mins As a founder, when do you know it's time to hand the baton on to the next generation?

40 mins Sandy is a non-exec of the Rugby Football League. What makes a good non-exec?

“A non-exec gives you a helicopter view.”

“I would not only recommend agencies get them (non-execs), I would also recommend agency leaders do them.”