At TLC Business, everything starts with people – and that includes our founder, Josh Spencer. With over 20 years in marketing and more than a decade supporting SMEs, Josh has built TLC Business around practical thinking, strong relationships and results that matter.

We caught up with Josh to talk about his journey, his approach to marketing and what keeps him motivated…

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background and how TLC Business came to life?

“It’s a fairly typical story in some ways; I didn’t set out thinking I’d run my own business. I started out in corporate marketing with BT, then moved into agency life at APCO. Both were brilliant experiences, but very different.

What I found over time was that I really enjoyed working more closely with businesses (particularly SMEs), where you can actually see the impact of what you’re doing. That’s really where TLC Business came from. I wanted to create something that felt more hands-on, more personal and ultimately more useful to the people we work with.”

Q: You’ve worked both in-house and agency-side. How does that shape the way you approach marketing today?

“It gives you a bit of balance. Corporate roles teach you structure, process and how to think strategically over the long term. Agency life teaches you to be adaptable and to deliver – often quickly!

With TLC, I try to bring the best of both worlds. We’re strategic, but we’re also practical. There’s no point producing a beautiful strategy document if it just sits on a shelf. It has to work in the real world.”

Q: What do you think are the biggest marketing challenges SMEs face right now?

“Time and clarity, without a doubt.

Most SME owners are juggling a hundred things at once, so marketing can end up being reactive, or pushed down the list altogether. The other issue is knowing what works. There’s so much noise out there, so many channels, so many opinions.

A big part of what we do is simplify things. Get clear on the message, the audience and the priorities, then focus on doing a few things really well rather than trying to do everything.”

Q: How would you describe the TLC Business approach in a nutshell?

“We are your outsourced marketing department – practical, honest and collaborative.

We don’t come in with a one-size-fits-all solution. Every business is different, so we take the time to understand what’s going on first. Then we build something that fits, whether that’s strategy, campaigns or ongoing support.”

Q: What’s been one of the most rewarding parts of running TLC Business?

“Seeing clients grow – it sounds simple, but it’s true.

When you’ve worked with a business a number of years and you can see the progress they’ve made, it’s incredibly satisfying. Especially when you know you’ve played a part in that journey.

Also, the relationships. That’s a big one for me. We’ve worked with some clients for a long time now and it genuinely feels like a partnership rather than a supplier relationship.”

Q: You’ve been in marketing for over 20 years – what’s changed the most?

“The pace, definitely.

Everything moves faster now – new platforms, new tools, new trends. But interestingly, the fundamentals haven’t really changed. It’s still about understanding your audience, having a clear message and communicating it well.

The tools evolve, but the core principles stay the same.”

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to business owners trying to improve their marketing?

“Don’t overcomplicate it. Start with the basics – who you’re trying to reach, what you want to say and why it matters. Be consistent, be clear and give things time to work.

And if you can, don’t try to do it all on your own. A bit of external perspective can make a huge difference.”