Want to start a career in licensing? Industry figures share advice…

Dale Boreham, Senior Design Manager, Moonpig
My advice to someone starting or developing a career in licensing is to build up as many transferrable skills as possible and expand your knowledge of the industry. Read up on trend reports, be aware of what’s happening in your sector and the wider marketplace – and show you are passionate about brands!

“Build up as many transferrable skills as possible.”

And be inquisitive… If you are in a company that does have a role you want to go into, go and find out more about it and see if you can support any project to get exposure. Take ownership of your career journey and absorb knowledge wherever you can. If opportunities are limited in your current role, reflect on your experiences and skills gained, then highlight them on your CV when seeking new challenges. Tailor your CV to emphasise relevant experiences and skills, aiming to match as many job requirements as possible or showcasing your passion if you lack certain skills.

Joanna Townsend, Senior Manager, International Retail, Moonbug Entertainment
Own your network… Building your contacts within the industry is extremely important. The benefits of a strong network includes access to a wealth of industry knowledge, the ability to collaborate with a wide range of contacts, the opportunity to raise your profile and advance your career – and the possibility of making lifelong friends.

The licensing industry is great at hosting fun events throughout the year; it’s at these events where you catch up with existing contacts and make new ones. Don’t be shy, introduce yourself to people and introduce your contacts to each other… The more you do it, the more natural it will become. Also, be conscious of how easy it is to lose contact if you don’t put in the effort. Make sure you reach out to your network on a regular basis, but be aware that contact should be authentic through references to relevant or shared topics; this will build stronger relationships. Most importantly of all, ensure you are reliable and trustworthy. Licensing is a great industry which attracts people for their entire career, so if you let people down it can affect your business and career in the future.

“Learn for life.”

Also, learn for life… You will never know everything and if you enter a new industry like I have, you might even wonder if you know anything at all. Continuing to learn and grow throughout your career is paramount to becoming a knowledgeable and informed individual. There is a wealth of information out there – from career podcasts, YouTube and LinkedIn training courses and, of course, your network of contacts. Make sure to ask lots of questions. This sounds basic, but so many people refrain from doing so out of fear of ridicule. Asking questions saves you time, makes you better at your role and helps to build your relationships as people feel valued when you seek out their knowledge and advice. Learning for life also ensures that you never get bored in your role.

Finally, know yourself… It’s critical to understand your strengths and development areas – and think about what you can do in response to each. Actively gain feedback from as many people as possible, asking them to highlight both your strengths and development areas. It can be easy to only focus on how to improve your development areas. While this is important, you also need to think about how you can better showcase your strengths and what career opportunities give you this ability. Your strengths are what make you great and shouldn’t be ignored.

Pippa Woods, Senior Retail Development Manager, Licensed Consumer Products, Europe, Hasbro
In terms of retail buyers, I’d say attend industry events, network and talk to your suppliers. They know what’s being pitched, the latest content and the lines that are buzzing at retail across. Also, keep a calendar of what’s coming when, including anniversaries, launches, movies releases… Rank this Gold, Silver and Bronze to ensure you are thinking about your customer and what will work for them. And be brave; bring excitement to the customer. Give them a reason not to turn left into food! LinkedIn is great for retailers… No-one will decline a connection from a retailer, so make the most of this and reach out to all areas that could benefit your area and more. Also, keep a little black book – a who’s who! You never know where a connection could lead you, so don’t always take your network at face value.

“Don’t underestimate the importance of your internal network.”

And don’t underestimate the importance of your internal network. Buyers move departments all the time and you never know when someone might move to a department that directly links to your current line of work – and likewise with licensing. It’s a small industry and many people move around, so it’s always good to know who’s who and where they are.

Mentors are also great to help build that internal profile and network and can give you honest feedback as to your approach. I would recommend reaching out to mentors that have a very different approach to your own and can help you understand other viewpoints. When I was at Tesco, we had the opportunity to understand our ‘colour profile’ and the colleagues around you with differing profiles… This can really help you with key stakeholder management and how to adapt your approach to your audience.
And lastly, love what you do and feel grateful that ‘I get to do this’!

Ian Downes, Director, Start Licensing
I think it is important to take an active and proactive interest in the ‘business of licensing’. Where you can attend industry events, but also go beyond the licensing sector and look at other industry sectors – this can be a good way of spotting and understanding new trends. Also, make the effort to visit shops and look at products. You can learn a lot from visiting retail – see new products, understand new categories and how ranges are built. I think it’s also good to see how different types of retailers engage with licensing – with a nod to Dale and Moonpig, this includes online retail as well. As others have said build up your network in the industry… I know this can be tough, but events like BLE and ones run by The Light Fund can help.

“Take an active interest in the ‘business of licensing’.”

I also think there is a value in building up some specialist knowledge. I started in licensing after working in publishing and advertising. My publishing knowledge has acted as a cornerstone to my licensing. career. You can build on your prior experience or seek to build a new specialism or two – social media could be a good example… It may not be your ‘job’, but you can offer valuable insight and input if you develop additional skills.

Licensing is a collaborative business so be prepared to collaborate. As an industry ‘veteran’ I can recommend a career in licensing – it is a business sector that offers lots of opportunities, early responsibility and the ability to influence things.