Inside Formula 1: Business. Lifestyle. Power.
Inside Formula 1: Business. Lifestyle. Power.
Different angle for a change
I was asked recently by one of my young mentoring clients what was the first race car that I had driven on a race circuit, where it had been, and when. He was quite surprised when I had no…
Nothing is forever!
Resisting the temptation to talk about the immediate effects on motorsport of the dreaded virus, I want to talk about the longer-term situation. No one actually knows what changes this pandemic will bring. One thing is certain, however, and that…
Why “motorsport has always been expensive” is a worn out response
I was delighted to be invited by BMW British Touring Car driver Tom Oliphant to talk at his recent innovative Sponsorship Summit, which was held recently at the BRDC HQ at Silverstone. The event was hosted by Tom’s Next Level…
You don’t have to be a champion to be a winner
By Colin Windell | This motorsport-inspired book by former Kyalami manager, founder of Motorsport Industry Association, and Paddock magazine’s good friend Brian Sims is a valuable insight into the world of creating opportunity. Let’s open a few pages. When…
Money, Egos & Speed: A significant deal
I was recently asked by one of the delegates on a sponsorship-acquisition course that I was running, what I considered to be my most significant ever sponsorship deal. I told her that weirdly it was the one I’d secured over…
Money, Egos & Speed: We need more motorsport competitors!
Motorsport competitors! As I’m writing this article, it’s snowing hard and there is a wind chill of around -5 degrees Centigrade. I recall racing in Formula Ford on a snow-lined track at Brands Hatch in the middle of May, so…
The strategy behind… securing a renewal
In my role as a Guest Lecturer for the World Academy of Sport, I deliver sponsorship acquisition training to delegates across a wide range of sports. Their needs are often different, but the one thing that everyone agrees upon is…
Getting your prospect to sell your sponsorship property for you
By Brian Sims | We’ve all met them; sales-people who have the gift of the gab, believing that the more they talk to a potential customer, the more likely they are to do a deal. You see it in their…
The Strategy Behind… being different.
The feedback that I receive from sponsorship-seekers across so many sports tells me that for most people, the toughest part of the acquisition process is getting a meeting with a targeted company at an effective level. It’s relatively easy…
The Strategy Behind… saving a company
It’s likely that many motorsport sponsorship-seekers will be targeting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), businesses with an annual turnover not exceeding 50 million Euros and employing less than 250 personnel. So what’s the right recipe for doing that? Many…
Time for a level playing field
For me, the saddest comment of 2016 came from a newcomer Lance Stroll, telling us that Williams F1 had offered him a drive based on his talent. I have no doubt the lad sincerely believes this, but the reality is…
Changing to race mode
I’m always a little suspicious when I find it impossible to speak to or communicate with the person at the helm of a business that I have dealings with. I recall being told on one occasion that the Head of…
