Ian Sanders - Juggle!: Rethink Work, Reclaim Your Life

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Ian Sanders is an entrepreneur, project manager, ideas-producer, marketing consultant and writer who has been juggling for 20 years. In 2008 Ian was included in the Business category of the Courvoisier The Future 500, a network of Britains rising stars. His career has embraced event production, broadcasting, broadcast services and marketing working with brands including MTV, Benetton, The Financial Times and Pepsi.

Since 2005 Ian has been running OHM, a marketing and business consultancy that helps clients exploit their market potential. Here he juggles a portfolio that extends from big projects for global clients through to one-off assignments for one-person start ups. In all he does, Ian trades on making a difference.

Ians first book Leap! Ditch Your Job, Start Your Own Business & Set Yourself Free was published by Capstone in January 2008.

He lives in Leigh-on-Sea with his wife and two sons. Find out more about Ian at www.iansanders.com and visit his blog at www.planetjuggle.com.

Author photo by Steven Mayatt.

Ive been a Juggler all my working life. Ive never mastered the art of actually juggling balls in the air, but from the age of 17 when I mixed school studies, a Saturday job and working in a radio station, right through my career, Ive always striven to follow my heart and do more than one thing.

Some parts of that last 20 years career stand out more than others. Interviewing Billy Bragg when I was 17, guarding Prince Charles by standing between him and a lighting tripod, interviewing Christian Slater, making tea for Sister Sledge, shaking hands with Tony Blair and Stevie Wonder (not at the same time), being an escort to Mr Blobby, working backstage at The MTV Europe Music Awards. From photocopying scripts to attending board meetings Ive done a lot. And I love that diversity.

That bunch of weirdness is who I am, the anathema of a carefully crafted career plan. Its not just been about earning a living, but having fun and living my dreams. Thats in contrast to the career routes that our parents generation took.

In my last proper job I carved out a unique role as corporate Juggler with a make it up as you go along portfolio. I was managing director of one division, set up an operation at a new site, organised the company away day, managed joint venture projects, and edited the company newsletter. All at the same time. Going self employed enabled me to re invent myself free of a single job title, instead defined by a handful. But proof that whether you work for a big corporation, a small business or are self employed, you can still choose to be a Juggler.

I still find it difficult describing to others what I do; summing that up in a one word description. Ive just always done stuff (media, marketing, events, projects). These two snapshots sum up the enigma of my recent life as a Juggler:

Juggle Moment#1 -October 2003. A Thursday night in the basement of a pub in Islington, London N1 and I am crouching on the floor trying to stop a crazy bunch of enthusiastic Japanese fans from diving on to the tiny stage. On stage: Brigade, an Anglo Japanese rock band. Its one of my latest business ventures: advisor to Open Top Music, Brigades management company. Talk about hands on management! The venue is dripping with sweat as I push the small crowd back. This is one of Brigades first gigs and the crowd is loving it. I take a sip at my beer and smile at the juxtaposition between this and my other projects. Im doing this one minute; managing an ad campaign for a big company the next, mixing bands with brands. Working on the band project was not about the money but it was new, it was different, it was fun. And most importantly - it was ME. Working with my business partners in uncharted territory, trying to get a new band established. An example of what you can do in this scrambled up world of work; with no rules, no limits, no cant do list, but a passion to enjoy whatever you do.

Juggle Moment#2 - May 2005. I am sipping another drink on board Octopus, then the worlds biggest private yacht, moored offshore at the Cannes Film Festival. Im at a party hosted by Microsoft co founder Paul Allen, who also happens to be the 7th richest man in the world. Guests include the film director George Lucas and the designer John Rocha (people known for their singular exceptional talent) and some bloke called Ian Sanders who were not sure exactly what he does. Guests mingle and talk is of what business were doing at the festival. I consider answering a bit of this and that before confessing the truth, I just came for the party. I take it all in as I look back at the shore line and feel its a long journey from the A13 - the main road out of where I grew up in Essex - to Le Croisette. Im reminded of what my friend and former colleague Emily had recently emailed me:

And she had a point. How did I get away with all this: living the life of a Juggler, carving out a unique work life, making it up as I go along?

Im not quite sure how I got here. I guess it was by accident; definitely not a grand plan. If anything, it was based on an all embracing philosophy to do Everything I Fancied.

I soon realised I was not the only one juggling. Friends and clients were doing it. People I met, people I read about. Whether they are working for employers or doing their own thing, what unites such people is not just a desire to succeed, but to carve out their own work life mixed up with their personal passions. The intention - of course - is to keep all the balls in the air.

To kick off writing this book, I took an inspiration jaunt to France. I needed a similar trip to help finish it, so I went to Amsterdam. In between those Destination Book Ends it was bloody hard work. Juggling the book with my consultancy business, with clients, projects, a holiday, weekends, my wife and two sons. That journey was tough but it gave me a real life case study in juggling.

This is my Juggle Story.

A round of applause to the Jugglers: Kevin Roberts, Roxanne Darling, Gary Vaynerchuk, Melanie Greene, Mike Southon.

Thanks to the other jugglers I have spoken to: David Sloly, Cheryl Goldenberg, Chris White, Mark Rowles, Richard Ren, Andy Bird, Dave Shields, Jan Simon, Trevor Campbell, Sam Bompas, David Prior and Ian Burrell.

Thanks go to Steven Mayatt, Matt Sitomen, Peter Morris, Ricky Burgess, Paul Ingle and Emily Morris for helping with Project Juggle. To Sarah, Jenny, Iain, Megan and Grace at Capstone for helping turn this idea into reality.