Let me tell you a secret. I didn’t start The Oracle Group with a flawless business plan or a carefully mapped five-year strategy. I started it with determination and a burning desire to create an agency that felt different.
Fifteen years ago, I knew I could build relationships, win business and collaborate brilliantly with clients, peers and colleagues. That part felt natural. What I didn’t fully appreciate was that, almost overnight, you suddenly have to become a master of everything else too.
Finance. HR. Logistics. IT. Admin.
Especially admin.
Nobody really tells you that when you start a business.
What I’ve learnt is that success is rarely about having all the answers immediately. It’s about surrounding yourself with good people and being willing to learn constantly. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside people who taught me to listen more, react less and wait until I had the full picture in front of me.
It sounds simple.
It took me years.
Growing with the industry
From day one, our ethos has remained the same: communication works best when it is authentic, strategic and people-focused.
Over the last 15 years, the industry has changed dramatically. Social media reshaped engagement, digital storytelling became central to campaigns, and communications evolved faster than any of us could have predicted. Rather than standing still, we evolved with it.
What started as a PR agency became a full-service communications business, always looking for new ways to help clients stay ahead of the conversation. Supporting regeneration schemes, affordable housing initiatives and major stakeholder campaigns has always been about far more than publicity. It’s about helping create conversations that matter.
The trust our clients place in us is something we never take for granted.
The highlights
Fifteen years brings plenty of moments to look back on with pride.
Client wins against strong competitors. Award wins that validated what we were building. Watching our team grow in confidence and ambition is probably the most rewarding part of all.
Some moments genuinely stop you in your tracks.
Receiving a letter from the Prime Minister recognising The Oracle Group as the 17th fastest-growing female-led business in the UK was certainly one of them. Being invited to speak at industry events and sit on judging panels felt incredibly special too.
And then there were the quieter moments that mattered just as much. Having the confidence to say no to work that wasn’t right for us and being bold enough to stand by that decision.
Sometimes growth is about knowing what not to do.
The challenges — and the funny bits
Of course, it hasn’t all been straightforward.
Managing a team of 26 people at our peak stretched me in ways I could never have anticipated. Then came Brexit, Covid and governments with plenty of talk and very little action. Every challenge tested us, and every challenge made us sharper.
But alongside the pressure came the moments that still make me laugh.
Like the journalist who once asked, entirely seriously, whether a nun could sit on a buffalo for a better photo opportunity.
Or the time a client and I boarded a train for a regional office visit and somehow ended up on the wrong side of the country.
And then there was the journalist briefing where I confidently ordered steak tartare without fully understanding what it was. Reader, I soon found out, and thankfully, a very kind journalist swapped his fish and chips for mine.
That’s what fifteen years really looks like.
Not just the awards or the client list, but the people who backed us, supported us and helped shape who we are today.
Looking ahead
Reaching 15 years feels like an incredible milestone, but also the beginning of a new chapter.
The communications landscape continues to evolve at pace, with AI, digital engagement and influencer-led strategies reshaping how brands connect with audiences. At The Oracle Group, we remain committed to staying ahead of the conversation while delivering the strategic, creative and trusted support our clients rely on.
To every client, colleague, partner and supporter who has been part of our journey over the past 15 years: thank you.
Here’s to the next chapter.