An Open Letter | Four Years of Uni4m Media

Dear friends,

As we celebrate four years of Uni4m Media, I felt empowered to write this message for you all, hoping that I can put into words my sentiments about reaching such a monumental milestone.

When it comes to business, I’ve always felt that it’s a game of statistics. Nobody starts a venture; especially one as serious as running your own company, hoping for any outcome other than success. ‘I’m going to make this work. How hard can it be?’, you tell yourself, sheepishly unaware of the tumultuous road waiting ahead. Some might call it stubbornness; I prefer to describe it as naivety. Most start-ups fold after a year, and even more fail to turn a profit for three years, so I was told. But after four years, I’ve learnt that if you can’t believe in yourself, then who can?

Even though July is officially our anniversary, the month we officially began trading four years ago, this story began a little before that. In late 2018, early 2019, I hit a creative brick wall. After spending years grinding in the hopes of becoming a bonafide combat sports journalist, something I’d done in my own personal time outside of a 9-5 at a sports tech firm, I’d come to the realisation that my aspiration had great limitations.

Don’t get me wrong, I was incredibly fortunate to have been gifted the opportunities I had, getting to travel around the world to report on MMA and kickboxing, a dream many envied. But like others in my shoes; especially in the UK, the industry lacked financial security and more so valid opportunity. Even to this day, only a handful of MMA journalists make a living from covering the sport, and those that do often make big sacrifices to achieve even the most basic form of gratuity.

The moment for me when I realised I needed to try something else came after the Andrea Radrizzani-backed Eleven Sports failed to secure a UK TV deal, and were instead confined to their own OTT platform after Sky and BT froze them out of the television market. Without a broadcast channel, they were dead on arrival. This ultimately allowed BT Sport (now TNT Sports) to regain broadcast rights for the UFC. I won’t go into much detail, but there were a few conversations at the time which had they come to fruition, would have been very exciting and potentially even life-changing for myself and several others.

But everything happens for a reason, so I say, and despite being down on my luck, the opportunity I so desperately craved would present itself, albeit in a much different form. The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF), for whom I had interned between 2015-2016, had approached me about coming on board to manage their re-invigorated social media department. It was something at the time I felt unskilled in, for I was what you would call a classic journalist. I could pen a 450-word report and file it within minutes of an event’s conclusion, present a magazine show and even write 100 words per minute shorthand, but social media? Besides my experience using platforms such as Twitter to share my work, I was far from what anyone would consider an expert. But when opportunity presents itself, face it head-on.

“And you’ll probably want to set yourself up as a company because it will be easier for you when invoicing clients.” That’s it. That’s how Uni4m Media was born. I would love to sit here and tell you some extravagant tale of how this became to be, but in actuality, it is much less glamorous than that. Honestly, I think that’s what has made this journey even more incredible. As something which presented itself on a whim, based on an offhand comment by a former colleague, this never should have succeeded. But it has and it continues to do so. So why? Belief.

Since July 2019, Uni4m Media and I have continued to overcome the odds. Learning how to run a business? Slowly but surely. A global pandemic? Survived. Hiring staff for the first time? Well, I certainly overcomplicated that one, but one of my greatest learning curves. All these lessons, ones which I had no choice but to confront as a solo shareholder, helped my growth tremendously. So much so, that in early 2021, I decided (again on a whim with my friend Josh Woods) to rent an office in central Manchester. Just off the back of the pandemic. Madness, hey? Well, I am proud to say that over two years later, we are still partnered with the amazing property team at Watch This Space. Their support and understanding as landlords really helped give Uni4m the boost it needed to shift into the next gear.  

Whenever I look back and think about the journey, it’s this moment, moving into the heart of Manchester which I see as the biggest catalyst for our evolution. It made everything feel real. Not that it wasn’t before, but there’s an exuberance of ‘fake it til you make it’ when running a company out of your spare room. An office space doesn’t necessarily change that though, but when you fill it with life, colour, and laughter (if you know, you know) that’s real. There’s no way you can fake that, no matter how hard you try.

That momentum continued to propel us forward, and with a full-fledged team behind me, it opened the door to so many more exciting possibilities. For starters, I was able to offer more. I had of course invested significant time and resources into learning my new craft, and felt I was getting better with each passing day. I was still learning, though. Despite teaching myself Photoshop, Premiere Pro and more, there were limitations. That’s why hiring a graphic designer and video editor was so paramount to our development. It immediately allowed Uni4m to offer a greater service to its clients.

I think the greatest exercise of all, though, was that of management. I’ve been involved with media since a very young age; 16 to be exact, when I launched my own blog site titled Dreysports, so it’s always been about me, myself, and I. When you’re in a team, especially when positioned as the manager, you must turn that selfishness into selflessness. As one of my favourites Gary Vee explains, when you’re the boss, the buck stops at you. If you’re not willing to do something, if you can’t lead by example, then why should anyone else feel empowered to do it? It is your business after all, not theirs. It’s that exact philosophy which Uni4m is founded upon; that and my obsession with communication.

I’ve always been humble with aspirations, for the longest time I just wanted to turn a profit. Year after year, we’ve smashed that goal. So, what else? Making a difference. That’s our ‘why’ as Simon Sinek puts it and it has powered us to do more than I ever could have imagined. That’s what I say to every client. If you want me to work with you, then give me your trust, give me your backing and I promise I’ll make a difference. And that’s what we’ve done.

From IMMAF, growing from the solo social staffer to bringing in the entire Uni4m agency to handle social, content creation and distribution, has been an unbelievable experience. It’s these teachings, being able to grow a modestly funded operation, which has enabled us to level up our own knowledge and capabilities to better serve other partners such as Fighters Inc (FightMad Podcast), LEN – European Aquatics, NEOM Beach Games and many more. Most importantly, it gave me the confidence I needed in myself to lead. Ultimately, I believe that’s why earlier this year, when the option for renewal came up with Bellator MMA, the promotion elevated Uni4m into a more prominent position; also positioning me as the Head of Social Media. When I first started, that was nothing short of a pipe dream. Now, it’s my reality, and I’m eternally grateful for that.

There is so much more I want to write about, that in the essence of time, I will harbour for another day, perhaps. This is the first time I have sat down and written any prose since my fleeting days as a sports journalist. Of course, my thumbs have never taken a break, but writing social media copy is more forthright. There is no greater feeling than writing something meaningful and helpful. It’s therapeutic in a way. I know that’s how my good friend Esme Rose describes it whenever she pens her deeply thought-provoking newsletters. Maybe I never should have stopped, or maybe it’s my time away from this form of expression which has driven me to open up so freely.

To summarise my extensive ramblings, I just want to say thank you. Thank YOU. To my friends and family, you know the role you’ve played in this, the support you’ve given me has been invaluable. To all my staff, both past and present, I don’t think I can even put into words what you all mean to me. Just know that I am grateful beyond imagination. Lastly, to our clients, whether our relationship has been brief or long-standing, just know that it’s your trust, and your belief in me and the team, that drives us to deliver time and time again. Your support allows us to continue doing what we love. 

So, here’s to the next four years and beyond.

Happy birthday, Uni4m.

Yours sincerely, 

Andreas

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