Meet Creative Agency Owner Toby Lewis Thomas

A former freelance photographer, Toby Thomas found his career skyrocketing after he joined James Allen and Elliot Hammer to run one of London’s most exciting creative agencies. As Creative Director for Birch, Toby has advised brands like GQ and Christian Vision and shot images for Deutsche Bank, Reebok, Elle Magazine and Hillsong London. 

We caught up with Toby to hear more about what he's learned after transitioning from freelancer to small business owner and the biggest pricing lesson they've learned so far.

Name: Toby Lewis Thomas

Business: Birch

Started: August 2009 (Toby joined as co-owner October 2014)

How did you create your awesome job?

While studying photography in school, I became involved in the music industry. I started touring with bands as a videographer/photographer and, shortly after, I decided to pursue it full-time. I rented a studio and started off with really small jobs, but my clients were always happy to recommend me.

Back then, content — and particularly video content — was becoming super important. Every brand suddenly wanted to promote itself through video, so finding work wasn’t a problem. The idea of even having "content" was still a reasonably new concept, and brands were looking for advice as well as production skills. 

I set myself apart from others in the industry by tracking the impact of everything I did. I was committed to finding out what worked and what didn’t work, and I always took the lessons I learned into my next jobs.

I met my business partners, James and Elliot, when I rented an office space from them. They had already been running  Birch for about four years, and we developed a mutual respect for each other’s work. We collaborated on a few projects before deciding to come together to run Birch as a full-service studio. 

Looking back over the past year and a half now, I can’t believe how far we’ve come!

Who was your very first customer?

The first 360-degree project we worked on together as Birch was for the Archbishop of Canterbury. The pastor of my church had come to a charity event that we ran to support A21, and he recommended us to the Archbishop’s communications department. 

With just a few days to prepare, we booked a gallery to showcase images from some of the photographers we’d worked with over the years and printed postcard books to sell to the 250 visitors who came. 

We ended up working with the Archbishop on a separate branding and photography project, which proved to me that if you really pursue what you love and always strive for excellence, good things will come.

When did you know your business was going to work?

It only took a couple of shoots for me to realize that I was working with people whom I love and admire. Of course, I care about making a profit and building a business, but the most important thing is surrounding myself with the right people. 

Everyone who works on our projects spends time in our office, which makes us more personal than other agencies that rely on outsourcing. When I succeed, I bring those I care about with me, which is a huge honor and privilege.

What has been your favorite experience of working with a client?

We worked with McDonald's on a recruitment campaign, and it was incredible. Not just because our whole team was involved, but because we were photographing real McDonald's staff members who had never had their photos taken professionally before. Being able to make them feel like a million dollars was great.

What has been the biggest surprise so far after starting your own business?

James, Elliot and I have found a way of working that allows us all to do what we do best, and I didn’t think this would ever be an option.

When I was on my own, I had to do everything from photography to accounting, but it’s been amazing to be able to focus purely on what I do best. I bring a tasteful opinion and quality control to each project, which adds huge value to the company.

How do you price your services?

We keep things simple. We have a day rate and we stick to it. 

The biggest problems we’ve had with pricing have been when we’re not on the same page as our clients. We've learned that oftentimes projects like these aren’t worth taking on. Our combined experience has taught us how to choose our clients well.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I get to our office in East London at around 9am and begin looking at projects or talking to my clients. These days I spend more time directing than shooting, but I’m on set for one or two days a week on average. 

For me, being a Creative Director and co-owner means linking lots of components together and being able to take the time to expand on ideas when my mind is running on overdrive.

I’ll always make time to have lunch or coffee with my team to talk big ideas, through. We don’t just churn stuff out — we challenge ourselves to do the best work we possibly can.

If you could go back in time, what’s the one thing you would do differently when starting your business with James and Elliot?

As we’ve grown, we’ve gained more freedom to try new things, but it would have been nice to have had this from the beginning. For example, we’ve recently been able to shoot exclusively on Red cameras, which has resulted in a big step-up in our production quality. 

I try never to look back at anything with regret, though. We’ve picked our clients carefully and, if anything, I’ve been amazed by how well it’s all working out. I’m 27 years old and I’m so proud to call myself a part of this creative family.

What would you like to learn today from a community of other small business owners and self-employed professionals?

We’re looking to launch an office in New York in the near future. I spend a lot of time over there and feel confident that our agency would fit right in. I’d love advice on how to break into America and, more specifically, how to find office space in New York! 

Calling all Creatives!

Do you have experience opening up an office in a new city — or even a new country? How did you find your office space or workspace? Do you have tips for Toby on how to break into a new market?

If you have a story to tell, share it with us below!