The Humans of Hancock and Rowe: Gavin
The Humans of Hancock and Rowe is a series of interviews that introduces you to who we are and the people we work alongside. From our team to our clients, we’ll be sharing the stories of those who our agency help, support and collaborate with.
Introducing Gavin Willis, Founder and CEO of search seven and long-term collaborator.
Where do you come from?
I am from Brighton, or London by the sea, as many refer to it as. Apart from a stint at uni in Southampton, I’ve always lived here, and absolutely love it.
Being by the sea but also a stones throw from the South Downs, I get to enjoy the best of both.
It’s a fantastic city and I still love heading into the town centre for meetings, events and team socials, as well as nights out with friends to enjoy the vast array of restaurants, gigs, the theatre, and some awesome pubs. I may be known for my love of Tuaca - a caramel liqueur which somehow has remained a Brighton secret for over 15 years now!
Where are you now?
I now live just north of Brighton in a lovely little village called Hurstpierpoint. It’s an 8 minute train journey into Brighton and 55 minutes to London. We’ve lived here for 6 years now, and since moving we have got married, got a cat and dog and now have two beautiful girls!
The village is amazing, it has a great buzz yet also away from the hustle and bustle of Brighton city centre. There are some lovely walks up on the south downs and some great pubs and parks to enjoy, with family and friends. We feel very lucky to have found such a welcoming community and see ourselves being based here for a long time to come.
How did you travel between the two?
After my time at Southampton University (or I should say, Solent Uni - I’m not that clever) I moved to Hove, then to Shoreham Beach and back to Hove again where I set up search seven in 2011, and our first office in 2012.
What are your hopes for the future and the digital world?
My biggest goal is to embrace calm over chaos - to let things go more and live in the present. To let my amazing team manage the day-to-day and enjoy my ambassador role of representing the agency out and about.
For search seven, we have some grand plans which are incredibly exciting. Our goals are built around the 3 P’s: People, Purpose and Profit. We want to double the team, double our revenues and increase our fundraising to £200,000 by the end of 2026 to mark our 15th birthday!
Regarding digital, with the influx of AI, I hope there will always be a need for strategic support and human interactions to guide and grow strategies and relationships.
What do you find most enjoyable about partnering with Hancock and Rowe?
The team is great and the work they produce is excellent. Liaising closely with Jason on projects and new business opportunities has been a joy, super speedy and great detail when scoping out projects and timelines and how our services compliment one another.
