About Callum Howard
At Limitless, we work with business leaders across the UK to identify where they’re losing time and money, and solve those problems with memorable, cinematic video.
We asked Callum to look back and reflect on his younger self…
Q&As
How would you describe yourself at 18?
I was the archetypal class clown. My school reports often said I would “do much better if I spent less time trying to make the class laugh” – whoops! I was also playing rugby, working a Saturday job fixing PCs, volunteering in the Scouts, running a YouTube channel. I never stopped.
What inspired you to start your own business?
I don’t think I ever had that “a-ha” moment. My Co-Founder, Rob Lancaster, and I had built a reputation in Lowestoft for being two lads with cameras who knew how to use them, so a business seemed the logical, easy next step. How naive we were!
If you could go back knowing what you know now, what three things would you tell yourself to do when you first became a business owner?
- Charge what you’re worth. You have an incredibly valuable skillset that deserves to be properly compensated.
- Be kind to yourself. You’re working really hard.
- Download a CRM. The pipe is life! When your sales pipeline is full, it takes the pressure off and moves you from “I need this job to pay my rent” to “I wonder if this would be a good fit for me”.
What are the biggest lessons you have learnt professionally?
- Strategy always. A lovely website video is great, but without sound commercial reasoning, it’s just an ornament.
- Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know, but you’ll find out. Clients don’t want someone who knows it all; they want someone with the humility to say they’ll find the right answer.
How did you deal with a big mistake, and what did you learn from the experience?
A few summers ago, we were filming at a holiday retreat in Norfolk, and to get the most cinematic shots we were using big 600W lights. One of those lights got a bit too close to one of the beds and melted a perfect circle into the linen – yikes! Now, my first job was cleaning holiday homes in Southwold and I can change bedding quicker than you can say “Adnams Ghost Ship”! So, I quickly found the clean laundry, changed the sheets and rather sheepishly took the burned piece to the homeowner with my wallet at the ready. Luckily, she was really understanding and refused any money, so I sent some flowers and a bottle of bubbly instead.
I learnt that you really can’t think of every eventuality, no matter how much you plan. And I always tell my team, I’m not worried if they make a mistake, as long as they own it and learn from it.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I want to continue to grow the Limitless team with more amazing creatives and problem solvers, so we can help more ambitious businesses to reach their full potential.
What does the future have in store for you personally?
My wonderful girlfriend keeps reminding me that there’s no ring on her finger, so no pressure there! I also want to continue building our home and seeing more of the world.
