September was probably the biggest month yet for F42 Consulting.
The month centred around my first trip to the SBC Summit in Lisbon, where I spent several days meeting brands, agencies and potential partners from across the global iGaming industry. I also spent time in London before and after the conference, catching up with existing clients and meeting some exciting new contacts.
There was plenty happening away from the conference too, including more work with UFC fighters and some new media projects that are becoming an increasingly important part of what F42 does.
Here’s what’s been happening.
SBC Summit Lisbon
The biggest milestone of the month was taking F42 to Lisbon for the SBC Summit. Less than a year after launching the business, I was sitting in a packed conference centre alongside some of the biggest names in the iGaming industry. For a one-person consultancy, that felt like a pretty significant moment.
I went into the conference with a long list of meetings and a fairly structured plan for how I wanted the week to go. That lasted about an hour. The SBC Summit is chaos. There are thousands of people moving between meetings, stands, events and parties, and some of the most useful conversations came from people I hadn’t planned to meet at all. That ended up being one of the biggest lessons from the week: have a plan, but don’t be afraid to throw it out when something more interesting comes along.
I came away from Lisbon with a much clearer understanding of where F42 can add value within the industry, as well as a number of conversations that I’m now working to turn into real partnerships. There were discussions around sponsorship strategy, ambassador partnerships, content, digital PR and new commercial opportunities, with both existing relationships and completely new contacts. Most importantly, it confirmed that putting F42 in the room with the right people is worth doing.
I’ll definitely be back.
From Lisbon to London
After SBC, I headed back to London for a few days before returning to Australia. The London trip was a good opportunity to shift gears from meeting dozens of new people to spending proper time with some of the people I already work with.
I caught up with existing clients and partners, while also meeting some exciting potential new partners face-to-face for the first time. That’s something I’ve increasingly realised about running F42: the value of relationships often comes from spending time together in a casual setting.
A conference can open a door, but it’s the conversations afterwards that tend to determine whether anything actually happens. September gave me plenty of both.
More UFC work for F42
September also saw me complete a couple of exciting projects with top-tier UFC fighters, including Brian Ortega. These projects are becoming an increasingly regular part of F42’s work, and it’s an area I’m particularly excited to develop further.
I’ve spent a significant part of my career working across combat sports, so it’s great to be bringing that experience into F42 and finding new ways to create value around some of the biggest names in the sport. If you’re a brand exploring MMA or looking to get more from your existing partnerships in the sport, I’d be happy to have a conversation.
What’s next?
September was a big step forward for F42. Taking the business to one of the biggest events in the iGaming calendar was a milestone in itself, but the real value will come from what happens with the relationships and opportunities that came out of it.
There are some exciting conversations now developing across sponsorship, ambassadors, media and content, alongside continued work with existing clients. The next few months will be about turning those conversations into tangible results and continuing to build F42 into the consultancy I set out to create.
And then there’s another milestone coming up in October: F42’s first birthday. I’m not entirely sure how I’ll celebrate it yet, but making it through the first year of trading is a pretty significant achievement for any business, particularly a one-person consultancy built from scratch. There have been plenty of ups and downs, but I’m proud of what I’ve built in the first year and, more importantly, excited about where F42 can go from here.