Interview with Mickey Wilson, CEO and founder of Firestarter
Mickey Wilson is the CEO and founder of Firestarter, a brand agency helping to create impactful brands, particularly purpose-driven scale-up B2B businesses and those in need of differentiation to stay competitive.
What’s your career background?
I left school at 16, then attended college for all of three months – but bursting at the seams I couldn’t wait to get a real job in the real world. So, I quit college, moved to London and started my first gig at a property company in Mayfair.
I always knew I wanted to run my own business, but back then, I was fiercely determined to do something completely different from my parents who ran a design and advertising agency. Fast forward to age 21, and (despite those rebellious intentions!) I took the plunge and launched my first creative agency.
Early on, we were lucky enough to land a big account and this turned out to be game-changing. We went on to work with major corporates and household names, building brands and campaigns at scale. This incredible 20-year journey gave me the chance to hone my skills, learn real lessons about running a business, and also how to create impactful brands.
When did you get the idea for Firestarter?
Between larger contracts, we often worked with smaller, more local businesses – and the spark for Firestarter came from them. I loved the energy of working directly with other founders, where we could make a tangible difference and play a key role in their success.
But for start-ups and scale-ups, one challenge stood above the rest. How to differentiate. Figuring out what sets you apart, what you do better than anyone else, and why your clients should care, can be impossibly hard. I wanted to change that.
So Firestarter was formed to help ambitious entrepreneurs create brands that are highly differentiated – but also deeply authentic and visually striking. We empower purpose-driven businesses to make meaningful impact.
How did you move from idea to actual business?
Well, I realised that our first step was to educate founders on how to build an effective brand. Unlike the marketing teams I’d worked with previously, our clients were often new to branding and needed a clear framework to help them make sense of it all.
So I created our DARE formula for building impactful brands:
- D: Differentiation – Identify and define your unique value.
- A: Authenticity – Align with your true purpose and values.
- R: Resonance – Connect emotionally with your audience.
- E: Expression – Express your brand consistently at every touchpoint.
We designed our first branding programmes around this simple formula and it really helped us to communicate our approach and win clients. We’ve increased our offering and refined our programmes, but DARE remains the backbone of everything we do – helping founders gain clarity on who they are, what they stand for and how to communicate it effectively.
What’s your USP?
We combine creative ingenuity with deep psychological insight. In 2021, I partnered with good friend and psychologist Dr Chris Endersby. Chris is a genius and his expertise helps us understand our clients’ audiences – how they think, feel, act and make decisions. We use these insights to create brands that connect on a human level. This really sets Firestarter apart.
Who’s your target audience?
We work with B2B scale-ups (and a few start-ups). Our clients are often disruptors – people sitting on ideas or solutions that can truly change their industries for the better. They’re purpose-driven and ambitious, with big visions for the impact they want to create.
How do you spread the word about what you do?
Our main focus is LinkedIn – both for outreach and thought leadership. We also build connections through networking, entrepreneur clubs and interviews like this one.
What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest challenges has been building a team of true “Firestarters”.
We look for highly creative people who are ‘ON it’ and ‘IN it’. ON it means they totally apply themselves to the task at hand. They’re driven, hard-working and dedicated to delivering high-quality results. Whereas, IN it people are fully invested in our journey. They want to be part of it. They go the extra mile. And they love what they do which shines through in everything they create. We need both.
Because we run a lean operation to stay affordable for our clients, we can’t compete with the perks of big agencies or client-side roles. We need people who are genuinely excited by the fast pace and diversity of daily life in a small agency.
This all took time to figure out and articulate, but now we have, it’s much easier to spot the right people. They’re rare diamonds, but really worth the search!
And your proudest moment so far?
Launching our Cape Town studio. Initially, we built our team in London, but high costs meant the clients we most wanted to work with – ambitious scale-ups – often couldn’t afford us.
So in 2023, we pivoted and opened Firestarter Studios in Cape Town to tap into South Africa’s incredible pool of creative talent. It’s enabled us to offer world-class design, illustration, and animation without the London price tag. Now, strategy, messaging, and concepts are driven from London, while design is handled in the Cape. It’s been a big win-win for us and our clients.
Why is work so important to you?
I’m at my happiest when I’m being creative – and building brands through Firestarter gives me the chance to channel that into something that makes a tangible difference for others. I also always wanted the freedom of running my own business. Creativity and entrepreneurship both light me up and, most days, they don’t feel like work at all!
Who inspires you?
I’m inspired by people who’ve achieved phenomenal things against all the odds. Who’ve had to fight and take risks to get where they are. And who persevere through challenge and adversity to create something amazing.
What are your three top pieces of advice for someone wanting to do something similar?
1) Like the Nike slogan – Just do it
Don’t wait for perfection. The perfect moment. The perfect idea. The perfect climate. The perfect pitch. Just take action. Otherwise it will never happen.
2) Find a complementary cofounder
Firestarter has come on leaps and bounds since I teamed up with Chris. Having someone whose skills and perspective contrast with your own doesn’t just improve the business – it makes everything so much more fun, too!
3) Prepare for the rollercoaster
Running a business is exhilarating and scary in equal measure. There will be highs and lows, but after trading through multiple market dips and recessions, my advice is: hold tight and don’t panic. Plan and spend wisely of course, but most importantly, believe in what you’re building. Then it always comes good.
4) Invest in your network
Sorry, that’s four, but this one’s invaluable too. Surround yourself with people who inspire, challenge and support you. They’ll open doors, spark ideas, and be there when you need it most.
Find out more about Firestarter.
