I'm James Adam. I've spent 25 years in marketing, 17 of them running my own businesses. I didn't plan any of it. I fell into marketing when my boss disappeared on day one, but I've never looked back.
Today I run two businesses. Cunning Plan Marketing, which I founded in 2009, is a destination and place marketing agency working with towns, retail destinations and hospitality brands. We work with clients across the North West and beyond, helping places tell better stories and attract the audiences they deserve. I still run it day to day, which matters, because everything I teach, I'm still doing.
In 2020 I co-founded Thirty Three Percent with my business partner Garry. We built it to do one thing: help small business owners and their teams fall back in love with what they do. Through talks, workshops, brand strategy and 1:1 support, we work with founders who are brilliant at what they do but aren't always sure how to talk about it, market it, or grow it sustainably.
What we offer through Thirty Three Percent:
Speaking - Practical, high-energy talks on marketing, brand, business growth and founder wellbeing. We've spoken at The Science Museum, for Small Business Britain, eBay, the Prince's Trust, Digital Boost and The Growth Company. Real frameworks your audience can use on Monday morning, not motivational fluff.
Workshops - Hands-on sessions that end with a clear plan, not a pile of post-it notes. Topics include Think Like Your Customer, Humanising Your Marketing, Starting a Business Confidently, Shooting Engaging Video Content, and Brand and Marketing Strategy.
Brand and Marketing Strategy - Getting crystal clear on who you are, what you stand for, and how to communicate it. Whether you're starting out or restarting, we give you a roadmap that works.
1:1 Support - For founders who need a sounding board, a strategic brain, and someone who'll tell them the truth. Think of it as having a board advisor in your corner, without the six-figure price tag.
I'm also a certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator, which sounds unusual until you're in the room and realise how quickly it cuts through the noise and gets people thinking differently.
Before Thirty Three Percent, I spent years working with big brands including JCB, Hasbro and The North Face. That gave me a serious toolkit. But the work I find most meaningful is with small business owners. The impact is immediate, personal and real. Since launching Thirty Three Percent we've worked with thousands of small businesses, and that number keeps growing.
I've built a team of 15 and scaled it deliberately back to three. That decision taught me more about business clarity than almost anything else, and it's the kind of decision I help other founders think through every week.
I'm based in the North West. I run two businesses, work with clients I genuinely like, and still make every school play and sports day. I don't say that to brag. I say it because sustainable business is something I care about deeply, and I think it's possible for more people than currently believe it.
Find me on Instagram and TikTok at @imjamesadam, or visit thirtythreepercent.co.uk if you'd like to work together.
