Podcast Summary: James Reed: All About Business

Episode 67: How to Evolve Your Offering to Grow a Service-Based Business
Guests: Gregory Nice & Jack Stanton (Nice Productions)
Host: James Reed
Date: February 23, 2026

Overview

This episode dives into how creative agency Nice Productions, co-founded by Gregory Nice and Jack Stanton, evolved from side-hustle filmmaking to a multi-channel creative agency serving global brands. James Reed draws out the lessons of resilience, adaptation, and partnership in the creative industry, focusing on practical steps for business growth, the realities of scaling, and the ongoing impact of technology like AI on creative services.

The conversation blends anecdotes, strategic advice, and candid reflections on what it means to succeed—and survive—in today's content-saturated market.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origin Story: From Side Hustle to Agency

• Gregory’s Beginnings:
  • Started Nice Productions in 2011 as a registered business but properly launched in 2015/16 once Jack Stanton joined full time ([02:10–06:04]).
  • Gregory always had an entrepreneurial streak: “I had the secret tuck shop under my desk—I’d spend 50 quid and turn that into 200” ([03:09], Gregory).
  • Early work involved freelance gigs, music videos, startup content, and ads—balancing between career and creative ambitions.
• Partnership with Jack:
  • Jack and Gregory met at school at 13, collaborated from university holidays before formalizing their business ([06:20–07:02]).
  • Equal partners ("50/50 is it? All right" [07:10], James).

2. Brand Identity and Evolution

• Naming and Rebranding:
  • "Nice" is both Gregory's surname and an ethos: “We like it as an ethos as well, not just a name” ([08:48], Gregory).
  • Currently moving from “Nice Productions” to “Nice”—reflecting a broader service offering ([07:24, 08:07]).
• Culture & Client Experience:
  • Intentionally accessible, breaking down industry "stickiness" and pretension ([09:02–09:27]).

3. Expanding Offerings: Going Multichannel

• Catalyst for Growth:
  • Reed’s campaigns drove Nice Productions to expand from video/photography into multichannel projects covering radio, out-of-home, and social ([09:43–13:09]).
  • Learning by doing: “You also asked for radio, which to be completely honest, we’d never done before. Now it’s something that we offer to clients quite a lot” ([10:21], Gregory).
• Client-Led Adaptation:
  • Experience enables proactive client advice for expanding campaigns into new, more cost-effective channels: “Have you thought about an additional radio campaign?... We can support you in creating them” ([12:00], Gregory).

4. Collaboration & Division of Roles

• Workflow Dynamics:
  • Gregory: logistics, budget, set direction
  • Jack: creative direction, art direction, post-production, media delivery ([13:57–15:09]).
  • “Greg’s the brains, I’m the muscle. That’s pretty much it” ([13:57], Jack).
• Regulatory Hurdles:
  • Jack handles ad approvals (“Clearcast and all the other agencies...”) and discusses the relative freedom of social and print ([15:40–16:44]).

5. Standing Out in a Crowded Market

• Survival Through Adversity:
  • “Covid was a big killer of a lot of companies... We were really lucky, and I think one of our big skill sets is our post-production” ([18:24–19:17], Gregory).
  • Adapted by remixing existing footage, maintaining client content during tough times.

6. Impact of Technology & AI

• AI as Disruptor:
  • Writers’ strikes and AI reducing basic production work ([21:25–23:46]).
  • Real example: Offered a job to create AI digital doubles for execs—turned down as “you’re asking us to basically kill our own job” ([22:13–23:37], Gregory).
  • Both see the creative core as resilient to AI, but acknowledge entry-level and “basic talking heads” work is being commoditized ([23:46–27:09]).
• Quote [27:09], Jack:
  “If we were starting out now, that’s where the struggle would be because there isn’t that entry point first rung… businesses can make these smaller, cheaper things."

7. Case Study: Viral Marketing for Itzu

• The Willesden Raider Campaign:
  • Used meme culture and nostalgia in low-budget content to go viral (20+ million organic views) ([35:12–41:22]).
  • “It’s quite wild. It’s quite obscure. Somehow it hit some note.” ([37:40–37:48], James).
  • Success with virality as a differentiator for the agency, leading to conversations with new brands ([42:09–42:46]).

8. Changing Industry Barriers

• Democratization of Filmmaking:
  • From expensive film to Canon 5D, to smartphones and YouTube ([43:30–45:59]).
  • “If you want to get into making films and TV or advertising, just do it. Just take your phone, go and make a video with your friends.” ([47:05–47:25], Gregory).
• Implications:
  • Easier than ever for entrants, but harder to scale and to stand out.

9. Scaling, Clients, and Future Plans

• Repositioning for Growth:
  • Focusing on multichannel campaigns and moving up the client scale ([50:23–52:10]).
  • "Once you're at that point, you then have the scalability to take on more people in a new business role" ([51:01], Gregory).
• Networks Matter:
  • Landing Bentley thanks to a family connection (not “nepotism”—just connections), opening up further opportunities ([53:36–54:02]).
  • “Word of mouth is quite honestly 95% of our business” ([55:23–57:32], Gregory).
• Winning Business:
  • Leveraging viral successes (Itzu) for outbound and LinkedIn outreach.
  • Cold outreach less effective; existing relationships and referrals are key.

10. Creative Process & Partnership

• Generating Ideas:
  • Informal, iterative, collaborative ideation with shared docs, open to critique ([58:16–59:46]).
  • Value in partnerships: “There’s a sort of dynamism by being a partnership that you’d have missed out on” ([60:44–61:02], James).
• Growth Advice:
  • Find a complementary partner—creative and technical balance enhances execution and resilience ([61:06–61:21], Gregory).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Brand Name and Ethos

  • "We like it as an ethos as well. Not just the name… You should be nice to deal with.”
    — Gregory Nice [08:48]

• On Evolving Offerings

  • “Working with Reed was the first time we had multi-channel. It wasn’t just video and photography… You asked for radio, which to be completely honest we’d never done before. Now it’s something we offer quite a lot.”
    — Gregory Nice [09:43–10:21]

• Viral Campaign Insight

  • “It’s quite wild. It’s quite obscure. Somehow it hit some note.”
    — James Reed [37:40–37:48]

• On AI Threat

  • “We were basically being asked to kill our own job… so thank you, but no thank you.”
    — Gregory Nice [23:29–23:37]
  • “What AI does remind me of is in our earlier days we were to some degree having to outrun smaller businesses making content themselves on smartphones… The lower end stuff is being mopped up.”
    — Jack Stanton [26:04–27:09]

• Advice for Entrants

  • “If you want to get into making films and TV or advertising, just do it. Just take your phone, go and make a video with your friends… It’s even more democratized.”
    — Gregory Nice [47:05–47:25]

• On Partnership Dynamics

  • “Hands up who does what.”
    — James Reed [30:04]
  • “There’s a sort of dynamism by being a partnership that you’d have missed out on.”
    — James Reed [60:44]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:10] Gregory’s business beginnings and early hustle
• [06:20] Jack’s entry into Nice Productions and school friendship
• [08:07] Discussion of rebranding from “Nice Productions” to “Nice”
• [09:43] Major pivot to multichannel campaigns via Reed partnership
• [13:57] Division of creative and operational roles (brains & muscle)
• [18:24] Navigating challenges (Covid, industry contraction)
• [21:25] The ripple effect of the writers’ strike and AI on creative work
• [27:09] Lower entry barriers and changes in first-rung opportunities
• [35:12] Case study: Itzu’s viral “Willesden Raider” ad
• [43:30] The democratization of filmmaking
• [50:23] Discussing future plans & scaling (new hires, rebranding)
• [53:32] The role of relationships: landing Bentley, Intercontinental, Reed
• [55:23] Winning business: the power of referrals & viral leverage
• [58:16] Idea generation and creative partnership dynamic
• [61:21] Advice: the importance of choosing the right business partner
• [64:20] What gets them up on Mondays: new projects, gym routines
• [65:19] Five-year vision: scaling to 10+ employees, bigger campaigns

Conclusion — Advice & Takeaways

• Adapt & Evolve: Don’t limit your agency—expand services, learn by doing, respond to client needs.
• Partnership is Key: Find someone who complements your strengths; two minds spark better creativity and resilience.
• Credibility via Clients: Major client relationships unlock further opportunities—sometimes via connections, always via delivery.
• Democratization: Filmmaking tech is more accessible, so the challenge is now about standing out and moving up, not just getting in.
• Be Proactive: Leverage every piece of work for new business, especially when going viral; referrals and reputation matter most.
• Creative Process: Keep it iterative, informal, and sparring—give ideas space, but pressure-test feasibility and execution.
• Stay Nice: Living up to the brand name—kindness, honesty, and accessibility are as important as the work itself.

Where to Find More

• Nice Productions (soon: Nice) — [nice-productions.com] (check for rebranding updates)
• Contact via LinkedIn — For business inquiries, creative collaborations, or campaign examples.

Endorsed by James Reed:

“Very happy to endorse you to anyone listening as a good partner… it’s been a pleasure working with you.”
[66:09], James Reed