Oli Green, Managing Partner at Tangent

Tangent is a Digital Agency based in Fitzrovia that has worked with a range of clients from large enterprises to budding start-ups.

Their clients include big names like Sky, PepsiCo, Net-a-Porter, SAP, Wolseley, UK Power Networks and The Labour Party.

We spoke to Managing Partner Oli Green to get to know him a bit better.

Here he shares what he’s learnt during his career…

Which single daily habit or practice could you not do without?

I recently invested in a Peloton exercise bike. I try and get 30 mins in every morning when I wake at 6am. Peloton have done a fantastic job with the brand and the live classes are a game changer.

I think tech-enabled consumer products are the future of our now-digital lifestyle.

I’ve also begun using the meditation app Calm – it helps me to relax after a manic day in the office.

Oh, and Alexa reading me the news…

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What’s been your luckiest break?

I believe you make your own luck in life but I think getting involved in Tangent at the ripe old age of 24 was certainly huge for my career.

It’s been a hell of a roller-coaster and I’ve never looked back since.

We’ve been very fortunate to work with some of the UK’s leading businesses and organisations including Net-A-Porter, Sky and The Labour Party.

I’m also really proud of the work we’ve done for London’s scale-up community – lots of the businesses we’ve worked with have gone on to raise tens of millions.

What’s your best failure?

More of a missed opportunity than a failure, but we were offered the chance to invest (cash and services) in the digital bank Revolut at its seed round.

It’s now valued at almost $2bn.

What is the best investment you’ve ever made, either financial or time?

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Two years ago I lead Tangent’s acquisition of Experience Design agency Decibel Digital. Along with it came Tangent’s now EXD Richard Trigg and a brilliant team of UX strategists and product designers.

Alongside Nadine our Strategy Director, Rich has been instrumental in evolving Tangent’s service proposition and driving our new biz pipeline.

The return has been phenomenal.

How would you describe your work/life balance?

Always on….

Which book would you recommend others to read and why?

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is certainly one of my favourites. I think his advice on how to handle yourself and lead from the front is timeless.

The Lean Start-up and The Art of War are also in my top 10.

What one piece of advice would you give your 21-year-old self?

I’m not entirely sure how useful university was for me so I might encourage my 21-year-old self to consider dropping out and go straight into business.

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I also believe there are lots of short-form courses on offer nowadays that can be more valuable than a traditional bachelor’s degree.

The likes of General Assembly and WeWork’s flatiron school have some great programmes on data science, AWS and experience design – all fundamental skills for a digital-first world.

Who or what has had the single biggest influence on your working life?

My father has certainly had a huge impact on me.

His experience, advice and ability to listen have been invaluable.

The trend of digital disruption and the subsequent growth of challenger brands has also shaped the working world around me.

Tell us something about you that would surprise people

I have the same birthday as Jeff Bezos.

What does success look like to you?

Growing a profitable and sustainable business that makes a difference to our customers and clients as well as our people.

I’d like to build something that is worth leaving behind.