We sat down with Principal Consultant, Will Hayward, to learn why he chose Nimble to grow his consulting career.
What attracted you to Nimble?
After the first phase of my career in financial services and subsequently gaining experience working for a large consultancy, I was looking for a change in 2023. I wanted to continue with consultancy due to the variety of work, but I wanted to work for a smaller organisation where I hoped to have more of a direct impact on the future of the company. I was also looking for an authentic, people-focussed culture – ideally with a northern base so I could visit the office regularly.
What’s an average day at Nimble for you?
I always need to start my day with some time outside before I open the laptop, and I’m lucky to live near the North Sea so I’ll try and spend morning time on the beach with my dog, or I’ll just head outside for a walk or a run. I work remotely 90% of the time, but if I am travelling, I’ll take the local Metro to the train station and then travel down to a Nimble office in Leeds, Sheffield, or Manchester.
In terms of my working day, it usually depends on the client situation, the current priority, and the team of people I’m working with. There will be a mix of 1:1 catch-ups and wider meetings or calls – rather than having meeting after meeting, my preference is to run short, focussed, and interactive sessions where the team collaborates to solve problems, make decisions, or produce tangible outcomes.
What’s your favourite thing about working for Nimble?
Being able to work with like-minded people, in an ego-free environment. If you’re fortunate enough to find this with your colleagues, you’ll likely experience less friction when building a shared understanding and aligning on a path forward. A high level of psychological safety also tends to make the work more fun.
What’s your favourite benefit that we offer?
It has to be the £2000 annual learning and development budget. I’ve been able to use this recently to secure a certification for PSPO2: Advanced Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), which has directly enhanced my capabilities.
How has Nimble helped you grow in your career?
Nimble has helped me grow by allowing me to take on responsibilities and stretch my boundaries into areas that have given me more experience. This has helped me gain invaluable hands-on experience of client management and developing effective partnerships within a consultancy ecosystem.
What advice would you give recent hires?
A few things that have helped me:
- Be authentic, just be yourself.
- Be confident in your ability to do the role; you have been hired for your talent, so trust your ability.
- Assume positive intent – everyone at Nimble is there to help you, so don’t hesitate to ask questions or ask for support if you’re not sure.
What brings you joy outside work?
Outside of Nimble, I love watching my son play football for his local team, and enjoy (infrequent) bike rides with my teenage daughter. Above all, I appreciate being able to go on family holidays when both children have a civilised conversation that doesn’t descend into total chaos and fighting!
