As we’ve been celebrating Team Tactics’ 30th year in business, we’ve found ourselves dusting off old photographs and digging into the archives, unearthing some wonderfully nostalgic memories from over the years.
Every image tells part of the story, from humble beginnings to the milestones, people and moments that have shaped Team Tactics into what it is today.
In this blog, we thought we’d let the pictures do the talking, with founder Tina Benson sharing the memories behind some of our most significant moments over the last three decades. Join us for a trip down memory lane!
Jump to:
The inception of Team Tactics
“Around 1992, when I was working at Kent County Cricket Club, the lovely CEO said I could have a dog and bring her to work with me everyday. Fast forward four years and I was ready for a new challenge. But I thought nobody would employ me with a dog in tow! There was only one thing for it, and that was setting up my own business.
“I knew how to set up and sell events and had worked with professional cricketers to deliver fundraising events, which made the step into hospitality at major sporting events a nice natural step.
“On 19th November 1996, I first set up Team Tactics. I still have a cork from my mother’s champagne that she put a 50 pence piece in, wishing me luck at Team Tactics. I still keep it in my desk drawer.”
Getting creative with corporate hospitality
“I wanted to be able to do cricket hospitality at Lord’s and The Oval, but at the time just two large well-established companies had contracts, and without a big financial backing, there was no way in. Instead I got creative, selling hospitality outside the grounds in nice hotels or marquees. I used my contacts in the cricket world to access tickets and we were away!”
First order
“I’ll never forget my first order – it was Peter Copp at BDO Stoy Hayward (now BDO) who gave me my first booking at Cheltenham Festival, followed closely by Victory Reinsurance (now Swiss Re). They gave me the opportunity and I remember driving to the bank to pay in the first paycheck to Team Tactics, thinking ‘oh my god, I’ve got £2000!’”
Still in the driving seat
“Same office chair, 30 years on! I even went to the effort of digging out my old suit to recreate the picture (the things I do for marketing, Millie!)”
Our first website
“Our first website launched in 2000, when websites were relatively unheard of and few people used the internet. I knew we needed to be at the forefront with our marketing if we wanted to continue attracting blue chip clients. We were one of the first companies to get a website set up and I remember we used to speak with the developer over the phone to describe what we wanted, then they’d go away and make it happen.”
Redefining client entertainment
“In the early 2000s, we recognised that there was a glut of corporate event companies selling the same hospitality experiences. While we were offering a personal service and added extras, they were deploying hordes of telemarkers, cutting margins and pricing us out of the market.
“We weren’t in charge of our own destiny and knew we needed to do something different. So, we went ahead and designed a whole new series of different, exciting, interactive events for our clients, like our military driving day. This strategic shift was the best thing we ever did.”
Weathering the banking crash
“The financial crash changed everything almost overnight. Our industry is always one of the first to feel the effects of an economic downturn, and suddenly it simply wasn’t acceptable for organisations to be seen spending money on hospitality or entertainment. Some companies had even booked and paid for their Christmas parties but decided not to attend because they felt it sent the wrong message. I remember looking out of the office window on 3rd January 2009 and thinking, ‘This is going to be a very dull year.’ How wrong was I? In fact, the downturn lasted for many years!
“This was an incredibly challenging period for the business, but a defining one. Clients were telling us they needed events for under £100 per person, so we listened, and that’s when we launched our corporate cooking experiences. We were one of the first to specialise in them, and because we responded quickly to what the market needed, it unlocked a whole new pocket of opportunity.”
The shift from client entertaining to staff team building
“Our unique and unusual activities caught the eye of clients wanting ideas to entertain their staff as well as their clients. We began to see a new breed type of customers who viewed team building events for their staff as a necessity. Richard Branson’s quote, ‘take care of your employees and they’ll take care of your business’ was very much in vogue. Corporates were increasingly using workplace perks and team building to improve retention, engagement and morale. In turn, organisations were recognising improved productivity, customer metrics and profitability, to name a few.”
“This was one of our earlier team building brochures, featuring favourites that have stood the test of time like The Bigger Picture, One Voice and The Haka!”
Hellen Kelly
“Team Tactics has been fortunate to have some incredible people over the years, but few have left quite the mark that Hellen Kelly did. She joined the business in its infancy and was my right-hand woman for around 14 years.
“Hellen was bubbly, effervescent, witty, gorgeous and so unbelievably professional. We were a real dynamic duo and often knew exactly what the other was thinking. But, above all else, our clients meant everything to her. She genuinely cared about every person she spoke to.”
“She had this incredible ability to stay calm under pressure and handle even the trickiest situations with confidence, warmth and grace. Whenever she was dealing with a particularly difficult call, she’d laugh and say she’d never earn her angel wings working at Team Tactics!
“Hellen sadly passed away earlier this year, but the standards she set and the lasting impact she had on the business will stay with me forever. We feel incredibly grateful for the years we shared and for everything she gave to Team Tactics. She’ll always be part of our story.”
From strength to strength
“It took us some time to rebuild after the banking crash, but the period from 2014 onwards was one of excitement, creativity with new event ideas, marketing vigour, new team experiences unique to Team Tactics, and a bold and confident push towards team building events. We were undoubtedly one of the leaders in our industry. Though still relatively small, we did pack a good punch!”
Connection from a distance
“March 2020 changed everything. Within just 10 days, every single one of our events had either been postponed or cancelled. It was an incredibly uncertain time, but while we couldn’t bring people together in person, the need for connection had never been greater.
“A client first planted the seed of virtual team building, and within weeks we’d created a whole new range of online experiences. From interactive games to giant gingerbread house-making kits delivered to people’s homes at Christmas, we found new ways to help teams laugh, connect and spend time together, even when they were miles apart.
“Financially, it only covered a tiny portion of our overheads, but it was about being there for our clients when they needed us most. By helping organisations keep their people connected through such a difficult period, we stayed front of mind, and when teams were finally able to come back together in person, we were raring to go!”
The rise of CSR initiatives
“As workplaces evolved, so did what people wanted from team building. More organisations were looking for experiences that went beyond simply having a fun day out – they wanted to give something back too.
“Watching our CSR and charity events grow has been one of the proudest parts of our journey. Seeing teams build bikes for children, create prosthetic hands, assemble canine wheelchairs or support people experiencing homelessness reminds me that team building can have a lasting impact far beyond the event itself. It proves that when people come together with a shared purpose, everybody benefits.”
B Corp: A milestone with purpose
“As workplaces evolved, so did what people wanted from team building. “Looking back over the last 30 years, Team Tactics has evolved in so many ways. We’ve adapted to changing workplaces, a changing world and changing expectations, but one thing has always remained constant – our belief in creating experiences that bring people together and leave a positive impact.
“When I first discovered B Corp, it immediately resonated with me because it reflected the direction we were already heading. We’d spent years building purpose-led team building experiences and challenging ourselves to think about the impact our business was having, not just on our clients, but on our people, our communities and the environment too.
“Achieving B Corp took more than two years of reviewing, refining and formalising every aspect of the business, but earning certification was one of the proudest moments of my career. It’s recognition of the values that have shaped Team Tactics for three decades, but more importantly, it’s a commitment to keep improving and to build an even better business for the future.”
Have you been part of the Team Tactics journey over the years? We’d love to hear your memories or see your photos. Share them with us on LinkedIn or Instagram.
