Power in Partnerships: why the best collaborations start with people, not logos
Last week, I joined Workspace’s London’s Brightest Businesses breakfast panel for a conversation about something I genuinely care about: partnerships. Not the glossy, logo-filled kind, but the real ones that actually make a difference (supporting LIVE was one of my favourites!).
For anyone who doesn’t know me, I’m Richard, Marketing Director at Handle Recruitment and Handle Freelance Solutions. A big part of my role is building partnerships, not just for commercial reasons, but to create more impact across the industry as a whole. And I truly believe the strongest collaborations aren’t built on contracts and commercials first. They’re built on shared purpose, creativity and a genuine desire to make things better.
That’s what made this session with Workspace such a great place for an honest conversation. Here are a few of my highlights from the conversation:
Collaboration without the big budgets
The theme was simple but powerful, how can SMEs use collaboration to grow without relying on huge budgets or complicated partnership programmes? What came through loud and clear is that partnership is no longer a “nice to have”. For many businesses, it’s becoming one of the smartest routes to growth.
One example I shared was our recent collaboration with Betterspace, where we’ve come together to create shared research and an awareness campaign focused on workplace wellbeing (the results will be released in early 2026). The honest truth is, we probably could have both done this on our own. But collaboration amplifies everything. The reach is bigger, the insight is richer, and the impact is stronger. When two brands bring their audiences, expertise and credibility together with real intent, the outcomes simply travel further.
Finding the right partner (and avoiding the wrong ones)
A big question that came up was how you actually find the right partner. For me, it always starts with understanding your own strengths and gaps. Once you’re clear on what you’re great at and where you need support, your partnerships become far more intentional. From there, it’s usually one of two routes: people you’ve already met through your network, or organisations you genuinely admire and would love to work with. Warm introductions help, but even cold approaches can work when they’re rooted in shared values rather than a sales pitch.
Not every partnership is a good one though, and we were honest about the risks too. Partnerships that dilute your brand rarely end well. Lack of clarity around data, ownership or expectations can quickly create friction. And if you can’t agree what success actually looks like at the start, disappointment is almost guaranteed later on.
Why creativity almost always beats scale
One of my favourite parts of the discussion was around budget. Because in most cases, creativity beats scale. Some of the most effective collaborations don’t come from big spends at all, but from repurposing what already works. Shared content, joint events, co-created research and cross-community marketing can often deliver amazing results. The better question isn’t “what can we afford?” but “what do we already have that could go further together?”
Turning short-term collaborations into long-term relationships
We also talked about how short-term collaborations become long-term relationships. The answer is rarely complicated. It comes down to setting expectations early, being clear about roles and responsibilities, celebrating shared wins properly and having the confidence to have honest conversations when things change. You don’t always need heavy contracts to make that work, but you do need clarity, commitment and mutual respect.
Of course, partnerships still need a commercial lens. Whether that’s revenue share, referrals, fixed-fee projects, joint ventures or something more informal, we always define success upfront. That might be brand reach, lead generation, research outputs or community impact. But just as important for us at Handle is trust and reputation. No metric is worth damaging either of those.
One piece of advice I always come back to
Don’t chase logos. Speak to the people who can actually make things happen. And just as importantly, always ask yourself what happens if that person leaves. The strongest partnerships should be bigger than any single individual.
You don’t need a huge budget, a household name or a complex contract to build powerful partnerships. You need a clear purpose, creative thinking, open conversations and the right humans on both sides of the table.
Huge thanks to Workspace for hosting such a thoughtful session, and to everyone who shared so openly in the room. And if you think we could partner together in 2026 drop me a message.
Richard Turrell
Director of Marketing
☎️ 020 7569 9996
📩 richard.turrell@handle.co.uk
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About Handle Recruitment
We opened the doors in 1978 and built our reputation in the music industry. We quickly realised that a great brand is not always a household name. A great brand is something people connect with, not just a place they work. Somewhere that helps them become better at what they do. It could be a record label, it could be in media, it could be a tech start-up.
Supporting Great People in Marketing | Finance | HR | Office Support | Sales | Legal | Event Operations | Post-Production.
The Talent Solutions we provide, Permanent, Temporary and Interim Recruitment | People Consultancy | Outsourced Freelancer Payroll & Compliance.
The Industries we support: Music | Film | TV | Entertainment | Fashion | Live Events | Sport | Publishing | Post-production.