The man who co-founded digital agency Epiphany, which was eventually sold to Jaywing for £18m, has set up a new search and programmatic venture, Journey Further.
Robin Skidmore (pictured, left) has invested £500,000 in the Leeds-based start-up to recruit senior staff, secure office space and build a brand for the company, which aims to employ 30 staff within 12 months.
Matt Kwiecinski (pictured, right) joins as co-founder and managing director, following 18 years at Omnicom Group, which started at Claydon Heeley. He was most recently MD of Critical Mass and oversaw the agency’s merger with Agency Republic.
The duo’s search advertising experience spans 12 years, including campaigns for Virgin Holidays, JD Williams, Ann Summers, Ebuyer and Axa.
Skidmore said: “We went on an astounding journey with Epiphany, leading the way in our field, delivering incredible results and fostering hundreds of young people into prosperous careers.
“Journey Further is the next chapter in that story and the paid search and programmatic space is where we know we can make the biggest impact. For too long, brands have been kept in the dark when it comes to paid performance. We want to cut through the jargon and use the latest technology to help our clients hit targets that were previously unthinkable.
“We have established a structure whereby senior analysts work directly with our clients to deliver a more personal and trustworthy service, in contrast to the typical, big agency workflow.
“Naturally, our growth plans are ambitious and we are looking for the very best talent to join us. We are committed to providing unrivalled training and development opportunities.”
Skidmore co-founded search marketing firm Epiphany in 2005, growing the company from 2 to 160 staff in 8 years; it was acquired by Jaywing in 2014 for an initial £12m sum which rose to £18m after the earn-out.
Related stories
Jaywing seals £12m Epiphany deal
