The Person Behind the Face - Roger Maber
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My first job… Selling hamburgers on Southsea seafront! That was followed by further time in the public eye – as a window dresser for the Co-op. My first job in advertising was as a designer with a London ad agency called TC Bench but after a few months, at age 23, I set up my own agency. How I got into this industry… My first marine client was Moody’s of Swanwick. They suggested I went with them to a Sail Magazine ‘Export USA’ event in 1985. As a direct result of that visit my agency attracted another half-dozen marine clients, and many more followed. The best advice I’ve ever received… ‘Always say yes’. With these words my older and wiser business partner set me free from the drawing board to meet clients. ‘Whatever the client wants, we can do it’ was his maxim – and it became mine. You should really visit… Liverpool. I was up there last year and it really is a much changed city. The Albert dock area looks perfect for the new boat show! One thing that’s dear to my heart is… A day on the water with friends and family. I’m a secret follower of… the crime novels of Peter James, featuring the Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. James’ macabre stories, with their unexpected twists, really are ‘unputdownable’. A recurring theme is innocent people finding themselves in the most terrible situations, such as Michael in ‘Dead Simple’ who is buried alive on his stag night. Thankfully, my stag night was less eventful. My most over-used saying or phrase is… ‘This one’s urgenté’ (with a mock foreign accent on the word ‘urgent’ to soften the blow). I like to keep things moving at a swift pace! Favourite activity away from work... Cutting the grass. It’s strangely therapeutic and when it’s finished I know it won’t need doing for another week. How I cope with stress... Keep calm and carry on. I deal with any problems quickly and resolve them. That way they don’t become stressful. My advice to Portsmouth Poll is… Keep on poking around. The boating industry is a better place for your undercover investigative skills. Roger Maber is managing director of RM Advertising |
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