Cameron Keegan-Wood, Head of Growth at Climb & Conquer, is responsible for driving revenue at Climb & Conquer across all avenues, including inbound, outbound sales, client retention and referrals/partnerships. A natural conversationalist with a wealth of commercial acumen, Cam has held senior business development roles at companies like Visualsoft and THG Ingenuity, before joining challenger agency Climb & Conquer in mid-2024 to lead on Growth.
Which single daily habit or practice could you not do without?
My wife and I take turns getting up with our toddler, so if my wife is leading the morning, it’s the gym. Not because I’m some incredible high-performing legend, but my headspace is my priority for work, home, being a dad, being a husband, and being kind to myself.
If I’m not clear-headed and haven’t got a handle on my stress levels, then I’m already setting myself up for a less-than-good day off the bat. Life’s busy and work’s consuming, so my energy levels and focus can’t be compromised; therefore, the gym can’t be compromised either.
On a professional level, daily check-ins with the entire team are also integral, given that we’re fully remote and every team member plays a role in our growth, in one way or another.
What’s been your luckiest break?
Getting into Sales. I attended a great university and earned an average degree in a general subject – History, in my case. However, my time at university (and almost the reason I ended up with an average degree) was spent working on events and club promotions. I realised quickly I had something many people didn’t: the gift of the gab, to put it simply.
Sales is a lot about listening more than talking, but when you do talk, you need to stand out, be memorable and engage. My lucky break was my first Sales job. It could have been anything, but it ended up being digital and tech, so my job was consultative sales and helping businesses grow. It then led me to a very rare opportunity that spanned multiple digital channels and tech, so I was perfectly placed. In the process, I became the youngest BDM and the youngest ever to generate £1m in my first 12 months.
What’s your best failure?
My biggest failure was running my own business.
I always wanted to run my own business, but fear of failure and a lack of self-confidence meant it took me to a job I hated (for multiple reasons) before I finally took the leap. It was exciting to run my own business, especially since I was sure it was better than what I was doing before.
However, within 11 months, I was back working for a company again. It’s a long story but also a short one. Just because you think you want to run a business and reckon you can, doesn’t mean you actually want to or can when it comes down to it.
The role is endless and isn’t just about generating revenue and finding clients (which had been easy in my experience). It involves managing projects, client services, marketing, keeping on top of P&L, people, and a whole load of admin — it’s a different ball game, particularly in the early stages when you’re doing a lot of this stuff yourself.
It’s my biggest failure but I almost wish it had just happened even sooner as I’m now in a position where I feel I’m running a business; at least in the ways I enjoy and can: growing the business, leaving the teams to deliver the work adn the relevant back office teams to run it efficiently.
My biggest failure showed me that I am entrepreneurial and creative, but that doesn’t mean I have to be an entrepreneur, or simply because of those two things, I must be one. I can bring entrepreneurship and creativity to a role which enables me to leverage my strengths and expertise as a commercially minded business leader. Win-win.
What is the best investment you’ve ever made, either financial or time?
Therapy.
I’ve always wanted to improve and get better. Therapy isn’t for everyone, and even 6 years on from when I first had it, it’s still a stigmatised topic – almost worse now with toxic positivity and virtuous BS. However, more people are doing it and getting help, which is all that matters.
I was so fascinated by it, as I’m an emotional person anyway, and I could see that my weaknesses and flaws had been holding me back for years. Through therapy, I’ve found my way to being a far more put-together person, so much more self-aware, and a better husband, father and employee.
Which podcast or book would you recommend others to read/listen to, and why?
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy.
Like a simplified version of Atomic Habits, The Compound Effect just blew my mind with some basic, actionable logic.
What one piece of advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
Save money!
Who or what has had the single biggest influence on your working life?
The person who hired me for my first proper job after graduating. The way he carried himself, his advice and support, and the way he moulded me, in a few words, are the reasons I am as good as I am at Sales today. In various aspects of life I can lack confidence for a lot of reasons (many people will be surprised at that if you know me) but with work, I’ve always been fairly confident (despite bumps in the road!) and this is down to learning the hard skills by that person taking a chance on me.
Hopefully, they’ll stumble across this and know who they are – if so, thank you! You’ll always have a place in my heart for the kindness, patience and trust you put in me.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people.
I taught card tricks and ‘’magic’’ at Camp America.
If there was one thing you could change about your career, what would it be and why?
I wish I’d tried harder things sooner.
For example, to ask to learn about, say, the numbers behind a business to better steer me for my own ventures, or feeling comfortable saying ’no’, because I worried saying no would be seen as being negative and no one wants negativity, but having the confidence to be able to know you’re good and your view matters, even if it deviates from others’.
What does success look like to you?
Being as good a dad as I can be, being as good a husband I can be, whilst being as good at my job as I can – and always striving to be better in these three pivotal areas of my life.
I want to earn money, but I don’t want to earn as much as I used to think I needed to. Without sounding super preachy, I have a better perspective and balance now. A trip to Aldi with my daughter is now more exciting, fun and valuable than an evening at a fancy restaurant or a shopping spree.
Life’s short, and nothing will make me prouder than my daughter learning the things I’ve learned the hard way while also not forgetting the stuff that makes going to Aldi with her Dad as fun as it is.
