A career reset took Rich Davies to the centre of Sheffield’s business networks. Now the Jibba Jabba director tells Joseph Food that people power – and giving back – proved the springboard for his career.
In 2015, Rich Davies took a decisive step in his career. For eight years he had been an account manager at a Sheffield-based printers, seeing jobs through from quote to press to delivery for some big clients including Google and Harrods. The work was high profile yet faceless – conducted mostly by email, with little sense of people or place. Seeking something more local and human, rooted in the city he calls home, he chose to leave.
“I targeted a few local businesses,” he tells unLTD. “I went for an interview at Sheffield Chamber, got the job. It wasn’t about the money; I actually took a pay cut because I needed to start again.”
The Chamber proved game-changing. In a role that put him at the centre of South Yorkshire’s business ecosystem, he refined an approach that still underpins his work today. “That’s where I learned two ears, one mouth – in that order. Listen to people and become a good referrer… don’t just try and sell at them.”
That approach would become a central tenet of Rich’s professional life – building genuine connections, helping others and building trust before business.
Alongside the day job, Rich began building something of his own. He launched R3D2, a social media management company named for his sons. “It’s my kids – Rhys and Riley – so Rich, Rhys and Riley is the R3, and then somebody clever made up the D2 to make it sound like a robot from Star Wars, but I’m really not interested in Star Wars whatsoever!” The side project grew and soon forced a decision. With the Chamber unable to accommodate part-time, he took the plunge to run the business full-time.
That leap owed something to a line he’d heard from an speaker at the MADE Festival. “She said, ‘Jump and the net will appear.’ And I firmly believe that now… I’m more of a risk taker.” Entrepreneurship delivered a fast education. Rich won clients, honed his service and discovered where solo ventures can stall. “I knew it’d be hard – harder than I ever thought – but it got to a point where I grew it to a certain level and I just couldn’t grow that anymore. It’s lonely place on your own.”
The starkest warning came from his body. “I got Bell’s palsy, partly from the stress. That was the kick – right, I need to go. I need some security.” He stepped back from the business and, after a brief spell elsewhere, joined Affinity IT.
Affinity gave him a reset and a platform. He arrived as an account manager and broadened his remit into modern marketing, bringing a growing confidence in networking with him. What began at the Chamber as an obligation became second nature.
Running in parallel – and central to his personal growth – was volunteering. In 2010 he and his brother had turned up to a session with the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust. Matchday roles and community schemes followed, but the standout contribution was digital. “I did all the social media. We had 2,000 Twitter followers for @Wednesdayite at the time… we grew it to about 25k just by doing things differently.” He put the matchday experience front and centre well before fan influencers poured into the stands – pictures around the ground, supporters in focus, updates for those following from afar, including one regular in Australia.
A key lesson learned from that period? “If you have to think twice about a tweet, don’t post it,” he laughs.
Rich later brought the same energy to a voluntary role at Hallam FC, running the programme and shaping the club’s online tone of voice, while building visibility that would feed back into his professional life. Keen to give back and broaden his understanding of how the city works, he applied to join Chamber Council and has stayed involved for years.
From Affinity he stepped up to Highlander as Business Development Manager, moving from account stewardship into a growth brief. He also added ambassador roles with the Institute of Directors and The Archer Project – hats he still wears – reflecting a service mindset he traces to his father Royston's years in the Scouts.
But one of the most profound influences on Rich’s business journey was a mentor he met at Highlander. “A guy called Rich Field. He’s in his 80s now and an absolute legend of business – one of the few remaining characters. One of the things he taught us was ‘Seven Habits of a Successful Person’ – stuff like ‘Begin with the end in mind’, ‘Sharpen the saw’. Stuff I didn’t understand at the time, but now find incredibly valuable.”
“Many people in Sheffield know Rich. He’s taught loads of people. And there’s so much stuff I learned at Highlander that I’m now doing at Jibba Jabba.”
That’s Rich’s current role – Director at Jibba Jabba, a growing IT and telecoms company with bases in Doncaster and soon Sheffield. With over 10 years’ experience in IT across previous roles, the position perfectly unites his technical expertise with an in-depth understanding of Sheffield’s business networks and a focus on driving growth.
“It was a step up. I didn’t want to be going sideways anymore. And the relationship I’ve got with Ash – he’s probably the first boss I can be super honest with. I can challenge him. That relationship’s really important.”
Looking ahead, he sees momentum – for the company and for himself. Personally, he is exploring how he can add value beyond the day job, including non-executive director positions that align with his skills and temperament. “I’ve got one non-exec role in the pipeline that might turn into something early next year… I wouldn’t mind a couple right now. But I also think: what do I get the most benefit from, personally and professionally?”
Threaded through it all is a mindset shift that began when he first embedded himself into South Yorkshire’s business scene: seek out people, keep growing and act with purpose. The email chains that once defined his days have given way to conversations and communities to continue learning from: “When I left school, I was like, I’ve had enough – exams and studying done forever. But now I’m just like a sponge. I just want to learn more and more.”
QUICKFIRE WITH RICH
What’s Jibba Jabba’s USP?
Ethical, secure future. We won’t sell you something you don’t need. There are so many instances we walk into offices and see people are being charged for things they don’t need.
What excites you about South Yorkshire’s business scene?
There’s so much opportunity in this region – just go and look at the work they’re doing at the Advance Manufacturing Research Centre. We’re typical South Yorkshire people – we don’t shout about it. But there are so many exciting things going on and it’s only going to get better.
Best business advice?
Jump and the net will appear.
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