Building a culture of success with some big rocks

Through the big rocks theory, Gemma Cutting has propelled PromoVeritas forward with an engaged and unified workforce

When Gemma Cutting joined PromoVeritas in 2011, the company was a small team of six, managing prize promotions and competitions. Thirteen years later, Gemma is Managing Director of a company with 50 employees and an international client roster that includes Cadbury, Kellogg’s, Pepsi, and Amazon, and has played a critical role in reshaping the business. But it wasn’t just a case of a bigger team and more customers — it was also about redefining the mission, vision, and values that underpinned PromoVeritas.

‘At PromoVeritas, we ensure that every promotion, from a sweepstake in the UK to a large-scale global giveaway, is fairly and legally run,’ explains Gemma. ‘In the early days, it was mainly prize draws, but now we create digital platforms, manage myriad promotions, and navigate complex legalities in over 50 countries.’

For Gemma and her team, navigating these complexities has required flexibility, resilience, and innovation. But the real breakthrough in the business has come through a clear, structured focus on what PromoVeritas calls their ‘big rocks’ — a concept borrowed from a simple analogy that has transformed how the company operates.

The big rocks approach

Gemma explains the metaphor behind the Big Rocks approach: ‘If you fill a bucket with small rocks — the daily distractions and minor issues — there’s no room left for the big rocks, which are the things that really drive the business forward. Our CEO heard it from his daughters, and it just clicked with us.’ It’s also a concept explored by Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. “If the big rocks don’t go in first, they aren’t going to fit in later.”

In June 2023, PromoVeritas rolled out the big rocks strategy company wide. The goal was simple but profound: identify the core objectives that would push the company to its next phase of growth and ensure every department and team member aligned their work with these goals. ‘We had an away day to introduce the concept, and there was a collective “ah-ha” moment,’ says Gemma. ‘We’ve all become more transparent, and staff are fully bought into the mission.’

Each team at PromoVeritas has regular check-ins to evaluate how their tasks contribute to the big rocks, fostering accountability and strategic clarity. ‘It’s not just a leadership initiative,’ says Gemma. ‘Everyone, from client services to legal, knows how their work links to our main goals. It’s a simple way to keep us all aligned.’

The big rocks approach allows the company to quickly and efficiently align its goals. Gemma says that it doesn’t matter where you are in the business and what your role is, everyone knows they have to relate their work back to the big rocks, and if those big rocks change, so does their work, but the process of accountability on goal alignment remains the same.

Navigating change and seizing opportunities

This strategic focus has helped PromoVeritas remain agile and resilient, especially in an ever-evolving regulatory landscape. One of their core markets — food and beverage — has become increasingly restrictive in advertising and promotional activities. ‘The government is constantly changing how products like biscuits and sweets can be marketed,’ Gemma says, ‘but our flexibility means we can pivot to other sectors like tech and automotive, which have fewer restrictions, without losing site of our strategic goals.’

However, expanding into new industries and building relationships in unfamiliar sectors hasn’t been without challenges. ‘New business doesn’t always come easy,’ admits Gemma. ‘We’re not the sexiest of businesses, and outbound sales are tough. But our reputation carries us — our integrity, attention to legal details, and care for clients.’

That reputation is one of PromoVeritas’ biggest assets. Gemma recalls a moment when their work with a client at Philips Razors led to a new opportunity with Amazon in New York. ‘It was someone in the Amazon boardroom who’d worked with us before, and they recommended us for a project. We really try to make an effort to know where people are. We build good 1-2-1 relationships with our clients and when they move on, we are able to take advantage of those relationships.’

Strengthening the team and culture

One of PromoVeritas’ key big rocks has been talent acquisition and retention — an increasingly difficult area for businesses worldwide. ‘The talent landscape has changed massively. People have different expectations, especially around flexible working. We want people in the office, and most staff now want the opposite. It’s a balance we’re still navigating.’ Gemma has tackled this by strengthening company culture, making the office a more enjoyable place to work.

The company’s culture, shaped by its core values of collaboration, knowledge leadership, client-centricity, and quality, is now a pillar of its success. ‘We didn’t always have formal values,’ says Gemma. ‘It was something I worked on during the Help to Grow: Management Course with my mentor. The senior leadership team and I then made sure that the new values reflected where the business is now and where it’s headed. Getting buy-in from the whole team was key. We’ve achieved this through away-days, big rocks-specific meetings, and intentional comms.’

Since rewriting the company’s values, PromoVeritas has seen improved engagement, a stronger culture, and a workforce that feels involved in shaping the future. ‘We’re no longer just responding to clients or problems; we’re actively shaping our path forward.

Help to Grow: Management Course

Gemma’s participation in the Help to Grow: Management Course in 2021 was pivotal to the company’s transformation. ‘Given that I’m relatively young for a senior leadership role, the course was a huge confidence boost. Being in a room with other business leaders validated my ideas and approach.’

Through the course, Gemma gained insights into digital adoption, leadership, and organisational structure, all of which have informed PromoVeritas’ strategic shifts. ‘I realised we were doing many things right, but the course gave me a framework to solidify our processes and make sure we stayed on track.’

A particularly impactful lesson was around employee empowerment. Gemma and her leadership team have created a Leadership Forum, which allows emerging leaders within the company to take on more responsibility and enact change. ‘Instead of sidelining those with concerns, we’ve empowered them to be part of the solution. It’s created a stronger, more unified team.’

Under Gemma’s leadership and with the big rocks approach in place, PromoVeritas is set to continue its growth, no matter what challenges arise. From navigating complex legal frameworks to diversifying into new sectors, the company’s focus on its mission, vision, and values — supported by a clear strategy — has positioned it for long-term success.

‘We’re a unit now, with a shared vision,’ says Gemma. ‘And that’s what’s going to propel us forward.’

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