We are delighted to bring you a Member Interview with Timothy Fare-Matthews, Managing Director, First and Ten Productions
What’s your golden rule?
Do it right or not at all.
Who has been your biggest influence?
My biggest influences are a mix of Alex Hormozi and Daniel Priestley. What I admire most is how they make business feel logical and digestible. A lot of the most effective practices I’ve implemented in my own work have come directly from their frameworks and insights.
What is your most hated business expression?
“Work-life balance” implies that work and life are two separate forces, constantly in conflict. But that’s nonsense. Work is part of life. If you’re spending 40+ hours a week doing something, how can it not be life? Framing it as a trade-off encourages people to endure work to enjoy life later and that’s a surefire way to resent your job, your business, or your purpose.
What’s the smartest business idea you’ve ever had?
One of the smartest moves I ever made in business was adding a multiplier to my ecosystem by teaching what I do, not just doing it.
Coaching others who want to be where I am didn’t just create a new revenue stream; it gave me clarity, reinforced my own systems, and helped me refine my operations.
It led to new product ideas I hadn’t considered before, forced me to prioritise what really moves the needle, and strengthened the core of my main business.
Since I started coaching as well as executing, it hasn’t just scaled my impact; it’s multiplied everything.
Which leader do you admire most and why?
The leader I admire most is actually my closest friend, Sebastian Bates, founder of The Warrior Academy. He’s impacted over 50,000 children through his character development program, and now he’s taken that mission further by launching a global charity (which I’m proud to support as a trustee). His work has genuinely changed and even saved lives. What stands out most is his unwavering work ethic, emotional intelligence, and the way he’s navigated the past decade with purpose and resilience. It’s rare to meet someone so committed to impact.
What is on your mind the most right now as a marketing leader?
What’s been on my mind lately is how often companies still don’t understand how to market themselves properly, even though they invest in digital assets, they rarely know how to use them effectively or when to bring in the right kind of agency support.
As a production house owner, I’ve seen firsthand how many agencies overcharge or fail to truly serve their clients and to be honest, in the past, I’ve also been guilty of just delivering assets without pushing for deeper strategic value. But in today’s crowded market, content alone isn’t enough. We need to go out of our way to be extraordinary, to lead with impact, not just execution.
The real opportunity, I believe, is in educating content creators (like I once was) to bring more to the table, not just the asset, but the thinking and strategy behind how it works for the business.
Why is being part of The Marketing Society important for your career?
The Marketing Society first sparked my interest because of the perceived quality of the professionals within the network. I’m keen to explore how I can tap into a broader community that extends beyond the UAE, not just to gain connections or potential clients, but to access valuable resources, perspectives, and knowledge that can elevate how I work and grow in this industry.
Why does marketing matter to you?
Actually... Sales matter to me, and they matter to my clients. Marketing is simply one mechanism to drive sales, so improving my knowledge, network, and resources in this area means I’m delivering a better service.
I believe in getting 1% better every day. In complex, hard-to-define services, that’s not optional, it’s essential. It drives strong word of mouth and long-term success.
Ultimately, every company should aim to be superior, oversubscribed, and priced appropriately for the value they deliver. If your offer is complex, knowing how to market it clearly and compellingly is key to achieving that.
Tell us something that’s not on your CV
I am a massive petrolhead.
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