In this insightful & candid conversation, Jeremy Lee (Founder & Host of the ‘Just Between Us‘ podcast & Founder of the UK’s biggest speaker agency, JLA Speakers), takes a look back at his career, his agency’s success & his outspoken views on politics, technology & business relationships.
The Maverick’s Origin Story: From Cockney to JLA
Jeremy’s journey into the world of talent began unconventionally. Born in London & raised in Essex, he describes his early years as starting at a “relatively posh school” & becoming a “maverick.” After a brief, unsuccessful stint as a theatrical agent, he landed a job at the mass-market leisure organisation Mecca Bingo.
His role as a trainee assistant artist booker introduced him to booking talent for bingo halls (which they had to call ‘social clubs’), holiday centres & discos. This unexpected experience, where he learned to understand audiences outside of his university bubble, proved invaluable.
Pressure following a company takeover led him to set up his own agency, JLA, in 1990. He didn’t start with a “burning desire to start a business,” but rather as a reaction to not having the courage to pursue a radio career in America.
JLA’s Success: Comedy, Speakers & Relationships
JLA initially took off by focusing on the new wave of stand-up comedy in the early 90s, which Lee credits as a perfect product for a recession. The agency soon expanded into the speakers circuit, a market Lee saw as ripe for modernisation, noting that it was previously a very small circuit dominated by forgotten names.
He deliberately avoids the label ‘speaker bureau’, stressing that his work is about more than just speakers & is fundamentally built on relationships, not technology. He argues that true relationships can only be developed through in-person meetings & phone calls, not emails or Zoom calls, which he finds inefficient.
Over the years, JLA has represented a wide array of talent, including comedians like Bill Bailey, Rory Bremner, Eddie Izzard & Michael McIntyre plus political heavyweights such as Mark Carney (now Prime Minister of Canada) & former Foreign Secretary & Conservative Party Leader, William Hague.
The World of Politics (& Boris Johnson)
Lee’s time representing politicians provided a unique perspective, allowing him to see past the media’s often negative “prism.” He considers William Hague to be the best speaker he has ever represented, praising his cleverness, communication skills & deep preparation for his government roles. Hague embodies the “muscular centrist” politics that Lee values.
His experience with Boris Johnson was more complex. While acknowledging Johnson’s magnetic personality & extraordinary ability to communicate, Lee notes he was “never the best speaker.” Stories highlight Johnson’s disregard for detail & his “too great an obsession with money.” Lee famously challenged Johnson on his notorious “F*ck business” remark, which negatively impacted his bookings in the corporate world. Lee ultimately decided not to represent Johnson again after his time as Prime Minister, citing a lack of trust required for the scale of American deals that Johnson was seeking.
Lee is an advocate for centrist politics & recounts his “hapless campaign” to stand as an Independent MP in Bury St Edmunds in 2024. He ran on an anti-ideology platform focused on community values over party allegiance, ultimately garnering 819 votes & losing his deposit. He encourages people to give genuine, non-extremist politicians a chance, despite the pressures of a political system that often forces them away from their constituents.
A Passion for Substance: Business & Podcasts
Lee’s current focus is his ‘Just Between Us‘ podcast, the name of which reflects his aim to share stories & intimate conversations with former clients (comedians, politicians, entrepreneurs, world-renowned experts) & guests who are not usually in the public domain but still have great stories to tell. He sees himself as a “maverick” who is both “anti-establishment & a bit pro-establishment” & the podcast cover art is an homage to the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks album art.
Lee highlights his recent podcast episode with Will Butler-Adams (CEO, Brompton Bicycles, whose business model champions “built-out obsolescence” – creating products designed to last 25 years, the opposite of fast-fashion & short-term consumerism. Lee believes this message of substance & longevity should be at the heart of every proper business.
He ends the discussion by expressing his determined optimism, even humorously revealing he is actively looking to get married, with his new ‘Pyredoodle’ puppy (a large, intelligent & loyal crossbreed between a Standard Poodle & a Great Pyrenees) being his current primary female companion.
New episodes of ‘Just Between Us‘ are released regularly, with upcoming guests including actor & activist Adam Pearson and comedian Harry Enfield. Find out more at www.jeremy-lee.co.uk
ps You can also listen to this interview (& more) on Paul’s ‘SuperConnector Show’ podcast which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible or Spreaker via our ‘Podcasts‘ page.
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