“The learning never ends” with Jag Panesar
Lessons from 18 years in business
“If you don’t adapt, you’ll get left behind. Look at Blockbuster, look at HMV. You’ve got to keep moving with the market.”
Jag Panesar is the founder and director of Xpand, a full-service digital marketing agency based in West Yorkshire. With over 18 years in business, Jag has built Xpand into a trusted partner for brands such as Lindt Chocolate, Tetley Brewery and His Majesty’s Prison Service. His expertise spans marketing strategy, branding, web design and social media, helping businesses connect purpose with performance.
If you’ve ever wondered what running a business looks like nearly two decades in, the lessons, the changes, the things that still surprise you, this episode is for you.
In this episode of Do your thing, I sat down with Jag Panesar, founder of Xpand, a digital marketing agency that’s been running for 18 years. Jag’s story is full of perspective. From figuring things out as he went along, to learning how to adapt, evolve, and build a business that fits the person he’s become.
Starting out and figuring it out
When Jag first started out, he was 27, newly married, and setting up a business just weeks after being made redundant.From then until now, his mindset has definitely changed. Back then, he was just taking “business a day at a time and enjoying the journey.”
He grew up around family businesses and had studied marketing and business for years, but like so many founders, he quickly realised that nothing truly prepares you for running your own. He calls it “a baptism of fire.”
That mix of optimism and naivety carried him through those early days: learning by doing, making mistakes, and figuring things out along the way.
From corporate facades to being yourself
Eighteen years in, Jag’s approach to business looks very different from where it started. He used to think he had to have this corporate facade, suited and booted, business cards flying about. “Now I’m a big believer in being yourself and working with people whose values align with yours.”
Like many founders, he’s learnt that authenticity always wins. That working with people you actually like, who get you, leads to better relationships and better work.
That mindset shift didn’t happen overnight; it came through experience, community, and being around people who challenged and inspired him.
Learning to adapt
If there’s one thing Jag’s learnt over nearly two decades, it’s that things rarely go to plan, and that flexibility is everything.
“No business operates in a vacuum environment. There’s always something external that’s going to impact your business. Adjust, keep moving the boat, change direction. As long as you’re progressing, that’s positive.”
The marketing world alone has transformed since Xpand began, but Jag’s belief in evolution, not revolution, has kept him and his team moving forward. “If you don’t adapt, you’ll get left behind. Look at Blockbuster, look at HMV. You’ve got to keep moving with the market.”
That adaptability shows up not just in how he runs his agency, but how he thinks about himself as a business owner: less about doing what he ‘should’, and more about what actually works for him and his clients.
The lessons you only learn by doing
Jag’s honest about the reality of business. The wins, the mistakes, the constant learning curve.
“I’ve made loads of mistakes, but every one of them has been a learning curve. You have to experience the bad to know what the good is. Sometimes things happen for a reason, and when you look back, the bad stuff often led to something great.”
He’s the first to admit that after all these years, it still doesn’t always click into place, and that’s okay. It’s the kind of grounded perspective that only comes with time. The things that feel like setbacks often end up shaping the next version of your business - and yourself.
Finding your people
One of the biggest shifts Jag’s made over the years has been finding his people and learning the value of community.
In the early days, he admits he avoided networking altogether (even turning around halfway to an event because he was running late). But over time, that changed completely. These days, he thrives on connection. Collaborating, sharing ideas, and helping others make meaningful links. It’s a reminder that community isn’t just nice to have in business, it’s essential.
“I’m a pack animal. I learn by osmosis. I was fortunate to find myself in circles where I could relate to people and really respect them. Being around the right kind of people for me, over several years, changed how I thought about business.”
The mindset that keeps you going
“It’s not about pushing through when you feel rubbish. It’s about wanting something and finding ways to make it happen. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. You just have to be driven.”
After 18 years, Jag’s clear that success isn’t about having it all figured out - it’s about resilience, self-belief, and staying driven. That drive, combined with a willingness to evolve, has kept Xpand growing for nearly two decades. Proof that learning never really ends.
What doing your thing really means
What stands out most about Jag’s story is how much it’s evolved, not through huge overnight changes, but through years of adapting, learning and figuring it out as he went. His business looks completely different now from when he started, but it’s always reflected who he is and what he values.
That’s the whole point of Do Your Thing: building a business that fits you, not forcing yourself to fit into a version of business that doesn’t. Whether you’ve been doing it for two years or twenty, the work is the same: keep learning, keep evolving, and keep finding the version of business that feels right for you.
You can find Jag Panesar and the team at on their website, or connect with him on LinkedIn.
And if you enjoyed this chat, you can listen to the full episode of Do your thing, and subscribe, wherever you get your podcasts.