Tell us a bit about your role! Is there a “typical” day?
I’m sure everyone says no day in my role is typically the same, but it’s really not! I’m the Client Services Director at 26PMX so my job is to oversee our Client Services team.
There’s seven of us looking after 34 clients, which includes everything from invoicing clients, chairing calls, putting together proposals and measuring campaign success to meeting clients directly and QBRs which means that no two days are truly the same.
All our clients then have specialised teams that do the specific work, but we look after those relationships more broadly. Effectively, my team ensures our clients are happy.
What was the biggest challenge in getting to your current position?
I think, like a lot of people, I expected my career progression to be a complete straight line in an upwards direction, working in the same field for most of my career. But whilst I’ve always worked in advertising, I’ve had a wide range of roles.
Some have been technical, some pastoral, some client facing and some non-client facing. That’s given me a great breadth of experience, but the flip side has meant I’ve had to explain potential blind spots ininterviews.
What is your personal background and what role did it play in your career?
I grew up in Horsforth in Leeds, but I moved down to London after university to get stuck into the advertising and media world. I loved my nine years in London as they effectively acted as a fast track for my career but when the opportunity arose to move back home in 2023 to work for 26, I couldn’t turn it down.
What is your biggest career-related win? What is your biggest loss?
My biggest career-related win isn’t necessarily a specific client win or campaign as I’m sure many others may be. Instead, it’s the ability to hold a senior agency role in the North.
In terms of my biggest career loss, I think any pitch where you don’t win is naturally heartbreaking. You put your life and soul into it and when the news comes back that you haven’t won the client, it takes a bit of time to get over.
Which individuals and/or agencies do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?
There will always be a special place in my heart for Essence Mediacom after my four brilliant years there. I left with nothing but love, so I always keep an eye out for the fantastic team there and the brilliant work they do.
If you could go back to your teenage years, would you have done things differently? Do you have any regrets?
I should definitely have revised more at school. I was one of those annoying people who didn’t revise for exams but did alright. I wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self to work harder so that I could have done really well.
I also wish I kept playing music for much longer than I did, as I gave that up way too early.
If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?
Both my parents are teachers, so I probably would have followed in their footsteps. I loved history and chemistry whilst I was at school so in a different life, I might have taught one of those subjects.
What’s your one big dream for the future of the industry?
To see a transformative shift towards greater gender equality and diversity throughout the advertising and creative industry.
That’s both in senior roles and across the board more generally.
What are your top tips for aspiring creative professionals?
Be enthusiastic in everything that you do! Even if it might not be authentic. There’s nothing I dislike more than a piece of work where it’s clear that the person doing it didn’t care.
I’d much rather members of my team be enthusiastic and maybe miss a little attention to detail than seem as though they don’t want to be there.
What are your top tips for other creative leaders?
Don’t be afraid to embrace your emotions in the workplace. It’s totally fine to be emotional and invested about your work. After all, we spend five days a week working. We don’t have to be robots in the workplace, and I think it makes a nice change for your team to see you being emotional and passionate about your work.
When you think about your team, what is the thing that matters to you the most?
100% their enjoyment and fulfilment of work. If you have a happy team, then generally their work will be much better, and your clients will be happier too. On the other hand, as soon as you have a disgruntled team, it reflects in their work, which the client will soon notice.
Do you have any websites, books or resources you would recommend?
I’ve loved reading “Work Like a Woman” by Mary Portas. It’s an amazing biography that shows how she worked her way up in media and advertising. It provides superb advice for creative leaders and reminds us that at the end of the day, we are all just human beings.
