What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career so far?
Think about where you want to be in five years. That was a piece of advice I received from my first manager on my very first day of working. Often we are too focused on our immediate goals but we rarely take the time to think where these small steps are leading us. Occasionally, but probably not often enough, I like to take ten minutes and think: what is my career trajectory and how am I feeding into it now.
What is your favourite part about your role?
At the risk of sounding cliché, no two days are the same. This is especially true for digital. The digital landscape is vastly changing each day and it can sometimes seem overwhelming, especially if you’re not a digital native. I love guiding clients through what is possible on digital platforms. From my experience they are often surprised and delighted about how strategic and targeted you can be with digital communications.
What has been your favourite experience at Portland so far?
There’s a lot to choose from but I think it’s more of a process than a particular experience, so stick with me! In the last two years I’ve seen the digital team, and Portland’s digital communications capabilities, flourish and grow. Seeing that growth in team members, clients and colleagues is always rewarding. I also have some great anecdotes from our Christmas parties, but that’s for another blog.
What advice would you give your 20-year-old self-starting out in comms, or to someone entering this field of work?
Like most of us starting out I always had this belief that I had to know everything from the go, and I was fearful when I didn’t know the solution. It took me years to realise that I didn’t always have to know the answer. Throughout your career you are always learning; the moment you stop learning then you should probably change careers. So, my advice is simple – always ask, always learn and never feel stupid.
What do you do to switch off from work?
During the lockdown I somehow developed a second career as a scriptwriter. Since 2021, I have had an Italian film, a documentary and an anthology series on Amazon released – I’m still not quite sure how that all happened. However, I find writing scripts therapeutic. There’s something relaxing about seeing your words come to life. I also bake – I make a mean oatmeal chocolate chip cookie if anyone wants some.