It started with an Illustration degree; I'm now a Senior Brand Manager
It must have been around 2003. I can remember being home, off-sick from school, I would have been around 13 or 14. My Mum had to work and so left me in the care of the television. She'd rented me a couple of DVDs to keep me company, one of which was "What Women Want". It's the scene with the Nike advert, "No games, just sports" that lit a spark in me that day, and it still hasn't gone out. The film is no masterpiece, but that scene still ignites instant joy inside me.
I've always had a passion for people, for the arts, for exceptional creative and cleverly playful thinking and perhaps most pertinently storytelling. Since that moment, ill on the sofa in 2003, and most likely before, I've made steps - sometimes consciously, most times unknowingly - towards a career in Branding.
Looking back, the second big moment in shaping my career was studying for my degree in Illustration. It exposed me to a whole world of what good design could look like, but most importantly for me, it showed me the delicate relationship and dance between type and image that bring stories to life. It was an important lesson in what moves and connects with people and an essential pillar of good branding, but at the time, not something I thought would have as much impact on me as it did.
I've had a job since around the age of 14. I've been a tennis coach, a waitress, an IT software tester, the list continues but I hadn't felt a connection until I joined as a Brand Lead in late 2016. I've lost count of the number of times I've thought to myself "huh, that's weird" about some obscure knowledge I'd obtained as a software tester or accountancy assistant becoming useful in a brand and marketing role. It amazes me every time.
The culture at Kingfisher was an instant fit for me. There have definitely been some tough weeks/ months and times where I have stepped back and considered what I want my next steps to be but I'm really happy to be part of this company. I've been really well looked after and am continually nurtured to reach my potential.
I build, grow and launch our own product brands to be a success!
I have had the brilliant experience of creating and launching new brands, from the very early conception of the brand's purpose and mission through to how it communicates with customers. I really enjoy the two sides to my role. At one end, it is very strategic and requires me to have a very firm understanding of the whole business, the processes involved in bringing a product to market and the direction set by the CEO. The other side to that is very creative. I get to develop launch and grow brands, working across everything from photoshoots and packaging to brand campaigns and live events. My current role is incredibly diverse. I know it's not particularly helpful to say but each day is definitely different from the one that came before. I thrive with that style of working but it wouldn't be for everyone. Aside from the creative problem-solving and strategizing, I love the people that I work with. I've made very good friends Kingfisher and I think it's the culture that makes that possible.
Thinking creatively every day and seeing ideas through to real-life
I thrive when I'm allowed to think creatively. Whether that be about brand strategy, the visual appearance of a brand or developing a strong tone of voice. For me, it's all about letting my brain make unlikely connections and pairings that at first seem unrelated but when put in to action they bring a project to life and give us that unique selling point. I enjoy collaborating and working with a team of people that feel empowered to bring their own strengths to the conversation. I'm not great with heavy details and lots of data so working with someone who's naturally more detail driven can be really beneficial for both of us and I personally find it motivating to work in that way where you each can feel your input has a big impact on the project's success.
Tune in to what excites you and makes you happy and go after that
Looking back to when I was starting out, if I could give my younger self any career advice, it wouldn't be anything to do with networking or improving my excel skills and it definitely wouldn't have been to do lots of free creative work for potential exposure. The first does help but not in proportion to how much it's touted, the second is still very much work in progress for me and the third only saw me poorer in time and hope.
My advice would probably be three-fold.
1. Know yourself. Spend time noticing what excites you, what brings you joy and what ignites that spark in your tummy or gives you energy. Follow that. Go after that. See where it takes you. Nurture that side of you instead of focusing on areas with "room for improvement". There's plenty of time to learn a VLOOKUP or improve your presentation skills. You want to be doing something that's good - that you're good at and that's good for you.
2. Career paths aren't like the movies, despite what films like "What Women Want" will have you believe :). It's not all glamourous and straight forward. Your career path will likely include jobs that you hate, jobs where you're watching the clock like a hawk and jobs that you even forget you had! But I've lost count of the number of times I've thought, "huh, fancy that coming up here" and knowing the answer or what steps to take because of something I learnt trying to teach a 4-year-old how to hit a volley in tennis. Approach life with open ears and eyes, be a collector of thoughts, experiences and skills and remain curious! You'll be amazed at what you can sponge up to later put to use when you really need it.
3. and finally 3, if you want it, go for it. In spite of all the discomfort and worry and number of things on the job spec you don't think you're qualified for. It's hard and comes with a lot of mental hurdles to overcome but you won't regret it. It always seems to me to be more about the attitude you approach something with rather than your current level of experience. We've often found that people new to a subject come with a fresh perspective which can be worth its weight in gold!
Good luck - you've got this.
Rejuventating and launching a whole portfolio of brands in 14 months
