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LONDON - You never know what might be coming your way when you work in a growth role. You could have a day or week all planned out and then bam, a brilliant new opportunity lands in your inbox and suddenly everything must change.
It’s this variety and unpredictability that makes working in New Business so compelling. No day is the same. However, to be successful (and to remain sane) the key is to have brilliant tools, teams and tricks to help navigate what is always a busy and fast paced role. For example, it may be old school (no fancy AI) but to stay on track I always find time each week to map out my diary. Blocking out time for work as well as meetings ensures I get what I need done, but also acts as another useful reminder of projects and their deadlines when there are multiple moving parts. I am also a big advocate for written to do lists – there may be amazing productivity tools, but nothing helps focus and organise the mind more than writing everything down; and it helps when you have a lovely notebook from Liberty. Lastly, always try to keep a sense of humour.
I joined Havas London in March this year as their Head of Growth. Responsible for growing the agency’s client roster, it is a role that is primarily focused on pitching for new clients, but also informs our PR and marketing activity and allows me the privilege to work with lots of super smart and talented people. I’ve always equated a pitch to a theatre production because you bring a bunch of the brightest people from across an agency to hopefully deliver a 5* performance. That English and Theatre degree hasn’t gone to waste.
Morning
I am a big believer in choosing roles that push you to be better and taking on my first network role in almost a decade has been both challenging and exciting. I wake up to the BBC Radio 4 Today show from 6am, it is the perfect way to start the day, listening to first-rate journalism and getting up to speed on news and current affairs. I will also undoubtably have a small furry companion, Holly is a 16-year-old cat my husband and I adopted when we first moved to London, and she insists on cuddles every morning.
It does make getting up tough, so it is probably no surprise that on WFH days I allow myself a little longer in bed. The agency offers hybrid working, so I spend Monday and Fridays working from home. The great thing about hybrid working is that the three days in the office are brilliantly collaborative, which means the days I WFH are where I get shit done. It also means I get to drink tea from Bird and Blend – if you are a tea fan and haven’t visited their store, you need to rectify that.
On office days, I get up at 6.30am. I usually have no idea what I will wear until I open my wardrobe, but whether bright, classic or vintage, 75% of the time I will be wearing Dr Marten boots, I swear they go with almost everything. My commute is an hour door-to-door and I spend that time either listening to music or reading, I am currently reading a novel my friend wrote about a sci-fi dystopian future, publishers feel free to get in touch.
I usually get into the office just after 8am. Having a calm hour before the day officially starts is vital for me, it allows me a moment to plan, respond to anything outstanding from the previous day and to read the latest industry news. As the rest of the agency arrives, the music goes on, the energy goes up and the fun begins. I have a few regular weekly meetings, but for the most part, every week is different from the last. If there is a pitch on, most of my time will be spent in review meetings, looking at the latest strategic and creative work, ensuring the team has what they need, and are on track, liaising with other agencies and departments and managing any unexpected dilemmas. In a growth role you need to get your hands dirty!
Lunch
I tend to skip breakfast, so by 12.30pm I am ready for food. Unless I have a lunch meeting, which is usually at Caravan – their chilli-salt tofu is amazing, I rarely take a full lunch break, instead choosing to eat al desko, but when I need a treat, I will get the vegan sandwich from Sons + Daughters. I’m not sure how they make a few veggies and pickles taste so good, but it is delicious! If I fail to get out, it is a quick trip to the Havas Village café. I’ve not worked in an office where they get MasterChef finalists to host takeovers before, but that’s just how Havas rolls.
Afternoon
Then it is back to the day, meeting with various people from across the agency and network, catching up on the latest news and innovations, or chatting to our partners and prospective clients.
Starting early and having a swift lunch means that most days I get to leave the office on time. When I am not catching up with friends (the bar at the Standard Hotel is a great spot and their Mezcal Martini is banging), I use my commute to decompress. My husband is a teacher at a local school, so he often gets home before me and takes on the role of chef, and I take the all-important role of barmaid.
Evening (Favourite Part of The Day)
One of my favourite parts of the day is being in the kitchen together, sharing our news from the day and watching the baby foxes currently destroying our garden. They are lucky they’re cute. I try to do yoga a few times a week and then spend the evening either watching TV, reading, listening to music or playing video games – right now it is old-school Lara Croft, in case you’re interested. Being child-free by choice allows us the luxury of downtime that many our age don’t have, and I don’t take that for granted.
Bedtime
Then it’s lights off at 11pm. I have a busy mind, so I keep a notebook by my bed for any random, and occasionally genius, 2am thoughts – a great tip for fellow late-night thinkers to help get back to sleep quickly.
Travel Plans
New Business and growth roles can be high pressure, demanding and unpredictable, which is why taking holiday is so important. Right now, I am dreaming of going back to Le Mole sul Farfa in the Sabine Hills near Rome. I visited the Agriturismo for the first-time last year and have never felt so completely relaxed in my life.
Best Thing About Your Job?
The best thing about New Business however, is that you get to see an agency at its absolute best, and there is nothing quite like the feeling of a win!
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