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work

What a difference a year makes

It’s been 12 months since I left my job at a consulting firm. My plan was to take a break for a year and think about what I wanted next. Well, that was as much of a plan as I had! And like all best laid plans, things didn’t quite go that way, but I’m very happy with the outcome!

In the weeks leading up to the end of 2023, I tried to gently recover from the loss of my dad and navigated that ‘difficult first Christmas’. Then at the end of January, we packed the car (including the dog) and drove 1400 miles to Southern Spain – and stayed until Easter!

The warm Andalucian spring was balm to the soul – and what a joy to live somewhere else for a while – be someone else – and redevelop my curiosity – for new places, new routines, new experiences. Even the food shop felt like a brand new adventure! (100% recommend, will do again).

Refreshed, still unsure about work, I spent a few months at home as well as taking a few trips. I went to the theatre on my own (Plaza Suite – brilliant!), saw some art, joined a gym (and kept going) and fitted in a few days in Mallorca and a week in Greece. And while I was lying on a lounger in Kefalonia, I (with Madge, obvs) decided to start not 1, but 2 businesses!

So fast forward, here we are. I’m back in Spain (just a week this time), sitting here as co-founder at 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀, a consultancy that combines human-centred design and intelligent innovation to change the way services, experiences and products 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 are made and sold.

And as co-founder of 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, a sustainable t-shirt brand. A fun journey that began with a simple idea: to create t-shirts that we would genuinely love to wear – with designs that are inspired by the passions that fuel us.

I hadn’t planned on either of those things a year ago, but the space to let ideas emerge made me realise I don’t have to define myself by any one thing. I knew I wanted to do many, different things.

Which is why when I was also asked to take a fractional role as a co-Head of Creative at a personal finance management software brand I leapt at the chance. A position with a focus on elevating creative output, smooth running ops, AI-powered growth and developing high performing teams – yes please! I’m just back from California meeting the team and delivering a session on AI in Marketing – and excited about the next few months of making a difference.

What have I learned in the last year?

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆: Embracing uncertainty has led to unexpected growth in unexpected areas (sit in the liminal space – even if it’s uncomfortable!)
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Time to reflect on what truly matters sparked new ideas – not just about work, about everything
𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲: True friends (and good colleagues) shone through during tough times; I cherish them
𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆: Being open to change and new experiences is exciting – trust yourself, you’ve got the experience and the smarts
𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼-𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: Partnering exposes the power of diverse perspectives and collaboration – embrace the balance!
𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆: Keeping active clears my mind and boosts my mood – it’s now a forever part of my lifestyle

To new adventures – and everyone who has helped me on this one 🎉

(this is a longer version of a post that originally appeared on LinkedIn)

2nd November 2024

Live

Out of the darkness

The clocks have gone forward, the weather is milder and it’s nearly Easter. So, spring is here and we can finally goodbye to winter. A new beginning.

I haven’t written for months, despite my aim to do so regularly from the start of the year. All of my brainpower has been taken up with work, and it’s sapped pretty much all of my energy for creative hobbies and desire to sit in front of a computer when I’m not there! It’s been an all-encompassing 3 months since the company I work for was sold, with lots of new challenges and opportunities rapidly opening up, in equal measure. I’ve worked in largely similar types of organisations in similar ways for a long-time, so this new world is making me think differently and try new ways of working. There’s great excitement and healthy nervousness in that, but I’m out of kilter; working long hours, getting stressed and not spending time on the things I enjoy.

It’s felt right to focus on work for the first quarter, but going forward I need to make some adjustments. That pace is fine for a period of time – it’s necessary when you’re getting used to something new, adjusting to change and have to put extra effort in, but it’s not sustainable. I need to do more prioritisation and make active decisions about where to put my effort.

I’ve signed up for some personal coaching sessions which should really help and fortunately, it’s nearly time for a holiday – my first days off since December, and I can’t wait. Holidays are such a good time for re-calibrating and taking stock. I’m fitter (and a bit slimmer) than I’ve been in years and that’s making me feel good, and I’m really enjoying life in our new home. There’s tonnes of work to do in the house but it’s been dark and miserable so I’ve hibernated and ignored it. Looking forward to thinking about interior design projects and what to do with the garden over the coming months. I’m also looking forward to cutting back on working evenings and weekends, to allow time for exercise, writing and photography.

In the past few weeks the universe has reminded me how important it is to stop and take a moment to breathe. There’s so much you can’t control. Happiness, uncertainty, stress, death and illness have all been present recently and the only thing you can control is how you respond to things, but I know that to do that well I need to achieve balance by making time for the things that help me to stay healthy in mind and body.

31st March 2019

Work

New term, new year, new office

I’ve always loved the new term feeling that you get at the beginning of September. It’s a feeling of new-ness and starting over, with the added bonus of it also being my Birthday early in the month. So, literally the start of a new year for me. This year, it’s not just new pencil cases and pens though, there’s an extra reason for excitement – We Are Friday has moved office.

Our last day at Harella House was the day before my holiday, so returning to work tomorrow is going to be fun – new desk in a new building, though thankfully still in my beloved Farringdon. In fact, the new building is one I used to see everyday when I worked directly across the road from it, so I know it well. I’ll be able to visit old, favourite haunts up on Leather Lane and find new places for lunch.

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10th September 2017

Live

2016: Part 2

It’s not technically the mid-way point of the year yet, but hitting the longest day does feel like a milestone. It certainly feels a long time since my holiday in India at Christmas, and this is a good moment to take a breath and mark the first six months of 2016 – and more importantly, look forward to the second half of the year.

Although January seems a long time ago, time seems also to have flown by since then. I started the year rested, but not entirely happy at work. I was starting to ask myself questions about what the next few years will look like (must be turning 45 that did that!) and whether I was excited and inspired where I was. After running my own business for such a long time, I was sure it wasn’t a hidden longing to go back to doing that full time, but more the feeling of not being happy where I was that was starting to creep up on me. Some fairly significant changes around Easter-time were unsettling, but quite quickly in the few weeks after that all the things that were bothering me were resolved and I am now the happiest I’ve been at work for a long time. I’m working on some great service design projects, with real grown-up business and delivery challenges. I’ve helped to bring in a new piece of business from a personal contact and building a team and seeing people develop beyond your expectations is properly joyous. There’s exciting things in the pipeline and I’ve reminded myself that when I’m happy, I’m hungry. Hungry to do good work with great people and to keep learning everyday.

When it comes to work, I’ve got the butterflies back in my belly. Yay!

But, I am tired. Really blinkin’ tired.

With the ups this year has come some downs – my Nan has been unwell for most of the year and in and out of hospital. At 90 years old it’s always upsetting when she gets ill, you can’t help wondering if she’ll recover and it puts massive pressure on my Mum and her sister. Last month my Dad was hospitalised and had to have surgery a week or so ago. It turned out not to be as bad as it could have been, thankfully, but for a time we were unsure, and once again we repeated the pattern of a Summer spent visiting hospitals. For my Mum, between my Nan and my Dad, it’s the fourth one on the trot. So I’m not the only one that’s tired.

Because it’s been a tough couple of years in that respect, and I haven’t spent a huge amount of time with my parents this year, we decided to book a family holiday – just the 3 of us. A lovely, relaxing mid-year break to recharge the batteries. That was curtailed by Dad’s illness and has now been rescheduled for later in July. I’m trying not to look forward to it too much, just in case lightning strikes twice in the same year, but it really can’t come quick enough. In fact, through lack of planning rather than by design, I seem to have bunched everything up and I’ve got a rocking part 2 of the year to look forward to, including:

Going back to the gym – again
A week in Antigua with the parents – sunshine, rest, cocktails and spa
Aperol Spritz’s in the sun
Race for Life in Hyde Park
A week in Spain with the husband – cycling (him), lying around (me) and some Birthday fun in Marbs
Going out more on the back of the motorbike
Losing some more weight
A quick trip to Italy, to meet Madgie after his epic ride from Venice to Rome
Seeing Funny Girl in July
Afternoon Tea at The Savoy
A walk over The Dome
Going to the theatre to see Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen
2 days in Barcelona with the the boys – now 18 and 21. Looking forward to taking them abroad and showing them the sights
And possibly…a trip to Cartegena to watch him give the motorbike a spin round the track and catch some late November sun

Then…dare I say it, planning a Christmas at home, which will be a novelty. I bet it whizzes to December 🙂

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21st June 2016

Live

It’s new handbag day!

Attempting to ditch the well-worn rucksack and find a bag that will fit my laptop and all the rest of my rubbish, without giving me chronic backache.

This bag, from Mary Portas, is nice and roomy and structured. Let’s see if it works out, or whether I’m back in the rucksack within the week 🙂

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27th May 2015

Work

Happy Birthday Rufus Leonard!

My years at Rufus Leonard were some of the very best of my career. I met my husband there, refined my trade and developed the confidence and skill to start my own business.

I worked there between 1999 and 2006, and the agency was full of the most absurdly talented, creative and wonderful people. Many of whom I am touched to still call my friends. We had a blast, worked hard and definitely played hard. I’m proud to have been part of the Rufus story, which is why when I received an invitation to their 25^th birthday party I was really excited.

Held at the Skyloft space in the Millbank Tower, the party was a whirl of old faces and old friends. It seemed that pretty much everyone who worked there had been invited, which was a lovely touch. It was a great night – unfortunately we were all too busy catching up and getting drunk to take any pictures.

Happy Birthday Rufus, you still know how to throw a party 🙂

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10th November 2014

Live

This week I’m thinking about…

Work – there’s lots of it, and it’s taking over most of my waking-hour thoughts at the moment. Good thing I like my job.

Getting old – my Nan is not very well and had a fall earlier in the week. The balance between independence in the home and safety is a fine one. Upsetting times.

Motorbikes – I’m missing not being part of a race team this year. Mind you, it’s good for the mileage on the car and for not losing weekends. Every cloud.

Holidays – not until Christmas, but there is a cheeky week off planned in September. Maybe we’ll whizz somewhere on the motorbike.

All the stuff I want to do, but don’t seem to have the time. Situation normal.

7th August 2014