I am a Strategic Client Lead at an end-to-end digital consultancy called AND Digital. My job involves helping to grow, support and evolve AND’s clients. I’m very lucky to be working with a great client at the moment and get to collaborate with a variety of teams and people from across the business to help them thrive and build their digital capabilities. My career started in a digital marketing and creative agency where I worked in the client servicing team. Moving from a creative marketing space into a tech consultancy was initially daunting because I don’t think of myself as being very ‘tech’ but ultimately my role is still about people and about understanding our client’s complex problems – luckily I have an amazing team of experts in Product, Tech, Cloud and more to help me find the right tech solution to those problems!
First career aspiration as a child?
I really wanted to do something exciting and glamorous, like a career in fashion. I loved the Freemans & Grattans catalogues which to a young girl growing up in Aberdeen was the height of fashion! My daughter would be horrified to hear that when I was her age buying my clothes involved consulting a catalogue and then ordering it on the phone!!
What would you tell your teenage self?
The decisions you make in school aren’t set in stone for the rest of your life… it’s not the end of the world if you change your mind at some point. I dropped out of Uni when I realised Law wasn’t right for me and it’s the best decision I ever made. I know so many people in their 20s and 30s who are still trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up, and there are so many examples of celebrities, entrepreneurs and business people who didn’t land on their career or have any success until later in life.
Biggest challenge?
When covid hit it was so difficult for everyone but I had just returned from maternity leave 2 weeks before the UK shut down. I remember thinking I was going to return to work with a bang but very quickly I lost my confidence and it sank even lower when I started working from home. It was difficult juggling work and a 1-year-old in the house, but the added stress of clients pulling budgets and having to do it all in isolation was very difficult for me. Nowadays we’re all more sophisticated when it comes to collaborating remotely so I find working from home much easier but nothing beats being in the office having a bit of chatter, sharing a problem and spontaneous collaboration.
Favourite pastime?
I’m not sure if you can classify it as a pastime but I love to potter about the house. I love a bit of crafting and DIY to make subtle tweaks and improvements, and nothing brings me more joy than having the house to myself on a Sunday afternoon, pouring a glass of wine and just pottering…
Your spirit animal?
A Golden Retriever – we like to make people happy, can be a bit goofy at times and take a playful approach to life.