8th Mar 2022
When we founded Emberson Group over a decade ago, it was in response to wanting to create and make something better than had gone before. My experience of marketing agency life both as an employee and as a client shaped that desire. Bias, discriminatory and stereotypical thinking stunts business growth and limits all of our possibilities.
As a female leader, I am committed to people-first, not gender-first – and I’d happily rebrand IWD as a celebration for International People’s Day. Having said that, it is extremely important that we all recognise the role of women and their accolades and achievements. I’m an advocate of brave and bold discussions and an avid supporter of mental health. I’m all for breaking the bias when it comes to talking about topics such as the menopause within the workplace too.
We all have a responsibility to break down silos and promote diversity, equality and inclusion with our employees and colleagues and where we live within our families and communities too.
My job has no room for bias thought, inequality or discriminatory attitudes. Creativity has no boundaries or walls.
We are all acutely aware, both men and women alike, of how stereotypes and prejudice can affect us deeply. I’m passionate about breaking the bias around dyslexia within the workplace, especially in creative spheres. Given the nature of the condition, it is easy for employees to go under the radar and encounter a myriad of problems due to misconceptions and the lack of understanding about how it can affect individuals, throughout their careers and in their personal lives too.
Working with Emberson I have a unique opportunity to break bias thinking by positively re-engineering the creative agency business model to improve experiences for all our stakeholders.
Some might say having a busy career in finance and a young family is not for the faint-hearted. But I’m an advocate of breaking the bias and combining both and excelling at both. If you work for the right organisation that is committed to supporting your personal and professional growth, there is no reason why both aspects of your life shouldn’t co-exist as fulfilling roles.
I was delighted to join Emberson’s board last year as Finance Director as the company moves into a new phase of expansion. It is an exciting role overseeing Emberson’s acquisition function and helping to future-proof the group’s financial growth plans.
My role as a parent at home is focussed on growth as much as it is within the workplace. A balanced approach to work and home-life makes it possible and I am lucky to have that with the team at Emberson.
Breaking the bias for me really means having the ability and time to combine work and my other interests – that’s very important to me.
My life experiences have instilled in me a strong desire to enjoy what life has to offer, and to do that now, not waiting for retirement. I have never been a typical career person and have never felt any embarrassment or shame about that. I choose to work a 4-day week allowing me the flexibility to pursue other career interests through my artwork, as well as my passions; I’m a keen walker and enjoy exploring the UK on foot in all weathers.
I love the breadth of work I have at Emberson, and I’m 100% dedicated, but my role also allows me to break down traditional barriers that dictate you need to be at your desk Monday to Friday, 9am-5.30pm. I love the freedom as well as working from the comfort of my own home, which means I can fit my personal life commitments around my role when I need to.
Together we are creating a truly different agency: https://embersongroup.com/about-us/our-offer/