What was your background before becoming an adviser and what industry experience do you have?

I’ve held a number of PR and marketing adviser roles, as part of an in-house team, and as Ten Stories. It’s given me a broad and wide understanding of lots of sectors. Rural and countryside – working for the Environment Agency, Lake District National Park Authority, Foundation for Common Land plus small business owners and farmers. As well as retail, Kendal’s Wainwright’s Yard and fab local businesses. All remind me how confusing it can be for business owners to know how to use marketing and PR to support their aims.

Areas of specialism/interest

Press and the media, as a way to communicate with key audiences, plus messaging. That’s saying clearly what you do, audience first.

Why did you become a business adviser? How long have you been an adviser/self-employed?

It’s a great way to meet and help smaller, local businesses, alongside my Ten Stories work for clients. I’ve supported my colleagues in their advisory roles, and in October (2022) provided my first dollop of support, nine hours.

What do you most enjoy about the role?

The passion people have for their business and leaving them in a better position to communicate that as part of their offer. I love the challenge of adding value when we have hours rather than days.

Your biggest success to date as an adviser?

Producing a marketing plan in nine hours that really helped a new business understand and articulate what they did and who their clients are. Plus demystifying what marketing is and keeping it simple, sensible and sustainable as an activity for a business owner to take on board.

What have you learned being an adviser?

It’s always about a team effort. Whether it’s working through an elevator pitch with a business owner, or linking up with other expertise they need. I’ve learned always to be curious in order to get to the heart of what someone is trying to say about their business, their ethos and their USPs.

What type of businesses have been able to support and what support did you offer?

My first lead advisory role was for a business providing a service to farmers and landowners. We had nine hours to produce a marketing plan with key messages, audience descriptors plus channels. We even managed a mini review of the website and current marketing activity.

3 interesting facts about you

• I’ve a Masters in PR, and still learning
• I’ve two Corgis. They’re the best conversation starter
• I helped Blue Peter do their first live outdoor broadcast in the Lakes and got a badge for it