How long have you been at Higginson Strategy and what brought you to the company?
I’ve been at Higginson for almost four years. I was originally a journalist for the Oldham Chronicle newspaper, until it unfortunately went into administration. I hadn’t considered a career in PR before then, but as I walked out of the gym I received a phone call asking if I would like to have a trial with Higginson with a view to it becoming permanent. I couldn’t say no and jumped at the chance – anyone seeking employment will know how soul-destroying it is to send off application after application, to then get an interview and not hear back. Instead, Higginson opted to see how I worked with the team on a lengthier basis and I’m pleased to say it went well.
Why is being part of a purpose-driven agency important to you?
Initially, I hadn’t considered purpose as being important in work. It hadn’t crossed my mind and I didn’t openly look for companies seeking to solve the world’s problems. But as I became more integrated with the company, I found I was becoming more invested in the issues it was looking to challenge.
It’s incredibly rewarding to be working towards solving the challenges facing the planet, it feels like there is so much more value in the work you are doing. And it’s refreshing to see the impact your company’s work has. For example, I predominantly work on tackling the issue of plastic pollution, and it’s incredibly refreshing to see both the public and politicians view this as a mainstream issue that needs solving.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I think what I enjoy most is delivering on a project, whether it be a project over the course of several months, weeks, or days, it’s a great feeling to see all the plans come together. Reaching the end of the day, knowing you’ve succeeded for your client is almost euphoric. With major projects, the final day of delivery can feel like a Champions League final. All the preparation, all the plans have been building up to the final delivery.
On the day when it’s time to deliver there’s stress, you go through the motions, there are set-backs, there are opportunities. It really can feel like it’s end-to-end football. At the end, you’re exhausted, but you know you’ve given everything and it’s paid off.
What is the one thing you do to reduce your impact on the planet?
I didn’t really focus on one thing to reduce my impact on the planet, and I didn’t really think about it, I just adopted things that I learned from working with our wonderful clients. I now have a reusable water bottle, I’ll now walk to the supermarket (about 30 minutes away), instead of taking a 5-minute drive.
Probably the one thing I do which has the most impact, is telling my friends, family, and people I meet about the work I do which hopefully gets them thinking about what they can do.
What’s been keeping you busy during the pandemic?
I got into improving my fitness, so took up running and strength training.
Favourite hobby?
Probably playing football or gaming.
Item you can’t live without?
A tricky one, I’ve never really thought about it. Probably at the moment, my Bluetooth earbuds which are fantastic for training, or just chilling. They’re noise-cancelling too, so handy when you’re getting asked to do chores.