Podcast Summary
From creative writing to marketing: How passion and determination led Ruth Hartnell to unexpected opportunities: Passion and determination can help you secure a job even if you don't meet all the qualifications. Showcasing your skills and enthusiasm can lead to unexpected opportunities in marketing.
Passion and determination can lead to unexpected opportunities, even when you don't meet all the qualifications for a job. Ruth Hartnell, the CEO of Match Stick Creative, shared her journey in content creation and how her background in creative writing led her to marketing. She emphasized the importance of language, structure, and form in marketing, which she learned during her studies. After graduation, she saw a job for a copywriter and, despite only meeting 30% of the criteria, she applied and was hired. This experience allowed her to quickly progress in her career by giving herself the promotions she needed. Ruth's story serves as an inspiration for those who may feel they don't have enough experience to enter marketing or feel they don't fit the job description perfectly. Instead, taking a chance and showcasing your passion and skills can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Don't limit yourself by job titles, focus on skills and experience instead: May's journey shows the importance of self-determination and adaptability in marketing careers, despite lacking traditional qualifications or experience. Focus on skills and experience, not job titles.
It's important to take risks in your career and not be too focused on job titles. May's story illustrates how she gave herself the job she wanted despite not having the traditional qualifications or experience. The confusion around job titles and their meanings across different industries and organizations highlights the importance of looking at job descriptions and criteria instead. May's background in creative writing also played a role in her career, teaching her valuable editing skills and providing a unique perspective. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes the importance of self-determination and adaptability in navigating the complex world of marketing careers.
The Importance of Effective Communication and Constructive Feedback: Specific reasons for feedback lead to productive conversations and stronger relationships. Appreciation for language and clear communication enhances skills.
Effective communication and constructive feedback are crucial in professional settings. People often struggle with giving feedback due to a lack of understanding of how to handle emotions and articulate their thoughts. Providing specific reasons for feedback leads to productive conversations and stronger relationships. Additionally, having a deep appreciation for language and the ability to articulate ideas succinctly enhances communication and listening skills. As for personal preferences, there's a fascination with the creative process of video production, from planning to filming, making it a favorite content type to create.
Expressing Opinions and Values through Writing: Purpose-driven leader aspires to write impactful opinion pieces like NYT and NYMag, partners with mission-driven B Corp businesses
For this individual, expressing well-articulated opinions through opinion pieces is a deeply enjoyable and fulfilling experience. As a purpose-driven leader, she feels a responsibility to stand up for her personal values and believes that effective communication of ideas is powerful. She admires the New York Times and New York Magazine-style opinion pieces and aspires to write in a similar vein. Additionally, Matchstick Creative only partners with businesses that are mission-driven and have a proven commitment to doing good in the world, as evidenced by their B Corp certification. This certification requires businesses to provide substantial evidence of their commitment to various social and environmental initiatives, and the business's score can be improved upon over time. Examples of B Corp businesses include Patagonia, Ben & Jerry's, and BrewDog.
Agency founded on passion for people and planet: Founded on values, transition into CEO role with support, positive work culture, notable projects with BerraCare and Growth Platform, importance of passion and care for success
Matchstick, a communications agency, was founded based on the founders' passion for working on projects that help people or the planet. They believe in accountability and working with clients who share the same values. The transition into the CEO role was described as feeling underqualified but with the support of a business mentor. The agency values a positive work culture where team members care deeply about their work. Notable projects include working with BerraCare, a group of care homes, and the Growth Platform, a local business support offering. The founders emphasized the importance of passion and care for the work in creating a successful and energized team.
Turning Negative Experiences into Positive Work Culture: Learn from past negative experiences and use them to create a positive work culture by treating employees with respect and supporting women in marketing.
Creating a positive and inclusive work culture can be achieved by learning from past negative experiences and flipping them on their head. The CEO in our discussion emphasized the importance of treating employees the way they would want to be treated, which led them to make decisions that contrasted with their own negative experiences. This approach has helped them foster a loyal team and attract values-matched employees. Another key aspect of the CEO's passion is supporting women in marketing, inspired by the feminist heroes they grew up with. They believe that consuming media with strong female characters should naturally lead to a desire to help other women succeed, and they strive to do so by sharing their experiences and creating a supportive environment.
Creating a supportive environment for women in leadership: Advocate for women, create opportunities for their voices to be heard, and embrace unique qualities and interests.
Treating others with kindness and respect, as you would like to be treated, can lead to meaningful connections and support for women in leadership. The speaker emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for women to share their experiences and stories, and encouraged interrupting men when they interrupt women in meetings. Additionally, she suggested taking on a confident persona to support others and speak up for them when necessary. By doing so, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in the industry. The speaker also acknowledged the influence of Buffy, encouraging women to embrace their unique qualities and interests. Overall, the key takeaway is to be an advocate for women and create opportunities for their voices to be heard.
Pretending to be someone else or amplifying voices can build confidence and create positive change: In male-dominated industries, women can gain confidence and create positive change by pretending to be someone else or amplifying voices. Focusing on personal goals and having a broad range of interests can help individuals stand out and advance in their careers. Using job titles and encouraging male allies can also make a difference.
Pretending to be someone else or interrupting on behalf of someone else can help build confidence and create positive change, particularly for women in male-dominated industries. This strategy, often referred to as "leaning in" or "amplifying voices," can be especially beneficial for those starting out in their careers when they may not have the same level of experience or confidence as more senior colleagues. Additionally, having a clear focus on personal goals, combined with a broad range of interests, can help individuals stand out and advance in their careers. The use of job titles, even self-given ones, can also add gravitas and make it easier to assert oneself in professional settings. Encouraging men to act as allies is also crucial in creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace. Overall, these strategies can help individuals navigate the complexities of professional environments and make meaningful progress in their careers.
Being focused and curious in marketing: Stay focused on your marketing role while maintaining diverse interests, ask insightful questions during interviews, and join groups like Firestarters to share ideas and challenge the status quo for innovative marketing solutions.
Having a focused marketing role while maintaining diverse interests can lead to unique and effective marketing strategies. The speaker emphasized the importance of being knowledgeable about various forms of media and popular culture, as well as understanding the business's goals and ambitions. They also highlighted the value of asking insightful questions during job interviews to demonstrate a clear understanding of how the role contributes to the business's success. Additionally, the speaker mentioned Firestarters, a group of change-makers, which aims to bring together individuals to share ideas and challenge the status quo in marketing. Overall, the key takeaway is to be both focused and curious, with a strong understanding of the business and the marketing landscape, to create innovative and effective marketing solutions.
Inclusive networking events for problem-solvers: Firestarter events bring together passionate individuals to discuss and find solutions to societal problems in an inclusive and effective way
Firestarter events are purpose-driven networking sessions designed to bring together individuals who are passionate about solving societal problems. Unlike traditional networking events, Firestarter events are deliberately inclusive and encourage active participation in finding solutions to identified issues. Firestarter was founded by two individuals, one of whom was the only black man and the other the only woman who looked like them in the room at other events. They recognized the need for a more inclusive and effective way to collaborate and create change, leading to the establishment of Firestarter. Unlike other networking events that may focus on socializing or champagne and cannabis vibes, Firestarter events are structured and focused on action. They provide a platform for individuals to discuss and find solutions to societal problems, making it a unique and impactful networking experience for those who want to make a difference.
Creating Inclusive Networking Events: Effective networking events can be made inclusive by structuring the environment and expectations, including main panel discussions, smaller group sessions, and a facilitator. Teams need careful planning and collaboration from diverse skill sets.
Effective networking events can be made more inclusive and comfortable for individuals with neurodiversity and other needs by restructuring the environment and expectations. This can include having a main panel discussion, smaller group sessions, and a facilitator to guide conversations. The team behind these events recognizes the importance of considering various perspectives and addressing potential barriers, making it a significant undertaking that requires careful planning and collaboration from team members with diverse skills. While the speaker takes a leading role in ensuring resources and time are allocated, team members like Aaron, who instinctively think about accommodating different needs, and Jack, who focuses on user experience, play crucial roles in creating an accessible and inclusive networking experience.
Empowering team members and inclusivity in event organization: Effective event organization involves empowering team members and promoting inclusivity to create a desirable experience for attendees.
Effective event organization involves empowering team members and considering the impact on attendees at every touchpoint. The speaker emphasized their role in Firestarter Events as an empowerer, allowing team members to excel in their roles. They also highlighted the importance of inclusivity and how virtual events welcomed a new demographic. A standout moment was their collaboration with the Good Business Festival, which brought together excellent speakers and created a desirable event experience. If they could go back in time, the speaker would encourage their younger self to be more proactive and open to learning in the marketing industry. Despite their initial lack of knowledge, they now value the importance of continuous growth and adaptation in marketing roles.
Curiosity and a commercial mindset in creative industries: Exploring the 'why' behind things can benefit entrepreneurs and impress potential employers or clients in creative industries. Cultivating curiosity and a commercial mindset can lead to a deeper understanding of the industry and the mechanics behind products or services.
Having a commercial mindset and being curious about the "why" behind things can be beneficial, especially when starting a business. Running a business requires more energy and effort than one might expect, and having a deep understanding of the industry and the mechanics behind the products or services you consume can impress potential employers or clients. This mindset is unique to creative industries, where expertise can be turned up or down to achieve similar results. Therefore, being interested in everything and questioning everything is crucial for standing out. This advice may change the way you consume media, as you begin to appreciate the vast amount of work that goes into bringing a product or story to market.
