What's your role at Rise at Seven?

CEO & Founder of Rise at Seven, and my job is to be out in the market and see which way the wind is blowing in the next 1, 2, 5 or 10 years time and bring that home to my team and clients. I lead the vision of the agency across the UK & US.

Where did it all start for you?

I have 12 years in the SEO and content marketing space, starting in Digital PR and copywriting for SEO, then leading cross-channel content strategies and multi-platform campaigns. It all started for me working at Stickyeyes agency in Leeds and then becoming a campaign strategist at Branded3. I spent 5 years working on one of the biggest accounts, Ladbrokes, which is where I combined my passion for the best technical & creative work in a highly competitive niche. I truly believe that if you can market gambling, you can market anything.

I took my learnings and applied them to insurance, leading Confused.com to success, then Travel, Finance, Fashion, Beauty and many more.

I spotted a massive gap in the industry - that’s exactly why Rise at Seven was born.

I hired 50% of the best technically minded marketers and 50% of the best creative marketers, put them in an agency together, and we created magic. I have scaled the agency across seas and worked with some of the biggest brands in the world to create category leaders online.

What experience do you have?

I have experience working in nearly every niche and industry from B2B, to retail, finance, health, fashion and more.

I personally have the best knowledge and skillset in retail, travel and gambling and I’m passionate about fashion and beauty. When I'm not out in the market or running the business, I love to work closely with our strategists - that’s what I’m great at.

Big and small brands I have helped scale through organic search and media planning: GoCompare, Ladbrokes, PrettyLittleThing, Wayfair, Parkdean Resorts, Travel Republic, Game, Boohoo, and Revolution Beauty.

What are you best at?

I’m a f**king good marketer. That's what I am. I think over the years, I've become a good generalist marketer, understanding the full funnel and the role we all play in driving customer acquisition. I'm an expert at the messy middle part of the user journey and how we can move consumers through it faster and cheaper.

But the two things that make me stand out are my ability to position brands in a blue ocean, to have a competitive edge and a creative strategy that leaves competitors chasing my clients' tails. I’m an ideas girl.

What are you mostly known for?

I think if you ask anyone in the industry, I defined what creative SEO means to the world. Through our work with Game launching the Christmas Tinner, to a multi-channel sandtone campaign with Parkdean Resorts, I push the boundaries and define what creativity means in a technical discipline like search.

What strong opinion do you have about your craft?

“Whilst the SEO industry is chasing Google, we are consumers. Consumers are moving faster than Google, and all Google is doing with all its updates and advancements is figuring out humans as much as possible. Not enough SEO work gets in the minds of people, and that’s where it is going wrong”

Finish off with a fun fact about you...

I got my start in the industry by doing what I do best - spotting opportunity where no one else is looking. I was 19, on a train, and clocked a guy in a suit who looked like he knew things. So I sat opposite him and started a conversation.

It turned out he worked at Google and had just launched Google 360 in Maps and the SERPs. A few bold questions later, I walked away with a summer internship - and that’s where the journey began.

What is your role at Rise At Seven?

Chief Growth Officer. My role is to drive growth of the business in UK and US. As someone who started life as a designer I’ve always loved the creative industries, albeit ironic now that my main responsibilities now involve more spreadsheets and slide decks than photoshop!

Where did it all start?

I was 15 years old when I first stepped into an agency, designing packaging and presenting mock ups to the creative director - who only had drawing boards in his office, no computers! That was it - I was hooked, the path took many twists and turns but eventually led me to start my first agency when I was 26, doing print, branding and trade show design. I had zero idea what I was doing outside of design, had a handful of amazing staff and made some great memories.

In 2013 I got taken under the wing of an incredibly experienced entrepreneur who taught me a lot about the business side of agency life, and helped me realise (what my mother had always told me) that I’m a much better leader than I am designer. Together we built up a business focused on mobile web and apps, which with an amazing senior leadership team we successfully sold to Interpublic Group (IPG) in 2016.

By this point I’d learnt how to build a business of 5 people, and roughly 50 - now I was obsessed with understanding what it takes to run one of 500 people. Another amazing leader saw something in me and gave me the chance to step into the broader media and advertising landscape within IPG.

This chapter of my journey taught me so much about people, the breadth and diversity of humans you interact with at global levels is as inspiring as it is challenging. So this is where I was fortunate enough to be part of scaling to 480 people, delivering performance media, digital transformation and multi-channel global campaigns for household names in both B2B and D2C verticals.

Once we’d hit that size myself and the CEO actually decided to go out alone and set up a growth consultancy for agencies which we built design thinking styled workshops that help agencies get beyond founder led sales. This was a big period of creative freedom for me, and we actually sold it quite quickly into The Ingenuity Group where I took on a Chief Operating Officer role and had the pleasure of spending time not just working with 100’s of agencies on their pitch and pipeline but also to respectfully spend time on the brand’s side of the table - seeing a pitch through their eyes was enlightening to say the least.

Then I met Carrie Rose. Instant chemistry and a clear set of complementary skills and shared values. After we met I said to my wife “I want to work late for Carrie Rose”, when I’m that passionate about something I believe in listening to your gut and so here we are - taking our clients and our Risers to the next level.

Experience so far:

The list of brands is too long, but there are two wildly different brand relationships I’m proud of because they’re underpinned with a deep understanding of that client’s business and couldn’t have been possible without full trust in the team.

Combining media and tech for Heidelberg Materials (a German multinational building materials company) We launched an “uber for concrete” service in Reading for SME builders. We built the app, ran targeted ads, flyered in builder merchants' car parks and sold (several) tonnes of concrete allowing the client to take a slice of the “middle man” market and built the foundations (no pun intended) for a multi-million dollar business line in Europe.

Delivering an emotional campaign focused on new parents with Water Wipes. Having produced an honest and real view of what parenting held in store in the form of a 20 minute documentary featuring parents from all backgrounds across the world we then ran an incredible campaign targeting multiple subsections of the journey to parenthood. Activating all digital channels across EMEA and North America, learning to deal with logistical issues (the product freezing in certain countries!) and managing stakeholders in each country (both brand and agency side). This taught me a lot but was also personal to me as I was at the beginning of my own journey to parenthood.

What I’m best at:

I’m the translator between creative and commercial. That’s it. That’s my superpower. What this allows me to do is empathise and understand creative people, analytical ones and wrap my head around every possible business model and figure out how to channel our amazing people at solving (and understanding!) the brand’s problems. And don’t get me wrong, my slides are always on point too ;)

What I’m known for:

I’m probably known for having fairly high positive energy, (I can hear the team laughing as I write this) but I’d hope I’m thought of as loyal, as someone who will always do what they said and deliver. I’m also a surfer and generally lover of anything ocean activity related - I’m rarely sitting still and if that can also be in the water then I’m a happy boy.

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

As an agency, if you’re not leading your clients then they’ll be leaving you!

Fun fact:

In my early 20’s I lived in and ran a pub in Swansea with two of my best mates. We had a wild time, made incredible memories, and not a lot of money. I also used to DJ a lot, peaking with playing to 3,000 people at a breaking competition and then flying off to play a festival in Croatia. I’m also incredibly humbled to have had the pleasure of delivering a TedX talk to 1,000 people (and the internet) about creativity in business.

What is your role at Rise At Seven?

Managing Partner, Craft - head up our OESP proposition which includes all our our search, social, PR and strategy teams. I ensure that our work is laser focused on our client’s success.

Where did it all start?

I started my career in music, and spent my 20s travelling the world managing DJs and record producers. There are stories. At 30 years old, so much business and pleasure wasn’t working for me and I decided on a career change that I could utilise my skills. A client service role in digital marketing was the answer, swapping album campaigns for social campaigns and event marketing to performance marketing. I found my place helping brands connect their brand and performance strategies to maximise return on investment. Over 5 years I grew to the role of Global Business Director until I took an opportunity to move client side. For the next 3 years I led global digital marketing and paid media at Canada Goose. Over that time I pulled together paid, owned and earned marketing teams to develop a unified marketing function for efficient growth.

And so here I am at Rise, helping our brands maximise the impact of our partnership through integrated marketing strategies.

Experience so far:

Aside from Canada Goose, with whom I either worked for or with for over 7 years, I’ve worked with Amazon, JBL, TGI Fridays, Destination Canada, Byron Burger, Disney Store, NBA, Parkdean, JD Sports, and many more. Before that I ran social media and Youtube alongside major and independent record labels selling shows and selling songs. I’ve run pop up restaurants, worked on Navy ships, gone door to door selling energy and once had a tidy little business washing cars for £10 a go.

What I’m best at:

What helps me deliver success for brands is empathy, and the ability to quickly understand a clients’ and business’s objectives, opportunities and challenges. I help brands understand and get the best out of their Owned, Earned, Shared, and Paid media through integrated planning and have a proven track record both agency and brand-side.

What I’m known for:

At work I’m a client guy, very focused on the people that keep our business going. At home I’m a family man, father to two beautiful kids and I love nothing more than hanging out with them.

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

You could have the best media plan or strategy in the world, but if you haven’t got great content it's going to fall flat.

Fun fact:

With absolutely zero experience or know how I just bought an old busted 20 foot fishing boat called Penguin. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Role at Rise at Seven

Social & Campaigns Director – I head up all things social media, brand strategy and creative campaigns at Rise. You’ll often find me outside the office, on the curb corner, preaching about being in social, or shouting about why brands need to pull more than they push. My job is to make our clients famous online (and sometimes offline too).

Where did it all start for you?

I started my career in PR, after studying it at university. However, I quickly learnt writing wasn’t for me, my interests and skills lay in creativity.

I quickly moved into the world of social media, leading global brand accounts in my early 20s before taking the bold step of starting my own agency at 26. Whalecake went on to be named the Global Small Social Media Agency of the year in 2022, alongside a flurry of other industry leading awards.

After 6 years, I joined a large network agency before joining the agency I had always admired from afar - Rise.

Carrie and I had known each other for a while and had explored the idea of me joining several times - but the timing was right in spring of 2024.

I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved as a team since I joined. I have nothing but excitement for what lies ahead, as Rise At Seven continues to wade into the social media and brand strategy space.

Experience so far:

I’m proud to have worked with the likes of: Admiral / Bacardi / Beauty Pie / Betway / BetUS / Capital One / Diageo / Glamorgan County Cricket Club / Global Knives / Hawaiian Tropic / Kroger / LastMinute.com / Loneliness Awareness Week - Marmalade Trust / Marchon / Mercedes / North Face / Park Dean Holiday Resorts / SharkNinja / SKINS / Somerset County Cricket Club / Quorn / Red Bull / SumUp / Tama Drums / Tandem Bank / TechnoGym / Travel Republic / TripAdvisor / Tropic Skincare / Wayfair / Wilkinson Sword

What I’m best at:

I’m at my best when brands have lost their way or want to find new ways to tap into social culture, rooted in a robust brand strategy. As you’ve worked out by now, I’m all about helping brands be in social. Over the years, I have always kept my foundation of PR thinking, layering this with brand strategy and social-first thinking.

What I’m known for:

I’m an ideas guy. Always looking to innovate and push the boundaries with social and the intersection with brand. Outside of work, I’m a family man with two beautiful children who keep me busy - I describe my little boy as a project!

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

If you are, or want to be, a category leader you can’t afford to be on social, you have to be in it!

Fun fact:

My dreams of featuring on MTV Cribs as a famous wakeboarder/musician unfortunately didn’t quite come to fruition, although I did become the UK wakeboard champion and my band was booked to play a show with Professor Green in his hay-day.

What's your role at Rise at Seven?

Marketing and growing the best content agency in the industry like it’s one of our clients. I connect the dots between brand, search, social, PR and creative, and turn that into demand. I communicate, educate and inspire marketers on how to fix the real problem with their brand, and use our learnings to share that message across the UK, US, Europe and APAC. From positioning and product to campaigns and content, I pioneer tactics like social search, attracting the biggest brands in the world, and making noise that sells.

Where did it all start for you?

I started out as a creator and built a big following across a bunch of social platforms. Then my main account got taken down. That’s when I realised I needed to pivot. I’d always enjoyed social, so I started creating content for brands (which, by the way, is way harder than doing it for yourself). That eventually led me to working with some of the biggest brands, helping them grow their organic marketing strategy from the ground up.

Experience so far:

Across that time I've worked in social, influencer, PR, SEO multi-channel search with brands of all sizes in various different marketing roles, Most of this has been on the Organic side as an organic growth consultant and now I'm taking those skills working alongside some of the best marketers in the world to see what we can break.

What I’m best at:

Spotting where the industry’s really going not just what marketers are saying, but what brands are actually doing. I spend a lot of time studying trends, culture shifts and strategy in the wild alongside real brand strategies, what our own teams are doing. That gives me an edge when it comes to refining our own messaging, positioning and go-to-market. It’s not just pattern spotting it’s knowing which patterns matter.

What I’m known for:

Taking selfies, Facetiming everyone instead of a phone call (I wanna see your face!!) talking about marketing

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

You should aim to make bad content – just like you accept bad workouts at the gym. It keeps you consistent. You need 30 “off” pieces a month a quarter to stay in the game, to find the great ones. Waiting for perfect kills momentum. Publish, learn, repeat, that’s how you grow.

Fun fact:

I used to box and competed in kickboxing and karate. Massive fan of anything fight-related. They used to call me Pretty Boy Ray because I cared more about my hair getting messed up in sparring than getting hit. Priorities.

Role at Rise at Seven:

VP of PR, here to make sure our clients are CONSTANTLY hitting the headlines on both sides of the Atlantic whilst growing our footprint in North America!

Where did it all start for you?

My story started with Sex and The City, I watched too much of it from the ages of 10-14 and wanted to be the next Samantha Jones. Some could say I’ve achieved that working in NYC setting up the Rise at Seven office. I originally started in traditional PR in the charity sector before beginning my 12-year-long career in Digital PR where I fell in love with storytelling in the media. I always thought I’d be working in celebrity PR but fell into working on clients in the B2B and finance space at first and then finally moving into more consumer-based clients and eventually celebrity.

Experience so far:

Dermalogica, Revoluution Beauty, PrettyLittleThing, SIXT, Boohoo, BoohooMAN, NastyGal, Flo health, IG, City Index, Interflora, Bloom&Wild, No7, Lookfantastic, BetUS, Ladbrokes, money.co.uk, Gocompare, Game, Asktraders

What I’m best at:

Chatting shit.

What I’m known for:

Being popular culture OBSESSED. I always partner trend with brand when creating our PR strategies.

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

Your brand isn’t boring, you are. A misconception I hear within the industry all the time is to land press coverage you need to have a cool brand. WRONG. You just need an interesting story that resonates with both press and the general public.

Fun fact:

My leg has featured on a hit Bravo reality TV show.

What's your role at Rise at Seven?

SEO Director - I work with the SEO, Content and Data teams to make sure we’re optimising things effectively for clients. I also work super closely with the Strategy, PR and Social teams too - and across new business, marketing and nearly every Google Sheet in the business.

Where did it all start for you?

I’d been playing around with Geocities websites and then built a site with Microsoft Frontpage for my Dad’s business that I’d managed to accidentally optimise, and he got a huge order from Canada as a result. It was a real beauty, think animated GIFs, scrolling marquees etc. So then I left a job working in a casino to join a small IT company - building websites for clients, plus fixing the photocopier, doing Excel troubleshooting…and never looked back.

Experience so far:

I’ve been doing SEO since 2003, so a list of brands I’ve worked with is quite long. Speedo, Berghaus, Nestle, Mitre, Renault, easyGroup, Lex Autolease, Tesco, Subaru, Isuzu, Co-op, Mecca Bingo, Cinch, Save The Children, Parkdean Resorts, Bacardi Group, Red Bull, JD Sports, etc.

What I’m best at:

I’ve seen a lot, it’s unusual that I’ve not seen an issue on a client’s site - I tend to be good at problem solving and suggesting tests or solutions.

What I’m known for:

Mince pies. Fixing Google Sheets.

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

“Keep testing, go after what works but not blindly - you need tangible outcomes.”

Fun fact:

I can do card tricks, I’ve been inside No.10 Downing Street, and I spend hours reviewing mince pies each Christmas.

What is your role at Rise at Seven:

Head of Operations, so I’m the person who makes sure the right people are in the right place, doing the right work, at the right time and for the right margin. My role spans agency-wide operations, from forecasting and resourcing to partnering with Finance on performance, with Craft teams on delivery systems and focusing on our internal culture. I work across every department to keep the business moving efficiently and intentionally.

Where did it all start for you?

I started out by launching my own agency in 2008, just before the global recession hit, which meant it was a bit of a crash course in how to sell, manage people, build a business and create things people wanted. Being a young lad selling, designing and building websites during that time was super interesting, WordPress was becoming a thing, Facebook and Twitter were just beginning to take off, and the Google algorithm was still a mystery.

Experience so far:

Before Rise, I have been the Operations Director at various agencies where I built delivery models that enabled the agencies to scale. I’ve also been a guest on various agency podcasts like Agency Works and Parakeeto, and worked with brands and celebrities such as Nike, Puma, Usain Bolt, Chelsea FC, the NHS and the FA.

What I’m best at:

Staying calm when things get a bit messy. I listen first, then ask the kind of questions that help teams find their own way through, even if a nudge is needed. I lead with clarity, empathy, and try not to take myself too seriously. My focus is always on making things better: better decisions, better processes, better teams. And if I can help someone grow along the way, that’s the real win for me.

What I’m known for:

Probably moaning about timesheets.

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

Operations is a people role first and foremost.

Fun fact:

I have two! Firstly, in a past life, I captained England Athletics U18’s to a home Home Nations competition win. Secondly, my wife and I eloped to Vegas to get married and then sprung the news on everyone a year later at our “wedding” in Yorkshire. My nan wasn’t a fan of that…

What's your role at Rise at Seven?

Brew maker, headache causer and UK & International PR Director

I lead the entire UK & International PR department, ensuring our reactive and campaign teams across Europe have search and creativity at the heart of everything they do. From newsjacking to show-stopping campaigns, I make sure our work drives tangible results in rankings, traffic and revenue - not just headlines.

Where did it all start for you?

I fell into PR by accident back in 2010 when I was choosing which university to go to. I was looking at Business Studies courses as I couldn’t make a decision back then and I had no real idea what I wanted to do. I went with my mum to tour the cities, we went to Liverpool, straight into the Wetherspoons and within five minutes I just said ‘I’m going here’ with no look at the rest of the city or campus. The course at LJMU also incorporated PR, and that’s where it all began.

After uni, I was working in a bar, before I decided to put my PR and social skills to use and applied for a PR Intern role at Global Brands - an independent drinks company that creates a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

There, I did traditional PR, social and events for brands including Hooch, VK and Franklin & Sons, working my way up to PR Manager where I got to run really exciting product launches, events, and my passion for PR and advertising grew.

Next stop: Manchester, where I joined Wavemaker North and discovered the world of Digital PR. I became obsessed with links, visibility, and helping brands own their online space. I even helped launch their influencer service and worked on brands like PZ Cussons, St. Tropez, and TransPennine Express.

When I decided to return back to Sheffield, there was only one place I was heading - Rise at Seven, I contacted Carrie about roles and started as employee 12 as a PR Strategist. I worked on huge campaigns and clients, finding my love for reactive PR, proceeding to head up the Rise Live team in 2022, to now taking on all PR services for International & the UK.

Experience so far:

I’ve worked across a range of industries and love that every day is different.

GoCompare, Capital One, Klarna, Clearscore, Revolution Beauty, Dermalogica, Beauty Pie, MyProtein, Lounge Underwear, GoCompare, Swinton Insurance, Nasty Gal, B&Q, Wayfair, Parkdean Resorts, PLT, Missguided, AXA, Beauty Pie, Pooky, Cloud Nine, Glow Hub, GWR, Healthcare Transformers, Sixt, Interflora, LookFantastic, Emirates Group, Under Lucky Stars, Pcloud, Shark, Ninja, Skiddle, Tropic Skincare, St Tropez, PZ Cussons, Carex, Europcar and many more to come…

What I’m best at:

Keeping calm in chaos and creative ideas is my strong point, but reactive PR is my absolute baby. I launched the Rise Live service 3 years ago - the leading reactive team for helping brands hijack viral moments and turn trends into traffic, and I’ll still sneak on brainstorms whenever I can and support the team in making ideas even bigger.

What I’m known for:

Talking fast but thinking faster about absolutely anything - how all great PR ideas are made.

I’m also passionate about helping people find roles where they can genuinely thrive - seeing the Rise team grow, especially in their skills, is still one of my proudest achievements.

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

You can learn what you want about PR, but not knowing how to spot a relevant hook means you’re fucked. Overcomplicating is what stands in your way of ranking higher organically because simplicity and relevance will outrank complication every time.

Fun fact:

I’ve been to a garden party with the queen at Buckingham Palace, sent a cease and desist from The Rock (true story) and can balance a drink on my head 4 out of 10 times.

Name:

Laura Smales

Role at Rise at Seven

Client Services Director - heads up our existing client services team. Responsible for client satisfaction, retention and commercial planning and growth. Setting the standards of what good client services look like.

Where did it all start for you?

I started my working life at 16 in a busy restaurant in Ireland, my first for working in a fast paced environment! After completing my A-levels, which was a strong focus on science, 18 lessons a week, I moved to Leeds at 18 to do my BSc in Public Health Studies. Throughout university, I worked in hospitality, where my passion for the business started.

Alongside studies and my part time job in hospitality, I began my professional career in the NHS as a Health Promotion Specialist. After graduating there were limited opportunities in Leeds at the time, so looked for a Monday to Friday job, that led me to accept a job at Stickyeyes, a marketing agency.

That decision changed everything. I quickly discovered a strong interest in Client Services, I loved building client relationships, creating presentations, and being a trusted representative for the agency. Aged 22 I joined the Client Services team and by 27 I had progressed from Account Executive to Account Director. I spent 12 incredible years at Stickyeyes, growing personally and professionally.

Now at Rise, I’m using that experience to help build and shape the Client Services function, driving growth and setting the foundation for long-term success. I love being part of a journey and contributing to building something great again.

Experience so far:

I’ve been so lucky to be part of so many amazing brands and work, the list is endless ghd, Hertz, Tommee Tippee, Kroger, CWT, Cath Kidston, SIXT, Emirates group, Canon, Leeds Building Society, hard to choose just one!

What I’m best at:

Commercial knowledge one of the go to individuals at Rise and helping to find solutions to clients problems.

What I’m known for:

Work related, PINK SHEETS - does that count ha (all Risers will understand) and the irish slang from time to time. Personally, I’m known to be very family oriented, I love family time not only with my husband and little girl, but with my huge Irish family being one of eight!

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

To be an amazing Account Manager, be seen as a driver and a consultant for your clients.

Fun fact:

I’m a country girl at heart, I’m from the hills of Donegal, Ireland where the neighbours were mostly sheep! Although some may say my choice of footwear is questionable, you’ll always find me in heels.

What is your role at Rise At Seven?

Lead Rise at Seven’s global organic offering across SEO, content, and digital PR shaping the strategies that drive performance and make headlines. My mission? To keep our clients miles ahead of the curve in a zero-click world, where search is changing faster than ever.

Where did it all start?

I got into SEO in 2010 drawn by the promise of no weekend work but quickly became hooked on Tech SEO. At my first agency, I laid the groundwork for what became their Search Strategy team. Since then, I’ve built award-winning teams that consistently deliver in the toughest markets.

Experience so far:

With 15 years of experience across Search Strategy and Analytics, I’ve led strategies at every level — from global campaigns spanning time zones and teams to hyper-local activations in niche markets. I’ve worked across finance, travel, hospitality, and regulated industries, developing deep expertise in what it takes to win in complex, high-stakes environments.

I possess deep expertise in multiple skillsets. Whether it’s market-deep dives, performance-led strategy, technical audits, or custom reporting frameworks — I’ve done it all, and I love building systems that scale.

What I’m best at:

Creating clear search strategies that show you your opportunity and the fastest way to capture it. Building world class search teams capable of delivering significant impact at any scale.

What I’m known for:

Building high-performing teams, creative solutions to complex problems, and a search-first approach that connects brands with their audiences in meaningful, measurable ways.

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

Everyone chill out, only BAD SEO is dead.

Fun fact:

I am working my way through the list of trying to swim with the most exciting creatures in the sea. I have already completed swimming with Great White Sharks, Humpback and Killer Whales. Next on the list are Whale Sharks and Crocodiles (the last one I’ll be in a cage though!)

Role at Rise at Seven:

Strategy Director.

I lead our strategic search thinking — turning market insight, audience signals and company USPs into branded growth programmes that scale. Whether it’s global B2B pipelines or B2C brand visibility, I build search strategies that drive business pipeline (not just ranking positions).

Where did it all start for you?

Former journalism student, started out at magazines and newspapers before learning the digital ropes on apps and websites (don’t ask about my time at a few lads mags or national tabloids). Worked in a series of agency and client-side roles in end to end content and marketing at some of the world’s biggest B2C and B2B brands both client and agency-side.

Experience so far:

With over 13 years of experience, I’ve run digital marketing and audience-centric content strategies across global brands like Hilton Hotels, BT, UPS, Google Cloud, as well as consumer-focused brands like Nando’s, New Look and Burberry. I’ve worked across agency powerhouses (Forward3D, Essence, Performics,Velocity Partners) and in-house at Sky, Associated Newspapers and ethiXbase360, always focused on how to drive business impact through search and wider marketing activity.

What I’m best at:

Uncovering the signal through the noise and translating it into high-performing organic strategies. Especially where the stakes are high — regulated markets, complex buyer journeys, or multi-product brands in various markets where nuances can make or break a marketing programme.

What I’m known for:

Bringing calm, clarity, and structure to chaotic challenges. Being a safe pair of hands for brands navigating messy platforms, shifting algorithms, and complex global teams.

Strong opinion I have about my craft:

Make content with your people, for your people – and assume nothing. Producing content without audience insight is like shooting without aiming.

Fun fact:

I have/had a Guinness world record for the most number of burgers flipped in a minute, previously had a job walking around London for the day in my pants and have lived on a narrowboat along the UK’s canals and rivers.

Role at Rise at Seven

As Financial Controller at Rise, I lead the Finance function, keeping us commercially sharp as we scale at speed. From forecasting and reporting to budgeting and risk management, I partner with teams across the UK and US to make our boldest ideas backed by solid numbers and smart decisions. I translate the numbers into insight, challenge assumptions when needed, and work closely with the Senior Leadership team to keep us commercially focused and forward-thinking. Finance might not always be glamorous, but it’s what keeps the rocket fuel flowing.

Where did it all start for you?

I’ve always been creative at heart. Growing up, it was photography, dance and sport that kept me busy. I spent more time painting canvases than balancing books, and took great pride in getting acrylic on everything except the actual canvas. Finance wasn’t something I planned or ever felt particularly skilled in, but I landed a local temp job in Finance to support caring for my autistic sister at home with my family. I quickly realised I had a knack for fixing things. Not just numbers, but systems, processes and problems that slowed people down. That first role sparked something: a love of untangling the messy stuff, finding clarity in the chaos, building better ways of working. My creative background still shapes how I think: curious, solution-driven, and always looking to improve what’s already there (even if it is a colour-coded spreadsheet or two). Over time, that foundation shaped a career I’ve grown into and genuinely enjoy.

Experience so far:

With over a decade spent in creative agency environments, I’ve gained a deep, end-to-end understanding of the finance function. From hands-on operations to high-level strategic planning, I’ve worked across every layer of finance to help businesses scale with confidence and rigour. My experience spans financial reporting, commercial modelling, revenue recovery and strategic forecasting, while overseeing financial workstreams for brands like Glenmorangie, Hilton, Volkswagen and Busy Bees. Along the way, I’ve rebuilt systems, coached teams and embedded financial thinking into every corner of an agency, focused on making finance feel less intimidating and far more impactful. That theme runs through my experience with a very clear goal: finance should empower creativity, not restrict it, and the right insight, delivered calmly and clearly, changes everything. That’s what I set out to achieve, however I can.

What I’m best at:

I’m known for being calm under pressure, commercially focused, and relentlessly meticulous. Whether it's building models, driving efficiencies, business partnering or simplifying complexity for stakeholders, I make sure decisions are backed by insight and built for long-term impact. I’m a firm but fair leader, and I believe the best financial decisions are data-informed, driven from a mix of clear thinking, collaboration and empathy.

What I’m known for:

Spreadsheets, strong coffee and saying it how it is. I’m known for being a straight-talking, process-loving girlie who brings structure without slowing things down. Compassionate but clear, I balance high standards with a lot of heart and I’ll usually be the one turning big ideas into action plans (colour-coded, naturally). I show up with drive, dedication and a decent gin recommendation.

Strong opinions I have about my craft:

Profit and people aren’t in competition, one protects the other.

Clarity under pressure is more powerful than speed.

Fun fact:

I grew up as a total tomboy: football-obsessed, always outdoors, and allergic to anything remotely girly. I’ve mellowed slightly, but the competitive streak definitely stuck. I competed in athletics for Cheshire County and under-18s football. These days, I love to walk, hike, unplug in nature and spend as much time as I can with my beautiful family and friends. I’m passionate about giving back to the community and always looking for new ways to learn, grow and push myself forward.