I am currently the Founder and CEO of a Creative Agency in Shoreditch, London called OK COOL.
I am also the Co-founder of Ok Mentor, a free mentoring program for young females looking to break into creative industries. I have a design background where I studied and worked in fashion, art direction, photography and creative direction.
Did you ever sit down and plan your career?
No. I thought I would work in fashion my whole life but quickly realised that it was too cut-throat of an industry and I preferred working on the marketing side of things. I transitioned to a marketing role within fashion and before I knew it I had quit to start my own business. I had no intention of ever becoming an entrepreneur but it fell into my lap and I’m so glad I took the leap.
Have you faced any challenges along the way?
Many! I face challenges all the time. Some harder than others. I’ve had to deal with difficult clients, colleagues and staff situations. Each one has taught me so much and now when I’m faced with challenges I’ve been up against before, I can tackle them more quickly and confidently.
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
Winning some of our biggest clients to date like Taco Bell, Bumble and TikTok.
What one thing do you believe has been a major factor in you achieving success?
Asking for help from mentors, applying it and working hard. Pushing myself to do more. Making certain sacrifices for a while, like socialising or travelling, but knowing that it’s only for a short time while I focus on hitting a specific milestone.
How do you feel about mentoring? Have you mentored anyone or are you someone’s mentee?
I’ve been mentored many times in my life by incredible men and women, not for long, maybe 3-4 meet ups over coffee, but they’ve been truly valuable. I’ve also mentored many young women who have needed it, sharing my knowledge and helping them with their personal development.
If you could change one thing to accelerate the pace of change for Gender Equality, what would it be?
I would make it easier for women to get help, mentorship and training throughout their careers, particularly around issues that hold them back such as confidence, negotiating skills, financial acumen etc. These are things that are inherently taught to men from an early age and/or come more naturally to them.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be?
Everything is transient. Don’t get caught up in where you are at the moment, especially if it’s a difficult time. Know that it will pass and that everything is a phase. Confront the things that make you uncomfortable, don’t run away from them.
What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future?
I would love to be able to grow Ok Mentor into a global brand with a large community of mentors and mentees, enabling us to help more women succeed faster. My co-founder Stef and I haven’t done anything like this before so there are challenges but we’re figuring it out as we go along. It takes patience and determination and I’m up for learning as much as I can.
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