Zoe is the newly appointed Chief Growth Officer of Buttermilk, an independent influencer marketing agency headquartered in London. As a growth specialist and new business careerist, her sales and marketing roles at some of the world’s top agencies have seen her enjoy commercial and creative success.
In Zoe’s leadership positions, she has helped the likes of Wieden+Kennedy, VaynerMedia and Wunderman Thompson to supercharge their growth, both in terms of clients, creative output and culture. Passionate about empowering the next generation of ‘new business people’ Zoe is also a proud mentor for young talent in the industry.
Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your current role.
I always seem to describe myself using the same three words: an empathetic, self-aware ambivert. That’s who I am in and outside of work.
An active listener, leader and consultative ‘salesperson’, I started in SaaS sales and ended up as a Chief Growth Officer at Buttermilk, an influencer marketing agency. The years in between were filled with acquiring the skills, connections and experience to get me where I am now.
I made it my mission to understand everything that goes into building and maintaining a modern brand. And spent time at agencies that were top of their respective fields – Wieden+Kennedy, VaynerMedia, Wunderman Thompson.
Now, at Buttermilk, I’m charged with sustainable growth. The right clients, the right work and the right people. I feel lucky to be devising and implementing the strategies and processes that will propel Buttermilk forward.
Did you ever sit down and plan your career?
In short, yes. There were a few milestone moments:
The first was with my careers counselor at school who told me “You should be a lawyer”. 5 years later I’ve graduated in law with no intention of practising.
Then I knew I wanted to work in London, so I applied to graduate schemes. After a year in telesales, I remembered there was a reason I stayed up late to watch ads as a kid and made it my mission to work in advertising.
At the IPA, I worked out that New Business was the role I was meant to do. And I set my sights on the best. “I’m going to be the New Business Director of Wieden+Kennedy by the time I’m 30”. And I was.
After being introduced to the concept of ‘Squiggly Careers’, my plan became a little more fluid and centred around happiness rather than ‘success’. What did I want? And what did I have to offer? Those questions have carried me through my last career moves and decisions.
Have you faced any challenges along the way?
Of course. New Business in agencies is still a relatively new and misunderstood discipline. Without experience and demonstrable success, it’s either theory-based or just plain old intuition. So, before I had years under my belt, I frequently questioned whether I was saying and doing the right things.
Also, growth is difficult. There are epic highs and monumental lows. Adrenaline and dopamine when you’re winning, anxiety and exhaustion when you’re not. It’s challenging to keep going, to persevere and push through.
And I don’t think I’m alone in the post-covid, mid-30s moment where you take stock of where you are, where you thought you were going to be and where you think you’re headed.
But with meditation, mentoring and management, you somehow overcome them all. Therapy, support network, yoga, music and gin help too.
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
I’m going to answer this in two ways: Professionally, I think I’m there right now. I think becoming the Chief Growth Officer and board member of Buttermilk is the culmination of everything I’ve been striving towards. I’m excited, but also proud of myself. But before this, it’s got to be those pitch wins when you see the work out in the world (shout out to Deliveroo and National Trust) and see my team grow and develop alongside me.
Personally, I bought my one-bedroom flat in East London in 2019, keeping my plants alive and mastering the crow pose for 5 breaths. And once I got 20,000+ views on a TikTok I made.
What one thing do you believe has been a major factor in you achieving success?
Having a support network in and outside of work.
I still speak to the managers, teammates and colleagues who gave me back my mojo, taught me how to navigate situations and were my cheerleaders. And I have a core group of friends who I can call in the good and bad times. It’s too hard to achieve ‘success’ alone. Having your team around you is vital. Being heard, understood, empowered and inspired can supercharge you.
How do you feel about mentoring? Have you mentored anyone or are you someone’s mentee?
I’d be nowhere without my mentors OR my mentees. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.
Having a personal board of people you can call on and ask questions to was so helpful when I was in that ‘middle management’ stage of my career. Now I love imparting any knowledge or experience to those asking for my help and support.
This is where the empathetic, self-aware ambivert really helps!
If you could change one thing to accelerate the pace of change for Gender Parity, what would it be?
Making allyship easier. Awareness is one thing and then comes the education piece, but action is where change happens.
So, while people are aware and more educated on the situation, we need to make those in positions of power (who are allies and for change) able to act.
What small and big things can CEOs, NEDs, board members or leaders at any level do to close the gap?
Then let’s make more noise and celebrate victories.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Sometimes you’re not going to get the validation you need from others, so look inside yourself, trust yourself and try. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect.
What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future?
Being a C-Suite and board member is new. It’s a challenge I’ve been craving and am ready for. I want to help Buttermilk and everyone in it understand what they’re capable of.
Read more from our inspirational women here.
