Hi Reader, A couple of weeks ago, I was in a discovery meeting with a potential new client. We were talking about messaging and website copy. They’re creative and genuinely care about what they do. “We just want to be us and do good work for our clients. We don’t want to have to put on bright pink suits or anything gimmicky to stand out.” I have nothing against pink suits (in fact, I love a colour-block outfit), but I understood exactly what they meant. THE SHOP OR THE MINE? There’s plenty of...
2 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader A few weeks ago I was at a networking event and there were three speakers. One was a printer. I’d met him the day before. He was a nice guy, fun to talk to and clearly knew a lot about printing. I was looking forward to hearing him speak. And in his presentation, he showed he knows a lot about different types of printed materials. But it felt like we were being talked through a brochure. Each slide featured a different printing technique. Brochures. Pull up banners. Flyers. You get...
10 days ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader Yesterday morning, I was in Birmingham for a catch up with Emma Johnson, a partner and patent attorney at Forresters. She was giving me a tour of their fabulous new offices. (One of my favourite parts was the bookcase which featured books of cases and reports belonging to the founders Harold Forrester and Charles Ketley, as well as nods to technological developments like a stylish vintage lightbulb). The office space also featured individual offices which can be booked by team...
16 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader This morning there was a message from my sister on the WhatsApp family group chat. “Does anyone have spare straighteners I can borrow? I left mine in Abersoch and won’t be able to get them back for 10 days.” Before I could reply, her best friend came to the rescue. My sister has a stop-gap measure. A temporary fix. When she gets hers back, she won’t have to worry about returning them to anyone. They are hers. The idea of ownership has been on my mind recently. Especially when it...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, On Tuesday morning I was back at my old high school presenting 3 x 40 minute sessions to Year 12 students. The theme: AI + Applications: How to Stand Out THE SHORTCUT ILLUSION AI is a reality for anyone job hunting or recruiting right now. Last week, the BBC reported about a law firm, Mishcon De Reya using AI to screen early stage applications. They had over 5,000 for 35 roles in its last round of hiring, so you might be able to see why from a time perspective. They also hoped that...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader Over the past year, I’ve been thinking a lot about “soft skills”. How you interact with people. How you make them feel. And the impact it has on life, not just business. And I’ve always found it frustrating that they’re called soft skills, because while they might not be quantifiable on a spreadsheet or end of year accounts, they are so important. They give us The Invisible Advantage in these AI times. An advantage which means so much and leaves a lasting impression. In July 2014 I...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader I missed you last week - I was prepping for a panel I was hosting at Wolverhampton’s International Women’s Day (IWD) Conference and I’m deep in my website rebuild. But I’m back with something I’ve been thinking about: word of mouth. Specifically: why AI is impacting our relay-ability. THE RELAY EFFECT Last week, my client Emma Thompson, Director at Get Smart Accountants, spoke at the conference. Last November, Emma came to me saying: “I did something slightly bonkers. I applied to...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader If you were going to a future-themed fancy dress party, what would you dress as?Back in my 20s, living in Bristol, this was once the theme of my birthday party. What I loved most was the interpretation of the theme: Jack came as an old man (aka his future self) Steffi and Tom came as Kate and William, the future King and Queen of England Martyn, Mary and Chad came as Fry, Leila and Zoidberg from Futurama Ellen came as a character from Avatar - still one of the best costumes I’ve...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, A year ago, I was pretty closed to AI. Not hostile. Not actively against it. Just… overwhelmed. People were asking me “are you scared AI is going to take your work?” That’s a lot to take on board. Then something shifted. I got curious. I opened up. And honestly? I’m so glad that I did. THE OPEN CIRCUIT In electrical terms, an open circuit is broken - electricity can’t flow. But in human terms, being open is how everything flows. Ideas. Possibilities. Discovery. A year ago, my...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, I missed last week. Life got busy with workshops and 1-2-1 sessions. Rather than rush something out, I paused. But I’m back this week with something I’ve been thinking about since a fire-making event last year. THE FIRE STARTER I spent one crisp Thursday in November learning to make fire from scratch. Not with a lighter. Not with matches. With flint, steel, and a lot of patience. I was under the expert guidance of Tiny Mountain’s Simon Withington and Spirited Adventure's James Heir...
4 months ago • 3 min read