Introducing Michelle

Marketing is such a crucial and multi-faceted part of what we do. It is an area that is always evolving, involves some really big media players, and it has a strong integration with changing technology. It involves design, information and communication technology, print media, finance and accounting, scheduling, ordering, deadlines. It involves relationships with multiple and, in our case ever expanding list of, suppliers as we branch into new territory.

It also involves interpreting salespeople scrawl, rushed emails and panicked voice messages. 
Luckily we have Michelle, who somehow manages to hold all of this together with a pleasant smile and a sense of humour.

Michelle came on board in a similar fashion to Leanne – I got the quiet phone call “I want to work at home”, she said, “and I want to be able to help my son out and take the grandkids for a few hours here and there, so I need some flexibility”.

Well, perfect I thought. Because Kim and I can’t keep doing this marketing business forever…

Michelle came along at the perfect time with all the experience and ready to hit the ground running. 
Of course, Michelle’s role is further challenged by the fact that we are running multiple brands. When building a new agency from scratch, we need new collateral for… everything. A large part of Michelle’s role is liaising between designer, supplier, and salesperson, ensuring that everything looks perfect.

Another huge area to negotiate is the fact that we have a nation-wide business. Each region has its own pricing. Sometimes, when we fill a new area that we have not been in before, we need to establish new relationships. The complexity continues to increase! 

Michelle’s strength is relationships. She is a master at getting on with both suppliers and salespeople. Without this, the rest of it would fall apart. Being able to squeeze that little bit of extra time when needed on a deadline, find an advertising deal or solution to fit a budget, and make late changes to an advert all rely on relationships forged often over many years in this industry. 
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Our challenge going forward as we grow, and as this market heats up, is to pry some work off her (she wants to hold on to it!!) and find her a like minded, complementary colleague to help her – so she can keep doing what she is amazing at and making sure it’s not all work.  So she can spend special time with those grandkids.