For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed learning about a subject and expressing my thoughts in writing. At school I had a genuine interest in understanding different viewpoints and drawing my own conclusions. Perhaps this came from being the youngest in my family, navigating the advice from my older siblings and forging my own path.

The topic itself didn’t matter. From current affairs, technology to simply how the world works, my curiosity always got the better of me. Little did I know these were the ideal ingredients for a career in public relations – an industry I didn’t know existed at the time.

It’s no surprise that my favourite lessons were history at politics which both lend themselves to critical thinking where any number of different conclusions can be drawn. I went on to study both these subjects at university with the intention of carving a career in the media which has many parallels. I was also fascinated by the stories from my dad who spent his life in journalism.

I was all set to go until, by chance, I read about public relations and I was immediately hooked. It was seemingly very similar to journalism but also completely different. I embarked on a Master’s degree in Public Relations and undertook work experience in the communications team of a local council where I got my first taste of the adrenaline rush of issuing a press release and seeing coverage come through in the local paper (10 years on this excitement still remains!).

I sent out my CV to a few PR agencies in Suffolk. One agency called Genesis PR replied to thank me for my enquiry and said whilst there were no current vacancies, they would keep me on file and get back in touch. To be honest, I didn’t expect to hear back and secured a small role in marketing for an estate agency. 12 months down the line, Genesis PR contacted me as a new role had opened up. Then began my 10 year career journey in public relations (so yes, when we say we will get back to you we really mean it!)

I joined Genesis at an entry level position. I remember being very nervous my first day but I had an incredible mentor supporting me. I was given my own desk and pride of place in the office. I truly felt part of the team and treated equally with everyone else.

I found agency life very different to my previous in house role. Instead of focussing on the same subject matter day in day out, I was working on different ‘clients’ in different sectors. One minute I was writing a press release about green energy, then posting social media posts for an accountancy firm, organising photography for a technology business and attending an event hosted by a local charity. I loved the variety every day would bring.

New clients would come on board and I’d get to deep dive into another subject matter, expanding my knowledge and learning useful life skills in the process. It’s amazing how many hugely important industries are out there making the country run which are never talked about.

As an agency, we were a team of PR professionals so we all shared a passion for what we did and supported each other. Communication is sometimes misunderstood as ‘spin’ but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Our job is simply to help make people’s voices heard. There are so many campaigns I’m proud to have worked on from raising awareness of important health issues, supporting the rollout of faster internet connectivity in rural communities to helping small family run businesses reach more customers, grow and support the local economy and people.

Along the way I’ve learnt so many skills from writing, presenting to working as a team. PR is, again, often misunderstood as glitz and glamour but it is hard work, requiring a curious and creative mind. Underneath all that, it’s about being part of a team and nurturing close relationships. But yes, we do find time to socialise as a team over lunch and suit up for award ceremonies!

I was fortunate at Genesis to have a management team which cared about our wellbeing and actively wanted to support our careers. The ethos also wasn’t just about growing. We were genuinely passionate about supporting the local community, working pro bono with charities and fundraising for good causes. We also always looked out for each other.

When I joined Genesis we were a team of 6 working in a small office. I was part of an amazing journey which saw the business grow to become the largest agency in the East of England. Through dedication (and the support of amazing mentors) I was able to rise the ranks from being a new starter, to managing clients, to helping lead the team as part of the senior management. I wish there was a secret recipe to share but everyone has a different career path.

My advice is to demonstrate your interest and passion to your clients, accept you will make mistakes and learn from them, focus on professional development (I don’t like the term ‘expert’ as you can always learn more!) and, most importantly, always be honest and transparent to colleagues and organisations you work with.

In 2022, Genesis was acquired by PLMR and we became PLMR Genesis. This opened up a whole new world of opportunities. We shared the same values and ethos which made it the ideal partnership. To this day, we remain the leading agency in the East of England but we’re now part of a Group of over 100 comms professionals with offices around the country. This turbocharged the work we do and led to even more opportunities to work with new clients and colleagues.

At the start of 2024, nearly 10 years after I joined, I was appointed Managing Director of PLMR Genesis to lead the team in the East. In a true cliché, I still remember my first day like it was yesterday and this crystalised my overriding priority in my new role.

All those years ago, I was given the opportunity to prove myself and had the support of incredible mentors. My focus now is to help create the same opportunities for everyone else and build brilliant careers, creating a positive and transparent culture where everyone can thrive.

There is no PLMR Genesis without the amazing people in the team and I’m fortunate to work with the most talented comms professionals in the region who I learn from every day.

Here’s to another 10 years!