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FEATURE
“I love that feeling of being productive and motivated” Hannah Lawrence, Head of Delivery at Yoyo Design Tell us about your current role? I lead our team of Project Managers and collaborate closely with our Heads of Departments to ensure that all our projects are delivered smoothly and exceed our clients' expectations. Additionally, I'm a member of the Senior Management Team, and work hand-inhand with our Finance and Operations teams to keep everything running seamlessly.
TOP TIP: Choose where you spend your energy wisely and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Who or what drives you in your every day working life? Ticking things off my list! I love the feeling I get when I’ve been highly productive and have achieved lots with my time. I’m also motivated by other people’s happiness. How do you take care of your mental health? By sticking to my daily non-negotiables. I’ve found that when I make sure these essentials are part of my routine, I stay productive and keep a steady mindset. Where do you aim to be in 5 years? I want to move more into business operations, stepping back from dayto-day project / account management and working a lot more on how we run Yoyo - taking on more responsibilities and embedding new processes that supercharge us. Top 3 websites, blogs or social media channels you can’t imagine your day without? 1. Instagram - mainly for parent/mum relatable content or meal ideas (Emily English the nutritionist is my go-to!) 2 Google - I google EVERYTHING 3. WhatsApp - does that count? Which is more important in business, education or experience and why? Experience! Experience comes from learning on the job, making mistakes,
TUNBRIDGE WELLS BUSINESS MAGAZINE AUGUST 2024
and grabbing different opportunities. While education gives you a good base and teaches critical thinking, experience lets you apply that knowledge, solve real-world problems, and get to know the ins and outs of your industry. Plus, it helps you build valuable connections and a better understanding of how business works, which are both really important for success. Describe yourself in 3 words… Conscientious, Considerate, Committed
“Emphasise kindness and inclusivity for effective leadership” Harriet Kinsey, Sales & Marketing, Yoyo Design “At Yoyo, I create and implement strategic marketing plans and support our Marketing Assistant with the execution of all our marketing and sales activities. I build and manage relationships with agencies and clients, organise networking events, maintain our CRM system, and do everything and anything I can to showcase Yoyo’s brilliant portfolio of services across all our digital channels.
TOP TIP: Be inspired by New Zealand’s former prime minister Jacinda Ardern. She is a role model for how to lead with integrity and vision while staying true to one's values. Additionally, I manage the marketing budget and collaborate with senior management to drive growth through a wide variety of innovative strategies. I’m motivated by people. I love building positive relationships with new prospects and then seeing those projects come to fruition in the studio resulting in great success for both the clients, our team and our agency. I monitor success through seeing that the work we choose to go after and bring in through sales and marketing activities is being enjoyed by the team, making money for the agency and creating impact for both the organisation we’re working with and the world in general. Former New Zealand politician Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern inspires me as a
woman because of her compassionate leadership style, her commitment to social justice, and her ability to balance empathy with strength. Her approach to governance, emphasising kindness and inclusivity, demonstrates that effective leadership can be both strong and compassionate. If I had to describe myself I would say I am positive, persistent yet patient too. I train three times a week at a strength and conditioning gym and go for regular runs when things get heavy. I have learnt within the last five years that having exercise in my life makes me more productive, happier and is the best medicine for my overall mental health. I think experience is absolutely key, but without a solid foundation of education (and being almost forced into doing the things you don’t really want to do) helps arm you with what you need to trudge yourself through the steps you go through to gain the life experience. Both work hand in hand.
“Success is being happy in your job” Eleanor Lister, Partner, Berry & Lamberts Solicitors “I have recently been promoted to Partner at Berry & Lamberts, having worked here for almost 10 years. I started as a Trainee Solicitor. I work within the wider property team, carrying out my own caseload whilst also supervising a junior solicitor and a trainee solicitor. A lot of what I do is conveyancing, and one of my favourite motivations is calling clients to confirm with them that they can go and pick up the keys of their new home!
TOP TIP: Your mental health is vital to be able to succeed in any career. Treat others as you wish to be treated, even when they are not returning the favour to you. For me success is being happy in your job with a healthy work-life balance. On that subject, I try to maintain my mental health like I maintain physical aspects of my health. Acknowledging when you are struggling and proactively dealing with this is important. For me, lots of time spent outside can undo a lot of stressors too. In the next five years I hope I am still enjoying my career, balancing family, free time and work.”