We all love an underdog.
One of our Digital Designers, Mayumi Kurosawa, has overcome incredible odds to get to where she is today – a much-loved member of the Proctors’ team.
This is her story.
Act 1: A blessing in (deep, deep) disguise?
I may be happily settled in Bristol today, but the journey I took to get here started in Japan.
In 2018, I was working as a translator – my dream job back then. After five years in this role, my British-native husband told me he wanted to move back to the U.K. It wasn’t the best timing, but being the amazing wife I am, I agreed, making the decision to leave my job and challenge myself in a new country.
After along slog (another story in itself), I was finally granted permission to come and work in the UK. I landed an admin job working for a Japanese company dealing in imported car parts.
But bad timing struck again. The knock-on effects of Brexit were being felt in every industry, and within 8 months of starting my job, I was made redundant.
And to top it all off, my husband and I had just made the decision to move to a new city: Bristol.
Act 2: Kintsugi – Repairing what’s broken, with gold
After coming to terms with what had happened, I came to a realisation. Yes, I’d been dealt a few poor hands. But now I had a brand-new opportunity to discover what I really wanted from the next stage of my career.
So, I doubled down and made a plan: I gave myself one year to study and find out exactly what it was I wanted to do. And I had an idea of what that might be…
Act 3: The impossible dream
Since childhood, I’d dreamt of working within the creative industries. But I’d never felt confident enough to even talk about it – never mind found the guts to try. Nevertheless, the dream had stayed with me. And without the excuse of ‘being too busy’ now redundant, it was time for me to take a chance.
I knew I was interested in design, in its broadest sense. But, of course, modern ‘design’ covers a wide range of occupations.
It took me a while to focus on one discipline. First, I started studying UX/UI design with an online course called Interaction Design Foundation. Then, I moved into front-end web development with Codecademy – an online platform offering coding classes for people interested in developing their skills within the digital design sector. Finally, I studied graphic design, learning even more about the principles of aesthetics and creativity.
Every discipline had its merits, making it difficult to choose which specialism I was going to focus on. And just one year of learning seemed too short to become skilled enough in all of these different areas if I wanted to secure a job.
Act 4: The Great Battle of Imposter Syndrome
The truth is, I spent a lot of time over the course of that year doubting whether I was making the right choice. However, I’m stubborn by nature, and after every moment of uncertainty I would rebound into bursts of productively, further pushing and developing my professional skills.
There’s a cliché for a reason: the only difference between the people who succeed and the people who don’t, is whether they give up on what they want. And I just didn’t let myself give up.
So, I started creating a portfolio. I turned my skills to a selection of different websites that I felt could be improved with a mixture of design and UX. Not only did the process help me use the skills I had learnt, it also helped me to test myself – and prove to myself that I really could become a designer.
When I had three websites redesigned and mocked up, I took a chance and started to apply to some roles.
Act 5: An ending – and a beginning
To my surprise and delight, I received interest from some of the applications I sent, and managed to squeeze myself* into the creative industry. Now, I’m a digital designer for Proctor + Stevenson – and I got here without a relevant degree or industry experience.
Everyone is very warm, keen to help, and I genuinely enjoy working here. They are serious professionals, but at the same time they love to laugh and have fun.
I’ve just started my new career, so can’t give much industry insight yet. But I hope I can encourage people who want to learn something new, or want a career change, that if I could do it, you can do it too.
Post-credits
A quick comment from Proctors (and Mayumi’s manager, Dan Hardaker, Director of Digital Design).
*There was no squeezing necessary when it came to offering Mayumi a role with Proctors. Her portfolio – and her story – demonstrated so much potential and clear talent that we knew would make her a perfect fit for the role.
It’s important to us to look past a person’s work experience alone. Your drive and attitude are just as important as the places you’ve worked before. We believe in giving people the opportunity to develop their skills in a professional environment, and in supporting your goals with mentoring and training resources. So together, we can lay a career path just for you.
Why not take a look at our current career opportunities? There could be a new flagstone waiting for you…
cxpartners sees two new hires join the business to boost how we support clients as our portfolio grows.
We are thrilled to welcome two new team members – Gabriella Lambert and Chris Edge.
Gabriella joins us as Client Engagement Director, bolstering our account management and business development within our Financial Services team. She joins with a wealth of experience in creating sustainable customer experience strategies for multinational organisations, startups and the nonprofit sector. She previously worked at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) as the Head of Customer Experience.
She has spent her career building customer experience departments and overarching design strategies that move from being sales and product driven to being customer-focused.
Feel free to reach out to Gaby at [email protected] to have an informal chat to learn more about ways cxpartners and the Financial Services team can help your business.
Chris joins cxpartners as Account Director, strengthening the client services team following a number of recent major client wins.
He is highly experienced, with over 15 years working in client services and marketing at digital, creative, employee engagement and film production agencies. He has added value to clients and delivered solutions in many sectors including IT, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services and education.
Chris is also a qualified PRINCE2 Agile Project Manager. If you’d like to get in touch, please contact him at [email protected].
Gaby and Chris are brilliant new hires for cxpartners as we continue our growth as a team and support our growing client base. We have recently welcomed new clients such as WaterAid, UK Export Finance and UCAS.
Welcome to the team!
We are hiring for several roles at the moment, in both our Bristol and London offices, including:
What’s the purpose?
It can be hard to find meaning in what you do.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a digital strategist, a dog walker, a traffic warden, or a chef. If you don’t feel connected to your work – if you don’t feel a sense of purpose – it can be hard to stay engaged or committed.
Purpose is a big deal right now. The advertising and marketing industries have been accused of reckless greenwashing, in a bid for products and services to appear more appealing. They’ve been accused of promoting overconsumption and wastefulness. It’s even been said that we’re driving the climate crisis.
And at Proctors, we’re not blind to those concerns. (It’s why we’re so selective with our own campaigns, clients and partners.)
But we’re also firm believers in the merit of our own, ‘personal’ purpose. A purpose which is as simple as helping others, by using our time, talent and resources wherever possible to create a better world.
So we do this by giving back to our communities: whether local, global or simply like-minded. From sponsoring the local Easton women’s football team, to running the annual South West Design + Digital Student Awards, to ensuring our office is eco-friendly and self-sustainable, and by fundraising for chosen local charities.
Because for us, our Corporate Social Responsibility is just another part of our work. And we treat it with the seriousness and dedication it deserves.
Raising money for cancer research, Business Beats Cancer West of England
Our Founder and Chairman, Roger Proctor MBE, is passionate about ensuring Proctor + Stevenson do our part.
As a board member for Business Beats Cancer West of England (BBCWoE) – Cancer Research UK’s Business-facing arm in the region – Roger offers both our services and the personal commitment of Proctors employees to their cause.
Throughout our partnership with BBCWoE, we’ve created awareness campaigns complete with copy, design and marketing support, and assisted with event promotions year-round. And, of course, we got stuck in to raise some of those all-important funds ourselves.
Firstly, we took part in ‘The Big Hike,’ where a group of brave Proctorians hiked 26.5 miles through the Brecon Beacons on a beautiful, brisk Saturday, raising an impressive £1,832 for cancer research.
As if that wasn’t enough, even more Proctorians then took on ‘The Big Ride Cycle Challenge’ – a 79.2-mile loop starting from our offices in Easton and continuing through Cheddar Gorge, Wells, and the surrounding areas. With thighs of steel, our amazing team raised another £815 – a storming success.
If you’re a friend of Proctors, you’ll know every Christmas we create a ‘Christmas Card video’, treating our clients, friends, and family to a behind-the-scenes look at our team which will lift spirits and spread a little hilarity, too.
But when the COVID-19 saw us all locked down last year, the team agreed we should do something different.
We took a step away from the dressing up and hijinks, and instead approached a local charity to offer some help instead.
Caring in Bristol are a local charity working towards an incredible goal: to end homelessness in Bristol, for good. But during the pandemic homelessness tripled in Bristol, reflecting a nationwide trend. And it left the team with an even bigger task ahead.
So, our incredibly talented team of animators, copywriters and our marketing team got to work to produce a video which would get Bristolians digging deep for the cause.
The result? More than £20,000 of donations in just under two weeks, absolutely crashing through the Caring in Bristol team’s targets – and deservedly so.
It goes without saying, but the entire Proctors team was so proud of what we achieved for such a brilliant cause. So much so, you may want to watch this space…
If you’re an aspiring Philanthropist, looking for a cause to get stuck into, or are a charitable cause looking for support, Quartet Community Foundation are your answer.
They bring people together who want to work on community projects in the west of England, supporting hundreds of thousands of people through local frontline charities and voluntary groups.
We’ve been working with the team at Quartet for years, and have developed real, personal friendships with them. So when we heard they had begun a Coronavirus 2020 relief fund, we wanted to help in any way we could – which, as it turns out, meant hosting a virtual ‘Quarantine Quiz’!
We used the quiz to raise money for the foundation – and along the way, we experienced a real boost to our own morale too.
Babbasa are a Bristol-based organisation who work with young people, businesses, and the local community to address inequality in all its forms, and produce a fairer city. They offer advice on recruitment policies, and work with organisations to explain how they can diversify their workforce, as well as providing potential candidates.
So we partnered with them to get their advice on our own recruitment policy, to ensure we’re doing everything we can to create an inclusive culture – and actively work towards creating a fairer city.
Purpose is what you make it
Whoever you are, and wherever you work, it’s important to feel you’re doing the things that align with your values.
And at Proctors, we do that by ‘doing good’ and giving back wherever we can.
As you’ll see, it’s not all about big, transformative gestures. But about the things we can all do as a team to make the world just a little bit brighter.
So we’ll carry on doing what we can by working closely alongside charities and organisations to help those in need – both locally and further afield. We’ll continue to ensure we’re cultivating a sustainable office environment, and remain a place where employees feel valued and appreciated for their hard work.
To see more of what Proctor + Stevenson are involved in, have a look at our CSR page on our website. Or if you’d like to do some good of your own, contact us at [email protected].
Most people don’t go into business because of their love of finance (except us, of course). Whatever your ‘why’ is, it’s unlikely that involves organising invoices, chasing debts, and delving into your reports. But even as a team of one, having a financial forecasting model in place can actually take the pressure off and give you the confidence in your numbers you need to get on with the parts of your business you really love.
Once you understand the benefits of having an accurate and realistic forecast that can support your day to day, it’s much less intimidating and far more empowering. So, let’s get into some of the reasons you should make a financial forecast a priority in your business.
The money coming in and out of your business doesn’t always line up with your plans. An accurate forecast will give you a good view on your cash flow over the coming months so you can be prepared when things don’t always go to plan. For example, before you go and spend big on a new piece of equipment, you’ll be able to see what will happen if invoices get paid late next month and make sure you don’t end up in the red. Mismanaging cash flow is the biggest reason that small businesses fail, so this is an important one.
Have you ever been caught out by a surprise tax bill? Or maybe your invoices go out and before you know it, they’re a week late and you’ve not chased up? Setting up a forecasting model will give you a chance to make sure everything is accounted for. You can siphon off small amounts across the year to make sure big bills don’t hit quite as hard and implement revenue recognition strategies to make sure that money coming in is acknowledged in the right period. If you do project work and get paid in large lump sums, it’s advisable to spread that income across the time it takes you to do the work so that your finances tell the story of the reality of your business.
Having an up to date and realistic forecast will impress any stakeholders that you need, from the board to potential investors. It can act as a communication tool to express your plans, concerns, and ideas as well as help answer any questions they have, no matter how detailed.
Once you have a forecast in place, as long as you update and engage with it regularly, you can use it as a tool to support your decision making. Having all the elements of your business in one place will give you an overview of how one decision will affect another. It will be easy to see how each decision, big or small, will impact your finances and future.
While a forecast needs to be realistic, you can use it to do more than tell the story of your business – utilise it to take control and make your goals happen! Once you have a clear picture of your numbers you’ll be in a much better position to see the path you’re heading down and change course to get where you want to go.
Getting started is usually the hardest part, but having the right expert to help can make it an empowering experience. They’ll be able to support you in finding the right model and make sure it’s set up in a way that makes sense for you. Having a bespoke model will make your experience with forecasting far more efficient and effective.
FD Works know what’s involved in running a small business, from startup to success. We’ve used our experience to create a customisable forecasting model to specifically support complex, small businesses.
If you want to know more about how to get started with forecasting and how it can support your business, read our research report on SMEs and their relationship with forecasts.
If you’re looking for a forecasting model, or some guidance around financial forecasting then get in touch on 01454 300 999 or [email protected], or head over to www.fd-works.co.uk to find out more.
Last week, the Bristol team of TMW Unlimited moved into our new home, Origin Workspace in Berkeley Square. We’re very excited to have found somewhere in the heart of Bristol that allows us to fully embrace a culture of truly flexible working.
When we began our search, we were looking for a versatile working space that our team would be genuinely excited to visit and that was deliberately set up for the requirements of the modern working world. In Origin, we’ve found that and more.
Not only do we have everything we need in terms of formal and informal working areas, and the ability to host events; we also have the facilities to look after our employees’ wellbeing (such as a lovely gym) and fantastic social spaces (including two incredible roof terraces).
After surveying the company multiple times over the last 12 months, it became clear that most people don’t want to be in the office 5 days a week, nor do they want to always be at home – they’re were clearly seeking a hybrid solution. The specific amount of days people want to spend in the office differs from person to person, but almost everyone is looking for the flexibility and work-life balance that being able to work from home brings, and they also a wish to be part of a fun, vibrant agency.
Based on the evidence we’ve seen, the fears that some companies had about reduced productivity with people working from home are unfounded. Not only do our team members tell us they are able to get more done whilst also being able to handle the responsibilities of home, the proof is in the pudding. The business is thriving, we’re creating fantastic work and our clients are happy, and that’s without people being consistently in the office.
That’s why we’re implementing a system of working that’s based on trust. We have enough confidence in our team that we don’t feel the need to dictate or micromanage where they work. It’s up to individuals and teams to do what they feel is right for them. If it works for them, then it works for us too.
Another thing we’ve learned is that working from home has not only changed how often our people expect to be in the office, but also what the experience is like when they’re there.
This has created a stronger focus on maintaining and enhancing our culture and team spirit, and to give people the opportunity to form meaningful professional and social relationships with people within the agency. Many team members also highlighted how they wanted somewhere that could support their well-being, rather than act as a hindrance on it.
That’s why well-being and social spaces were at the forefront of our mind when we chose Origin. Having a place of work with a fully equipped gym and yoga studio, as a culture of wellness embedded into it means we can now look after our physical and mental health, whilst the location and rooftop terraces are perfect to help ensure TMW is a destination that our employees want to use and enjoy, not just a place where they are expected to turn up every day of the working week.
We’re all very excited about becoming part of an already thriving community in Origin, and what the future holds for TMW.
Written by Alex Burley, Managing Director, TMW Unlimited.
Bristol-based digital design and development agency, Unfold celebrated success on 14th October 2021, taking home the title of “Best Digital Design” at The SPARKies 2021. This was awarded for the transformational work they completed for their clients Sherpr.
The SPARKies is one of the year’s most hotly anticipated tech awards ceremonies in the South West. Since Managing Director, Harry Cobbold won ‘FutureSPARK’ back in 2019, Unfold has been nominated for several other categories (including ‘Tech Leader of the Year’ this year). The ceremony was held at The Showroom on Bath Road and was joint hosted by the TechSpark team and comedian Stephen Bailey (who had everyone in stitches).
Sherpr came to Unfold with two problems;
Unfold built a custom web app, admin portal and marketing site for Sherpr in just 10 weeks. This completely transformed their business. As well as automating all of the time-intensive back office tasks, Unfold also created an editable CMS through which the Sherpr team could update and manage their products without constant developer support.
As well as immediate savings in overheads, Sherpr were also able to process far more clients with their new reliable and automated booking system.
Following the work Unfold completed for them, Sherpr achieved their first ever 6-figure month and hit an annual run-rate of £1.2m.
“From beginning to end, the team at Unfold have been great to work with. Communication has been easy and any changes we needed to make during the build process were welcomed and perfectly executed.” – Andy Watson, CEO of Sherpr
Read more in-depth info on exactly how Unfold helped Sherpr achieve this remarkable step-change in their full case study.
If you have a project or digital platform you’d like advice on, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Unfold team.
Gather Round’s second co-working space is now open at 15-16 Brunswick Square, St Pauls.
Purposefully designed for creatives by creatives, the new space supports up to 90 creative professionals; inspiring creative thinkers and doers to connect, collaborate and thrive.
Gather Round is a growing family of soulful, creative workspaces, designed to foster a positive community of like-minded creative people through an open and supportive culture. Gather Round’s flagship workspace, at the Cigar Factory, Southville, opened its doors in 2018 and has since become a hub for creative minds.
The newly renovated grade II listed building in Brunswick Square, St Pauls, looks to build upon their success and expand the creative network across Bristol. The new site will house freelancers, self-employed and micro-businesses, from the surrounding areas of St Pauls, Montpelier, Easton, St. George, Kingsdown, and beyond.
Nestled in the heart of the vibrant St Pauls, the neighbourhood is renowned for its heritage and cultural significance, as well as thriving community spirit. Founders Ben Steers and Jason Smith hope to mirror this ethos within Gather Round’s doors.
“Good culture comes from great people. We’re conscious about the kind of people and businesses that share our spaces; we look for ambitious individuals and companies that share our values of creativity, community, culture, character, kindness and integrity. – Jason Smith, Co-Founder of Gather Round.
The Georgian terrace has been carefully considered to work for the diverse needs of the creative community. It boasts flexible areas with fixed and casual desks, a private 5-6 person studio, meeting rooms, hang-out areas, communal kitchen tables and quiet areas for thinking. It also has a dedicated public event space with room for 50-60 person events.
Membership options are flexible and transparent, with no hidden extras or nasty surprises. Whilst none of the memberships have lengthy tie ins, signing up to a co-working space can feel daunting. This is why – for a limited time only, they’re offering the chance to check out the new space for yourself with a free day pass. Click here to get your free pass.
Mr B & Friends has created a vibrant brand transformation for two South West hospital charities as they merge into one.
The agency developed a brand positioning to strengthen the appeal of two charities as they combine under the new name of Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity. Formerly separated as Above & Beyond and Weston Area Charitable Trust, the charity will now support all 10 sites within University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) beyond what the NHS is able to provide.
The distinctive new identity will provide a platform to launch the unified charity, engaging both new and existing supporters. Built from an organising thought of ‘Do great things’, the new brand shows the huge potential of the merger. The logo’s sunburst acts as a visual metaphor for the work the charity does. It’s the joy they deliver, the mark they make and the spark they ignite. It radiates the positivity synonymous with the team’s approach to fundraising, creating a truly single-minded beacon for their brand. A playful, punchy tone of voice instils a dynamic sense of personality, resulting in an identity that’s hard to ignore.
In addition to the strategy and identity work, full brand guidelines have been provided for ongoing consistency, while Mr B & Friends has worked with the charity team to develop a range of assets, from on-site shop posters to website visuals.
The charity funds the little things that make a big difference and work with the Trust to provide healing environments and spaces which provide dignity, privacy and empathy. They also fund world-class technology, treatments, knowledge and medical research and champion equitable access for all patients.
Simon Barbato, CEO of Mr B & Friends said: “From the first conversation we had with the team at Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity we could see the passion and dedication they brought to the organisation. We’re delighted that we’ve been able to use our brand expertise to translate their vision into a striking new identity that will raise awareness of the charity and enable them to further its fundraising abilities.”
Paul Kearney, chief executive of Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity and we wanted a new identity that radiates positivity and has a clear name to represent and reflect this partnership as we move forward.
“Mr B & Friends has really embraced our cause and this new look and we’re looking forward to being a bold, positive and energetic force across Bristol and Weston.”
For more information about Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, visit bwhospitalscharity.org.uk
Aardman Animations is the latest brand to join the speaker line up at the Digital Gaggle conference, taking place at Bristol’s Watershed Cinema on Thursday 28th October.
Gavin Strange, Director & Designer at Aardman Animations, will kickstart the conference with his session titled ‘Trying To Get Ahead Before We Get A Headstone’.
In this GIF-filled talk, Gavin will share his tips for finding the time, inspiration and energy for creativity. He’ll also move around quite vigorously and gesticulate wildly the whole time. It’ll be loud, silly and hopefully energising.
Gavin joins an already stellar lineup with speakers from brands including LinkedIn and Caring in Bristol on the bill for the digital marketing event.
This is the 12th Digital Gaggle conference, organised by digital marketing agency Noisy Little Monkey and supported by t&s creative communications, Somerset Design, and Launch Online.
The purpose of the event is to provide professional marketers with the skills and inspiration they need to improve their digital marketing strategy; fueling them with the knowledge and creative fire to make sure that their online activity has an impact on the bottom line of their business.
Sessions at the next event will cover a variety of topics, including: content strategy, SEO, crisis comms, conversion rate optimisation and creativity. The content of the talks at Digital Gaggle are best suited for marketers working in B2B, Professional Services or eCommerce industries. But all are welcome!
The conference is being run both in-person and online and ticket prices vary depending on how you choose to experience the event.
For more information about the conference and talks, visit the link below.
https://www.digitalgaggle.co.uk/conference/digital-gaggle-october-2021/
JonesMillbank, Bristol-based video production company, have been appointed by VisitBritain/VisitEngland to their marketing production services framework.
The multi-supplier framework is made of 190 creatives across 8 lots spanning disciplines such as research, photography, editing, casting, styling, illustration and copywriting.
JonesMillbank are one of 15 suppliers appointed as video production professionals, requiring a proven experience of managing small to large scale video briefs that require a detailed level of planning, casting, producing and production.
The framework will be an enabler of VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s strategy to “make tourism one of the most successful and productive sectors for the UK economy.”
“Like many video production companies we’re passionate about travel and tourism, not just because it’s a privilege to travel with our work, but because of the real impact and influence our films can have on destinations and their audiences” said Russell Jones, Co-Founder at JonesMillbank.
“We already travel across the UK with our work – we’ve literally filmed in all four corners – and so to be appointed by VisitBritain/VisitEngland as one of a select few video production companies is a fantastic opportunity to show off what the UK has to offer to a global audience, particularly as a rebound following COVID-19.”
Running for an initial period of 1-4 years, the framework will be accessed by VisitBritain/VisitEngland staff and partners, and follows JonesMillbank’s work with VisitBristol and other independent travel brands.
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JonesMillbank are a passionate full-service video production company
They work exclusively in-house with a talented team of multi-disciplined creatives, all the while telling authentic stories long before it was cool for a range of clients such as University of Bristol, Battersea, The Royal Mint and IDLES.
jonesmillbank.com
01173706372
[email protected]