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Articles by Emma Gage
Catrina Baker-Bassett - Platinum Media Group
If you’d told me 15 years ago I’d be working in tech, I flat out wouldn’t have believed you. Ten years into my career at DabApps, and holding the role of Managing Director for the past two, I still can’t quite believe it myself sometimes – what a journey it’s been so far. In 2012, having worked in various marketing, sales and business development roles, I knew I wanted a change and a new challenge.
Honor Barratt - Platinum Media Group
Ten years ago, I had a hugely successful career in television. I had worked my way up from a clueless runner, fresh out of university to group Managing Director of a 150-person agency. My work was super exciting, but at 40 I was a bit restless. Then the private equity firm who’d invested in my company asked me to take a look at one of their struggling portfolios, some later-living developments.
Avoiding the 'perfection' trap
The pressure to appear flawless online and in every aspect of our lives is taking a significant toll on our wellbeing. Nearly two million people in the UK are currently on waiting lists for mental health services, with the average wait for support 703 days. Undoubtedly, the online culture of rising perfectionism is a contributing factor.
Are you aiming high enough?
Social conditioning from a young age keeps girls neat and contained. We should be humble and ‘lady-like’, we need to play nicely and create harmony. Do what’s expected with no big surprises. No one likes a woman who’s too full of herself, right?
Community is the new influencer
Influencer: the Marmite of marketing strategies; a $24bn industry with countless statistics proving its effectiveness, with a growing culture of scepticism over the authenticity of influencers themselves. But, change is afoot. As world-renowned marketing teams invest in a hyper-local strategy, Influencers have changed their names to Content Creators, adding ‘building a community’ to their ‘day in the life’ videos.
The know, like and trust problem: how to build your brand
Your brand could be a £1m business asset - so why are so many business owners neglecting it? If you’re a bootstrapping, founder-led business, you’re probably very focused on selling your product on repeat and getting that sales engine going. And in that context, your ‘brand’ can feel like the fluffy bit - it’s your brand colours, your website design, your logo - and so it doesn’t matter too much right now. Except it’s not.
Why unicorn business thinking is key to female founders’ success
You don’t need to be building a billion dollar business, to think like a unicorn. For the growing number of female founders, the unicorn business way of thinking could hold the key to success. More women are starting their own businesses than ever before- 18% of SMEs In the UK are female-led; a number that reached a record-high last year. But when it comes to unicorn businesses, that reach a $1bn value, the stats aren’t quite as encouraging.
Why you should see your business as a creative project
I found it a lot easier to be brave and full of ideas when I was working with someone else’s big brand. It’s unlikely your new idea for activating the Nike Running Club is going to bring the business down if it misses the mark. “Hey, brand owner, you need to be brave and disruptive, it’s how you win big.” Goes home, gets salary, pays the mortgage. A whole different ball game it seems when you’re a single parent, building a business and you have an enormous mortgage to pay.
The Expert Trap
And why you should focus on being interesting instead. 2024 is most definitely the year where expertise and real-deal credentials are the thing. Especially in the world of online business, where the bar has been so low for the past 2–3 years that we needed a shake-up. Some businesses made it and others didn’t. Lots of people have been burned by lofty promises and slick marketing, with not a lot to back it up.
What we can learn from cults about growing community.
The power of learning from the extremes. The point is, we’re all out here trying to position our business for difference and to stand out in categories that are full-to-bursting. When you’re lacking in the inspiration department, the most natural thing in the world is to look to your competitors. What are they saying on their websites or in their socials? How are they packaging their services? Who are they targeting? What looks like it’s working?
What to do as a Founder when you hit a block... in income, success, impact...
So you started a business. Those early days are wildly exciting. Anything is possible. This is going to be epic... income, impact, scale... it's all there for the taking. Maybe it took a while to get going, maybe you experienced an early rush. But now you're at a comfortable level and things feel a bit stuck. It might take a year, it might take five, but very often you hit a natural plateau. This is especially true if you are a sole founder and CEO and so it's all on you to drive things forward.
Summize secures £5m YFM and Maven investment to accelerate US expansion plans
Summize is revolutionising legal software with its integrated digital contracting approach YFM and Maven partnership will fuel global growth strategy and support next phase of product development Funding follows rapid period of growth for the Manchester business Manchester-based contract lifecycle management disruptor Summize has secured £5m Series A investment from YFM Equity Partners (YFM) and Maven Capital Partners (Maven), as it looks to build its presence in the US and further develop...
Summize powers Modern Milkman’s digital transformation journey
Summize, the Manchester-based digital contracting business, has joined forces with fast-growing online grocer Modern Milkman to power its mission to reduce plastic waste before breakfast. Founded in Colne, Lancashire, Modern Milkman has reinvented the traditional milk round through an easy-to-use app – using data and analytics to map out milk rounds, assess demand and reduce waste through its delivery of fresh grocery products.
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