Meet the team is our blog series that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the people of PB Comms. In each blog we hear from a member of the team about their personal stories, their career and professional insights, and advice for those entering the industry.

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What made you enter the marketing and communications field?

I was struggling to figure out what to do as a career during high school and was fortunate to have an inspiring high school Business Studies teacher, Mrs. Norman, who encouraged me to pursue further studies and a career in business.

Of all the areas of business, I was most drawn to marketing. I wanted to be able to use my creative and analytical skills in a job, and marketing was just the right combination of both.

What’s a piece of advice would you give to those in the marketing and communications field?

Understand your value and the value that marketing, as a whole, offers a business.

Not everything that we do in marketing and communications is directly measurable, so it makes it difficult to provide tangible evidence to your management teams, and sometimes even your clients, that what you do is effectively driving interest in the business. When you are faced with questions around marketing’s purpose, just remind them that everything from the company website to its logo and even sales collateral is all thanks to the marketing function.

Throughout your career, you will also meet colleagues or those in management who know nothing about marketing and communications, but claim to know everything. They will probably feel compelled to challenge your thinking and what you do, but don’t let it get to you. Remember you are the expert, and learn to say no and push back.

What has been your biggest milestone?

Career-wise my biggest milestone was being entrusted by senior management in a global company I was working for to lead a team of marketers in my mid-20s. This gave me a real boost of confidence in not only my marketing skills but also my leadership skills, as I became a mentor to this next wave of marketers.

What’s your favourite place you have travelled to?

I don’t have one favourite place that I have travelled to, but many I would return to. In Europe, it would be Krakow in Poland. It is a beautiful city, that doesn’t sleep and there is always something to do, especially in the summertime when it only starts getting dark at around 9:30pm! Another place is the Island of Naxos in Greece. That is my go-to for a holiday where all I want to do is relax on the pristine beaches and eat delicious Greek food. However, for a good active holiday I would go back to New Zealand. There are so many beautiful places that I need to explore, and many more tracks that I need to hike!

What are your current hobbies/activities?

One of my favourite hobbies is hiking. I enjoy getting away from all the noise and people in the city, and just finding a peaceful place where I can disconnect and enjoy the beauty of nature. My favourite places to hike around the world are Dolina Pięciu Stawów in the Tatra Mountains, Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand, and more locally the Grand Canyon track in the Blue Mountains.

Strength training is another one of my hobbies. I enjoy smashing new PBs in deadlifting, squatting and bench pressing.

I also enjoy road cycling, but when I am out of energy I like to either read, play guitar or game. Currently I am in my gaming phase and am trying to get through Hollow Knight!

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