Wildwood Talent

Lucy Jameson's interview is one of my favourites. Her absolute confidence in the company she has built, alongside Nils and Natalie, has never faltered (and I don't think ever will). And even with hindsight, she wouldn't change one single thing about their journey and rise to success. Lucy's confidence and brain shine through but so does her ability to laugh and share more vulnerable moments, for example, how she struggles with being seen as a leader.We sunk into the little blue sofa and discussed: - whether her ambitions have been realised 9 years into Uncommon's lifespan.- the power of 'no' in shaping the agency. - how to have a healthy argument in creatively tense moments.- how she doesn't see herself as a leader. - that laughing is one of the best parts of our job.Did I ever think that 2 out of 3 Uncommon founders would say yes to After Work episodes? Absolutely not. Are you next, mighty Nils Leonard? Let's make it a hat-trick 😉 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Producers - this one's for you.You are some of my favourite people.Problem-solvers, leaders, multitaskers. Without you, we'd be nothing.So I thought I'd grab two of the top Chief Production Officers, from two of the top creative agencies, to have a chat. We discussed:what a CPO actually does.how moving from producing to leading the department is a big transition. production as the 4th leg of the agency table.how these brilliant CPO's help their department avoid burnout and help retain working parents.how AI enhances production. Thank you, Stephen Ledger-Lomas and Emma Davenport. Friends in conversation really light up our sofa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Strategists, this one's for you!For our final, festive After Work Drinks episode of the year, we cherry-picked two of the best, funniest and most approachable strategists in town. Oh, and they are mates, so the sofa chem was on point. We knocked back some drinks and discussed: 🧠 what a CSO actually does. 🧠 how the role has changed over the years. 🧠 the need for resilience in the role. 🧠 whether their department can be seen as intimidating. 🧠 how to be a concise wordsmith, with sticky bits of language. 🧠 whether the majority of their department are happier working solo or in collaboration? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our first episode of the year covered a conversation about instinct, experimentation, chaos and why thinking more like an artist might be the future of strategy.Oh and a bit about her amazing co-Founder, Sir Idris Elba. (I might have repeated his name a few times, to get that tiny bit closer ☺️).For our first sofa chat of the year, we discussed:✨Why Alien Baby was called Alien Baby.✨The pros and cons of having an artist as a co-Founder.✨How artists’ instinct-led ways of working allows for experimentation.✨Brands releasing their inner artist.✨Founding a business that supports navigating Maternity Leave alongside your own career growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our sofa chat with Helen explored leadership without ego, preserving culture (while evolving it) and why emotional intelligence & perseverance matter more than ever in creative agencies.We sipped herbal tea, marvelled over how high my heating was turned up (I may have gone into winter over-kill) and had a lovely 13 minute chat about leadership: ✨ In a new role, how enhancing magic (rather than shaking things up) can be more effective. ✨ Emotion and vulnerability in leadership, why advertising talks about it more than it practices it. ✨ Flexing your style of leadership - knowing when to inspire, when to energise, and when to simply listen. ✨ Perseverance in a culture obsessed with efficiency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I've been wanting to meet Hollie for a while. Not only because she'd been recommended as a powerhouse of a leader but also because she has just moved to my second home, Amsterdam.Hollie gave this interview everything, emotionally. She shared some hard-hitting moments in her career - from a lack of feeling like she belonged in our industry to her IVF journey. We snuggled up, created a space for sharing and discussed:-Moving to Amsterdam and falling off our bikes.-What optimism means at 72&Sunny.-Coming from a working-class family in Birmingham and not feeling a sense of belonging in advertising. -How Hollie changed feeling embarrassed of her background to feeling proud-Her IVF journey and how that affected her work-life, emotionally and practically. And some advice for anyone about to go through an IVF journey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The excitement and intimidation I felt having these two powerhouse CCO's on my sofa was extreme.But as they are the least intimidating and most lovely, warm people, that soon dissipated.Raising a glass to my first two Creatives on the sofa - and what a duo!We sipped negroni's and had a relaxed chat about:intimidation in the creative department.what a CCO actually does. And whether it takes them away from the work.how they run creative reviewswork they have loved in the last 12 months and campaigns they'd bite their right arm off to have been part of. I feel very lucky to have spent time with these two. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 years after our first interview...NAT'S BACK!A lot has changed for her over the last 6 months. She now has a SMALL baby + a BIG business.Nat opened up about how she found Maternity Leave, after 20 years working full-throttle in the advertising industry. -how her co-Founders ghosted her communications to prevent the urge to be half-in, half-out.-how being out on Maternity Leave has given her the opportunity to redefine her role. -dealing with the guilt of leaving one baby (the business) to have another - -changing leadership styles after becoming a mother.focussing on her emotions during the return to work - logistics she can work out but noticing the emotional pressure is key. It's special to see our top leaders sharing their vulnerable side.Good to see we are not alone in our worries, pressures and juggles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oooh, I really like Mel Arrow. She's relaxed, easy to talk to, likeable... and she wore the best trousers!Mel moved from a Chief Strategy Officer position to become a CEO. Not unlike others in our industry (Lucy Jameson at Grey and Paula Bloodworth at Alien Baby).I wanted to find out why CSO's make excellent CEO's. And which parts of the job were tricky to adjust to.We snuggled up and had a chitchat about:Mel's new sauna addiction.having conviction in her subjective taste (not judgement).moving into a CEO role as a strategist. simplifying the complex and bringing clarity to the role, especially with communication. learning how to listen rather than solve. learning from failure, not just success, to focus on future potential. her love for language and finding the most exciting way to inspire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claire and Alicia shot an episode of After Work Drinks to help shed some light on the joys and thorns of being a Founder.Whether you’re 2 years in (Alicia) or 13 years in (Claire) there are still challenges that keep you on your toes. One thing is clear: being a Founder isn’t just a job.If you're lucky, it's the biggest professional commitment you'll ever make. We covered:💗How these two became Founders - accidental or planned?💗The best moments and the gritty parts no one talks about.💗Building a culture while staying financially solid.💗Navigating pressure when everything sits on your shoulders.💗The moments that make you question it all… and the reasons you keep going.💥 April is our Founder's Focus month. Follow us for more Founders' insights 💥 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.