About GEL Studios.

Working in the e-learning team at Deutsche Telekom (2010 - 2012) in Bonn Germany. It opened my eyes, gave me confidence, expanded my horizons, and gave me the fundamental skills I needed to launch GEL Studios. However the best bits? Fantastic beer, amazing food, and awesome people.

Amazing memories.

Anyone who starts a conversation with "Wordpress". I don't think there would be enough custard pies? It has a place - and I completely respect that - but its place isn't where we go with clients...

Some of the best moments I enjoy are showing clients the power of a better, more capable CMS, and seeing those lightbulb moments.

Quite simply - people. Surround yourself with colleagues, and also clients that mirror your values and beliefs, and never waiver.

Treat others how you wish to be treated, and success (however you measure it) will come.

Having the chance to let your imagination run wild. After all... "the creative adult is the child who survived."

Firstly, my team and wanting to push boundaries with them. But also - Walt Disney. To live by a motto where imagination has no limit, and turn that into something creative that is so widely adored by children and adults, for such a long time... I find that incredibly inspirational.

Backpacking around the world for 6 months on a solo trip between 2013 - 2014. That, and creating a new brand identity for GEL Studios that Mr Graeme Leighfield approves of - that's definitely up there!

Why would you want to write on my nice, crisp, clean sheet? That's like me wanting to add a pop up box to a page that's not in the plan!

My favourite has to be Sporty Spice, the front flips, the 6 pack but most of all - the Adidas poppers!!!

The thing I enjoy most is you Carly, obviously haha! The reason I love being at GEL is the team I work with above everything - my work family x

My favourite IPA at the moment is BrewDog’s Hazy Jane Guava but it’s pretty difficult to get hold of outside of their bars. For my birthday last year, I went up to Ellon and stayed in the Kennels in Aberdeen which was really cool. And yes, I took full advantage of the beer fridge in the shower!

Tiny Rebel’s Electric Boogaloo is also a favourite of mine too. 

I have five at the moment - it’s quite difficult to say which one I like most. None of my tattoos have a specific meaning behind them, they’re just what I wanted to get at the time.

I think the sugar skull on my calf is the one I remember getting the most because it was my first tattoo, it hurt the most and took the longest to do. I had always planned to get a second sugar skull on the other calf but ten years on, I’m still not ready to get it done.

I’m currently trying to psych myself up to get my kneecap tattooed next, that can’t be any worse than your calf right?

My favourite memories from my childhood were definitely when we used to go to Cornwall every summer. We’d all squeeze into the car and drive the seven or eight hours from Kent to Cornwall for two weeks. We’d stay in a really old cottage in Porthleven that overlooks the sea. Whether it was days on the beach, days out to places like Flambards or St Michael's Mount, all I have are good memories of those holidays - even if it did rain for 13 out of the 14 days we were there!

Inquisitive. Thoughtful. Expressive.

A fresh perspective on all things process and planning, sprinkled with a little coordinated chaos as I tackle the tech-stack!

Goodness! A long and winding, glitter filled road! Following my degree in Graphic Design, I actually started out as a Junior Designer at a local college. It was brilliant, but when I took the opportunity to split my role to designer / marketing assistant following a colleague's maternity leave, everything changed! It was my first experience of working directly with clients, taking briefs, managing projects - and I really found my groove!

A friend from uni was working for a creative agency and reached out about bringing me in as an Account Executive. I took the opportunity and started to live the agency dream - inspiring creative colleagues, cool clients - I learnt so much, no two days were the same and honestly - I thought I'd never leave. Until I, by complete chance, stumbled upon a job ad for a Design Manager - overseeing the design and production of Fashion Stationery for a very well loved high-street brand. I applied, thinking I'd never hear a peep - but, as they say, the rest is history!

I spent many happy years, knee deep in glitter swatches and beautiful print pattern - project managing Back to School Stationery, Christmas Gifting, Notebooks, Lunchware, Pencil Cases and everything in between. After working with an incredibly talented team, growing the ranges to be some of the most successful the business had seen, it was time for a new challenge and the lure of the agency came calling! I joined a very fast-paced, creative team and found myself working with some heavy hitting brands, managing some entirely surreal projects (think - wreaths made out of smoked salmon, branding for an automotive start-up - founded by a petrochemical billionaire, and fully integrated marketing for a hypersonic-travel-aiding tech client). Surreal, all of it. It taught me so much - professionally, personally and ultimately it cemented my decision to side step into a calmer environment in hopes of slowing down enough to start a family.

Cue four years as Group Marketing Operations Manager in the slightly less glamorous, but no less wonderful, world of Warehousing. Managing all group level creative projects, whilst delivering local support for the wider European team of Regional Marketing Managers. With multiple brands, across multiple global markets and with 53 websites - creativity within the corporate world brings its own challenges. But again, working alongside an incredibly talented team, my time here was truly wonderful and also saw me bring my beautiful daughter into the world.

One of the key deliverables for 2024 was to scope a web project which would re-develop and re-define the Groups strategic approach to its presence online. I reached out to GEL and we met to discuss the requirements - I instantly connected with the team and when the Project Manager position was mentioned, I didn't hesitate in opening a conversation around whether we could be a good fit for each other. And well, here I am!

Give me a wholesome day with my husband and daughter and I'm happy. Throw in a museum and some bao buns - I'm elated. We also love to renovate, so having an interior project to get my teeth into also brings me joy - so much stress - but so much joy!