I have two lives…
Stand-up
Strategist
… that work together
I’m a Strategy Director at OLIVER that loves solving wicked problems spanning commercial, brand, comms and more. Effie Silver winner. DMA Gold and Silver award winner. Finalist for B2B Marketing Awards. Writer for WARC. Tutor for APG. I also write and perform stand-up comedy, because I believe strategists and stand-ups use the same skillset to unearth human truths and storytelling inspires my work. I bring these things together in my Substack newsletter, Stand up Brands.
Showcase me!
Given that I only have two minutes to give you a sense of who I am, I thought why not record a taster specially for you at my resident comedy club?
Although I wouldn’t quite get away with giving shout outs to the Marketing Academy in front of a bunch of drunk revellers on a Saturday night, I could give them - and you - an intro to my journey into advertising?
In this case, it’s more about what I didn’t do…
My experience
Strategy
Each lesson is tailored to your specific interests and learning style, whether you prefer conversation practice, cultural immersion, or grammar.
Comedy
Soho Theatre
TV Experience
Glastonbury Festival
Camden Fringe
Both
APG
WARC Future of strategy Report
WARC writing
Sweathead Strategy Festival
Group Think “Open Your Mind”
Group Think
My rules to live by…
Heck yes or no
There comes in time in life when it’ time to stop being a ‘yes’ woman, I tried being a ‘no’ woman, but that seemed a bit dull.
There are some exceptions to this rule.. taxes and timesheets, for instance…
Problems not drama
For me it’s not just a “tough on the problem, not the person” stance that you see parroted in workplace success manuals. Part of strategy is about embracing sticky spots and difficulty and supporting a culture where people feel OK to be open with you when something sucks or is bringing them down. I have been accused of being “too nice”. I disagree. Kindness makes sense.
Collaboration over competition
What people say about me…
“
Helena is incredibly funny and an absolute joy to watch on stage
Maria Shehata, Professional Comedian and Director of the show I share with “the other Mrs Blackwell”, Wife Material
“
xxx
Roxy, student from 2022–2023
