Name: Laura Driver

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Position: Social Media Manager

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Years with the company: Over 6 years

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Before FanFinders, the most unusual or interesting job you’ve had…

When working on a retailer’s social media, part of my job was to monitor and report back to the individual stores as things were happening live. I had to read out some crazy tweets over the phone to stores.

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FanFinders in three words…

Big weird family.

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Describe your role…

Since the team has expanded, I look after our Facebook community, write content for our site and support the team with looking after our other social channels.

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5 words or less of advice you’d have for someone managing and building up a Facebook community…

Be very open-minded, or ‘have an accurate profanity list’. *laughter*

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Is it the nature of a growing business to wear many hats…

I’ve definitely been wearing many funny hats lately, because I keep turning up late to our ‘all hands’ meeting and that’s the punishment.

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What would you say about the approach to work/life balance at FanFinders…

Since I’ve worked here, I’ve never had the ‘mother’s guilt’ that I used to feel in other places. Where I needed to go and see my child’s nativity or ask for time off when they were ill. The mantra has always been ‘family comes first’. My kids are now teenagers but it has been lovely being able to work from home and, in the past, I could work around parenting tasks. You never feel like you’re being judged, as long as your work is being done.

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Best thing about working here…

That you have the autonomy to go off and do your own role, progress it how you want and bring new things to the table. It feels like you’re all on a level playing field. Everyone in the company has this freedom and uses that to get on with their job. Basically, it’s the best place I’ve worked.

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You want mums to know that Your Baby Club is…

The furthest thing away from ‘one size fits all’ parenting. There are 100 different ways to be a parent and now that we have the content site, we can be even more honest about the realities of the role. Nobody should be judged for what they choose or don’t. With our communities across the website and social, we’re getting that message across that we’re ‘all inclusive’.

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It would surprise people to know…

Because I was a blogger, I am actually more of an over-sharer – so not many surprises. My kids’ lives from the age of 2 – 10 are all online and my style of blogging was the funny side of parenting. It used to be that they’d fall over and I’d run and get the camera; and then see if they were alright. Now they’re older, they enjoy going back and reading the entries.

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If you could learn to do anything…

I’d like to be able to cook better, because somebody recently stopped speaking to me because I said I use Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire Puddings. I’m not talented in that arena.

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Favourite line from a movie…

The one I have hanging on my wall, from Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland:

Mad Hatter: “Have I gone mad?”
Alice: “I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.”

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Your song title is…

The Time is Now by Moloko. Especially as a mother, it’s a great reminder that time flies. One minute they’re cute babies, the next they’re amazing teenagers and taller than you. Appreciate what you have in the here and now because you don’t know what’s around the corner.

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And finally, your dream holiday spot…

The Maldives look incredible. White sand, a book in hand, the sea and drinks.