February 10, 2021
5 min read
Name: Catrin Hughes
Position: Customer Acquisition Manager
Years with the company: 6 months
It was. It’s probably more fun. Especially because I was in a digital role, my job was pulling together content by getting out in the zoo every single day. So I had a lot of really fun opportunities that I wouldn’t have had elsewhere. When marketing an event, you’d even get to wake up with the animals at sunrise. I would recommend.
I’ve come full circle. When I was at university I started my own business, which was actually a deals and discounts site aimed at students with a strong affiliate element. Now here we are, after getting stuck into the marketing sector, I’m back running an affiliate program for a business sharing great offers with members. I think a lot of times in life, things are presented to you and you just have to go with it.
It was a combination of things. For quite a few years, my offices had been coffee shops and co-working spaces, and being fully remote is something I loved. Then, from talking to the guys, it was clear there is still a strong startup vibe but with a lot of opportunities for growth and to get on with what I want to do. I can just focus on driving results without too many meetings or politics.
Over the past couple of months, my role has really shaped into an affiliate-focused one. We recently re-launched our program on a new software platform, and we’re managing a large (and quickly growing) number of affiliate partners, so communication is key. First, conversations to explain what we’re doing, answering technical questions about tracking or access to creatives. Then day-to-day management with each partner, making sure their campaigns are running OK and that the quality of traffic is high and targets are being hit. It’s a continuous cycle of looking at growth, how we can improve and bringing new publishers aboard. The diary has been hectic, which is great.
You have to see new challenges as a positive thing, because you’re constantly upskilling. People that start disliking their jobs are often those doing the same things over and over, where it becomes habitual and boring. Affiliation is something I hadn’t done for 12 years or so, but I’m learning lots from the team and process that I can then bring back into the business. A fresh pair of eyes coming into a program is never a bad thing.
I think how open everyone is across the business, to the point where it just feels like one team. Tools like Slack are so beneficial – it literally is like having a virtual office and you can chat to anybody. In some companies, you might have a problem and someone will say ‘Well I think there’s a guy in this department that you may be able to find’. Here, you know exactly who’s doing what. It’s so easy to get answers and get things done. The fact that our joint channels don’t just revolve around work is nice too, because you get to know the team a bit better.
I think my one is that although I live in London, I’m actually from the country and grew up on a farm with about a thousand sheep [laughter]. I know a lot of people dislike the city, but I like it because I had the complete opposite upbringing.
I’ve been doing a lot of home workouts, so I’ve been listening to a fair amount of heavy rap and R&B, which isn’t something I would usually have on. It just gets you in the zone, you know?
I visited Thailand a few years ago and had a stop-off in Singapore, because I missed my flight. I only spent a few hours there but it was fantastic. I’d love to go back and explore the whole place, especially as I’ve been working my way through Singapore-based films during lockdown.
I’ve been listening to a massive amount of audiobooks and authors like Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra have been really motivational.
Photography is a big one. I have some kit I invested in a few years ago and it’s all about nature. I did start an Instagram page a little while back and I probably should revisit that now we’re in another lockdown. I don’t want to spam our Slack channels, but maybe I should start sharing a ‘nature pic of the week’.
In Battersea Park, there’s the little Pear Tree Café on the lake and it does an amazing cappuccino. I get one every morning on my walk and it actually helps to motivate me to get out of bed. Either that or a coconut cappuccino at Megan’s – there’s a few locations dotted around – is always good.
Probably Instagram. I just love the way that platform has changed people’s lives. They may not have gone down a traditional route or university degree path, but have been able to launch businesses and do the most incredible things through a simple platform.
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