Name: Jasmine Gurney
Position: Head of Content & Social
Years with the company: Over 2 years
Before FanFinders, the most unusual or interesting job you’ve had…
At one stage, I was creating new e-learning modules for a county council, only to have my sister join them in a role a few years later after I’d moved on and then have to take the courses I’d written.
What attracted you to FanFinders…
After hearing the story behind the company and about the plans for growth, I felt like it was a really good opportunity – while the business was still expanding – to put my stamp on something.
Your ideal company vibe is…
Having experienced both start-up environments and bigger, global companies, I think it’s about having that balance where you get to expand your skills and the autonomy to manage projects or ideas through to completion to make your mark, but then also having people around you to bounce off and feeling valued.
What changes have you noticed at the company over the past couple of years…
The growth in the size of our team has been really noticeable and looking specifically at the marketing side, our social presence has grown and obviously our site has evolved completely to house more content and stories.
Best thing about working at FanFinders…
The atmosphere – and you can’t have that atmosphere without the right people. If you go into the office on a Friday, it’s a genuinely relaxed, happy place to be.
You were recently promoted to Head of Content & Social…
Here, you’re given the freedom to take on as many responsibilities as you can handle and the chance to demonstrate that you’re capable of more. So it was a natural transition to have more management opportunities and use my experience to test new ideas. Most of my career has been built around content and social media, so I’m really happy to take on this role and have a great team to help me.
How would you describe your managerial style…
I try to read how people want to be managed. You have to be adaptable and know when to support or step back – sometimes it’s about trusting people to just get on with their jobs.
Exciting upcoming projects…
The first Your Baby Club e-book. It will be nice to see that come out in the near future with so many great bloggers and experts involved. It’s also great to be able to say “that’s my project to manage”.
What should define Your Baby Club’s content moving forward…
Being the go-to place for real parenting stories. We want mums to be able get recommendations and expert tips or advice, meet other parents, alongside benefitting from our offers and freebies.
If the world could only take one social platform forward from this point, what would you pick…
Instagram, for sure. It’s visual and the easiest to digest.
What would you like to see on social channels over the next few years…
More integration – they can be meshed together in better ways. I would also like to see more value in posting. If everyone (companies and individuals) think about whether they’re adding value when they post, all users can take something from the experience and it stops saturation.
The title of your autobiography would be…
‘Look, I’m managing way more than a pen.’ There’s a long story behind that.
If you could be any fictional character…
Valkyrie from the Marvel Universe. She’s down to earth, fearless, likes the occasional drink and can kick ass.
One thing you’ve learnt in the past week…
There are only so many hours in the day.
Finally, you’re a regular sharer of DIY projects in our Slack channels. Where did those skills come from and how do you find the time…
I use my lunch-breaks, evenings and weekends to tackle projects for myself and friends/family. I was concreting aged 6 and have just developed the skills over time in a bid to save money by doing things myself. I’ve actually become somewhat of an ‘influencer’ online (@_ohabode) and have even been featured in national newspapers for my campaigning to empower others and normalise women with power tools.