Genuine Humans

In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by the Managing Director of Love Home Swap, Celia Pronto.

Celia’s worked in marketing for global consumer, travel and automotive brands, but when it comes down to it, the most important thing for her is being able to say that she’s made a positive impact on the people and brands that she’s worked with.

Celia reminds us of the importance of the meaning and purpose behind our actions. Her people-focused leadership style and need to make a difference in the world led her to become a founding member of Marketing Kind, an action-focused community of marketers looking to make a difference.

In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by renowned marketer and author, Mark Earls.

Mark has had a long career working for various agencies and now as HERDmeister at HERD. His main focus is on researching human behaviour and cognition (and he’s published – and contributed to – several books covering the subject, most recently Creative Superpowers). 

Mark talks us through his experiences and shares his passion for collaboration, continual research and the joy of creativity. He got his stubborn streak from his mum, but he also has a refreshing no-nonsense (and entertaining) honesty about him.

In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Craig Inglis, non-executive global chair at the Marketing Society.

Craig started his career at travel agent, Thomson, as a graduate recruit and went on to work for Virgin Trains and John Lewis.

For Craig, connecting with the purpose of the brand has been extremely important, both in finding the right business to work for and in continuing to work there. He’s always been driven to deliver on the promise of a brand’s vision and see his work come to fruition.

Craig also talks about the importance of giving people opportunities to grow as employees and of understanding what it is that customers really want from your brand.

In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Ellie Norman, director of marketing and communications for Formula 1.

Ellie’s career has been powered by serendipity and curiosity. 

Growing up on a farm gave Ellie a childhood of freedom and exploration that helped to create her inquisitive nature. As she got older and met more people, Ellie jumped at the chance to explore new experiences and follow her passions.

One of the big lessons we learn from Ellie is that the path to success is often winding and that it’s those diversions that can be the most rewarding if embraced.

In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Toni Wood, Chief Marketing Officer of furniture comparison site ufurnish.com.

Toni started her career at Sainsbury’s after the business sponsored her degree in retail marketing. After an early career in category management, Toni transitioned to brand management while working for Gillette.

One of the major themes in this episode is the journey towards becoming more resilient and exploring happiness. 

Toni leaves a tremendous, positive impression on the people she’s worked with.

Her positivity and driven nature have helped her form connections and grab exciting opportunities, yet she continues to learn and develop as a leader – constantly setting herself new challenges to overcome. 

Toni reminds us of the importance of listening to our instinct and of ensuring that we pay it forward.

In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Sam Dolan, head of marketing for Aunt Bessie’s.

Sam got her start in marketing after someone told her that she was “good at talking” so should “give it a go”. Just a few weeks into her first marketing job, Sam realised that she’d found her passion.

Sam talks about the importance of really caring about the brands you work for, especially when your job is to encourage other people to love them, too. We learn how being tenacious can benefit your career, and the importance of resilience when it comes to real leadership.

Sam reminds us about the value of being your authentic self and of cultivating teams that thrive together for the good of the brand (and each other).

In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Metro Bank’s Director of Brand and Marketing, Jess Myers.

Jess started her career with a bang by turning down a graduate placement with American Express and flying out to Australia to start a new life with her boyfriend. It turned out to be a great decision as it gave her a wealth of experience working for Australia’s biggest bank.

You’ll hear Jess’ thoughts on how determination and hard work are essential, but also the importance of following your dreams, and not being afraid to make major changes if you’re not getting the results you want. 

It’s a great reminder to grab opportunities and seek out new experiences whenever possible, and – perhaps most importantly – to live a life we can be proud of.

We kick off series two of Genuine Humans with Tamara and Wendy chatting with Tamara Strauss, global customer director at Premier Inn.

Tamara joined the Premier Inn team just before the global pandemic hit. We hear about how she has handled getting to know her new team in very difficult circumstances, and how she’s maintained that essential human connection with both her team and Premier Inn customers.

Tamara’s story is one of determination. Underestimated at a young age, Tamara set out to live her life the way she wanted to live it. Still, she understands how important it is to have a strong support network around you and to have the ability (and drive) to seek out opportunities to thrive.

As a leader, Tamara’s focus is turning to how she can help develop her team’s careers, giving them the same support and opportunities for growth that she has been given over the years.

This week on Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Emma Harris, founder and CEO of Glow London. Emma’s brand experience includes Eurostar and Virgin, and her infectious enthusiasm, resilience and energy shine through in this episode. 

For Emma, family and love lies at the heart of leadership. We hear about her passion for the brands she’s helped to form, including the rebrand of Eurostar; her resilience in overcoming adversity; and the amazing vision that led her to create her own company. 

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This week on Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy are joined by Lee Goodger, Head of Social at Huawei.

Lee’s empathetic and grounded leadership style shines through the conversation. Childhood trips abroad with his grandad helped to spark his passion for marketing, and he went on to be inspired by a series of senior (and junior) colleagues who showed him the value of being a generous and compassionate leader.

He’s passionate about gender equality – something he learned doing ‘A’ levels at an (almost) all girls’ school – and cites one of his proudest accomplishments helping close the gender pay gap while he was working for Shell. 

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