People are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we enjoy getting to know more about those who make Hazlewoods. To start our #Hazlewoodspeople series, we have been chatting to Emma Shorrock, Marketing Manager, who is celebrating 10 years since she first walked through the doors of Hazlewoods on the first day of her marketing University placement back in 2011.
How did your career with Hazlewoods start and develop?
I was studying Business Management at the University of Gloucestershire and began applying for different work placement roles via the career portal as part of my degree. At the time, I had been offered a placement with a large multi-national, but the Hazlewoods job description caught my eye and I knew from family that Hazlewoods had a strong reputation.
I drove to the Staverton office for an interview with Partner, Ruth Dooley, and as soon as I got there, it just felt right. Although marketing wasn't what I initially set out to do, as I had been aspiring to get into management consultancy, the Hazlewoods opportunity and kudos of the firm sparked a new and intriguing interest. In the end, I was lucky enough to have the choice of the two positions and was strongly encouraged by family to pick Hazlewoods!
It was a smaller Marketing team at the time, where I completed various admin tasks, but they also quickly allowed me to develop, such as running events and taking on more responsibilities. They asked if I wanted to stay on after my placement over the summer holidays to perform database work which, at the time, was reading spreadsheets line by line. Although I did it for the extra money, it has stood me in good stead, as I now know our database inside and out!
I returned to University for my final nine months and received the best grades I've ever had. In groups, we had to 'run' a virtual company stimulator as part of a yearlong module - I took on the role of Marketing Director. We scored 92%, which was clearly a result of us all having been on placements and gaining real life experience alongside our studies.
When I finished University, I immediately got in touch with Hazlewoods and didn’t look anywhere else. I started as Assistant, soon progressing onto Executive and, as expected, I was always busy – there was never a quiet moment.
What was it about Hazlewoods that made you continue your marketing career with the firm?
The 'people' side of Hazlewoods has always been strong and remains a constant. Working as part of the marketing team has always been so varied and hands on. We would run 40 events a year – I even ran three events in one day! I never felt like I needed a new challenge, as opportunities always arose. At the age of 25, I put myself and my vision forward for the position of Marketing Manager on maternity cover and they gave me the opportunity, putting their trust in me to deliver and succeed. I do feel that if someone is willing to work hard and offer their ideas, Hazlewoods will listen with an open mind and support you.
How has the firm changed over the last 10 years?
I started my placement in a team of three, with Hazlewoods having around 200 employees at the time, so I pretty much got to know everyone! Within the space of the five years since becoming Manager, the Marketing team has doubled in size, both in headcount and turnover. It is great to be a part of a progressive and evolving company.
What has been your greatest achievement so far?
It has to be becoming Manager, as it was such a big achievement on both a professional and a personal level. I had a bad car accident in my early 20's, and as part of my recovery, I remember drawing out a life plan with key milestones that I would like to achieve and becoming Manager by the time I was 25 was one of them. When this became a reality, all I wanted to do was make a success of it and enjoy every moment.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I like the variety and balance it provides between creativity and the people side of marketing, but also the business development element. Having studied Business Management, I enjoy getting my business kick from the role. Marketing never stands still - there are always new tools or new ideas, and the business environment is constantly changing as well, so the two together are perfect for me.
What does the next 10 years look like for Hazlewoods from a marketing perspective?
We have changed and adapted so quickly in the last year, that it is important for marketing to remain agile going forward. It needs to be agile in its approach to how consumers absorb information or purchase items or interact etc. I'm really interested in how new trends will affect our business and the new opportunities it will produce. It certainly keeps the future interesting.
Who has influenced or inspired you when it comes to how you approach your work?
It is cliché but I would have to say my parents. My dad set up his own businesses in his 30's and my mum has had multiple careers. They have always taught me that if you put your mind to something, and work hard, then you will get there. In terms of a professional influence, however, I have worked with over 30 Hazlewoods Partners over the years and am always learning from the various ways they approach things. I learn something new from each of them all the time!
Who would you most like to meet and why?
On a personal level I would most like to meet Capability Brown, the English landscape architect (although he is from the 1700's)! I am a keen gardener, and a hobby of mine is garden design. Thinking of a space or blank canvas and what it could become is fascinating, as well as the experience of what you can create through planting and design. I would love to walk around some of the parks he created and ask if they turned out how he imagined and how he used his vision, knowing he would not see the final output, to create such dedicated work.
In a professional sense, I would like a coffee with Juan Cabral who created the well-known Cadbury's 'Gorilla' advert. It was a very clever step away from their traditional advertising that didn't really have anything to do with the product, and yet it was so powerful and iconic. I would go as far to say that I have not seen an advert top that since.
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