While I may be too young to remember the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a certain song from the track list is playing on repeat inside my head as I write
The little ditty, With a Little Help from My Friends, is most certainly on loop on my internal iPod (we all have one, you know, when you get a line or two of the same song stuck in your head).
Why, you may ask? Well, earlier this year, the 17th January marked a very special day in Filament PR’s history. You see, being in the business of public relations, it’s my job to make sure that my clients’ brand stories engage with the right people, at the right time and in the right way. While this date certainly wasn’t a New Year, New Start’, it certainly was a new chapter in the story of my business.
And no, following the Beatles theme I didn’t announce we’re all jumping-ship and going to live in a big old yellow submarine. Rather, I’m was super excited to share the news with you that Sarah Pinch, a long-time friend of Filament PR, officially joined the team as our Non-Executive Director.
An illuminating individual, leading light in the industry and all-round bright spark, Sarah brings bags of board level experience. She’s been a Director of Communications in a number of different organisations, before establishing her own agency Pinch Point Communications-in Bristol.
She was CIPR President in 2015 and is a NonExecutive for the Health and Safety Executive. She is known for her ethical practices, her supportive approach as a critical friend and her championing of diversity in public relations. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also listed as #30 in the FT and HERoes top 50 women in business for diversity, and her appointment as Chair of the Taylor Bennett Foundation in October 2017 was no surprise to many of us.
I’ve known Sarah for a number of years now. When the opportunity to launch my own business came about, she was the first person I called to ask for advice. Since then, the rest is history, but through it all she’s been my professional mentor, number-onecheerleader and at times a challenging critic. From behind the scenes she’s quietly guided me, been my sounding board, the voice of reason. She’s been invaluable to me and my business, and her appointment as Filament PR’s Non-Executive Director only seeks to formalise the relationship.
While Sarah will continue to run her own business alongside other professional commitments, her role at Filament PR will see her provide strategic direction and insight to the Board, helping me and my team to grow the business, so we can continue to work with our clients even bigger and better than before, providing the very best service possible to produce results that have a tangible benefit to their businesses too.
Sir Paul and John got it spot on when they sang about getting by with a little help from their friends. Filament PR closed its books on 31st October after a full 365 days of trading, having enjoyed a bumper first year in business. With an impressive turn over, decent margins and an enviable client list working with brands regionally and nationally across the lifestyle, leisure and entertainment sectors (not to mention a healthy new business pipeline and picking up a few awards along the way too), I’m certain Filament PR’s success story to-date has been in part down to the strategic guidance and direction given by Sarah. Long may it continue.
