In the latest in these popular series of features we talk to... ANDREW YOUNG AND HARVEY TRENT Co-Founders of The Pulse Rooms
Did you always envisage a career in the Media industry?
AY: When I was at school, I was initially going to pursue a career in journalism. However, this evolved into a broader interest in marketing and communications.
HT: No, not at all. I have always been drawn to roles that enable me to engage with people, network and share ideas or strategies for business growth.
What has been your career path so far?
AY: My first full-time job post-university saw me working as a Communications Officer for a government housing organisation. This role provided a great foundation and the opportunity to experience the different elements of marketing communications. After two years, I left to take up a position with a small youth charity in South Africa. Initially, this was meant to be for six months but turned into a seven-year love affair with the African continent. Due to the size of the charity, I was responsible for overseeing every element of its marketing activities. I couldn’t have asked for a better training ground, and this is where I started to branch out into creative strategy and design. After leaving the charity in 2016, I took the step to become a self-employed consultant. I worked with several different businesses across South Africa, America and Europe. It was through one of these projects that Harvey and I first met. Once we realised our shared vision for creating an agency that uses brand as a catalyst for growth, we launched The Pulse Rooms. Due to ongoing projects, we decided to relocate the business to the UK in 2019.
HT: Start-up and scale-up businesses have always intrigued me. This interest began during my time at university when I was given shares in a coffee bar and restaurant. However, the long hours meant I suddenly became cut off from the rest of the world. This meant my opportunities to connect and network with people were limited. After studying Sports Science, I started my formal career in pharmaceuticals. This catapulted me into the sales and marketing environment. In the pharmaceutical sector, I had many wonderful experiences launching global brands. I also played a role in large-scale strategic marketing campaigns. Throughout my 15 year stint in the sector, I always felt I was pushing against a greater system by offering my creative and strategic inputs. The cogs would turn slowly and limit your ability to input on a ground level. Eventually, I moved out of this corporate environment to begin my journey working with start-ups and scale-ups. This process included launching several businesses myself. I have always focussed on strategic growth and marketing within these enterprises, and this is where I continue to offer my expertise in our growth agency.
What have been the biggest challenges you have faced so far?
AY: In some sectors, branding is still viewed as a nice to have, rather than essential to a business’s long-term growth. This is particularly the case with start-ups when finances are tight. We want to change that perception and help business owners to realise the importance of branding and how it can drive growth. That is why we use the phrase ‘brand-led growth’.
HT: Marketing offers so much value to a business when approached and applied strategically. It has to be at the heart of the business strategy. To bridge the chasm between marketing and the organisation’s strategic objectives is a challenge we endeavour to overcome daily. What services do you provide? We deliver brand-led growth. This involves growing and scaling businesses by help
