LAUNCHING:
SARAH FOOT
Company:
Juliet Travers Ltd
THE BIG QUESTIONS
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL TITLE?
I work for Juliet Travers Ltd which began as a wallpaper and fabrics company in 2013 but this year we also expanded into the world stationery as well. I came on board as the first member of staff 3 years ago and so much has changed since then! My official title is ‘Sales & Marketing Executive’ but in reality my job doesn’t fall particularly neatly into any particular category. I think working for a such small brand it’s always going to be an all-hands-on-deck situation so I do a bit of everything.
WHAT DO YOU DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?
I deal with all the sales and any new clients or press enquiries that come in. At the moment I am the only full time member of staff so I’m responsible for the day-to-day running of the office and meeting any clients who have made appointments to visit the showroom. Both Juliet and I would love to spend more time designing new collections but we’re really working to establish a name for ourselves in the interiors industry first.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD AND WHAT CHANGED?
I have a pretty short attention span so I tended to change my mind on a pretty frequent basis! But I have always been creative and I always liked the idea of exploring that in my career. I don’t think anything has changed!
WHAT ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE?
I had a gap year after I finished school because I didn’t want to go to university straight away (actually at the time I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go at all). In the end I went to Leeds university to get a degree in Cultural Studies. Not very many universities offer it as a single honours degree but it’s something I really enjoyed which combines history of art, social history, anthropology, English literature and film studies. I loved it but I think so much of what is most valuable that you learn at university has nothing to do with the course you studied!
WHAT’S THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
Stay flexible. You can push your career any way you want it to but always leave space for the unexpected.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL AND WHY?
Such a tricky question because I’m inspired by so many people but I am especially impressed with Katy Emck who founded the charity Fine Cell Work. They teach needle point embroidery to prisoners around the UK and sell them online and in a variety of high end retail outlets. It’s a great way for the prisoners to learn a new skill but crucially they are able to earn money which they have access to once they have finished their sentence, meaning they are far less likely to re-offend once they get out. Setting up both a charity and a business that provides beautiful hand crafted products and has a really positive effect on those who are among the most vulnerable in our society is something I hugely admire.
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT WORKING ENVIRONMENT?
I love who I work with so that’s a massive plus. We work in a lovely mews house in Battersea with the upstairs rooms being used as our office/studio and the downstairs living area is our showroom space. So with those things combined I can’t really ask for much more.
WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR DAILY WORK ROUTINE IF YOU COULD?
I think possibly living slightly closer to work to make by commute a little shorter. But I also think that the distance really helps me separate my personal and professional life. I live and work very near the Thames and I feel really lucky to see it from different points every day, it’s one of my favourite things.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME?
I think probably still working for a small brand. I can’t see myself as a cog in a big machine at the moment, but who knows! Hopefully still doing something creative but I wouldn’t necessarily limit that to this particular kind of design. I find the business side of things really enjoyable but I think being creative comes more naturally to me so possibly something slightly less business focused.
DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN BE THE SAME PERSON AT WORK AND IN PRIVATE?
Pretty much, yes. I have a great relationship with my boss and I think in such a small team it would be a real issue if you didn't feel like you could be yourself because you have to work so closely together.
WHERE AND IN WHAT ROLES ARE WOMEN IN THE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE IN YOUR COMPANY?
This question is pretty straightforward because at the moment we are an all female team so we don’t really have an alternative. We’re women in every role, leading in every way!
DOES DIVERSITY MATTER TO YOU?
Absolutely it does. I think diversity, both in and out of the work place, is really important. I live in London and one of my favourite things about living here is how multi-cultural it is. So much negativity is born out of a lack of understanding or ignorance and I think exposure is the best way to begin to be educated about different backgrounds, cultures and experiences which, ultimately, makes us all richer.
HOW GOOD IS YOUR WORK LIFE BALANCE?
It’s always tricky to juggle it but I think when you love your work it’s kind of inevitable that the lines blur a little. I try to really focus on being creative in my own time, especially during times when we are not designing new collections in the studio. I also co-host a weekly podcast called Pop Vultures which is something I really enjoy. It’s a different kind of performance to anything I’ve ever done before but it’s really been fun to explore as a way to express myself.
WHAT QUALITIES DOES BEING IN YOUR ROLE NECESSITATE?
I think a huge thing is being flexible and thinking on your feet because there’s always something going on that you need to switch gears (a little or a lot!) for in order to do it successfully.