Aimee Luther On Having The Freedom To Be Yourself | #GettingToKnow
Here is the superwoman that is our MD Aimee telling it how it is about births, BCorpness, and being kind.
CP > Tell us a bit about your role! Is there a “typical” day?
Hmm. ‘Typical’ went out the window when I left BIG agency life. But there are common themes for sure. Since having a baby in March, my day usually starts and ends with an 18lb lump of gorgeousness attached to me.
But once the eyeliner is on, I manage to escape my slightly chaotic style of mothering, and step into working with the most fascinating, often odd but always creative minds in the land. And, along with the three other Directors, spend my day nurturing our Clients, people and prospects to be better and of more value, than they were yesterday.
CP > What was the biggest challenge in getting to your current position?
To date, 22 years in, I haven’t had any wholesome challenges or obstacles to overcome. No more than the next person at any rate. I’ve been lucky never to fall victim to sexism or glass ceilings.
However, as I start back at work after six months of maternity leave – I think the greatest challenges will be ahead of me! Fortunately the whole ethos of The Liberty Guild is having the freedom to be yourself. So I'll be picking up exactly where I was when I closed my day book, 24 hours before I had Cosmo.
And to prove that with enough support, understanding and confidence – I can be a brilliant always-there Mum too. The Guild don’t believe in having to sacrifice work or life in the quest for success. So here’s to a Board Meeting in the morning and Parents Egg and Spoon Race in the afternoon.
CP > What is your personal background and what role did it play in your career?
My parents separated when I was very young, which bonused a wonderful step-dad, went to the local State schools, self-funded GAP year to teach English in HK and then on to Uni.
But before I arrived on the scene and into my early years my Mum was a legend. She invented the Screwball ice-cream (a plastic cone with bubble gum at the bottom and filled with cream), brought us up to be balanced children despite having to cope alone and always had immaculate hair and nails. In my book that is an inspiration.
CP > What is your biggest career-related win? What is your biggest loss?
‘Biggest win’ is fresh as an organic daisy...our recent BCorp certification. It is the ultimate accolade, evidenced by how we treat our people, community and planet. It proves that we’re using the Liberty Guild business as a force for good and are extremely proud to be up there with Patagonia, Ben and Jerrys and Toms.
It takes a Herculean effort to both ensure the business is ship shape... all the way back to our Articles at Companies House, and to evidence the required performance, transparency and accountability. It’s rather like the Fairtrade badge is to coffee.
Biggest loss? Any loss feels disproportionately big at the time. But the biggest would be when Thomson Holidays were taken under the wing of their European head office and the agency I was working for at the time didn’t win the pitch.
It bloody hurt as I had worked with them for a decade and had huge emotional investment. I cried. But, I’m still in contact with my old Clients and I’m sure our work lives will cross again. So it’s not all bad.
CP > If you could go back to your teenage years, would you have done things differently? Do you have any regrets?
I wouldn’t have pierced my nose with a frozen Linda McCartney sausage up it. Although extremely clever on one hand and saved my septum from being pierced with my Nan's embroidery needle, it would have been less of a kerfuffle to have paid a tenner, have a nose ring (not earring) in it and save having the image of me in the mirror with a sausage up my right nostril locked in my memory.
CP > If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?
Either an interior designer. Or a florist. Although I can’t arrange flowers for toffee.
CP > What’s your one big dream for the future of the industry?
That it continues to be a bright light in the economic dark times we’re all facing.
Throughout history, creativity has been a source of individual happiness and aided fiscial recovery in the business world. Creative thinking can help keep brands and businesses alive – and we need to protect and nurture the minds behind that thinking.
CP > What are your top tips for other creative leaders?
Always think ahead; how do you want someone to feel after a meeting? You might be delivering a tough appraisal or having a difficult conversation with a client. By thinking how you want that person to feel in an hour's time when they walk out of the room, allows you to think about the manner in which you approach the chat. You can (nearly always) leave them feeling valued, uplifted and excited about the change ahead.
CP > When you think about your team, what is the thing that matters to you the most?
Humour and kindness. Sounds flippant? Probably. But I guarantee that a hefty slice of good humour and genuine kindness will get you through any situation. Within the team, with Clients or people from other agencies. It changes the temperature of the room, changes the tone of conversations and makes people relax and focus on the stuff that matters.
