Team Talk: Michelle Ford

1. You began in account management – what drew you into the creative industry in the first place?

I always had an interest in creative – my ambition was to be a textile/surface pattern designer – but art school wasn’t for me and I left and pursued a different course at uni. Then in 1998 I took a marketing coordinator role, and part of my remit was to commission agencies. I loved that interaction with creatives and ultimately one agency liked me so much they offered me a job. So I moved from client-side into account management and it was a full circle moment for me as I was back in a creative environment which I had always wanted.

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2. You’ve since moved from project-facing roles into operations and group-level leadership. What motivated that shift and what did you learn along the way?

When I joined Uniform it was for the role of Creative Services Manager and my remit was much broader encompassing account &and production management as well as resourcing.

In this role I could play to all my strengths wearing lots of different hats. At this time I was asked to be a part of the Management Team and was able to influence business decision-making, giving the team a female voice, which they hadn’t had before.

Part of this was a move to grow Client Services and my focus to shift fully into Operations to provide the necessary structure and process for a rapidly growing business. So I became more integral but much more behind the scenes. Fine by me 🙂

Moving into a leadership role and ultimately onto the Board meant I had further opportunity to shape and influence, but it also meant I was viewed very differently within the business. A difficult leap to make but what held me in good stead was that I understood the business from the ground up and so I could bridge the gap between employees and founders. 

‍3. You’re now COO of a group that blends strategy, creativity and technology to drive sustainable future growth for businesses – how do you ensure those parts of the business stay connected and future-focused?

Creating a sense of collaboration is one of our company values and it’s central to the way we work with clients but also our attitude to self-initiated work. Self-initiated projects tap into what our people really care about, outside of the day-to-day. It might be to try out new tech and test proof of concept, shed light on a particular cause, or convey a personal passion, all with the future in mind. 

Investing in these types of projects has resulted in industry recognition through awards as well as a happier team and client wins, so a great recipe for sustainable growth.

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4. Your role sits at the centre of everything – culture, operations, people and progress. What’s your approach to creating a business where people genuinely thrive?

It is all about people. I know it’s obvious to say but our business is nothing without the people in it. Their talent and what they bring every day is what makes us special. And if you create that sense of togetherness and belonging then people will stay and thrive. Creating opportunities for people to evolve and grow is also super important – so providing access to training and development and career pathways where they’re empowered to lead the way themselves, while encouraging your people to take opportunities when they present themselves are all key.

5. What kind of talent do you want to see coming into the Group — and especially into Continuous? What qualities do you think really stand out?

Junior talent – the idea of nurturing junior talent and giving them the best kind of grounding in the creative industry really excites me. Supporting fresh young thinkers and pairing them with experienced creative teams brings a new dynamic to team culture and a new dimension that keeps us relevant.

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6. What’s been the most rewarding part of your journey so far, and what still makes you get out of bed in the morning?

There are so many rewarding parts. Seeing our work on a supermarket shelf or honoured with an award is really special. Also seeing our people flourish – our alumni is so special as well.

And what keeps me interested is that every day is different. That’s agency life right? And it can be stressful, don’t get me wrong – but it still gives me that feeling of excitement and challenge. And that keeps me motivated.

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7. Finally, what’s the future you’re excited to help build – for Uniform, for the team, and for the clients we work with?

We’ve been working on this for a few years now but I really want to accelerate our support for schools, colleges and universities to be more aligned with what the industry actually needs. And of course, to support young people to get their foot in the door by creating opportunities for them to learn about the creative industry from an early age. 

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If you like the sound of working for Continuous or Uniform Group, or want to find out more from Michelle, email her here.