Meg Wilson-Taylor is an operations director at Leeds-based specialist agency Circus PPC Agency.
She has worked in PPC since 2017, initially joining the agency as an account manager, before joining the operations team where she now heads up the recruitment and training process.
The agency recently had a structural shake-up to accelerate its growth ambitions, including the introduction of C-Suite roles and promotions for the senior leadership team, as a result of an increase in client wins, allowing for further expansion of its account management and client services teams.
From her biggest influences to job challenges, she shares her career journey and savvy words of advice for those wanting to enter the world of PPC…
How did you first get into your industry?
After completing my degree in English Literature at University of Birmingham, I was keen to find a role in marketing. The more research I did the more I felt PPC was the right fit for me, as although I love being creative, I was after a role that also leaned into data analysis and strategy. I was lucky enough to be hired as a PPC trainee at Circus, where I was given all the tools necessary to start managing my own portfolio of accounts, which evolved over time to include bigger and more complex projects.
What do you love about your job?
I love working with the team at Circus. Having the right characters with the right attitudes makes the hardest days feel easy, and I’m very proud of the team we’ve built. Every day is different, and it’s exciting to be constantly thrown new challenges and come out the other side bigger and better.
Who – or what – has inspired you in your career?
Whenever I need some inspiration I’ll watch a sports documentary like ‘The Last Dance’. Watching elite athletes and seeing the mentality required to be the best and stay the best is incredibly motivating and something we try to cultivate into the way we work at Circus.
What are the biggest challenges about your job?
Having enough hours in the day. There are so many things I could contribute towards, but there simply isn’t the time. Remembering to prioritise the areas you’re responsible for helps ensure that the agency keeps moving forward.
What skills have been the most crucial to you succeeding in your career so far?
It’s a cliché but the ability to work hard and dig in when times are tough has been really beneficial. Each time you navigate a difficult situation your resilience increases, so I’d always recommend facing problems head on rather than shying away from them. Also, listening to people more experienced than you is something I can’t recommend enough.
What was your first salary and what could someone getting into the industry expect to earn nowadays?
I joined the industry in 2017 in an entry-level role, so the salary was below £20k. Nowadays however someone entering the industry could expect to be above this mark. At Circus we review salary biannually to make sure we are always rewarding effort and performance.
What education or training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
You don’t need a formal education in marketing to excel in PPC, as you can only truly learn when you’re in a real word situation with money on the line. Being able to communicate your thoughts and strategies to others however is essential, so if I could recommend a specific area to train, it would be communication and presentation skills.
What advice would you have for someone looking to follow your path?
Don’t expect it to be easy, if it was easy everyone would be doing it! Going above and beyond was a mantra that was instilled in me at a young age, and if you’re passionate about what you do, you’ll find yourself doing this naturally.
