Ellen Hedley is co-founder of Vida Creative, a Newcastle-based digital agency.
She set up the agency alongside Henry Coggin in 2016, initially to help small businesses with marketing and building websites.
Here, she shares a recent week in her life…
Monday
I always aim to start off the week with as much energy as possible to ensure we’re set up for whatever’s ahead! Most weekday mornings I head to the gym before work, which sets me up for the day.
At Vida, Mondays consist of our first daily team standup of the week, as well as a team marketing meeting to review all client marketing progress and actions – as well as thinking about our own company marketing activity.
Once a month, we have a meeting with our PR partner to see how we can support clients and boost our own visibility within the media landscape. Monday is also the ideal day for organising future team and client meetings, and preparing presentations and reports needed for that week.
Tuesday
On Tuesdays, we hold our Vida leadership meeting to discuss what’s happening across the business and review new business opportunities.
We also have weekly studio timeline and resource planning sessions to check that projects are on track, on budget, and working to deadlines.
I try to keep Tuesday afternoons free for what I call ‘focus work’ – when I need to get my head into complex writing or business development projects. Anyone familiar with the hustle and bustle of agency life will know that is easier said than done, but I do my best to set aside this time when I can.
After work, I occasionally head to the coast for a dip in the sea. I love cold water swimming and find it incredibly refreshing and relaxing after a busy day.
Wednesday
Wednesdays are very much centred around the people that make our business, whether that be clients or colleagues.
Most of our monthly client meetings are scheduled for mid-week so we have those on a Wednesday. I also make time to check in with individual members of the Vida team to see where they need additional support or guidance.
Once a month on a Wednesday, I lead a full team meeting to update everyone on what’s happening throughout the company. This is usually followed by a team lunch, and as our offices are in the popular Ouseburn area we’re lucky enough to have lots of great places to eat on our doorstep.
Thursday
On Thursdays I focus on reaching out to and connecting with potential new clients, setting aside time to introduce ourselves and see how Vida could potentially help them.
I also use Thursdays to get involved in some of the more in-depth strategic work we do with both new and existing clients, running workshops and strategy sessions.
After work, I head to my local pub quiz to catch up with friends and show off my (lack of) trivia knowledge! The music round is always my strongest but I’m not bad at European geography either!
Friday
For me, Friday is a great day to pause and reflect. At Vida, we give the team feedback on work from that week and encourage them to share any successes they’ve achieved or challenges they’ve faced.
We also send weekly progress updates to clients we’re doing projects with on a Friday, letting them know how things are going and any next steps. This is incredibly important as it enables us to check we’re all on the same page and working towards the right goals.
Lastly, after planning for the week ahead and checking my calendar, I clear my inbox of any urgent emails. Then it’s time for the weekend and a well-deserved rest!
