Paige Coulthurst is operations director at full-service digital agency Soap Media.
The full-service digital agency, which has offices in Preston and Manchester, won Web/Product Development Agency of the Year at the Prolific North Champions Awards 2024 and is shortlisted for two awards at the upcoming Prolific North Marketing Awards.
Coulthurst joined the agency in 2022 as a web project manager and after being promoted to her current role last year, has since ‘revolutionised’ operations, spearheaded employee growth initiatives and introduced new service offerings.
Here, she shares what a recent week in her life looks like…
Monday
I start my week at 8:30 am from my home office – a space that helps me keep my work life and my personal life separate. My go-to breakfast is a cappuccino from my Nespresso machine and a bowl of overnight oats. I have the same breakfast every day which is probably a clear sign I’m the kind of person who thrives with routine! The first thirty minutes of my day is reserved for tackling my inbox and prepping a to-do list, or putting out any urgent fires.
After assessing my inbox and task list (Google Tasks is my hero), I block everything out in my calendar, following the GTD (Getting Things Done) method. I then spend a few minutes catching up on LinkedIn messages and engaging with Soap Media’s posts. My first meeting of the day is onboarding a new starter – one of my favourite things to do! I spend the first hour introducing them to Soap and going through our processes and operations, before handing them over to their team lead to onboard them at a more granular level.
Clearing my head at lunchtime is a must, so I try and go for a walk around my local area every day to help me feel refreshed for the afternoon. I’m lucky to live in a village with lots of gorgeous scenery, so it’s great exploring this when I can.
Monday afternoons tend to vary from week to week, but one task that pops up more often is working on pitch documents and dev estimates with the team for upcoming proposals. I finish off the working day by completing time logs – practising what I preach to the team. Rounding off my day is a Pilates class. I try to take a class after work as it helps me wind down from the day and acts as a marker between work and home.
Tuesday
Today’s Tuesday kicks off with an appraisal meeting. At Soap Media, we operate on a meritocracy basis, allowing employees to pitch for a pay rise up to four times a year. These meetings showcase the team’s hard work and dedication, in their own words, and are one of my favourite parts of the job.
In the afternoon, Jack, our managing director, and I have our management meeting with the owners of the business. We report on the progress of our business plan, address growth areas, and discuss any issues that need their input.
Post-meeting, I prepare a contract for a new client entering a PPC retainer. One thing to know about me is that creating robust and thorough contracts is my thing! It’s something I look forward to doing, so this was a good Tuesday afternoon task for me!
The final main task of the day is getting ready for tomorrow’s company hangout; an internal meeting where we update the team on all things Soap, shout about achievements, and showcase exciting projects.
I end the day with a much-needed yoga class.
Wednesday
It’s time for the prep from yesterday to be put to use as my morning starts with the company hangout. I offer company-wide updates and then pass the floor to each department for their shoutouts and wins. It’s always a positive meeting and acts as the perfect time for our teams to interact and share their achievements.
At 10am, it’s time for a discovery call with a potential new client. These calls are a great way to connect with new people, understand their needs, and pitch our services effectively. This is followed by a pitch to another possible client alongside our lead front-end developer, Ryan, in the afternoon. The pitch goes well, and the prospect of a new project is always exciting.
Jack and I then have our weekly meeting to discuss our business plan and any other updates, resulting in productive brainstorming and action items.
It’s a weights class at the gym, tonight!
Thursday
Thursday is my focus day, blocked off for deep work and only interrupted by crucial meetings. After a productive session with Jack on Wednesday, it’s the perfect time to dive into monthly reporting. I review each department’s capacity, profitability, pipeline, billable percentages, and budget reports, ensuring we are on track and able to identify any issues or opportunities.
In the afternoon, I work on a new service offering and develop a process for its market introduction (more to come!). I also spend time on new initiatives like the Soap Brochure. My day finishes with an interview for a new graphic designer to help out our head of design, who’s busy enjoying some well-deserved time off.
No class tonight, as a night in with Grey’s Anatomy is calling…
Friday
Fridays are always reserved for planning and reflection. I start by reviewing my week ahead, assessing each meeting’s necessity, and considering alternatives to attending, like screen recordings, etc, so my time is used on things that most need my attention. My goal is to end the week with an empty inbox, following the GTD method, so I also spend some time filtering through emails.
The day begins with a department report meeting. Each month, department leads spend an hour with me and the MD to update us on their progress, discuss opportunities, and outline any areas where they need additional support.
Straying from my usual after-work-exercise routine, I have a PT session at lunchtime with my friend, combining fitness with a good catch-up.
In the afternoon, whilst the team is enjoying their weekly PDP time, I go through my “waiting for” inbox, chasing up replies from the team. They know this hour well! I also usually end up writing something for our PR Team – just like I am doing right now! The week often ends with a project retrospective, reviewing what went well in the week, what could be improved on a recent project, and how I could step in to improve processes.
If I’m lucky, I join the team for our weekly “washup,” a mini-retrospective on the week’s highs and lows, ending with a fun quiz.
