Independent PR and digital agency The PHA Group, which has offices in London and Wokingham, set up a PHA North Manchester hub in 2021.
As part of the launch, the agency appointed Sarah Lawless as Director of Regions and established a further office in Leeds earlier this year to build on its Northern presence.
With over a decade of experience in the PR world and numerous award wins including Media and Creative Professional of the Year in the Made in Manchester Awards, she has established herself as one of the region’s most well-respected PR industry leaders.
She has previously held numerous senior roles at Big Partnership, One and Calvin Marketing.
Here, she shares her career pathway, tips and advice.
How did you first get into your industry?
I have loved writing from a young age, so much so that I featured in my local paper at the age of 11 with an article on climate change. I worked as an editorial assistant for a trade magazine called Bed and Breakfast News part time during my A Levels. (As you might imagine, it appeared as part of the obscure titles in Have I Got News for You!).
I studied Philosophy and Politics at Lancaster University and loved my time there. I wrote for the student paper and for an online portal during Uni and then got an in-house copywriting job at a hosting company upon graduating before moving on to agencies. I think building up my writing experience from a young age really helped me to snag my first role in the industry.
What do you love about your job?
I love the pace of agency life and the fact that no two days are ever the same. I feel really privileged to work with brilliant clients in a variety of sectors and to help them achieve their marketing goals. This is always really rewarding and can lead to some fantastic long-term relationships. I love working with talented people and helping them to achieve their goals and I also love the rush that comes from new business. Nothing beats the feeling of winning a pitch!
Who – or what – has inspired you in your career?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some fantastic bosses in my career and learn from some of the best in the industry. I learnt a lot about how to build a great client strategy from Tristan Morris at One Marketing (now One Brand Magic), I was really inspired by Diana Stephenson at Calvin Marketing and I was super lucky to work with Bryan Garvie at BIG Partnership. He taught me a lot about business growth, was a fantastic line manager and an all-round lovely person.
What are the biggest challenges about your job?
Juggling everything! PR is always fast paced but as I have been busy growing PHA’s regional presence, I think the key challenges for me have been the same a lot of successful startups will face. Fast pace and fast growth, while finding the right people at the right time to deliver the outstanding work PHA is renowned for. We are lucky to have such fantastic support and such a brilliant company culture from the wider business, which has made this process as smooth as it could have been.
What skills have been the most crucial to you succeeding in your career so far?
I would like to say writing skills or marketing knowledge, but I think it would have to be people skills. Whether working with clients or team members or even just building a network, so much in the PR world is based on the relationships you build. I think it’s really important to remain curious, always look to add value and stay committed to ongoing improvement!
What was your first salary and what could someone getting into the industry expect to earn nowadays?
I think this will show my age but when I started, I think I was on £13,000. Nowadays this would be closer to £27,000!
What education or training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
For those starting out, I’m not sure I would recommend a specific University course for anyone looking to enter the world of PR and marketing. For me, relevant work experience is always the most important thing.
I always like the CV of someone who is a self-starter and has looked for opportunities to get involved in any elements of the job as a passion project i.e., management of an event, or creating content for a charity etc. As people progress in their career, I tend to look for relevant experience and again the right attitude and aptitude for the role. Someone intelligent, motivated and enthusiastic will always get snapped up in our sector.
What advice would you have for someone looking to follow your path?
1. Build a network as you develop: you never know who you will meet in a future life and look to add value to the people you come across wherever you can.
2. Remain curious: our industry changes quickly, so remain committed to your own learning and development to ensure you are always one step ahead and can make the best possible recommendations for your clients.
3. Don’t be afraid to make some noise about your achievements: I’ve met a lot of people who think it might seem arrogant to enter awards or build their own profile, but personal PR is a powerful tool and one you should always try and harness.
