Gemma Strath-Bilington is marketing director at GigPig, a live music marketplace headquartered in Manchester.
GigPig has plans to be the ‘Spotify for gigging musicians’ and supports venue managers and bookers to access thousands of verified local artists book and manage live music and also offers artists a free platform to find, play and get paid for gigs.
Since launching in 2022, GigPig was named one of Prolific North’s Tech Companies to Watch and now works with independent venues across 22 cities, as well as national chains including Albert Schloss, Arc Inspirations, Brewdog, Urban Pubs & Bars, NQ64, Adventure Bar Group, East Coast Concepts, Katie O’Brien’s, Liars Group, Antic, Laine and Stack.
Gemma joined the start-up earlier this year and previously held senior marketing roles at the likes of PMT, The Food Warehouse Iceland and Betfred.
From lucky breaks to failures, she shares all the lessons she’s learnt across her life and career so far…
Which single daily habit or practice could you not do without?
It has to be fresh coffee and a quick check in on messages and meetings to set me up for the day. I’m usually in the GigPig Manchester office a couple of times a week, but otherwise I can be visiting venues across various cities so having a good start to the day is essential for keeping momentum going while working for this brilliantly fast-paced and exciting start-up!
What’s been your luckiest break?
My entry into my marketing career was by far my luckiest moment. Just after completing my marketing and journalism degree at UCLAN, when I was still working in a Betfred betting shop while I looked for an entry role in marketing, I had a visit from the gaming director. The 22 year-old me couldn’t wait to tell him how Betfred could improve their campaigns in store. Within a few weeks I was working at their head office and was proud to be the first marketing hire for the business.
What’s your best failure?
I can’t think of a best failure but I’ve had many over the years. The best bit of failing is the self reflection and growth that comes thereafter which I’m sure is the case for most of us, right?
What is the best investment you’ve ever made, either financial or time?
My best investment was taking a longer maternity leave after welcoming my second child. My first maternity leave was too short, going back to work in just under three months. I had recently been promoted to head of group marketing and at that time, I felt that I needed to go back sooner. I learnt a lot from that experience and made sure that the second time round was a more positive experience for me.
Which podcast or book would you recommend others to read and why?
I listen to lots of podcasts as I’m on the road quite often. My latest audio book is ‘Start with Why‘ by Simon Sinek. Having recently joined GigPig, the team has heard me ask “why” quite a bit. When you join a new business, it’s so important to ask the “why” and not just the “what”. I think when you have been in a business for a long time, it’s easy to lose sight of this and this book does a great job of explaining the importance of this approach.
What one piece of advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
Stop caring so much about what other people think and believe in yourself more because with hard work and determination you can land in a role which really suits you. I love now being part of a small, entrepreneurial team which is mission-led to the core at GigPig and I’d never have thought that years ago if I’d not taken a few chances along the way.
Who or what has had the single biggest influence on your working life?
This is a difficult one because lots of people have impacted on my working life but the single biggest influence has to be Fred Done, owner of Betfred. He backed me and gave me the freedom to learn and make mistakes at such an early stage in my career. He’s an incredible businessman but also a great mentor and friend.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people.
I had open heart surgery at Great Ormond Street when I was 11 years old. I also had the pleasure of meeting Kylie Minogue when I was there. Something my dad insisted on!
If there was one thing you could change about your career, what would it be and why?
Right now, I wouldn’t change a thing. Working in such an exciting start-up and with the most amazing people is just the best experience. It’s so different from my corporate background and gives me a totally different perspective on my career.
What does success look like to you?
Success is achieving great things at work and at home. Balancing both is always a challenge so when the stars align and work is going well and my family are happy, this is a success to me. It’s so important to be honest about your expectations when starting a job and I feel like my recent job change, and subsequent promotion to marketing director, was because I found the right fit with GigPig.
