October Talk With Emma Carter from Smarter Media

It's October, the month of Halloween and the time when the clocks go back and we all get an extra hour in bed. How's the month looking for you and your business?

Today we're talking to Emma Carter who is MD of Smarter Media – a digital growth agency based in Swindon. 

What’s coming up for your business in Q4?

Q4 is all about shoring up our processes to ensure we continue to deliver against our Smarter Promise as we grow. We’ve had some great client wins in Q3, yet like any business, growth brings operational challenges and we want to get those processes strengthened, test some new products we want to bring to our client base and create further capacity in the team.

And, though, it seems like a broken record, we also need to focus on recruitment.  It is so bloody hard right now, but I am energised by the new partnership we are entering into with Nel (Chanelle Kirkham) at Pink Giraffe – fingers crossed they help bridge that gap

This is a month for harvest and Halloween? Are either of these important for you in your business?

Neither are particular important per say, but this quarter is the last in our financial year, so it’s where we start to consider if our plans for the next year are still fit for purpose, are our goals/objectives aligned, what further investment is required and of course, the dreaded budgeting! 

Also for some of our clients, Halloween is an important time for sales for their business (we'd be supporting them with that long before October though!)

October represents several awareness months, are any important to you or your business? 

ADHD awareness month has become an important one to me on a personal level as my nearly 16-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Autism & ADHD during the summer.  

It turns out girls are very rarely diagnosed, until their teens, as the way they present is very different to the perceptions we all have, so I now find myself in the middle of a steep learning curve to understand what this means, how it will impact her & what support I can give her. 

October 10 is World Mental Health Day – how important is this subject in your business and in your life? 

If there is one positive to come from Covid19, it is the huge leap forward in the awareness and importance of acknowledging mental well-being and how different it is for each person. 

Many of my teams, my friends and family will openly talk about how the last 18 months have affected them and I’m not so certain they would have before.

As a result of my daughter’s diagnosis I am now seeing, first-hand, just how understaffed the Children & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), NHS & support services are. 

The mental health impact of the pandemic on our children and young adults is significant and, in my opinion, not getting anywhere near enough funding or support to handle it. And that is the case for Children & Young Adults, I’m pretty certain that will be reflected across the whole mental health service.

What practical activities do you participate in at home or at work to protect your mental health and that of your staff?

This is a tough question.  Every other business leader I know seems to be able to reel off answers with no bother – some type of sport or hobby; or dedicated time spend walking or hiking in the fresh air; or reading – I don’t know what this is for me. I am guilty of just keeping going until my body invariably tells me it won’t do it anymore with a cold or gastroenteritis bug (usually within the first two days of a holiday)

I am committed to making sure that I don’t force my team into the same mistake though. We actively encourage lunch breaks, recently added a sofa to our small office to make sure there was an alternative to the desk, encourage chit chat, make sure out of hours working is rare, and the first question I ask in every 121 is “how are you ‘really’ doing”.  I am always looking for ways to do more & happily magpie other people’s initiatives/drives for my staff!

Clocks go back this month – an extra hour in bed? How do you feel about the darker nights etc? 

I love autumn, it’s my favourite season – the cool crisp air, snuggling up under 25 thousand layers (I suffer from the cold), traditional British home cooked stews & soups, and the TV gets sooo much better in the Autumn. 

BUT, I hate the clock change.  Invariably it means I leave the house in darkness and return to the house in darkness.  And, as I don’t practise what I preach (!), I rarely see the daylight from the outside of a window during the day! 

Have you got any events planned you’d like to shout about – either that you are running or attending? 

I am so pleased to see networking and exhibition events operating again and I imagine that will get busier and busier in Q4. 

Scheduled so far - I am attending the Women In Business Big Event at Cumberwell Park, we have our quarterly company update on the 15th October and are exhibiting at the Swindon Great British Expo Event at the Doubletree Hotel on the 11 November.

To find out more about what the team can offer visit www.smarter-media.co.uk