“Creating the right space for reflection and idea generation is key. This is a time for creative thinking and for stretching self-belief.”

My Approach

I come to careers coaching from the creative industries, specifically from the world of brand development and qualitative research. This means I understand how to develop unique personal identities (personal brands), and how to give clients the confidence to succeed in competitive market places.

Topline Summary

• Teresa worked as a strategic planner in advertising agencies Davidson Pearce and J. Walter Thompson. She launched as a freelance qualitative researcher in 1992 and continues to work for leading commercial and public sector clients.
• She has written two books on new media and has contributed to Government policy in this area. As an entrepreneur she launched one of the first dotcoms in education and won DTI and Millennium Awards for the online service.
• She has recently qualified in Careers Management (MSc from London South Bank University with Distinction). Initially graduating in biology/psychology (BSc from Exeter University).

Where it all started

I started my career in a small advertising agency called Crawford’s. At the time it was London’s oldest agency (in our portfolio we boasted a Victorian ad of Pears Soap – one of the very first consumer brands!) I was information officer – fielding requests from copywriters and chief executives.

It wasn’t long before I realised I was interested in the thinking behind the ads, so the obvious career path was to become an agency account planner. This lead me to J. Walter Thompson where I lead initiatives on children’s brands. You have to be slightly mad to enjoy endless meetings discussing the competitive positioning of characters such as My Little Pony, Tony the Tiger and Snap Crackle and Pop!

Having established a reputation as a youth specialist, I launched as a freelance brand consultant and qualitative researcher. This gave me the license to write a couple of books about media parenting, and to launch an educational dotcom company in the early days of the Internet. We didn’t make a million – but felt proud to have won a couple of Government awards for pioneering new ways of learning.

I now work as both a qualitative researcher and a careers coach. I work with a number of Russell Group Universities and have recently completed an MSc in Careers Management (with Distinction). I feel lucky to be working with young people at the start of their careers – helping them craft their future stories.