‘Surrounding yourself with positive people makes the day job so much more fun’

Initially, I thought I might pursue a career in TV, journalism or public relations.

I loved the idea of crafting stories and messages that could inform and influence. I’ve always loved public speaking and engaging with people. However, as I gained more experience and exposure to different fields, I realised that marketing offered a unique blend of everything I enjoyed – creativity, strategy, communication, and human interaction. The fact that I now work in retail and fashion is an added bonus.

I studied English and sociology in UCD as an undergraduate and went on to Dublin Business School to study marketing and PR as a postgraduate.

Since then, I have tried to gain a new qualification or certificate every one to two years to keep up to date with the ever-evolving and dynamic world of marketing and online.

Looking back, I think my most transformative work experience was when I worked in Meteor and I had the opportunity to work with a small team in developing and launching a new mobile brand into the market called eMobile.

Working on creating a brand from the ground up and developing the retail presence for that brand was such a unique and exciting opportunity and one that does not come up very often during a career – especially so early on. My love for retail really started there.

My first real job was working as a marketing executive for Allianz.

It was the year of the Ryder Cup in 2006 and we were the title sponsor. Jumping straight into marketing and working on such a prestigious sponsorship was thrilling and it was this opportunity that made me realise that marketing was the career for me.

One of the most invaluable things I learned early on in my career is the importance of understanding and connecting with your audience on a deeper level.

When I first started in marketing, I was excited about the creative and strategic side of things, but I quickly realised that without a genuine understanding of the people you’re trying to reach, your efforts can fall flat.

Many people think that marketing is solely about selling products or driving foot traffic to our shopping centre.

However, it is actually a multifaceted discipline that involves strategic thinking, data analysis, and a genuine understanding of your consumers’ behaviours. For instance, a significant part of my job involves researching market trends, understanding demographics, and even predicting future behaviours based on past trends.

My main responsibility at work is to develop and execute marketing strategies that not only enhance the visibility of Liffey Valley Shopping Centre but also strategically position it as a premier shopping and leisure destination in Dublin.

It is my role to ensure that our brand is constantly evolving to react to consumer needs delivering on our brand promise and always looking to the future.

I work with a dynamic team at Hines Ireland and within Liffey Valley Shopping Centre so there is always someone to bounce an idea off or get advice from when needed.

When you surround yourself with positive and experienced people, it makes the day job so much more fun and interesting.

The biggest risk I’ve taken in my career so far is when I moved from retail marketing to aviation marketing and decided to challenge myself in a new sector.

While the basics of marketing still apply, the sector and the audience can be very different and require a very different approach to really cut through and drive purchases. During my time in aviation, I fell in love with all things plane-related and still get a thrill when I visit the airport.

Being a mother of three young girls means that my wake-up time can be anytime from 5am to 7am on a very good day!

The first thing I do every morning is get my kids up and ready for the day – and myself of course! I wish I had a morning routine that involved working out and making a smoothie, however, my morning routine is focused solely on getting my kids ready and out the door in a happy way to start their day as this always makes my day happier too. I do ensure that I listen to the radio and catch up on the day’s news on the road so that I am ahead of the headlines by the time I make it to my desk.

I try to get out the door to work as early as I can as I find I am most productive in the mornings when the centre is quiet – it’s when I get my best creative ideas.

It’s also my favourite time of the day in the centre as I get to walk around with a coffee and really take in the retailers and surroundings.

I can’t go to work without my journal and my AirPods.

I am quite old school and I like to write everything down and carry it with me, there is something very satisfying in physically ticking off your to-do list throughout the day. My Airpods are a necessity because I spend a lot of my day on the move in the centre and I like to listen to podcasts as I walk or take calls on the go.

On an average workday, I engage in a variety of activities that are essential to the effective marketing and management of Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.

I usually begin with a review of my to-do list, my emails and our social channels to see what my top priorities are for that day. I check how our socials are performing and brief in any changes we may need to make. I develop new marketing initiatives and meet with retail partners to coordinate promotions. Community engagement is also a priority, as I plan events that strengthen our local presence. In the afternoon, I monitor campaign performance metrics to refine our strategies. I usually wrap up by collaborating with our creative team and planning for the next day’s priorities.

I usually try to make it into the office for between 8 and 8.30am to start my working day alongside a strong coffee.

The first thing I do at work is grab a coffee – I rarely get through my working day without coffee! Then I check my emails to ensure that I am up to date before starting the day. I usually spend the first portion of the day responding to any priority emails and tasks and making my key priority list for that day.

I don’t usually break for lunch – I tend to eat at my desk.

Lunch is normally a baked potato with tuna or a gluten-free pitta bread sandwich and loads of water. I save time by sticking to my priority list as much as possible and trying not to allow myself to be distracted until that list is done. I find that having a list beside me at all times keeps me on track. There are so many possible distractions or creative options to jump into in this role that if I don’t prioritise my to-do list, I find the day can run away from me.

The best part of my day is always when I get to be creative.

I love seeing happy faces engaging with our events – particularly children’s events. There’s nothing nicer than getting positive feedback on something that you have dreamed up and brought to life.

The most challenging part of my day is often balancing multiple priorities and deadlines.

With a wide range of marketing initiatives, community events, and retailer collaborations happening simultaneously, it can be difficult to ensure that everything is progressing smoothly.

Happy customers are always the sign of a good day.

I know it’s been a good day if I can look back and see tangible results from our marketing efforts. This might include increased foot traffic to Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, positive feedback from retailers about successful promotions, or engagement metrics that reflect a growing interest in our campaigns on social media.

I am very lucky to work for a flexible company that supports working mothers.

I usually end my workday in the office at 4.30pm, which allows me to leave in time to collect my children.

I switch off from work by exercising.

This is my happy me-time that allows me to completely switch off and gives me the boost of energy that I need to keep my life going. My other favourite pastime is meeting friends – there is nothing better than a good catch-up with friends.

Before I go to bed, I’ll shower – I love to wash off the day, do my skincare and get into fresh pyjamas.

I like to lay out my clothes for the next day to save time the next morning and check my to-do list and calendar so that I have an idea of what my day is going to look like. I love to have a takeaway and a glass of wine with my husband once the kids go to bed. In the winter, putting a fire on and watching a thriller is the best way for me to wind down after a busy week.’

From a work perspective, the accomplishment I’m most proud of is the remarkable evolution Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has undergone over the past nine years.

Our transformation has been both significant and impactful, positioning us as a premier shopping and leisure destination in Dublin. Seeing this transformation, being an integral team member in delivering this and having such creative freedom has most definitely been a career highlight for me.

Having a qualification in the communication realm is always helpful if you want to get into my line of work.

It will give you a step up when applying for roles. Outside of your qualification, I suggest gaining as much experience across various disciplines and exploring the various aspects of marketing such as brand, digital, creative, customer engagement and understanding how these all work together. Finding an area you are passionate about is so important because when you are truly passionate about what you are selling or driving awareness of, the creative output will always reflect that. Finally, I suggest building relationships with people in the field. Networking is key as strong connections can lead to collaboration opportunities and help you gain valuable insights.

At the moment I’m working on Santa’s arrival here at Liffey Valley, this is our biggest event of the year and I have moved straight onto our Christmas campaign and January sales campaign.