Frank PR: Learning from the Best

For the three weeks leading up to Easter, I had the privilege of working at Frank PR– one of the industry’s most decorated agencies. Famed for its unique way of doing things and extensive client list, Frank does exactly as its name suggests to create effective word-of-mouth campaigns – those with ‘Talkability’ – to achieve valuable results for clients, no matter the budget. From the moment I walked through the doors of its Camden office on my first day, I knew I was going to enjoy my time there and learn lots along the way.

Put good at the heart of what you do

On Wednesday (12 November) I had the pleasure of visiting the University of Gloucestershire’s impressive new facility, the Growth Hub, to celebrate new student members of the Institute of Directors.

Five tips for young entrepreneurs

According to recent figures, unemployment amongst 16-24 year olds has fallen by 4.5% in the past year to 16.9%. One of the reasons for this is the rise of young people aiming to start their own businesses. The latest RBS Enterprise Trackersuggests 60% of 18-30 year olds have ambitions of being their own boss, and 8% are currently in the process of starting their own business.

THE REAL BOTTOM LINE (poem)

(SOME OF) MY FAVOURITE TED TALKS

If ever you need a little dose of inspiration, ted.com is probably the place you need to go. Here's a selection of some of my favourite Ted Talks.

THE BEST GAME IN THE WORLD?

Last week, I saw a tweet from Richard Branson in which he claimed chess might just be the best game in the world. This is something I have thought for some time, and here’s why.

Photo Credit: Patrick J. Adams (halfadams.tumblr.com)

FIRST YEAR AT UNIVERSITY

Summer is here and I have officially finished my first year at university, so I thought I’d write a little post about my experiences over the past year. So if you’re going to be starting university this September, this might be useful.

University of Gloucestershire, Park Campus

MY FAVOURITE SNAPS FROM SUMMER 2013

It looks as though summer has finally come to an end, so I've put together a little collection of my favourite photographs from this summer.

I hope you enjoy browsing them, and do feel free to share!

12 YEARS ON

Today marks the 12th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks.

67 British people were killed that day, along with hundreds of New York firefighters, the passengers on board the four hijacked airplanes and the thousands more who were in or around the World Trade Center.

It's one of those days that will continue to stick in our memories.

Thousands of people lost their loved ones and many people continue to suffer from the illnesses linked to that fateful day.

Below are some images of the Twin Towers which defined the New York skyline from the time they were constructed, to the day they were destroyed.

THE FOOD BANK TOUR

On Thursday night, I had a cracking time at Alistair Griffin’s gig in Birmingham’s Old Joint Stock Theatre. Supported on the Birmingham leg of the tour by the fabulous Louise Petit, it was an intimate performance for a crowd of around 100 guests. Punctuated with little chats between each song, and even getting the crowd involved with a little sing-along at the end of the set, it really was a fantastic evening!

A TESCO TOWN CENTRE

This week, I read a very interesting article about how supermarkets are having to re-evaluate their business plans as huge superstores are no longer viable in a world where 1-in-10 consumers do all their shopping online, while others visit superstores less regularly, opting to do smaller, more frequent shops at convenience stores.

ASK.FM ISN'T TO BLAME. INDIVIDUALS ARE.

In the last couple of days, calls for ask.fm – the social networking site which gives its users anonymity – to be shut down have rocketed, following the apparent suicide of several teenagers after being negatively affected by other users of the site.

But should ask.fm really be held responsible for these deaths? I don’t think so.

LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES

As it looks like summer has finally arrived, I thought I'd make some delicious Lemon Meringue Cupcakes which are just perfect for this time of year. Even with their elegant appearance, these cupcakes are really easy to make, so do give them a go!

SUMMER STROLL

We’ve been lucky enough to have some lovely weather this weekend, so I took the opportunity to go for a walk. Strolling across fields, along lanes and through the woods with every surface bathed in sunlight is just stunning. This time of year is especially beautiful, with bluebells in full bloom, stretching like a blanket across the floor of the woods.

Naturally, I took a few snaps, so do browse them and feel free to share!

EASTER NEST CUPCAKES

These fun cupcakes full of chocolatey goodness are a great Easter treat, so make sure to give them a go.

NO MORE PAGE 3

By now, I expect most of you are aware of the No More Page 3 campaign which was set up last summer. Its main aim is to encourage The Sun to take the bare boobs out of (what is somehow) Britain’s best-selling newspaper.

LOOKS LIKE SPRING

QUOTES

I love quotes and I love typography. Here, I've combined the two, so please enjoy browsing and feel free to share!

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO

BYE BYE HMV

As most people seem to be, I'm disappointed to hear HMV is calling in the administrators after years of uncertainty. I think stores like HMV – and the many others which have fallen in recent years – hold a certain sentimental value for many of us who remember wandering the seemingly endless shelves of CDs and DVDs.