Designing with EQ featuring Carat Global's Emma Saddleton
Welcome to 'Designing with EQ' by Carat, our content series that explores the diverse backgrounds, passions, and talents of our agency team and how they converge to design for people and brands. In this interview, Emma Saddleton, media strategy director at Carat Global, shares insights on her daily routines, career advice, goals, and unique contributions.
Emma emphasises the importance of stepping away from the desk for walks in the park to clear her mind and find solutions. She values the mantra 'done is better than perfect' and believes in the power of small steps. Emma's passion for fitness and gender equality drives her personal and professional goals, while her curiosity and social nature foster collaboration across teams.
Q> Do you have any daily routines/rituals you feel contribute to a successful day?
Emma> Our London office is next to Regents Park, so I try to go for a walk at some point during the day. If I’m working from home, it’s my local park. Alongside some form of harder exercise (which I do 3-4x a week), I find that stepping away from my desk clears my head and reminds me that it’s not always that deep. It can be really hard to get your head out of the proverbial trenches of Outlook and PowerPoint, but forcing myself to do that helps me step away from the minutiae. The 'a-ha' moment doesn’t come when forced, it appears when you’re not thinking about it.
Q> What is the best career advice you have either given or received?
Emma> From the advice I’ve received it is either 'done is better than perfect' or 'even just a little move is still a move.' The former reminds me that a WIP document at 95% is better than unfinished one with a perfect front half. Creating something and getting a version out in the world is better than keeping something in my head. The latter was told to me by a close friend in the industry who is also a coach. We were talking with a mutual friend about the times we get stuck at cross paths in our jobs/lives and the importance of breaking things down. The move isn’t always the BIG one, the little ones accumulate.
Q> What is one professional/personal goal you’re looking to accomplish in the next year?
Emma> A personal goal of mine has been to get back into fitness this year. I’ve recently completed a white-collar boxing match for charity, so my next challenge is a half marathon in a few months. I haven’t run properly since 2017, so I’m both nervous and excited. Professionally, I am passionate about gender equality, and co-chair of our UK&I’s gender network, ONE. One of my biggest goals this year is to continue to grow this network and have a positive impact on our business and the people in it.
Q> What is something unique about you, your background, or your role that you bring to the Carat community?
Emma> My personality is inherently curious and social, so I actively seek out other people in different teams and areas of the business to work out what they do, and if/how I can help. I love the collaborative energy of our industry and finding a connection with others across the business is something that is welcomed in a job that can sometimes feel siloed.
Q> Where do you look for inspiration?
Emma> Outside of industry articles and sources, I regularly listen to an array of podcasts such as the Knowledge Project, Leading/the Rest is Politics, and Squeezing The Orange. Listening to different sources and information, rather than just peer work, helps me introduce new ideas and ways of approaching problems into my thinking and work.
Carat is uniquely positioned to design for people on behalf of brands. Our people are our greatest asset, bringing diverse backgrounds together to bring insight and emotion to marketing. Interested in learning more? Check out the Carat LinkedIn page here.
