REBECCA McCosh graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in Politics and began her career working in PR before crossing over into journalism. Her published work includes front-page fashion editorials, plus art reviews and music interviews.
In 2013, Rebecca was appointed to the position of managing editor of Informed Cities. She then honed her digital skills at lifestyle magazine, i-on magazine, where for several years she enjoyed the fast-paced role of digital editor.
In 2018, Rebecca set up her own business, McCosh Communications, with two key purposes – to create engaging content for a wide variety of businesses and causes, and to create a more flexible work / life balance for herself and for her family.
She submitted this on 02 March 2020…
What exactly do you do?
McCosh Communications specialises in ‘carefully crafted creative content’ which is essentially an all-encompassing approach to content creation, copywriting, PR and marketing. I work with a wide range of businesses and causes – from health and well-being, fashion and lifestyle, food and drink, to property and technology – and my role is to help each one tell their unique brand story through a variety of online and offline channels.
What did your working day yesterday comprise?
Juggling my role as a business owner with my role as a mother means each day is fast-paced and varied, and yesterday was no different.
I began my day by reviewing my daily schedule; assisting a property developer with the launch of their rebrand, writing a press release to promote an upcoming food and drink festival, brainstorming social media content ideas for a telecommunications company, and editing a blog post for a private medical practice. I ensure everything is meticulously planned ahead so I have enough time to research, find inspiration, strategise, and finally – write.
Despite planning my day literally down to the minute, given the nature of the work, there is always the odd curveball thrown in to keep me on my toes! Yesterday, for example, I spotted a last-minute opportunity for a client to be featured on television, which meant I had to submit a pitch and arrange a time and location for an interview to take place. The extra work involved in this meant that, once my family were in bed, I was back at my desk ticking off my to-do list to ensure I was back on schedule the next day.
How different or similar is your average working day to when you started?
So much has changed since I first decided to take the plunge and start my own business. Those first few months in business were nerve-wracking, and naturally I questioned whether I had done the right thing leaving a good job, with all the perks and security that came with it.
However, once I had lined up a few projects and the recommendations and referrals started coming in, my confidence grew and I knew I had made the right decision.
Finally, I had the flexibility to spend quality time with my family and the power to shape our future. It was empowering.
How do you see your job evolving?
The first couple of years in business were always going to be a steep learning curve – figuring out what worked well and what processes needed to be adapted to ensure everything was running as efficiently and productively as possible.
Thankfully, the business is now running smoothly and I can devote time to providing additional help to ethical businesses and causes that I am passionate about. This month, for example, I lent my support to promote a sustainability event, the success of which has kickstarted a whole series of similar events due to take place this summer.
Ideally, the coming years will bring further opportunities which will enable me to take on similar pro bono work and mentorship roles.
What gives you the most job satisfaction?
Meeting a prospective client, discovering their unique brand story, and coming up with a way to communicate that message to a new audience in a fresh and engaging way, is a challenging but equally exhilarating process.
Whether it is seeing a slogan I wrote appear on a billboard, securing coverage in a leading newspaper, watching a website climb to the top of the Google rankings, or selling out an event, I get an unbeatable sense of pride and satisfaction every time.
But what makes each of these big wins all the more rewarding is that they enable me to balance my working life with my other important role – being a mother. A mother whose job it is to inspire my daughter to take risks, work hard, and shape her own future. For me, that is true job satisfaction.
