GOOD year, bad year? With 2014 drawing to a close, we ask Juliet Simpson, managing director of Stripe Communications: ‘How had it been for you?’.
Briefly, what is it that you do?
We’re a smart-thinking, hard-working, creative communications agency.
Choose three words that sum up 2014 (so far), from a professional point of view.
Exhilarating. Extraordinary. Award-winning.
In 2013, what was your biggest ambition for 2014, and to what extent did you achieve it?
Our ambition for 2014 was to grow the Stripe business and develop the Stripe brand offering.
2014 was always going to be a big year for Scotland and we’ve certainly had our fair share of the action. From the launch of IRN-BRU’s ice cream to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the MTV EMA Awards to the John Lewis 150th anniversary celebrations, it’s been another jam-packed year.
From a growth point of view, we’ve won 19 new clients, hired nine new staff and delivered 24 per cent revenue growth. From a development point of view, we’ve launched an evaluation model called Stripe 360, fully integrated digital into everything we do and recently launched Stripe Corporate.
Our proudest moment of 2014 has to have been winning the UK CIPR Excellence Outstanding PR Consultancy of the Year. I’m not going to lie: taking on some of the UK’s PR biggest agencies in London felt pretty good.
How has 2014 (so far) been for you, personally?
Exhausting! The challenge to keep evolving and remain relevant is constant.
Any changes this year in technology, legislation, the economy, etc that have had a relatively significant impact on the business?
The media landscape is changing dramatically and there’s no doubt that rate of change is speeding up – we’ve had to keep up with that pace to thrive.
What looking forward to, in 2015 – personally and professionally?
Our business is exciting because it never stands still – 2015 is looking like our most ambitious yet. Just another year on the Stripe rollercoaster.
