Future Moves with Katy Leeson, Growth Coach + Consultant
Morning Future Movers,
When we first had the idea to start this newsletter, we spent a long time deciding what to call it, and how to describe it. The main thing we landed on was the word ‘future’ and the feeling of optimism. These two things together can be fairly hard to come by, and after the US news this week, the idea of optimism around the next 4 years (and beyond) feels almost impossible to summon. For the future of women. For young people. For the planet.
But hope, we must. Choosing to seek out and visualise an optimistic future is a form of rebellion, of defiance in the face of threats to freedom and democracy.
So instead of scrolling LinkedIn for ‘hot takes’ or tormenting ourselves by refreshing the news, we’ve focused on a different story: Wildlife charities have joined forces and bought a chunk of England to create a ‘showcase for nature recovery’. There is always light somewhere, if you choose to seek it out.
For anyone new to the party, Future Moves is here to ask business leaders and experts all the big questions on brand-building for tomorrow's world. Brought to you by us, Jess + Nat, award-winning founders of brand consultancy, Mac+Moore.
Let’s dive in…
Future Moves with Katy Leeson, Growth Coach + Consultant
💫 How to navigate high-growth periods and (their consequences!)
💫 Why saying no to a client can actually lead to even better work
💫 How Gen Z have broken the marketing funnel, and what brands should do instead
As you should know by now team Mac+Moore are ALL about championing values-led leaders. And when I think about leaders who truly walk the talk when it comes to values, Katy Leeson is the first person who springs to mind. We first crossed paths back in 2020 on a virtual panel (held during the pandemic) to discuss building resilience in women's leadership. Watching Katy speak was eye-opening… Here was someone leading one of the fastest-growing agencies in the UK (she was the MD at Social Chain at the time), yet she came across as so genuinely kind, open-minded, and refreshingly honest.
Katy's warmth and down-to-earth attitude, despite her impressive job title challenged my preconceptions about what leadership at that level looks like. I saw the type of leader I’d like to become one day. Which is why I've always followed Katy's career with interest. From her work building and exiting Social Chain to collaborating with sports icon Gary Neville and helping grow fashion brand Nadine Merabi, she's shown an impressive ability to adapt and thrive in different sectors but still stay true to who she is.
In this interview, we dig into Katy's journey - from what she once saw as a setback in school to forging her own path in the media and marketing industry. We explore the unique approach that fueled Social Chain's success, how Katy discovered her core values, and helping women regain their values are at the core of her latest venture as a growth coach.
Jess: Katy, can you take us through your early career struggles and how you found your path?
Katy: Absolutely. My A-level years were tough. I was struggling with anxiety, which manifested in physical symptoms - I'd wake up sick before social events or school. I chose subjects based on what my friends were doing, not what I was passionate about. When results day came, it was horrendous. But through clearing, I ended up on a Media and Cultural Studies course at Liverpool John Moores. That opened up the whole world of media to me. It was the first time learning felt natural and easy. So, yeah, it was a bumpy start. But those setbacks led me to discover what I was truly passionate about. It taught me the importance of following your interests rather than just doing what everyone else is doing.
Jess: How did you break into the marketing world?
Katy: After university, I reached out to McCann in Prestbury for work experience. I was fortunate that my parents could support me to work for free for a week. That experience was pivotal - I knew then that this was what I wanted to do. I started looking for grad schemes and landed a job at a small agency called Feather Brooksbank. The interview was like something out of The Apprentice! I then moved to Mediacom. There, I transitioned into new business and marketing, eventually heading that up for the Mediacom North team. It was a great learning experience. My manager taught me about commercials and contracts - before that, I had no clue how agencies actually made money! But I realised I was lacking digital skills, and I was really craving something more creative.
Jess: How did you end up at Social Chain?
Katy: It's quite funny actually. Steven Bartlett started following me on Twitter. I had seen that Social Chain had done this really big piece of guerrilla marketing in Manchester, which caught my attention. So, I messaged him saying, "Thanks for the follow. I've seen you've got a couple of roles going. I'd be really keen to talk to you." That was it really. I went in a few times, the process took a while, but I eventually joined!
Jess: Your time at Social Chain seems to have been a significant part of your journey. Can you tell us more about that experience?
Katy: When I joined Social Chain, there were about 30 people, with an average age of 22-23. I was 32 and felt like the "old lady" coming in to ruin the fun! We grew from 30 to 130 people in the time I was Managing Director, and our revenue went from £2 million to £15 million in five years. To be honest, it eventually led to burnout. There was constant pressure from investors for growth. Then in August 2020, the founders left with only a month's notice. Everyone was working from home due to the pandemic, and suddenly I felt like everything was on my shoulders. I took on everyone's problems, and it just impacted me in a way that I couldn't show up anymore. I knew the company still had potential for growth, but I realised I wasn't the right person to lead it anymore. It was a tough decision, but I knew it was time for me to move on.
Jess: Why do you think Social Chain was so successful?
Katy: The secret sauce at Social Chain was that we had these pages of influence on social media that when coupled with creative minds who had experience in the marketing industry. It was essentially a group of young people who had created meme accounts around various topics - education, Harry Potter, food, football. They knew how to create viral content and understood social media algorithms intimately. When brands came to us needing to know how to do social media, we had this team of digital natives who could deliver results quickly. The commonality between us all was our desire to do really good work and show real care for our clients across the board.
Jess: After leaving Social Chain you had the amazing opportunity to work alongside Gary Neville. How did this come about?
Katy: It's an interesting story. Gary wanted help with his LinkedIn, and I actually told him no - I said Social Chain couldn't do that for him. But I introduced him to someone who could help. I think because I said no, we started having other conversations. He saw something in me and asked me to do a project for Salford City FC to grow their fan base. I ended up working with Gary for two years, partly on Salford City and partly on The Overlap, his YouTube channel. Being around a football team is a completely different energy - the amount of fun you have is next level. It was a breath of fresh air after the intense growth period at Social Chain.
Jess: On your social channels you talk a lot about the importance of finding and following your values. How did you discover yours?
Katy: This realisation came gradually. When I started my own podcast at Social Chain, every guest talked about their values. I realised I didn't know what mine were. If I think back to when I was 17-18, I was making decisions based on what everyone else was doing. I was people-pleasing. Over the past five years or so, I've done a lot of self-reflection and work on my values. I've focused on understanding who I am, what I need out of life, and how to show up authentically. This has been transformative. It's allowed me to lean into things that give me energy and make decisions that align with who I truly am. Knowing your values is like having a personal compass. It helps you navigate career decisions, relationships, and life challenges. For instance, I now know that one of my core values is learning. This explains why I've always been drawn to new challenges and why I get excited about diving into new industries or projects.
Jess: What do you see as the biggest challenges for brands in the near future?
Katy: I recently read a brilliant article in Vogue Business about how Gen Z has broken the traditional marketing funnel. You can't simply go from awareness to consideration to purchase anymore. TikTok has changed the game in how people discover brands. Brands need to think about how they can become part of people's lives and culture. For example, REFY took over a wine bar in Manchester - if you bought red wine, you got a red lip gloss; white wine, a clear lip gloss. It's about merging your brand with experiences people are already having. People also want to see behind the curtain now. Employee-generated content is becoming as important as user-generated content. Brands like Odd Muse and Grace Beverly's companies are doing an incredible job at showing the journey of building a brand.
Jess: What's your take on AI in marketing?
Katy: AI tools like ChatGPT are amazing for improving efficiency, but they need human input to make the content authentic. If I'm writing for LinkedIn and just ask ChatGPT to write a post from Katie Leeson about XYZ, it's not going to capture my voice. But if I use it to help improve my writing or spark ideas, that's where it becomes powerful. The key is to use AI as a tool to free up time for more creative thinking and relationship building.
Jess: What's next for you?
Katy: I'm launching myself as a growth coach. Throughout my career, whether it was growing Social Chain, expanding Salford City's fan base, or building communities for The Overlap and Nadine Merabi, it's all been about growth. I want to work with businesses on growth strategies, whether that's growing teams or customer bases. But I'm also passionate about personal growth. I want to help people, especially women, discover their values and make decisions based on those, rather than on what everyone else is doing. It's a bit scary, but I'm excited. I feel like I'm more myself now than I have been in any other decade, and I want to share that journey with others.
How we move forward
A book, podcast, or cultural movement that's made you think differently:
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey, Untethered Soul which is about your subconscious mind and the way you speak to yourself and Yes Man by Danny Wallace (not the film, which was terrible, but the book!)
Who do you follow for ideas, inspiration & advice:
Grace Beverly and Victoria Pugh for entrepreneur tips. I also love the Instagram page “Data, but make it fashion”, a faceless account run by a data scientist who makes data interesting in relation to fashion brands. Steven Bartlett because I know if he's doing something consistently, he's tested it and it works. My friends and family are my biggest help, sounding board, and inspiration.
What tech, or application of existing tech are you most optimistic for?
I’m really excited about how TikTok is changing the world. People are using it like Google, and it's an amazing resource for learning if you can get around the "weird dances". I’m constantly impressed by how skilled the younger generation is becoming in creating, editing, and designing content on and for the platform.
Your hope for creativity in the future:
I just love creativity. I love the new. I don't think I've got hope… I'm just excited to see what people bring out in the future.
One word to describe your hope for the future?
Exciting