Employee Spotlight: Natalie Hopkins
Senior Partnerships Manager Natalie Hopkins is a client turned employee at The Marketing Store, a Swiftie, and football fiend. Learn more about her below.
What are your pronouns?
She/Her
What type of work experiences did you have prior to joining The Marketing Store?
I’ve had a variety of marketing and partnership roles across both the client side and agencies. My previous life was in entertainment creating brand and partnership strategies for OK! Magazine, Hasbro, Kids publishing, and Google.
My most recent role was actually as The Marketing Store's client at London North Eastern Railway as the Brand Partnerships Manager implementing a regional and national partnerships strategy, including football sponsorship, stadium naming rights, a retail campaign, and destination campaigns. During this role, I won 'Most Promising Young Person' 2021/22 and developed the ‘Best Team Collaboration During Covid’ 2020/21 at the UK Sponsorship Awards.
What’s in your headphones currently?
ALWAYS Taylor Swift, I’m currently experiencing top nostalgia of her re-releases, and anything Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, and a rocky cover band Loveless.
I am also addicted to the Diary of a CEO podcast, which I am constantly banging on about to my team!
Describe The Marketing Store in one word.
Impressive
During your time at The Marketing Store, what work are you most proud of?
I'm the most proud of developing a brand new audience-led strategy for Priority, driving efficiencies, and creating first class campaign partnerships with Jet2, Disney, Puma, Bubbleology, Soccer Aid and Merlin.
What would the title of your autobiography be?
In the words of Tina Fey in Mean Girls — ‘I’m a pusher’ — ‘Keeping pushing on’
I’ve had some experiences and always pushed myself to strive for the best and overcome anything in my way, whether that’s a big project or personal so I’d see this as fitting. Never settling!
Which person (dead or alive) would you most like to be stuck in an elevator with and why?
Karen Brady — she’s my female boss inspiration and has the ability to own a room and articulate her rationale with conviction whilst respecting and listening to others. I’d love to learn more about her leadership style and resilience in a male industry, especially having worked a lot in football previously.
What's the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?
Authenticity, kindness, and hard work combined will always trump a difficult culture or environment — it all pays off to be yourself.
What’s your current side hustle?
I’m learning to be a burlesque dancer, pushing myself out of my comfort zone and baring all on stage with all the glamour. Maybe one day I’ll be bookable and can teach confidence and empowerment classes!
