Amber McLaren

10/10/2022

Well the truth is, I prioritised mine by having a few months away from social media recently, let’s call it a classic ‘digital detox’. I was patterned to this idea that I’ll take a few days away from socials, that quickly became weeks and into some months. And guess what, I feel GREAT for it!

I would really recommend a digital break, if you are struggling with your mental health or simply just want to take a break to make room for more conscious self-care time or perhaps you just want to take back some control and avoid socials running the show.

Ironic some may say, “how can you not do socials, when you are a marketing consultant, surely that’s your life”? To which my response definitely was an honest one, of course “No it isn’t my life and it was easier than I thought, I just did it, no mention or concern about what people might think if I did”.

I have prioritised my mental health most recently by;

• taking a break, resting is not quitting - learn the difference.
• be kind to your mind - let it rest.
• exercising every day for 30 mins - get those endorphins going!
• digital detox - just wow, I feel more centered, calmer & less distracted!
• monitoring my sleep pattern - cultivating a more energised me.
• allowed myself to be ‘bored’ for a little. In a world full of distractions, I gave a little space for nothingness.

In what ways have you prioritised your mental health?

Please do comment, I’d love to hear of new ways, old ways, simple ways and even more challenging ways!

10/10/2022

As external consultants we are not always recognised for the work that we deliver or better put…truly appreciated and valued for our creativity, ideas and sheer dedication to projects.

A VERY special thank you to my recent client Dilshan of Ruki Consulting, who sent me these beautiful flowers, I have to say I was a bit teary upon receiving these, I really wasn’t expecting them to show up only moments after the launch! And probably due to the fact of suffering with gastric flu, that the tears really were very present 😂🙈

I’d like to say a massive thank you Dilshan and also thanks to every other client that appreciates the efforts that their consultant gives to any given project, because at times it really can include some blood, sweat and tears! I see you giving gratitude and believe me it’s truly appreciated.

It’s nice to be nice.

12/09/2022

People buy from the heart, emotionally connecting with your customers/clients. Rather than telling people what you do, express why you do what you do. Simon Senek’s ‘Start with Why’ book, I’d highly recommend if you’re stuck with this part of your narrative. Alternatively, if you want to delve into your brand narrative and create something compelling that speaks to your customers emotional side, give me a DM or contact me by email. Have a great Monday all!

Thoughts?

19/05/2021

Been in business for some time, continuing to repeat the same plans again and again and finding it hard to see whether it’s making any difference / impact on your business? Then it’s about time that you had a marketing review & audit.

Need a fresh pair of eyes? Someone external to review all of your marketing activity, identify what is working well and what could be done better, advise on how you can bring your activity up to speed and give you ideas on how you can move your marketing forward.

Get in touch, DM or email me at: [email protected]

14/05/2021

To close the week, mental health awareness week to be precise, people have asked why I haven’t yet posted on the subject…from my perspective mental health is every week, well everyday. For me, it doesn’t matter that I haven’t posted first thing on a Monday to highlight the ‘theme for the week’. What matters is that I’ve actively been looking after my mental well-being and that’s what counts. I started off the week with a visit to Epping Forest, taking a long walk across greenery and breathing in somewhat fresher air than being in the centre of the ‘Big Smoke’. I found a spot to meditate and after worked on some creative ideas that have been bubbling away! I find being around nature truly valuable and I continued the week with a balance between work/life/mental wealth. Yes, mental wealth.

I wanted to share my thoughts on raising awareness around mental health, however the truth is it’s probable that the content is already out there! So why repeat the same messages or bore you with the cliche material that you already know?

Read more in the comments - as of course there is a cap on the number of words I can write in one post 🙏

13/05/2021

After quite a long run of books geared towards either personal development, business or how to look after your mental wellbeing. A friend has recommended this book: Purple Hibiscus (Paperback) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

I am very much looking forward to starting reading it this evening 🙏 📚

I do love sharing / receiving recommendations on books, so if anyone has any others, please comment in this post and I will add them to my list. Thanks!

I will give you a review of this one too once I’ve read it!

P.s - I love hibiscus so I am immediately drawn to this one :)

07/05/2021

Did you know that workshops are a great for a number of different reasons not just on the training front!

Here are some of the substantial benefits of workshops;

- Training your staff can result in better understanding of your company, higher productivity, better service and delivery. By holding workshops, you demonstrate to your staff that you value them enough to invest in them, improving loyalty and staff retention levels and expertise.

- Companies that offer development opportunities, build a positive reputation for themselves, which in turn can help with new employees in joining them. It’s a great recruitment op!

- Encourage - creative thinking, new perspectives and discussion.

- Educate - we all have tons of stuff we would like to learn and we are a constant cog wheel that is learning on a daily basis. Personal development is key.

- Improve confidence and become a better communicator.

Some of the workshops we hold are;

- Communications training We teach your employees to use written, verbal and visual communication to deliver messages effectively.
- Getting your brand story straight.
- Social Media.
- Digital Marketing.
- Content Marketing.
- Selling in ideas - pitches.
- Business strategy & direction.
- Copywriting / storytelling.

Thinking of rebranding? Training your staff up on how to use socials better?
Or simply want to help your employees build more confidence when presenting at pitches?

Get in touch! DM or email me: [email protected]

20/04/2021

I’m really digging the design of this chair! 😍😍😍 The flush joints are simply stunning not to mention super comfy! Oh what a difference a chair makes!

Can anyone tell me what the name is for this type of joint? I know someone in my network will know so do fill me in!

For me, I categorise this as ‘flush’ but I am more than sure that there is a coined term for this.

Anyone?

31/03/2021

I’ve spent the first part of this year updating the website...that much needed task that seems to always fall to the bottom of the pile - usually because you are so busy crafting other sites / working on projects. Anyone find this ring true to them as well?

Being able to take the time to take a step out of where you are at and look at everything with a clear purpose, really has been rather fulfilling, exciting and useful!

A huge thank you to for the help in working with me to pull this together 😬 as always such a lovely team and a wonderful experience!

I’ll be posting regular blog content on the new site, inclusive of tips but also sound knowledge of branding, marketing and comms within the architecture & design landscape.

Looking forward to working with more amazing clients, sharing more work and connecting with even more fantastic people! if you’ve a project in mind, send a DM or email: [email protected]

Go check out the site - don’t forget to grab a cuppa!

Stay connected x

30/03/2021

Sneak peek at a few of the photos from a recent shoot, new website updates coming very soon. Excited! Stay tuned...