Bearded Kitten has women in the majority of its leadership roles, including senior creative positions. How does that feel, and what does it say about the culture here?
It feels great to be part of a leadership team where women are so present, especially when the wider industry still isn’t there. We want to speak up and do our bit for younger women coming into our industry, but it shouldn’t be about pats on the back for doing our job. At BK, it never feels like that. The work stands on its own, and that’s what matters.
In an industry still heavily male-dominated at the top, why does representation like yours matter?
Because you can’t be what you can’t see. It’s not about individuals being celebrated; it’s about younger women seeing that there’s space for them, too.
So with that, is there anything you’d tell your younger self about your journey to creative leadership?
Don’t give space to imposter syndrome. Funnel your energy into positive creativity instead of negative self-doubt and self-image. If it doesn’t serve the work, don’t give it the time of day.
Any advice for women aspiring to senior creative roles? Or to a woman who’s brilliant creatively, but struggling to see herself as a leader?
Get as much practical experience as you can. Be curious about how things work, how they’re made, or how much they cost. A creative who can back their big ideas and solve problems with knowledge is a real force.
Creatives are brilliant dreamers, but not always grounded in how things actually work. If you do both, that’s your superpower.
Another thing is learning to take feedback without letting it wound you. It takes time, but the less attached you are, the more collaborative and open-minded you’ll become.
What does leadership mean to you, beyond gender?
It’s about creating the right environment, where good ideas can rise to the top no matter whose they are. A place where people aren’t afraid to throw ideas in, where challenge is welcomed, and where no one’s confidence gets crushed in the process. Freelancers often say how refreshing it feels to work at BK because hierarchy doesn’t dictate creativity here.
How do your leadership styles complement each other?
We’re both strong-minded and push our work hard, but we trust each other completely. With different backgrounds and strengths, we’ve built a bit of a hive-mind! Neither of us is precious about whose idea it is, we both just want the work to be brilliant.
Confidence is often talked about with women in leadership. Has that been part of your journey?
Confidence comes from evidence, putting in the graft, and having the technical knowledge to back up your ideas. It’s about empowering your team and creating the right conditions for creativity to thrive. Our pitch conversion rate is high, and we’re really proud of how we’re constantly levelling up. That inherently fosters confidence.
Can you share a moment when you felt the power of having women in charge of a big creative project?
We feel so bonded and connected with all the amazing women we get to work with at BK - it’s an incredible team.
Every pitch or live job is a labour of love, and at BK, it’s very often a majority female team. We’ve got an amazing female-led talent team who showcall and deliver all our live shows, they are so impressive and inspiring. And we love going down to our workshop. Fabrication is famously male-dominated, but not here. We’ve got brilliant women making set pieces, operating CNC machines, doing the graft.
How do you support other women at Bearded Kitten and in the wider industry?
One key is choosing to have fun every day. Our jobs, and this industry, can be intense and all-consuming. We show up every day and, without fail, have a laugh. That energy is the whole culture at BK. It’s collaborative, open and not about egos. We’re not perfect - but it’s a really lovely, happy culture.
What’s the most badass moment you’ve had as a creative leader?
I think so many agencies are guilty of trying to retrofit their own identity, to strategically create it. We’ve always had this sense of who we are and how we show up for our clients. Whether it’s stupid things like word bingo during client RFIs or totally flipping B2B conference formats on their head - we challenge the experiential status quo as much as we can. That playful rebellion, to us, is pretty badass.
The creative industry loves a good diversity story, but we're not here to be poster girls. No pun intended. We're here because we've built a culture where creativity thrives, regardless of who's in the room. And honestly? That's exactly how it should be.
What does brilliant creative leadership look like to you?
