In Episode 7 of The Dangerous Women Collective podcast, Sophy speaks to Julie (Jules) Berriff, UK Marketing Director for ESET. It is a kick-ass conversation, not least because Jules used to be a UK kickboxing champion alongside her day job as a seasoned marketer.

Jules's career has been varied and interesting.  She started working at Newcastle University on international projects whilst studying for her MA.  She then moved into promoting film for the North East before being seconded to BAFTA to represent the same region.  Seduced by a job title, she hopped into the old Business Link Service, heading up marketing before being made redundant.  After a soulless year in the Middle East (the job not the place!), she danced back into the cultural sector at the Science Museum Group, moved to English Heritage as Territory Marketing Manager for the North of England where she spent six happy years before moving to the Continuum Group in 2016 as Head of Sales, Marketing and Brand Experience.

She has been at ESET, one of the world's largest cybersecurity companies, for three years, navigating the complex and rapidly moving world of cyber risk and protection, which is discussed in the wide-ranging conversation.

Jules is, as you would expect, an exemplar of a Dangerous Woman, but her take is often a little different, and it makes for a fascinating conversation. Some of the highlights include:

• Embracing "Why not?" and why daunting challenges are good for us.
• The freedom hybrid working can bring women, especially those who live in more remote areas, and how we can harness the gift of time we are given on our irregular commutes.
• Doing it our way and making it our own, and how hard work can make us happier.
• Why letting people in to help us is empowering. Owning up to what we don't know, helping, and being helped.
• The power of friction (good friction) in generating change and career progression- rising to challenges can define us.
• Extracurricular activities and the positive kick back (kickboxing pun intended) they bring to our working lives.
• Dangerous Women embrace the unsexy. Why foundational values and skills - capability, resilience, pragmatism, preparedness, consistency - are all crucial.
• Failure is not catastrophic; in fact, it is the opposite. Putting one foot in front of the other counts for so much.
• Knowing your worth and owning it.
• It is important to recognize the role models who demonstrate the kind of leader we want to be, as well as those who show us who we don't want to be.
• Be ambitious, it elevates you and everyone around you.

Links

LinkedIn

Jules Berriff | Sophy Norris

ESET