5th March 2018 |
5 min read
International Women’s Day (March 8th) gives us a chance to celebrate the female powerhouses within the LABS community. Their hard work and passion for what they do have brought them to this point in their careers – female founders who continue to push the boundaries and inspire others to do the same.
Louise Rumball is the Founder of Chapter Three, a social media and influencer marketing agency working with clients such as BXR London, Nike, MTV and The Yacht Club. Building her business from scratch, she’s not against hiring men, but she’s currently enjoying having an all-female team. An influencer in her own right with over 32k Instagram followers – Louise chats about what success means to her, how to destress, and who she looks to for inspiration.
- Please describe your business in one sentence.
A social media and influencer marketing agency that creates content and manages brand’s social media presences.
- What was your first job?
I worked in a furniture shop called Heals between school and university, so I could rustle up some £££ to travel for eight months. I will be honest, it wasn’t my favourite job.
- What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Business is a marathon, not a sprint.
- What does ‘success’ mean to you?
This is a hard one. For me, success does not mean money – although money is always helpful. Success to me means living a life where work doesn’t feel like work and I’m not resentful of Mondays. It means getting to meet amazing people along the way, working with, creating and building great brands. It means the ability to work where I want when I want, and with who I want.
- What inspires you to get out of bed every morning?
I’m driven by something I can’t quite put my finger on – perhaps it is a personality trait that drives me. I’m still not sure but something gets me out of bed every day, no matter how hard it is. That being said, what actually inspires me to get out of bed is my team and my clients. I could not imagine coming to work if my team wasn’t going to be there with me on this incredible journey to help our clients grow and be even more remarkable.
- How do you manage stress?
One word: exercise. I deal with super high-stress levels and every day is different and often challenging, so I find that a routine and exercise are the two things that make it bearable. I pretty much write off the weekends too so get as much sleep as I can! I also disappear to South Africa for a working holiday every Christmas to visit my family and switch off before the start of a new year.
- What do you look for in employees?
Charisma, passion, and creativity.
- Give us your number one tip for how to be successful in an interview.
Honestly, more and more, I think that honesty is key. An interview should be a two-way open, frank and honest discussion as to whether the fit is right for both parties. There is no point agreeing with everything that’s being said just to get a job that might not even be the right one for you.
Secondly, I would say smile. We need to see your personality and how you are able to interact with the team and our clients. Finally, when you think you’ve finished the sentence, you probably have. One of the best pieces of advice I was given was ‘just stop talking when you think you’ve said what you’ve said’.
- In your opinion, who’s a girl boss that’s killing it right now?
A good friend of mine, Emily Austen of Emerge Limited. She’s single-handedly built a PR agency herself, now with over 18 employees. It’s growing very quickly. She was recently crowned as part of Forbes 30 under 30, so not only is she killing it, but she also is the most reliable pillar of support for me as my business (hopefully) follows suit.
- What’s the best thing about being a female founder?
From my Instagram presence, you might think that running a business is all fun and games. It’s not, I just like to show prospective and existing clients exactly what we do, how powerful and driven we are as a team and what we can deliver. I feel 100% confident in what Chapter Three offers and how it works, so it’s great to be able to sit in front of any brand and say, ‘we can help you’ and ‘you can improve here, here and here’. When they listen, it’s wonderful!
- What advice would you give to aspiring female founders?
Go for it. Life is 150% too short to be unhappy or to not love your job. It’s very hard to ignore you feel the drive within to create something, then it’s very hard to ignore, so why should you?! Surround yourself with people who ‘get it’, who will support you during the highs and the lows, people further ahead of you on the journey and seek their guidance and opinions. Most of all, don’t give up and look after yourself along the way.
- As women, how can we support each other to achieve our goals?
We can be kind and help others when they need it. I find myself connecting people together every week because although I might not be able to give them what they want directly, I’ll know someone else who can. Karma comes back around, so you’ll always get something in return. Like I said, business is a marathon, not a sprint, so it’s pretty painful to do it on your own.
Want to hear more advice from female founders? In partnership with Spoon Cereals, we’re hosting a female founder panel this Thursday, 9-10: 30 am, 136 High Holborn. Book your tickets now – all funds will go to Smart Works charity.
