Tag: Marketing

Brand, Creative

Ban Beige! Reflections & Creative Inspirations

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Ban Beige! Reflections & Creative Inspirations
Ban Beige! Reflections & Creative Inspirations

I love this time of year. There’s a crispness in the air, the trees turn a magical array of mellow yellow, fiery orange, golden brown and rustic red, and I find myself craving a hot chocolate and a good book. (I’m still reading Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, it’s a wonderfully insightful read.)

Like many of you, I can’t quite believe how fast the year is moving; we’re hurtling towards Halloween and cruising into Christmas. But before stepping into those magical moments, I wanted to pause, look in the rear-view mirror, and celebrate a few personal highlights, it’s truly been a time of conscious creativity. Here’s my top three:

Colour as Your Brand’s Emotional Driver

In September, for BIMA, I hosted an interactive masterclass which provided brands and marketers with an immersive journey into the world of colour and behavioural colour psychology. Together, we explored how brands can use colour to stand out, connect, and communicate meaningfully with their ideal customers.

I welcomed a wonderfully diverse mix of attendees to the masterclass, from agency founders and heads of marketing to creative directors, designers, and content leads, representing brands as varied as Pernod Ricard and NHS Trusts.

We reflected on how technology and AI are powerful enablers of efficiency and scale, but they don’t feel, they’re not intuitive. AI can make colour theory digestible, but it can’t imagine. We also talked about how do we use the time gifted back to us by technology to dial up our authentic intelligence (AI) and emotional intelligence (EI)? How do we nurture our creative instincts, build empathy, and strengthen human-to-human connections?

The Q&A sparked fascinating conversations, especially around the colour grey, a tone I like to call “the one that hides in plain sight”. Think of grey battleships blending into the sea or field-grey army uniforms designed not to be visible at a distance.

When showcasing the influence of colour, I shone a spotlight on the ‘Fiat – Operation no more Grey campaign’, and the surprising creative and influential use of pink on-set for the ‘Barbie’ movie.

I’ll be hosting future sessions that dig deeper into the language of colour and how it can powerfully connect brands with their audiences. If you’d like to learn more, I’d love to hear from you.

Colour & Creativity Workshops; hosting Designers and Architects

What a joy it was to collaborate with such brilliant minds in the interior design and architectural community to deliver my Colour and Creativity workshop. Thanks to Nordic Design House and Magda for inviting me and Cesca.

At its heart is a shared belief that creativity is more than just making something beautiful, it goes beyond the aesthetic, it could be considered mindfulness in motion. It’s a moment to pause, to ground ourselves, and to reconnect with colour, with others, and with our own imagination.

We explored creativity as wellbeing, and giving yourself permission to slow down, explore, and express, whilst building calm, confidence, and resilience through simple creative acts. Then we talked about our personal connection with colour, and how we can use the language of colour to communicate, connect and tell human stories.

This workshop is for everyone, not just “creatives.” I always invite attendees to come as you are, and leave with a renewed sense of joy and possibility.

Behind the Canvas: Exhibition & Private Commissions

In September, I was honoured to exhibit alongside fellow artists from across the UK at Brighton Art Space, organised by The Paint Club. I created two pieces, one titled ‘Sunny Surrey Hills’ and the second ‘Nefyn Beach, Wales’. If you missed it, don’t worry, more exhibitions are on the way!

I’ve also been commissioned to create a very special piece for a client in Surrey, designed to capture the feeling and emotion of her late father. It’s a process built on trust, beginning with a 90-minute creative conversation to uncover the story behind the intuitive art.

As Pierre-Auguste Renoir said:

“Art is about emotion; if art needs to be explained, it is no longer art.”

Please do get in touch if you’d like me to create a bespoke, unique piece of art for you.

You can follow me on Instagram here.

Podcasts to Ponder

I love reading, but I also adore the feeling of being part of a conversation, which is why I’m a podcast devotee. If you’re feeling curious and are looking to immerse yourself in the language of colour, here are two I highly recommend:

Stories in Colour – The National Gallery

A vibrant series uncovering the hidden stories behind colour, from history to modern day, this podcast features curators, scientists, historians, and artists. You’ll never look at colour the same way again.

Let’s talk colour

Hosted by the wonderfully colourful founder of The Colour Authority, Judith van Vliet, this podcast features global colour specialists exploring design, psychology, trends, and the transformative power of colour across numerous brands and industries. Every episode inspires me to bring more colour into life and work. Discover more here.

Closing thoughts

Colour is more than what we see, it’s how we feel, connect, and create. The hues we choose can shift our mood, spark imagination, and shape the stories we share.

In a world that’s grown a little too beige, maybe it’s time to bring back the bold. Reintroduce colour, intentionally, thoughtfully, and with heart, into your life, your brand, and your work.

“Colour is one of the most important and powerful universal languages we have.”

Source: Alina Schartner, Design, Colour + Trend | Consultant + Strategist

Break free from beige. Let’s bring the colour back.

Header image: Colour and Creativity Workshop, September 2025.

Growth, Imagination

Creativity and Colour in Motion

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Creativity and Colour in Motion
Creativity and Colour in Motion

In business, as in life, everything is cyclical. We move within natural rhythms and patterns of energy, time, and opportunity. Just as day turns to night and seasons shift from one to the next, our organisations, teams, and creative endeavours follow cycles of growth, reflection, and renewal.

As August draws to a close and summer begins its transition, I’m reminded of the value of pausing at these inflection points. Seasonal change offers us a chance to take stock, to reflect on what has been achieved, acknowledging progress, and preparing for what’s next.

For me, this is where creativity and business truly intersect. Both demand a balance between looking back and moving forward, celebrating achievements while welcoming new ideas, fresh collaborations, and innovative ways to build meaningful connections.

Discover Colour & Creativity with Nordic Design House

I’m delighted to share an upcoming immersive evening of colour, craft, and connection, collaborating with fellow artist and colour enthusiast Cesca Molly Thorne, set within the inspiring Nordic Design House showroom in Clerkenwell, London.

At the heart of colour and creativity is a shared passion for helping people to reconnect with themselves, and with each other, through colour and creativity. For myself and Cesca, creativity is more than making something beautiful, it’s a form of mindfulness, a moment of meditation, and a way to ground ourselves in the present moment. As artists, we believe colour and creativity can transform lives in small yet meaningful and impactful ways.

What to expect

The workshop is designed for everyone. No experience is needed, only curiosity and an open mind. You’ll leave with renewed energy, fresh perspective, and a unique creation of your own.

Together, we will explore:

  • Creativity as Wellbeing – Give yourself permission to slow down, express freely, and build calm, confidence, and resilience through simple creative acts.
  • Connection with Colour – Experience colour as a language for communication and connection, focusing on the process as well as the outcome.
  • Self-Expression – Use colour as a medium for storytelling and self-discovery, while learning to create a beautiful crepe paper flower and exploring the principles of colour psychology.

The evening provides a perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded people, expand your network, and share meaningful conversations in a welcoming, inspiring setting.

Delicious refreshments and drinks will be provided, courtesy of our hosts, Nordic Design House, who represent a curated selection of Swedish brands, offering furniture and lighting rooted in Scandinavian design for workplaces and public interiors across the UK.

Event details

📅 Date: Wednesday 24th September
🕕 Time: 6:00 – 9:30pm
📍 Venue: Nordic Design House, 104–110 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7DH
🔑 RSVP: Places are limited. Please contact Magdalena Tym, Sales Director, to secure your spot.
We would love for you to join us for this special evening of colour, craft, and connection.

Let’s work together

With over 20 years of experience working with innovative and disruptive businesses across HR-tech, digital, creative agencies, and interior design, I bring a unique blend of commercial acumen and creative vision to everything I do.

I’m a strategic yet hands-on leader with a passion for collaboration, and I believe the most impactful results come when we balance the analytical precision of the left brain with the intuitive creativity of the right brain. Facts and figures matter, but so does imagination and storytelling, for true magic happens when the two meet.

Get in touch – I’d love to continue the conversation.

Images: Colour and Creativity Workshop, June 2025.

Growth, Imagination

Nature as your strategist

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Nature as your strategist
Nature as your strategist

There’s a long-standing belief that nature is our greatest teacher – personally, professionally, in coaching, and in business. Why? Because in nature, everything exists in balance. It understands its interconnectedness, plus the need for resilience and adaptability. There’s no resistance to change: trees don’t cling to their leaves in autumn, they simply let go. Nature flows, following its innate, intuitive path of growth and transformation. It adapts and evolves. Vibrant colours attract pollinators or ward off predators, while underground root systems quietly nourish and support growth. Nature honours its natural rhythms, its seasons, lunar cycles, the literal tides of change. So why, then, do we find it so difficult to care for and cherish Mother Nature and the environment she provides for us?

Climate Cocktail Club – ‘Reimagined Radicals’

On Friday 27th June, I attended the Climate Cocktail Club relaunch event – ‘Reimagined Radicals’ in London, County Hall, a thought-provoking space where art, science, and community intersected to explore how we tackle the climate crisis through hope, creativity and culture.

The keynote speaker was former Irish President and climate justice champion Mary Robinson and she reminded us of a powerful truth: real change starts with hope. She spoke about hope not as a vague ideal, but as a pragmatic first step toward action. It begins with a desire to do things differently, to see a better future and take even the smallest steps to get there. In the face of global climate disruption, she shared how women-led solar initiatives in vulnerable communities are not only reducing carbon emissions but transforming lives.

Mary told the story of salt farmers in the Surendranagar desert in western India who are now using solar energy to power their work, a project that has already impacted 3.2 million women. Some of these women have trained as solar engineers, and through the savings they’ve made, they’re now sending their children to school, buying essentials, climbing out of debt, and most importantly, building a future for themselves and their communities. It’s a model of community empowerment, economic resilience, and climate action, all rooted in the belief that hope is the spark that lights the fire of progress. The determination of these ladies and leadership are inspiring.

If you have 2 minutes, do watch this short clip as it provides real insight into their lives:

Connection, conversation & community

Following Mary Robinson, the stage was set with more superb innovative and inspiring speakers including Lisa Merrick-lawless, Co-founder, Purpose Disruptors; Siobhan Clarke, fellow, Sustainable Ventures and portfolio NED, Julian Valissieres, CEO & co-founder Batchworks; Edward Van Der Wyck, CEO & co-founder Sheep Inc.; John Elkington, CEO & Chief Pollinator, Volans; Matthew Smith, SEO, Hometree; and Louis VI, zoologist, musician, presenter, who all believe in a climate conscious approach to business.

Here’s what resonated with me…

Hope is the catalyst for action

We heard about women-led solar initiatives impacting 3.2 million lives, lifting people out of debt, educating children, and building futures. When community and clean energy meet, transformation follows.

Community is how we evolve

The shift isn’t just technological, it’s cultural. We must create belonging, build trust, and foster collaborative communities. That means making space for conversation and connection.

We are nature – we are all connected

From Octopus intelligence (yes, we talked about Octopus which reminded me of a film I love called My Octopus Teacher) to frogs nicknamed “mountain chickens”, this event was a celebration of listening, learning, and letting nature lead.

“We take all our inspiration from nature to make art”

Louis VI (Rapper, Musician, Zoologist). His album Carbon uses sounds from the natural world to make music, reminding us that sound is a primal communicator. From birdsong to silence, it influences how we feel and connect.

Science matters

Scientists spend years researching and learning, we need to hear their voices more. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to communicate through weekly climate briefings, to showcase truth over trends, embracing inconvenient facts with creativity as all are essential to cultural and business change.

A BIG thank you to strategic communications consultant Nick Nuttall for facilitating an insightful and sometimes challenging conversation, and to everyone involved with organising and supporting the event Aisling McCaffrey, Louise French, Sustainable Ventures, Project Dandelion, Diageo, Be Impactful, Thinkhouse and everyone behind the scenes who I’ve not been able to mention – it was a memorable, fun and engaging night!

Let’s talk

I felt inspired by the idea that hope isn’t naïve, it’s strategic. It leads to action and action changes everything.

There are many insights and pearls of wisdom from nature to be integrated into how we do business. Let’s design business and campaigns that work in harmony with nature and the natural world, not in conflict with it. Innovation can solve big problems if we put people and planet at the heart of it.

If you’re working on purpose-driven innovation, I’d love to connect. I’m actively looking to connect with purpose-driven disruptors to build on the conversation.

Where does nature sit in your business model?

Get in touch – I’d love to talk.

Images: Captured on the night by Emma Potter.

Colour, Creative

Be creative in the attention economy

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Be creative in the attention economy
Be creative in the attention economy

Today is a colourful day – 21st March marks International Colour Day, an annual celebration that shines a spotlight on the important role colour plays in our lives, including art and design, science, psychology, to our everyday experiences. Founded by the International Colour Association (AIC) in 2009, the purpose of the day is to highlight the role colour plays in our emotions, culture, and human experience.

Colour captures our imagination, evokes emotions, inspires action and can drive behaviour change. When understood and used well, it is also a powerful tool for connection and engaging conversations. There’s no doubt about it, colour impacts our mood, can make us feel happy or sad, and it heavily influences decision making. From branding and marketing, to interior design and psychology – colour is a key driver of influence.

We live in the attention economy where everything is fighting for our attention. Are you being grey and hiding in plain sight like a battle ship on the ocean, or are you using colour to stand out and garner the attention you and your brand deserve?

Hidden in plain sight

From a business perspective, colour psychology is a powerful branding tool; it helps to communicate a brands identity, attract the right customer, build customer trust, and colour will help make a brand memorable and emotionally engaging for all the right reasons. With the wrong colours, the brand communication, cue and signal can send mixed messages. It is essential to know your brand personality, to understand your target audience, and to have knowledge of colours that are considered to reflect an industry or specific industry standard.

“Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.” – William Plomer

Brand weaponry – the colourful kind

In celebration of International Colour Day 2025, I’d like to share some insights on the power of colour and the impact it has on our business, brand, and everyday lives. Let’s dive in…

Let’s change the rules

My love for colour—especially orange—has influenced many aspects of my life, from treasured gifts to personal purchases. From a brand perspective, FIAT’s bold decision to ban grey cars in favour of vibrant hues, as showcased in their Operation No Grey campaign, where a grey FIAT was dramatically dipped in orange paint, demonstrates and celebrates colour’s emotional power. In contrast, grey, the UK’s most popular car colour, is often associated with blending in, neutrality, and even emotional dullness. Historically linked to invisibility—whether in military uniforms or industrial aesthetics—grey has long dominated design, fashion, and interior design. However, perhaps the global shift towards embracing colour signals a collective desire for optimism and self-expression in the years ahead. As colour trends evolve, I hope this celebration of vibrant hues is here to stay.

“The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most.” – John Ruskin

Don’t want to hide in plain sight. Read on and let’s talk.

Colour is emotion

As someone who has been fascinated by colour for over 30 years, I’m always eager to deepen my understanding—both for myself and my clients. Neuroaesthetics, the study of how art and design influence the brain, is more than just creating beautiful spaces; it’s about shaping emotions, behaviours, and experiences. Her I talk about the profound role colour plays in our lives—from influencing mood and metabolism to driving brand connections. Whether in branding, business, or interior design, understanding colour’s impact helps create meaningful, measurable results.

Thank you to Modulyss for shedding light on the power of colour in design during their Modulyss Talks session on ‘The Impact of Neuroaesthetics’, in discussion with Karen Haller.

“Colours, like features, follow the changes of the emotion.” – Pablo Picasso

Read on to explore some key takeaways from this insightful discussion.

Art and Neuroaesthetics: The science of creativity

A few months ago, I discovered the Art2Life podcast, where artist Nicholas Wilton interviewed Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen about their book Your Brain on Art. Their discussion on neuroaesthetics—the science of how art impacts our brains, bodies, and behaviours—was truly fascinating. As sensory beings, we experience the world through sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, and art has a profound ability to influence our emotions, thoughts, and connections. Creativity isn’t just an outlet; it rewires our brains, enhances well-being, and strengthens communities. From healing and mindfulness to problem-solving and innovation, the power of art extends far beyond aesthetics. This conversation reinforced how creativity can transform lives, workplaces, and even the way we engage with the world—something I explore in my own work.

“I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” – Georgia O’Keeffe

Let’s dive into the key takeaways and explore how art and creativity shape our experiences.

Brand and marketing

Growing a business comes with challenges—defining your brand, standing out in a crowded market, building lasting trust with your audience to name a few. Whether you’re struggling with inconsistent messaging, market differentiation, or outdated branding, I provide practical, actionable solutions that align your business with your audience and goals. Through a collaborative and strategic approach, we’ll refine your brand identity and unlock new opportunities for growth.

“Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business.” – Steve Jobs

Read on to discover how we can transform your brand’s potential.

The power of colour summit

Today marks the start of a three-day virtual event titled – The Power of Colour Summit – which invites people to explore the profound impact of colour on human consciousness, health, and well-being for a joyful life. It also showcases using colour in evolutionary ways to transform our health, relationships and the way we do business.

Speakers, thought leaders, innovators and experts include Tash Bradley, Director of Interior Design at Lick; Melissie Jolly, founder of Colour Mirrors; Reverend Dr. Bhante Saranapala, the Urban Buddhist Monk; Karen Haller, Applied Colour & Design Psychology Practitioner, Teacher and Mentor, and many more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage directly with experts during interactive Q&A sessions.

At the summit you can expect to explore how understanding colour can transform your life and your business, it really does have a profound impact on every area of our lives.

To register for the event and find out more visit their website.

Let’s work together

With over 20 years of experience working with innovative and disruptive-tech businesses across a variety of sectors—from HR-tech and digital to creative agencies and interior design—I bring a blend of commercial acumen and creative thinking to everything I do. I’m a strategic yet hands-on leader with a passion for collaboration and an action-oriented mindset that delivers real results.

My approach is human to human, balancing the analytical left brain (facts, figures, and data) with the intuitive creativity of the right brain (emotion, imagination, and storytelling)—because I believe the magic happens when you combine these two key ingredients.

Let’s continue to use the power of colour to build environments that encourage positive change and build brands and businesses that are a force for good.

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer

Get in touch – I’d love to talk. Email me at emma@emmapotter.com.

Header image – Me snapped in the sunshine. 

Colour, Creative

Art & Neuroaesthetics: The Science of Creativity

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Art & Neuroaesthetics: The Science of Creativity
Art & Neuroaesthetics: The Science of Creativity

A few months ago, I stumbled upon a fascinating podcast—Art2Life—where host Nicholas Wilton interviewed Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen about their book Your Brain on Art. As someone passionate about creativity, intuition, and neuroscience, I was captivated by their discussion on neuro aesthetics—the scientific study of how art impacts our brains, bodies, and behaviours.

“Neuro aesthetics emerged in the late 1990s, and nobody is clear on who coined the term, but a simple definition is that neuro aesthetics is the study of how art measurably changes the body, brain, and behaviour and how this knowledge is translated into practice” – Susan Magsamen

The power of sensory experiences

As humans we are deeply sensory beings – through a relay of signals sent via our nerves to our brain, we have a nose to smell, eyes to see, ears to hear, skin to touch, and a mouth (tongue) to taste – all of which are essential for creating memorable, emotional experiences that influence and shape our lives. Our senses uniquely activate different parts of our brains. Art uniquely activates different brain regions, influencing how we think, feel, and connect.

Why creativity matters

Now, I’m absolutely not a neuroscientist, but I am extremely interested in how our brains work; what makes us tick; why creativity and art has the power to transport us to a completely different place, heal us, and find solutions to challenges in our lives; where we can go to join a global community of budding artists to share our love of all things creative; who we can connect with to fuel our passion, and ask when is the right time to start practicing the joy of art and being creative – which is of course, now.

Creativity is more than just an outlet—it’s a tool for problem-solving, self-expression, and emotional well-being.

“We are feeling creatures that think, not thinking creatures that feel.” – Ivy Ross

In ‘Your Brain on Art’, Ivy Ross (Chief Design Officer, Google Consumer Devices) and Susan Magsamen (Executive Director, International Arts + Mind Lab, Johns Hopkins University) explore how neuroaesthetics can revolutionise healing, strengthen communities, and restore our planet. Their discussion on Art2Life brought many of these ideas to life.

Key takeaways from the conversation:

  • Creativity rewires the brain – Our brains are constantly evolving, forming new neural pathways that influence all areas of life.
  • Daydreaming is productive – It’s where solutions emerge. Pay attention to your sensory experiences and how they shape your thoughts.
  • Art is healing – Just 20 minutes of daily creative activity can reduce stress, enhance well-being, and improve cognitive function.
  • Art connects us – Whether as creators or observers, art has the power to speak directly to our emotions, often beyond words.
  • Colour is energy – Each colour emits a different wavelength and frequency, impacting our emotions and perceptions in profound ways.
  • Art as meditation – Creativity requires presence, making it one of the highest forms of mindfulness.
  • Art extends life – Studies suggest people who engage in creative activities regularly live, on average, 10 years longer.

“The arts are some of the most salient experiences we have in our lives”. Ivy Ross

Building creativity & connection

Just as colour has the power to influence our emotions, art and being creative certainly has the power to enrich our lives, to build community and connection, bring us joy, encourages us to be more interested in the world around us, and I believe ultimately makes us more interesting and culturally aware people. Art makes us more aware, connected, and engaged with the world.

Creativity in the workplace

In the corporate world, there’s a growing demand for blending data-driven and intuitive thinking. More organisations are using creativity to unlock new ideas and fresh solutions. In my workshops, I coach leadership teams through experiential creative processes, helping them expand their perspectives and connect in new ways.

How has art influenced your life or business? How do you use creativity to inspire, connect, or problem-solve? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop me a comment or send me an email emma@emmapotter.com

Let’s work together

With over 20 years of experience working with innovative and disruptive-tech businesses across a variety of sectors—from HRtech and digital to customer experience and interior design—I bring a blend of commercial acumen and creative thinking to everything I do. I’m a strategic yet hands-on leader with a passion for collaboration and an action-oriented mindset that delivers real results.

My approach is human to human, balancing the analytical left brain (facts, figures, and data) with the intuitive creativity of the right brain (emotion, imagination, and storytelling)—because I believe the magic happens when you combine these two key ingredients.

I’m especially passionate about growth, coaching, and the power of applied behavioural colour psychology. Get in touch to create something exceptional together!

Header image – a piece of bespoke abstract art I created for a private client, based on their colour personality following a 121-colour consultation. 

Brand, Marketing

Reignite your brand’s potential

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Reignite your brand’s potential
Reignite your brand’s potential

Growing a business is no small feat, and I understand the challenges that come with it—whether it’s defining your brand, standing out in a crowded market, or building trust with your audience. I work with MDs, CEOs and founders of scale-ups, and SMEs to create brand strategies that truly connect. Together, we’ll align your brand with your market and audience, strengthen relationships within your team and with key partners, and develop practical solutions that drive real results. It’s all about creating authentic connections that boost productivity, profitability, and your business’s future potential.

As a seasoned brand strategist, I specialise in empowering businesses to unlock their full potential by crafting a compelling and distinct brand. By addressing common challenges like unclear messaging, inconsistent communication, and market saturation, I help brands achieve clarity, consistency, and differentiation. Whether you’re seeking to redefine your value proposition, create a cohesive strategy across all platforms, or refresh an outdated identity, I provide actionable solutions tailored to your goals.

Clear brand identity

  • Challenge: Difficulty in defining a brand’s value proposition and communicating it effectively
  • Solution: Develop a comprehensive brand playbook, focusing on core values, purpose, messaging, and creative assets to resonate with the target audience and establish market differentiation

Consistent Messaging and Brand Experience

  • Challenge: Inconsistent communications across online and offline channels, causing customer distrust and disengagement
  • Solution: Implement a cohesive brand strategy that ensures uniformity across all marketing and communication touchpoints, on and offline

Create Market Differentiation

  • Challenge: Struggling to stand out in a crowded and competitive market
  • Solution: Identify unique selling points (USPs) and develop a brand narrative that highlights differentiation while appealing to the target customer

Reignite your brand’s potential

  • Challenge: An outdated brand that no longer aligns with current goals or market demands
  • Solution: Guide your business through a rebranding and repositioning process to align your identity, messaging, and services with company values and target audience expectations

What does a Discovery Session look like?

To give you some insight into what it would look like to work together, following initial conversations and an agreed brief, our journey would begin with an immersive, hands-on one-day workshop designed to set the foundation for your brand’s future. This session brings together you and your senior stakeholders—and any key decision-makers you’d like involved—to ensure alignment from the start.

During this collaborative session, we’ll dive deep into your vision for the business, uncovering what makes your brand truly unique. Using a carefully crafted framework, we’ll extract your “brand DNA,” the essence that defines who you are and what you stand for.

I’ll guide you through a proven methodology to define your brand in detail. Together, we’ll explore:

  • Your brand purpose, values, and mission
  • Your tone of voice and overall brand essence
  • Gain clear understanding of your products and services
  • Uncover a detailed profile of your ideal customer—who they are, what they need, and how your brand connects with them

The discovery session is designed to be insightful, actionable, and empowering. By the end of the day, we’ll have laid the groundwork for a strategy that aligns your brand with your business goals and resonates with your audience.

Tackle challenges head-on

By addressing your challenges head-on, we will empower your business to craft a brand strategy that is deeply aligned with your market and resonates with your target audience. This strategic approach enhances market positioning, fosters stronger relationships both internally—with senior stakeholders and teams—and externally with suppliers, partners, and sponsors. The result? Actionable solutions that inspire authentic connections, fuel productivity, and drive sustainable profitability.

Together, we can reignite your brand’s potential and position it for continued growth in a competitive marketplace.

Let’s work together

With over 20 years of experience working with innovative and disruptive-tech businesses across a variety of sectors—from HRtech and digital to customer experience and interior design—I bring a blend of commercial acumen and creative thinking to everything I do. I’m a strategic yet hands-on leader with a passion for collaboration and an action-oriented mindset that delivers real results.

My approach is human to human, balancing the analytical left brain (facts, figures, and data) with the intuitive creativity of the right brain (emotion, imagination, and storytelling)—because I believe the magic happens when you combine these two key ingredients.

I’m especially passionate about growth, coaching, and the power of applied behavioural colour psychology. Get in touch to create something exceptional together!

Header photo by Eva Bronzini – Pexels.

Coach, Growth

Gratitude and joy

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Gratitude and joy
Gratitude and joy

It’s been a roller coaster year of pitches and prep, ups and downs, swings and round abouts, highs and lows, wins and losses, but ultimately, I have a massive sense of gratitude for all the amazing people and companies I’ve had the pleasure to work with in the past 12 months.

From managing the rebrand, brand playbook, website relaunch and marketing strategy for award-winning, female-led, interior design company KAI Interiors; running messaging and discovery workshops and creating marcomms programmes for award-winning tech consultancies; and developing marketing and communications programmes, content strategy, events and more for disruptive-tech PR agency C8 Consulting; 2024 has been packed with interesting and insightful work, and wonderful people.

On the personal front, it’s been a challenging year as I’ve also been juggling the renovation of my home – it had not been touched for the best part of 40+ years (think avocado bathroom suite, complete rewire, partially new roof and you get the picture). So, 2024 really has been a year of transformation and change, from the inside out.

I’m extremely grateful for the relationships built, the projects and contracts won, plus the people and teams I’ve had the privilege to work and partner with.

Reflections and learnings

At the end each year I go through a completion process. Essentially this is asking myself four critical questions and responding to them with authenticity and truth. It’s a great way to reflect on what I’ve created, good and bad; what I’ve learnt, good and bad; to help identify what I’m ready to let go of; and imagine what I’m ready to create next.

Completion questions are as follows:

  1. What did I create good and bad?
  2. What did I learn good and bad?
  3. What am I over?
  4. What will I create next?

My invitation to you is to set yourself some time, 30-60 minutes, to reflect and when going through the questions, I would encourage you to trust your intuition and to go with what you get first, don’t over think it. Capture everything in a notebook. I suggest you write, not type, as we connect differently to ourselves, our hearts and our imagination when we let the words flow from our body and out through our hand.

It’s an adaptable and flexible framework and process you can do on your own for personal and professional development, or with your team, to gather feedback and reflect collectively.

The end of a year and the start of a new one is a great opportunity to do a completion – to pause, reflect, get quiet and listen to connect with what you want to create next.

Adopt a growth mindset – you’re speaking my language

At a recent QBR hosted with a client in Central London we booked author, mind coach, speaker and trainer, David Rahman – to talk about ‘Preparing for 2025 and mental wellbeing’. As David says ‘Nothing changes, if nothing changes’, which reminds me of the quote from Charles Darwin…

It’s not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.

The talk David delivered sparked lots of enquiring, thoughtful and heartfelt discussion amongst the team, encouraging us to be open and share different experiences – a real opportunity to bond over something new.

To kick-start the year ahead with a joined-up approach, he posed many questions, two of which I’ve noted below to get you thinking…

  1. What’s one thing I’m going to change about myself going into 2025?
  2. 1% improvement over the year equates to 14.4 minutes a day – how am I going to choose to invest that time?

Christmas stocking filler

Borrowing the analogy, when one door closes (2024), another one opens (2025), there’s aways an opportunity to reframe a situation and see things differently. Therefore, if you are looking to make some changes in your personal and professional life, I would highly recommend reading Mindset, a book to drop into yours, and potentially a friend or family members stocking this Christmas. I’m about half-way through Mindset, it’s a great read, is easily digestible, I find the content relatable, plus it’s easy to spot where I have a fixed mindset in some areas of my life, where I have a growth mindset in others, and where I’d like to make changes to how I think, approach, and respond to situations.

Mindset – Change the way you think to fulfil your potential

This book focuses on discovering the mindset for achieving success, in business, parenting, school and relationships. Author Dr. Carol S. Dweck.

The second book I’ve gifted myself is Atomic Habits. I’ll crack on with reading this next and share some insights in the new year.

Atomic Habits – Tiny changes, remarkable results

An easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones. A revolutionary way to get 1 per cent better every day. Author James Clear.

Both books are available at all good book stores.

Five simple suggestions to take into 2025

• Be a team player – Be responsible and play your part in making 2025 a success
• Create success – Ask yourself, what can I personally do to make me and our team more successful
• Time is precious – Keep meetings short (30 mins where possible) and always be prepared
• Be on time – Or as Steven Bartlett says from Diary of a CEO, “Being on time is arriving 10 minutes early”
• Growth – Awareness and curiosity are key, all growth starts here

Without curiosity there is no desire to know more, to expand our thinking, to see things from a different perspective. Without awareness we shut ourselves off to opportunities that might enable us to flourish and discover our superpower.

What’s your super power?

On the tail end of busy year, in the last quarter I’ve continued to meet and speak with my community and network, talking with them to understand more about their business, the challenges they face, the potential economic headwinds as we move into 2025, and what they’d like to start doing, stop doing and continue doing.

We’ve discussed new opportunities to collaborate, what that might look and feel like, and where they want to evolve, elevate and pivot. I’d love to understand more about you and your business challenges and the potential to work together in the new year.

As individuals we all have a super power, and collectively that superpower gets super charged when we come together and work collaboratively. Collectively in my network, we open doors, make introduction, brainstorm, share ideas, ask pointy questions that encourage creative, fresh, innovative thinking and I cherish that sense of community and support.

For me? My super power is combining my three loves – marketing, brand and communications, applied behavioural colour psychology, and coaching – it’s a unique combination and it’s my magic sauce. I’ll be sharing more about how my clients benefit from this unique blend of experience in the year.

Happy Christmas!

Have a wonderful Christmas spending time with loved ones, friends and family. Wishing you all a colourful and prosperous 2025!

Stay curious 🧡

With joy and colour,
Emma

Photos taken at client QBR, Dec 2024.

Marketing

Cyber Exchange 360 – Insights and takeaways

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Cyber Exchange 360 – Insights and takeaways
Cyber Exchange 360 – Insights and takeaways

Last week I had the opportunity to join an afternoon packed with interesting conversations at the Cyber CMO 360 Meet-Up and Cyber Exchange 360 – ‘Talk to the board’ session, hosted at the Science Museum, London. The event provided a new invaluable chance to connect with peers, share strategies for maximising event success, and engage in meaningful discussions.

CyberCMO 360

Gathering heads of marketing, the CMO roundtable, hosted over a delicious lunch, presented the perfect opportunity to talk with other seasoned marketers and engage in a lively debate about the challenges facing sales and marketing teams, and aligning KPIs – specifically around events. The hotly contested topic of attribution continues, as does the desire for marketing not to be consider as a cost centre, but for sales and marketing to potentially report into a CRO. This approach would ensure teams are aligned, and trusted communications and good relations are at play – after all, marketing is a revenue generating part of a business.

Talk to the board

Following the roundtable, I was able to attend and hear Board Directors from Enterprise and Technology companies at ‘Talk to the Board’ session, part two, in which many questions were asked by moderator, Steve Hill, former global CISO, Credit Suisse, to the panel of experts. Forming a formidable line-up, the panel included Lorraine Heggessey, former controller of BBC1, Roger Flynn, Chairman, Cooke Optics, former CEO and Leader in Transformation Change, Virgin, British Airways, Prudential, Haydn Brooks, CEO and co-founder, Risk Ledger and Rupert Lee-Browne, Chairman and group Chief Executive Officer, Caxton.

There were so many insights to capture but here’s some sound bites from the ‘Talk to the board’ session, where they touched on the subject of mental fitness and the rise in the importance to talk more openly.

Key takeaways

  • Learn how to deal with stress in your own way, and in a positive way – there’s no such thing as a stress-free job
  • Be there for your team, they also need to be there for you – foster a culture that’s transparent, compassionate, empathetic and supportive
  • If you enjoy what you’re doing, stress can be viewed in a different way, we can thrive on it
  • Make sure you enjoy your job – we all have a choice where and how we work, empower yourself – take license over your own destiny
  • Leaders have a responsibility to empower their people and teams – install a culture that’s supportive. As a leader, you have to be able to lean on your team for insights, guidance and advice
  • The importance of executive coaching – from being a leader in your field to executive level, it’s imperative to work on your weaknesses. Learn how to lead and be a great leader, understand the bigger picture. If your organisation offers it, say yes to executive coaching
  • Transparency – where do we draw the line, to keep staff motivated and on board. How far do you go with it?
  • Company culture – If I was forced to choose one key takeaway, it is this. When growing or running a successful business, focus on your company culture, everything flows from here – it’s a foundational and core piece to your brand strategy – a subject I’m passionate about

Build your network

Thank you to Pulse Events for organising, and to Amanda Coles and Sarah Moss, founders of the Sphere network – a platform designed to bring together a community of great people to build meaningful connections in cybersecurity and data security marketing, for the invite to join and for hosting an insightful CMO round table discussion. Also, it was great to spend the afternoon with one of my clients, MD and founder, Paula Elliott from disruptive-tech PR agency C8 Consulting.

For those who don’t know me, I help forward-thinking, innovative MDs and founders build brand value by unlocking potential and creating change. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and say “Hello”.

Photo by Anna Tarazevich, Pexels.

Marketing

Tackling the hard stuff

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Tackling the hard stuff
Tackling the hard stuff

On Thurs 26th September, I attended the inaugural event conceptualised and hosted by two senior board-level global marketers in B2B tech, SaaS, and cyber and data security, Amanda Coles and Sarah Moss. Having decades of experience between them, they deeply understand the challenges marketers face every day, and they launched the Sphere Network to bring together a community of great people to build meaningful connections, whilst empowering tech marketers to thrive. Think of the Sphere Network as your ‘little black book’ for all things B2B tech marketing.

Lighting a fire to drive discussion

The event titled ‘Tackling the hard stuff’ was hosted at the OXO2 on a particularly sunny day in London along the South Bank, one of my favourite spots near Waterloo and the River Thames. Panel sessions on the day covered a range of topics including – ‘The value of community: A CISO’s Perspective’, ‘Aligning Marketing with Business Objectives’, ‘Maximising Lead Generation through Data Insight’ to ‘Content creation and the best ways to maximise impact’, ‘Demystifying channel marketing and how to “partner” within your organisation’, and ‘Data driven decision making: Navigating the sales and marketing partnership for success’.

From the morning kick-off and welcome to the evening networking drinks, panellists and speakers generously shared their knowledge and insights gleaned from specialist areas in the cyber security industry. With so many voices and opinions in the room, the discussion was lively, diverse and informative. Two of the biggest questions raised on the day were “In 2025, how to we continue to do more with less? How do we create cut through?” Here’s some of my key take aways.

Top ten insights captured on the day

  • Vanity Metrics – Don’t’ focus on vanity metrics, it’s essential to find out what matters to the board and work that backwards, focus on what’s important to the business. Agree what good, bad and ugly looks like and focus on outcomes, see the big picture
  • Sales and marketing – Working in silos doesn’t work, sales and marketing need to work together, potentially reporting into the same individual (CRO), and ensure both parties agree and align on shared goals, and focus on shared metrics
  • Attribution – Attribution remains an ongoing challenge but do ensure you’re tracking and measuring success where possible, whilst also remembering not everything can be measured 
  • Creative and brand – Be bold, be creative, desire to stand out and to establish your brand from the competition. To really engage your audience, you need to take them on a journey, tell an emotive story that’s connects your brand, plus develop creative that resonates as this will drive a response  
  • Data – Use data and evidence to support and inform decision making, particularly post campaign data, so you’re not leaving any value on the table, this will help to identify trends and what’s fuelling your pipeline 
  • Questions – Always ask questions, understand what’s keeping people your customers up at night, get feedback and listen to what’s being said, gather this feedback and use it to inform your content, then distribute on the appropriate channels, on and offline 
  • Content – Remember that content is ever evolving, AI is good to a point to create and curate content, but it must be layered with human input. Use content at the appropriate point in the sales funnel to speed up conversations and create flow to deliver results. Go broad, go narrow, and align with business goals 
  • Authenticity – Your customers will see through you if you’re not being authentic, have a clear and distinctive tone of voice, always think about the purpose of our content, know your desired outputs too, share value and speak directly to your customer, your audience – do what’s right for them 
  • Scale – Things that work on a small scale are not always repeatable on a large scale, be agile, plan and test accordingly
  • Results – Think about what your results really mean, and always apply context. Remember, there are no silver bullets, every business is unique and requires a personalised approach to deliver your desired outcome

There were of course many other points shared throughout the day but it’s impossible to capture them all here. What is clear, is that it’s essential to manage expectations, to set them early, to communicate them clearly, and to get up front agreement. Also, it’s important to remember that marketing is a revenue generating part of a business, and when sales and marketing have each-others backs trusted relationships with good communications are created, and better results are achieved. I’m also a big fan of meeting in person where possible, so do make time for IRL communications, being face to face – human to human, as this creates stronger bonds and enables more fluid and open discussions.

Discover more about the Sphere Network

One of my clients, disruptive-tech PR agency C8 Consulting sponsored ‘Tacking the hard stuff’ and having attended on the day I’ve personally joined the Sphere Network. Given the level of energy in the room and the desire for a community of specialists get together to ‘tackle the hard stuff’, it certainly feels like the ‘Sphere Network – The Trusted Cyber and Data Security Marketing Network’, will be going from strength to strength over the coming months and years. As we head into 2025 – connect, validate, inspire, deliver.

Header photo on Pexels by Kim Stiver.  

Brand, Colour

Colour is emotion

by Emma PotterLeave a Comment on Colour is emotion
Colour is emotion

Firstly, I want to say a big thank you to Modulyss for raising awareness of the importance of colour in design. In their most recent Modulyss Talks session, held yesterday 5th Sept, they discussed an interesting topic, ‘The Impact of Neuroaesthetics’ with Karen Haller, who runs a behavioural design consultancy.

For decades, over 30 years, I’ve been fascinated by colour and its impact on us mentally, physically and emotionally. It’s a subject that I’m hugely passionate about and it’s one I’m always keen to understand more of, not only to apply to myself, but also for my clients.

Having studied with Karen a couple of times over the past five years with a focus on colour and its application and use in brand and marketing, and more recently from a creative artistry stand point, I jumped at the opportunity to be ‘virtually’ with people who share my passion for colour, have a thirst for knowledge, and are keen to understand more about how they can use colour positively in our personal and professional lives.

For clarity, at the start Karen defined ‘What is Neuroaesthetics’ as the field within neuroscience, that explores how our brain perceives, processes, and responds to beauty, art and design. And that it’s NOT creating spaces that are just aesthetically pleasing, creating a wow factor, slavishly following trends, or pleasing the brain with a dopamine hit.

“Neuroaesthetics emerged in the late 1990s, and nobody is clear on who coined the term, but a simple definition is that neuroesthetics is the study of how arts measurably changes the body, brain, and behaviour and how this knowledge is translated into practice,” said Susan Magsamen, founder, and director of the International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Let’s dive in

Throughout the talk there were many refreshers about what I know already, but there are always some nuggets that stand out and resonate, or perhaps land differently, deepening my understanding. So, in the interest of sharing and spreading my love of colour and its application with you, here’s some key takeaways to ponder and reflect on.

Nuggets and takeaways

  • Colour has duality, both positive and negative
  • From a colour psychological stand point, it can influence our metabolism, appetite, body temperature, water regulation, sleep, autonomic nervous system, and even our sexual and reproductive functions
  • All colours drive and create a different energy, response and emotion
  • We don’t live in a grey world, we live in a colourful world
  • Grey hides things in plain sight, it wants to recede, to hide, it doesn’t want to be seen
  • When we think about colour, we also must consider pattern, scale, shape, texture and placement as they all interplay
  • The right colour in the wrong proportion won’t work
  • If it’s a colour, we’ll have an emotional response – neutral doesn’t exist
  • Colour isn’t just a visual stimulus, it delivers an emotional response

Target market

Wherever you’re using and applying colour, in your brand or your business; in all instances, understand your target market. When working with a client, always get clarity on their target market and audience, this will help create the desirable outcomes that your clients will want to see.

As Karen mentioned during the webinar, from an interior design perspective, in a hospitality interior design space, in a restaurant or café, imagine an environment that creates the behaviours your client wants to see – excited, relaxed and staying longer, talking, networking, dining, eating and drinking, and ideally turning into a repeat customer. In a workspace, depending on the brand and business needs, there will be a very different set of requirements.

Remember, when applying colour, make your KPIs measureable as we do want to know we’ve got things right; we can’t see or measure a mood or a feeling, but we can measure behaviour.

Unlock potential, create change

From a brand strategy perspective and in the projects I lead and get involved with, when a company is rebranding their colour palette will be an evocative and foundational point for discussion. Of course, a brand is much, much more than a colour palette, and that’s a topic I’ll touch on separately, but for now, remember, colour is emotion, it makes us feel something, and a brand will want to connect with its customers on an emotive, emotional level – not just sell its products and services.

I’m a very intuitive person and like to feel into and connect with what my clients want, which means really listening to what they say, and what they don’t. I also like to dig deep to understand their values, vision, purpose, what they want to create next for themselves, their teams and for their business. So, whether I’m feeding back following a 121-consultation process or a group brand strategy discovery workshop, I will back up my thinking with logic and information, not just a hunch.

Immersive memorable experiences

Fundamentally, colour creates immersive and memorable experiences. Humans are complex beings, we all have different needs and we all react and respond differently to our environment, be that at home, our work space, and when out socialising. What appeals to me, won’t appeal to everyone, and that’s a good thing – we’re all unique.

Let’s continue to use the power and application of colour to celebrate our differences, to build environments that encourage positive change, and build brands and businesses that are a force for good.

Have a colourful weekend!

Links for reference

  • Quote source – Artandobject – How art is scientifically proven to help brain health, Feb 2023
  • Discover more about Modulyss
  • Discover more about Karen Haller