I’ve had a varied career, including running a web design company and being employed in horse racing, but one of my favourite roles before I started my telco journey was work experience at Pete Waterman’s record company. It was amazing to work with artists like Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, but the day I helped record Band-Aid II has to be my favourite memory.
I got on so well there that they offered me a full time job for a few years before I went to university in New York to study film (Communications). When I moved back to the UK, I joined the telco industry. I didn’t have any specific aspirations when I started, but it was great to be immersed in different roles.
After a decade or so, I took a little mid-career break before joining Lumen (previously CenturyLink). During this time, we had been living between the UK and Spain but decided on a full time move to Madrid because we knew it would be a great place to raise our daughter. Low and behold, she has adjusted to life seamlessly – flipping between Spanish and English with ease and really making the most of life here.
I left Lumen to move to Madrid, but it was actually a Coltie friend who helped me find the role I’m doing today, which I really enjoy. They told me how your voice is always heard and people will always listen to your opinions. Plus it was Colt’s Flexible First policy that made our move possible.
At Colt, I am a Product Operations Lead working on Voice and UC&C products. I work on product-related content such as sales collateral, award and analyst submissions, videos, website content and sales product training. I’ve now done a little 360 because we recently acquired Lumen EMEA.
Reflecting on the last decade, joining Colt and moving to just outside of Madrid stands out as a highlight. In just 30 minutes, you can escape the buzz of the city and be up in the mountains. On Friday evenings in the spring and summer, we like to take a long walk to a ‘chiringuito’ we love for amazing food and breath-taking views in the Guadarrama mountain range.
We’ve managed to create a life here which works so well for us as a family. It’s been a real leap of faith that has led to fulfilling work and a vibrant family life. Thanks to Colt’s flexible working policy, I can juggle everything, even when my partner is working abroad, without high stress levels.
It’s been six years now since we moved to Madrid and let’s just say we certainly aren’t looking to move anywhere else anytime soon!
