What drew you to a creative career?

Ellie Downs: People say things are either fact or fiction, but I think being in this industry allows for both: conveying a fact in a creative way so that it appeals to the majority, rather than either a right-side or left-side minded individual. 

It’s a difficult balance to strike, but something I’ve been interested in since A-level, when my teachers strongly advised against my 50/50 humanities and sciences split. Now my role in client services means I get to work with strategic as well as creative minds: for me, it’s win-win. 

Ellie Hennessey: I always knew I wanted a job where I got to use my brain to think through and come up with solutions for complex problems, which is really what creativity means to me. I also wanted variety and to be exposed to new, exciting ideas.

What are your superpowers?

EH: I’d say my ability to find anything interesting. I love reading books about the most niche and varied subjects, from the materials that make up our world to the evolution of the female body to humanising architecture – those are just a few recent examples. You never know when an obscure fact or reference will unlock a new idea or offer a new perspective in a conversation.

Ellie, I’d say yours is your ability to stay calm and composed even under very trying client-related circumstances – you always seem so positive!

ED: Totally agree with Ellie’s superpowers – you’re so contemplative and inquisitive, which is a superpower in an age of information overload.

It’s interesting you call out positivity for me. I always try to see the fun or light-hearted side of things (within reason). As the account manager of a team, it’s important to set the tone as best you can for everyone’s benefit.

‍How would you describe your working style in three words?

‍EH: Collaborative, detail-orientated, inquisitive.

‍ED: Bouncy (read into that what you will), agile (I’m sorry to all the haters of that word), empathetic (can’t think of a parenthesis for this one but had to keep it going).

‍What is your biggest failure  – and what did you learn from it?

‍EH: I’d say not taking enough advantage of the opportunities available to me at university, like societies or career advice. I don’t think I appreciated how helpful these could be at the time – and how they’re not so easily accessed in the “real world”.

‍ED: That is such a good point. I’d say mine is taking things too personally, or maybe rather reading into things when I shouldn’t. It’s a work in progress “failure” to fix, but I’m definitely learning how to be more objective in my professional interactions, and take things as they are without ruminating too much. 

‍What work are you most proud of (so far)?

‍EH: I’m most proud of the work we’re currently doing for Yokogawa to update their brand to focus on sustainability. Not only is it a topic I’m really motivated by personally, but the original brand work we did for them over a decade ago is the case study that really stuck in my head when I applied to work at The Frameworks. I feel very lucky to be part of the team evolving this work for new challenges.

‍ED: I love hearing how it’s come full circle for you. For me, I think it’s my ability to “change hats” for each client, and adapt to how they like to work and communicate. It’s also one of my favourite things about my role because it brings a lot of variety to my day.

‍Describe your dream client.

‍EH: A client you can have a good, interesting conversation with to learn about the ins and outs of their particular challenge. And one who really appreciates the value of what we do – and the amount of work that goes into it.

‍ED: Agreed. To add to that, a client who sees us as an extension of their team rather than a transactional outsource. I love having clients who want a strong relationship, as that allows trust, transparency and, ultimately, a successful partnership.

‍What advice would you give to women looking to start a creative career today?

‍EH: I’d always advocate reading as widely as you can, whether that be novels, non-fiction, articles, blogs, newspapers, newsletters… There’s no better way to lay the groundwork for coming up with ideas that will really make an impact.

‍ED: I would say back yourself. Be true to your own voice, not necessarily the one you think others want to hear. And it doesn’t have to be the loudest voice in the room.

‍What would you say to a younger you?

‍ED: Public speaking isn’t that bad; save yourself a few sleepless nights and start practising.

EH: I’d say don’t be afraid of asking for what you want, and take any opportunities that come your way.

Who inspires you?

‍EH: My parents for the practical creative skills I lack: my dad for his masterful carpentry, and my mum for her excellent eye for interior spaces.

‍ED: I am really inspired by seeing successful women supporting and mentoring other women.

‍What do you do outside of work to nurture your creativity?

‍ED: I’m definitely a “jack of all trades, master of none” when it comes to creativity outside of the workplace. I love starting a hobby but tend to get distracted by something else. To name a few I’ve tried: painting, knitting, rollerskating, growing herbs. 

On reflection, maybe I need to work on my attention span, but I’ll do anything that means getting some space from a screen!

‍EH: Other than reading, I love being outside in nature as it gives me the headspace to ponder and work through ideas. My camera roll is full of pictures of trees or skies in certain lights. 

This is you now. Where do you want to be in the future?

‍EH: Although I really love the variety of my work, in the future I would be interested in specialising more, perhaps in an area like sustainability. It would be great to really get my teeth into an area of strategy and become an expert in it.

‍ED: I’ve always worked in the B2B space, and as it’s such a fast-paced and high-stakes environment I’ve had to learn and adapt quickly. In the future, I’d love to work on accounts where I can really connect with the business, products and services on a tangible level.

‍