The Mediaweek Academy will host its fourth session, which will explore listening skills.
MFA Hall of Famer and Mediaweek contributing editor Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham will lead the session, featuring a Legend of the industry sharing their career development wisdom and a Superstar discussing their insights.
This month’s Mediaweek Academy Legend is the author of How to Listen, Oscar Trimboli, with Superstar speaker Bare Feat founder Chloe Hooper.
Hooper spoke to Mediaweek about the early days of her career in the UK, taking a chance on herself to launch Bare Feat and developing listening skills.
Hooper on her journey through the industry
Hooper began her career at OMD UK in the New Business and Marketing team.
“The business was going through a lot of change which meant I was involved in many projects way above my pay grade. I describe this part of my career as the ‘yes years’,” she reflected.
The projects saw her involved in new business pitches, with everyone around me having extensive experience.
“I didn’t know what I was doing, but there was no such thing as imposter syndrome at this stage, as I wasn’t expected to know anything; I just had to ‘be a sponge’ and soak up everything around me. I worked my butt off, but it paid dividends when I got to Australia,” she said.
“I found myself in PHD Melbourne, having a coffee with Mark Coad. I thought we were networking, but somewhat curiously, he was asking me many questions about the new business and marketing department at OMD UK,” Hooper recalled.
“It turns out I was actually in an interview, and he finished the conversation with, ‘Can you set that department up for us’. I had no intention of staying in media or Australia at this point – but for those of you who know Coady, it was a big fat YES! That was the start of 6 epic years at PHD.”
Striking it out on her own
Hooper’s career had seen her work with OMD and PHD. She shared that her work experience during the COVID pandemic allowed her to complete research projects with clients, support the business through change and lean into her APAC role by providing training and support.
“I pitched to take the marketing budget and put it into the people team. It didn’t seem on-brand to enter awards or chase PR, and we certainly couldn’t run events. The business was always people first, so this was signed off instantly,” she recalled.
However, when things returned to “business as usual”, Hopped felt like she had lost her identity.
“I do a lot of self-reflection, and I found a note I’d written myself just before I handed my notice in that said, ‘You have no skills’ (*my inner critic can be a little harsh).
“I have never bought or planned a media campaign in my life. My career was always in the new business and marketing space. I spent time in many business, people, operational, and leadership conversations. However, I’m not a media expert. To me, at the time, this equated to ‘having no skills’,” she said.
Hopped said that it was time for her to “reclaim my identity,” which prompted her to hand in her notice and take on a big road trip around Australia that would reorient her path.
“Bare Feat was born as I walked up a mountain barefoot in Kakadu. Getting back to nature is 100% the best thing to do when you are lost,” she shared.
Hooper noted that she was fortunate that many people from the industry reached out and helped her find her path.
“I have been surrounded by very smart people in my career, and I have learnt so much from working with such incredible talent. You don’t always realise your impact on people – but I can pinpoint things I have learned from different individuals to exact moments in time,” she added.
The most rewarding part of starting Bare Feat
For Hooper, she shared that the most rewarding part of starting up Bare Feat has been helping people.
“I know it’s such a cliché answer, but it’s what I am paid to do every day, and it’s bloody brilliant,” she said.
“If I leave a meeting or session feeling like I have made someone’s life easier or helped to solve an ongoing issue, I get the biggest high.”
Hooper explained that her business has three key offerings: audits, strategy and training across employee experience and brand experience (new business and marketing).
“All of the training I run is bespoke. We are caught up in a sea of sameness in our industry, and the importance of doing things in a way that is distinctive to that business’s vision is how you have an impact.
“This isn’t a smart move from a commercial perspective, as ‘off the shelf’ is a lot easier to lift and shift, but I love the process of understanding the business and then creating something that will address specific issues,” she added.
Hooper noted that she created a business model where she learns every day.
“One day, I am working directly with a CEO and the next, I’m supporting the next-gen community. Working across the entire hierarchy of the organisation allows me to help everyone be heard and help people see what those around them need most.”
Her work allows her to meet incredible people who started as clients, whom she now calls friends.
“I have been part of many company and team away days, conferences and events where I have made some incredible memories,” she said.
“I couldn’t be happier. I have found my identity,” Hooper added.
Hooper on the key to developing listening skills
Hooper shared that for her, the key to developing listening skills is to understand that listening is fundamental to your success as a leader.
“Once you realise the consequences of not being a good listener, you will soon try and build this skill. Half the problems in the industry are caused by the speed at which we operate instead of stopping and listening before acting,” she added.
Hooper noted that all her work in the mental health space had opened her eyes (and ears) to the importance of listening before acting.
“We are all just individuals with our insecurities and need to belong. The more we listen, the more we hear this,” she said.
Hooper also highlighted the necessity of having genuine curiosity. She explained: “People share a lot of BS around ‘active listening’, ‘repeating back what they have said for clarity’, ‘body language queues’ etc. – but you don’t need to demonstrate you are listening if you genuinely are.”
Hooper hopes attendees of the Mediaweek Academy take away the importance of disruption in the industry and having different skills take the lead.
“We have historically been made up of an industry of extroverts (myself included). Introverted leaders will rise with the disruption and different skills needed in our industry.
“If we can create a group within the Mediaweek Academy session dedicated to helping introverts be heard, I would see that as a success,” she added.
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Top image: Mediaweek Academy Superstar Chloe Hooper