The Story Behind Wild Bird Marketing
I started Wild Bird Marketing because I wanted freedom. The kind of freedom to be present. To build something that felt like mine. To have a family and still do work that lit me up. And to create a business on my terms, not the terms set by someone else.
But before any of that began, I spent 13 years climbing through corporate life.
From the studio floor to controller level
I started at GMTV when I was 18. It was a baptism of fire. I didn’t know it then, but I was stepping into the greatest learning experience of my life. No one sat me down and taught me how to communicate. No one showed me how to negotiate or how to influence. I just had to learn. Fast. In the room. In the moment. And I am so grateful for those learnings.
I worked my way up to controller level, one step below director. There was a brief stint at Channel 5, which at the time was affectionately known as “football and f***ing,” but I quickly returned to GMTV. It had become more than just a job. It felt like family.
And it was great. Until it wasn’t.
The closer I got to the top, the more out of place I felt. There weren’t many role models I could relate to. The work became less about creativity and more about delivering decisions that often didn’t sit right with my values. And I knew, deep down, that it wasn’t the life I wanted to build.
I come from a family of business owners. That seed had been planted a long time ago. And I knew I wanted to build something different, for us.
The moment everything changed
In October 2018, our team was put at risk of redundancy. After 13 years of service, I was entitled to a decent package. But more importantly, I was handed a window of opportunity. A rare moment of pause. A chance to choose.
I wasn’t brave immediately. I thought about playing it safe. Finding something local. Taking a steady role. But everyone around me kept saying the same thing. Nicole, this is your chance. Start something of your own. So I did. Eventually. I sat with it. I tested. I mapped things out the best I could. And in 2019, Wild Bird was born.
From go-slow to something that grows
That first year moved slowly. I had the luxury of a cushion and I used it. I explored. I took my time. But I’ve since learned that I actually need a little pressure. I need the edge. The push. The fire in my belly that reminds me I’m building something that matters.
Since then, Wild Bird has been the business I never knew I needed. It has shaped me, stretched me and reminded me what I’m capable of. And then, life changed again.
The two biggest milestones of all
In 2020, we had our son.
In 2023, our daughter.
They brought love and magic into our lives and also a new level of challenge.
Motherhood is no joke. Sleep deprivation doesn’t help you make sound decisions. Juggling nappies, breastfeeding and client calls isn’t glamorous. But what it gave me was clarity.
I wanted a life I could shape around them. If there was a sports day, I wanted to go. If there was a Christmas play, I wanted to be there. And now, I am. Always. That’s the freedom I built. And I would never change it.
But with that freedom comes a reality that doesn’t get talked about enough. When your work is flexible, the assumption is that you are too. So when the children are poorly, when plans fall apart, when something’s got to give, it’s often me who steps in. And while I have a wonderfully supportive partner, the balance still leans my way.
It’s a privilege. And sometimes, a pressure. But it’s ours. And we make it work. Because this is the life I chose to build on purpose.
Wild Bird today
It’s been six years since I took the leap. I’ve kissed frogs. Faced hard lessons. Questioned myself deeply. I’ve dealt (ok, maybe not fully, I am work-in-progress!) with rejection, imposter syndrome, envy, and messy middle-of-the-night fears. This business has held up a mirror to every part of me, even the ones I didn’t want to see.
But I’m grateful. Because every challenge has clarified what I do, why I do it, and who I want to do it with.
Now, I work with heart-led founders who want clarity, confidence and growth that actually feels good. I take everything I’ve learned across 20 years from corporate to creative, from micro-businesses to global brands and I bring it into the rooms that matter most. The rooms where brave ideas are born and my god do I love them!
What comes next?
Next month marks 20 years since I started at GMTV. We’re done having babies. And something in me is shifting again.
I don’t know what’s next yet. But I’m open to it. And I’ll figure it out, the same way I always have. By building the wings on the way down.