Jane Imrie
Jane Imrie on amplifying stories.
Jane Imrie is a freelance comms and content consultant with a knack for weaving compelling stories. With a background in marketing, journalism and PR, Jane knows that a great story won’t necessarily resonate unless told in the right way, to the right people. For our latest Studio Series, she tells us about her monumental pivot into the world of marketing, how flexibility helps her stay productive, and what she’d like to change in the world.
Photographs by Christopher Owens
Tell me about your background and career.
Writing has always been one of my strongest skills throughout my life. As a child I was writing stories and poems almost nonstop, and - true story - even made one of my teachers cry with a particularly poignant poem when I was just nine years old!
After graduating with a Media & Cultural Studies degree and nearly a decade of doing necessary (but decidedly uninspiring) jobs, I decided it was time to get back to my creative roots.
I then did the boss-level of all career pivots: moving into affiliate marketing, then onto B2B journalism, before finally settling in PR and content.
Tell me about your roles, what do you attribute your success?
I have been working as a freelance comms and content specialist since June 2023, offering PR and communications consultancy and delivery as well as long-form content writing such as blogs, case studies, articles and more.
I work with SMEs, agencies and arts & culture organisations, helping them to identify, craft and amplify the stories that matter to them, their customers and the wider world.
As a former business editor, I have a unique insight when it comes to how journalists choose stories and what will - or won’t - land with various media. My skill as a writer means I can communicate stories in an effective and engaging way to the right audiences.
What do you love most about what you do every day?
I love looking at a company or organisation and playing detective: finding the hidden stories within their day-to-day operations and threading different parts together to create a compelling narrative.
It can be really difficult when you’re in the thick of a business to see beyond the idea of “look what we’ve done, isn’t this great?” and examine how your news actually fits into the wider world and what would interest audiences.
I provide an invaluable outside perspective, identifying the hooks that journalists and readers will genuinely be interested in to gain quality media coverage or create rich and engaging long-form content.
Have you had to make sacrifices in your chosen career, and have they been worth it?
When I decided to pivot into a more creative career, I left a secure permanent role to become a temp, where I processed PPI claims for a national bank from 3pm until 10.30pm every day.
This freed me up to volunteer as a marketing assistant for a national charity in the mornings and take a marketing course at my local university in the afternoons.
Looking back, those were long days - often I was out of the house from 8am until close to midnight. They were absolutely worth it though, as they led to me securing an account executive position at a marketing agency and taking my first steps towards a career in content.
“As a child I was writing stories and poems almost nonstop, and - true story - even made one of my teachers cry with a particularly poignant poem when I was just nine years old!”
What are some of your daily rituals and why are they part of your routine?
After being woken up promptly by my cat for his breakfast at around 7am, I make myself a decaf oat mocha and get set up at my desk, popping on Spotify DJ of course because I absolutely work best to loud, guitar-heavy music.
After a productive morning I normally take a break in the afternoon and get some exercise if I can. I like to go to the gym before the 5pm rush, do some yoga, or if the weather is nice I’ll opt for some Vitamin D in the park. I often come up with my best ideas while I’m exercising which is a nice bonus!
Once refreshed, I’ll do more work in the evening, aiming to wrap up by 9pm at the latest where possible. If I’m feeling lazy, I’ll rewatch a comfort show like Peep Show or Taskmaster with my partner. If I have more energy, we’ll often head out to a local comedy or music gig.
What does work/life balance look like for you?
Work/life balance is an absolute non-negotiable for me. Having worked for a long time in jobs and industries where long hours were expected as standard, I’m very outspoken about asserting boundaries and protecting my time and energy - and encouraging others to do the same!
Luckily, now that I manage my own business, I’m able to choose what my working pattern looks like, and honestly it’s been transformative.
For me, flexibility is the ultimate motivator - I’m more than happy to work into the night on projects because I know I have the freedom to have a long lunch with a friend or take the afternoon off.
How do you stay focused and productive in a world of distractions?
I’m definitely a deadline-driven person - when I know something is time-sensitive I get my head into it and get it done. I’m also very organised and live in project management platforms as well as spreadsheets of my own (clunky!) design.
I also try to work in tandem with my natural energy ebbs and flows instead of sticking to a traditional 9-5 structure. I’ve learned that I tend to work best in the mornings and the evenings, so I plan any tasks and meetings accordingly.
“Having worked for a long time in jobs and industries where long hours were expected as standard, I’m very outspoken about asserting boundaries and protecting my time and energy.”
If you had the power to change the world, what would you change?
There is no small answer to that question; I would do so much if I could. It’s unfathomable to me that in 2024 we have the level of wealth disparity that we do - we’ve got more billionaires than there has ever been, yet huge numbers of people are still struggling to survive.
I believe that individual social responsibility should directly correlate with level of privilege. As a relatively middle-class person in reasonable health with a comfortable lifestyle, I feel it’s only right that I have more responsibility to give back and create change than someone in less fortunate circumstances. To me that just makes sense.
I’m really passionate about social mobility - opening up opportunities for people from all backgrounds is the only way to get anywhere near an equitable society. The odds are still very much in favour of the few, so I’d love to find ways of breaking through socioeconomic barriers and ensuring the right people get seats at the tables of power and influence.
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