Michelle Carvill, Director, Carvill Creative and Can Marketing Save the Planet
In 2002 she founded a digital agency, Carvill Creative. In 2018 Michelle founded a social enterprise focused on preventative healthcare - The Preventative Healthcare Service. And in 2019, an online training provision, The Online Digital Academy. More recently, she has been focusing attention on supporting marketers to become more responsible and drive a more sustainable marketing agenda, to support driving profits with purpose.
In January 2021, Michelle was recognised as one of the UK's Top 100 Inspirational Business Women by Small Business Britain. In addition, in March 2021, she was shortlisted as Digital Woman of the Year and also cited by Business Insider as one of the Top 10 UK Experts in Social Media.
Michelle continues the conversation around digital leadership and sustainability via her podcasts, The Connected Leader and Can Marketing Save the Planet.
Author
'Sustainable Marketing - How to drive profits with purpose' - her fifth book, was published by Bloomsbury, 21st January 2021. Aligned with the book, Michelle has developed Sustainable Marketing and Sustainable Business Transformation courses for CIM (The Chartered Institute of Marketing) to ensure that sustainability is firmly on the marketing education agenda. In May 2021, she qualified with Nottingham Business School on their Sustainability and inclusive leadership (SAIL) course and was certified as Carbon Literate with The Carbon Literacy Trust.
She co-hosts the Can Marketing Save the Planet podcast, which is associated with The Marketing Society and developed and champions The Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, a Hippocratic oath committed to responsible marketing.
As five times published author, she's been shortlisted twice for Business Book of the Year. Her fourth book, Myths of Social Media - Dismiss the Misconceptions and Use Social Media Effectively for Business, was shortlisted for The Business Book Awards 2021 - Marketing Category. Her third book, '#GetSocial – Social Media Strategy and Tactics for Leaders', helps leaders understand social media strategically and gain confidence with social technologies and digital transformation, was shortlisted for The Business Book Awards 2019 Leadership Category.
Michelle also contributed The Future of Leadership chapter to the highly successful 'The Social CEO', published in 2019 and paperback republished by Bloomsbury in March 2021. Whilst social and digital technologies continue to permeate our lives, and social media is fast becoming a leadership core competence, the need to focus on sustainability has never been more urgent for businesses and marketers. Michelle focuses on both digital education and helping organisations focus on the sustainable marketing agenda to drive profits with purpose.
Accreditation, Awards, Recognition
Sustainability and Inclusive Leadership (SAIL) NTU - achieving a 1.1 - May 2021.
Carbon Literacy Certification - Carbon Literacy Trust - May 2021.
Shortlisted for Digital Woman of the Year. March 2021.
Finalist - The Business Book Awards 2021 - Marketing Category.
March 2021 2021 Michelle was recognised as one of the UK's 100 inspirational female business leaders by F: Entrepreneur and Small Business Britain. Jan 2021.
Named Top 10 UK Female Social Media Experts by Business Insider. March 2021.
Thinkers360 - Nov 2020 in the top 50 B2B Marketers. Top 50 influencers in Sustainability - May 2021.
Finalist - Get Social - The Business Book Awards 2019 - Leadership Category.
Speaking, Consulting, Training
For almost two decades, Michelle has championed digital connectivity, educating, implementing, managing, coaching and consulting literally thousands of people across a range of events and organisations, including the BBC, PWC, Capital Group, LinkedIn, WABCO, ACC, Air Products, West Fraser/Norbord Europe, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, Oxford Farming Conference, PR Week, ICAEW, CIM, IDM, Allbright, Professional Marketing Forum and leading agencies, charities, universities and colleges.
Michelle's had a career in strategic marketing for over 30 years, and her insights, models, frameworks and know-how are based on these years of applied experience, learning, testing, adapting, tuning in and understanding what really works. Recognised as a genuine thought-leader, she is a regular contributor to BBC Radio, the Institute of Directors, CIM and numerous magazines and trade journals as an expert in the field of social media and digital.
And whilst in Michelle's view, there's nothing like hands-on experience to truly understand real-world challenges and how to overcome them. She is a fully qualified strategic marketer, with a MA in Marketing Strategy, a CIM Diploma and a CIM Fellowship (Chartered Institute of Marketing) and a first in sustainability and inclusive leadership (SAIL) from Nottingham Trent University and Carbon Literacy Certification from The Carbon Literacy Trust.
Her style, whilst no-nonsense, combines provocation, challenge and fun. A communicator with the insight to read an audience and pitch things accordingly to meet specific needs. Michelle has worked with clients around the world, both face to face and digitally. Across various sizes and sectors, professional services, creative, PR, finance, retail, public sector and manufacturing.
To stay sane, grounded, and focused amongst all her 'plate spinning' - she's been practising yoga for 29 years - and qualified as a yoga teacher in 2014.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
I was always betrothed to Twitter, enjoying the speed and fluidity of the platform. I still do love those things about the platform, but I find myself hanging out far more on LinkedIn these days, particularly for sharing views and opinions. I also use Instagram to keep up with topics I'm interested in, which was what I used to use Twitter for. So I guess our user cases keep evolving.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I won an award last year and successfully joined the #ialso100 - a list of women who wear several hats. I still lead a digital marketing agency and keep the wheels spinning there. I am still passionate about digital connectivity - having written four books about digital strategy, so it's still a big part of my work. However, as a marketer, when I wrote 'Sustainable Marketing - How to drive profits with purpose'. It was out of frustration of becoming disillusioned with the profession and needing to help both myself and other marketers recognise the role we play in driving consumption and the responsibilities. We all have in securing a stable climate for us all to exist in.
Since writing that book, it opened up Pandora's box of insights, truths, and challenges. So, now I am even more compelled to do all I can to support marketers in educating themselves and driving change regarding sustainability, ethics, and responsible marketing. To this end, I've started a podcast, Can Marketing Save the Planet, with my co-author, Gemma Butler, and we've started to talk to organisations and marketing teams about what they need to start 'rethinking' about - to drive sustainable marketing inwards, upwards and outwards.
I've also developed training courses for The Chartered Institute of Marketing around sustainable marketing and sustainable business transformation. In addition, I took myself back to University to qualify in sustainable and inclusive leadership and carbon literacy. I've also developed a Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and along with Gemma, our mission is to align all 10.6M marketers on the planet with this 'Hippocratic oath' style commitment to responsible and sustainable marketing.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
For the past 20 years, I've been running my own business. I like the freedom, agility and opportunity to be able to change things and try things. I am always full of ideas, and so, I need that freedom. But, right now, I like my focus on helping marketers to 'rethink' what marketing is and how it can be used as a force for good in the challenge. We all face the climate crisis and the need for businesses to serve the many rather than the few.
I'm a very pragmatic human, I respect the rigour of theory, but I am all about taking action. The books I write are always loaded with practical actions steps; the training I design is always focused on providing businesses with strategy and action plans to effect change. The talks I give provide practical advice to support businesses looking at what they can do. I've also developed the resources I've developed into a consultancy model to support businesses ongoing.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Oh, far too much advice to nail it just on one. But I have two quotes on the wall behind my desk, which I tend to look at daily.
The first - is a Buddhist saying, "This too shall pass". I heard it repeatedly from my yoga teacher when I was training, and it's so true. Nothing stays the same; things are evolving all the time. So, when overwhelming hits… this is my anchor.
The other is "Run your own race". To me, this personifies 'be true to yourself,' have the courage to be yourself, do what you believe in, follow your path, stay focused, and don't worry what others are doing; just run your own race.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
Creating and driving practical impact inspires and motivates me. Hearing from people who have either read my books, attended a training course or talked with me, and then share with me the shifts and changes they've made as a result - that's what motivates me to keep going with the work I do. I'm all about action-taking. You can learn something and do nothing with that knowledge, or you can make a change and take action; it's all about the action taking that motivates me.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
My children and my work-life balance - the fact that I've been able to work on my own terms for the bulk of my working life, that's a real gift. But it wasn't handed to me, and I had to put in the work to make that happen. I'm also proud of having published five books and contributed to two others. When I see them on my bookshelves amidst all the hundreds of books I have, I still catch my breath.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
I'm open to all ways of meeting new people and networking. Of course, I enjoy meeting people online, and I also enjoy going to events and meeting new people. I've learnt over the years that there's always something to learn from everyone you speak to - and if you're open-minded and interested in what others have to say… it can often create opportunity.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
I'm a gritty northern lass, and I'm comfortable with not being in my comfort zone. I moved to London at 21 to work for Saatchi and Saatchi, and I didn't know one person in London. I think it's the fact that I'm not worried about throwing myself in at the deep end and learning, which has helped me. I think they call it 'beginners mind'.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
I still consider myself as 'starting out,' and I consider I've still got lots to learn. But I guess looking back, and I probably worried a bit too much; I'm now far more aligned, self-assured and trusting myself when I say... 'just go with the flow', it really does tend to take you to where you need to get to.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
I've got lots of creative and physical energy, but I get restless if things aren't happening and progress isn't being made. (Hence why I've practised yoga for years, to keep me balanced). So, I admire progression, disrupters and action-taker, and that often requires a whole load of courage and a maverick spirit to break out of the 'stuck in a rut', 'shackled by the past way of doing thing constraints' that we have become accustomed to. I admire strong, courageous leadership.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
I have a desire to continuously learn and try new things. I've been practising yoga for 30 years, and I teach a weekly class that keeps me balanced, but I'm always learning too. I've been paddleboarding for about four years and love it, and I need to get out in nature and have that downtime and enjoy the challenge of some northwesterly winds and the quieter moments literally going with the flow on the river. And I'm just about to start learning how to sail. I'm also very interested in wellbeing and lifestyle medicine - eating well, sleeping well, breathing well, moving my body, all are super important for my wellbeing, which is an area of real importance for me, as it should be for all of us.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
Our digital agency went remote about five years ago, and so from a business perspective, the majority of the pandemic was business as usual. However, we had a few clients struggling to access products, so we had to downsize their programs, but fortunately, they were back to business as usual when things picked back up.
Of course, people realised that digital connectivity was a vital lifeline for their businesses when all other forms of connection were limited. And so we're fortunate we haven't experienced any negative aspects. And, of course, on the sustainability side of things. I think it's given businesses a sense of the fact that we're all in this together.
The consciousness of consumers seems to have risen more quickly since the pandemic, and given where we are right now with the urgency of the climate crisis, Covid19 has provided us all with a deeper sense of how if we all move together as a collective, we can solve enormous challenges. Let's hope that momentum continues with the climate crisis.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I have never had a formal mentor. However, I would say that having worked with one of my clients for about 15 years and taking a Director role at their company for a few years, and I did learn a lot from their CEO. I learned many good things from him - but importantly, I also learned what 'not' to do, seeing first hand the impact of decisions and people management.
And yes, I have mentored people, but only a couple. I do get asked quite a lot to mentor, but I would only commit if I know I can truly give time to it, and that's been my challenge, having the time. One person I mentored was in my team and then moved on but wanted my ongoing support, and it's been wonderful to see her flourish. And another, a friend who went through a significant mid-life reassessment, a big career change, lots of self-doubts when pursuing their own business, and so it was a privilege for them to turn to me for support.
And of course, I get to see their successes, and it feels very satisfying to have played a tiny role in that.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
For someone interested in marketing - I would say it's not enough to just learn the marketing skills; you also need to really get to grips with the landscape you are operating in. So, for example, when I trained in marketing, I did a masters at Kingston Business School back in 1996, and prior to that masters, I'd done a degree in business. And whilst the 'the academic theory' is a good grounding, there is nothing quite like getting out into the real world and 'doing' to actually start learning.
So keep an open mind, be sure to get very, very commercial and understand 'what' you are doing as a marketer. Your focus should be about driving business objectives, and of course, now, as a responsible marketer, you want to ensure that those objectives aren't just tied purely to profitability but also consider people and the planet.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
I suspect lack of self-belief, someone always bailing you out - so you don't have the determination to succeed or lack of self-esteem? It's not in my gene pool to give up (unless I recognise it's totally futile and makes sense to), and I'm very happy to fail - as that's how I've learned over the years. It probably comes down to mindset. That great book by Carol Dweck, you either have a growth mindset where you believe you can do anything or you don't.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"Those that aim for nothing hit it with remarkable accuracy." - Zig Ziglar. It's probably in most of my slides at some point.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
I've been working on my own terms for so long that I think I'm probably pretty unemployable, but I have always said I would work for Patagonia. They're not getting everything right, but they're pretty close.
I also love the organisations, Who Gives a Crap and VivoBarefoot. In fact, these are all BCorps, and I've interviewed a few BCorps, and the BCorp movement is getting it right for sure.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I define success by the choices and freedom I have in my day to day life. I'm not tied to my desk, and I work the hours I choose to work that fit around my family and life; I have good health, a healthy and loving family, with all the usual challenges that bring me to keep life interesting and more than enough 'stuff.' None of those aspects' just happen' you've got to work for health, family, love, freedom and choice. So, for me, that's what success boils down to.