
Rachel Savage
Rachel Savage will be run a workshop at our Catalyst Bootcamp on 22nd August – to help young women be inspired & skilled change-makers.
Job title: Brand Storyteller
Qualifications: City & Guilds in Print and Radio Journalism (Distinction). I don’t have a degree and as far as brand storytelling goes I’m self-taught.
Why did you become an environment/sustainability professional?
It always bothered me how people and corporations treated the planet when I was a teen. I can remember being intrigued by a group of activists on a stall in the town centre where I lived, taking some anti-McDonalds posters home and having them on my wall alongside a plethora of goth bands.
What was your first environment/sustainability job?
My writing career began when I was lucky enough to work my way up from volunteer to Deputy Editor for The Big Issue (South West) and a lot of the articles I wrote back then covered the environment and sustainability. Years later this experience put me in good stead for my first 100% eco writing role.
How did you get your first role? I’d registered with a creative recruitment agency after returning from a trip to Australia and they put me forward for a job with The Environment Agency. It was all pretty easy and straightforward.
How did you progress your environment/sustainability career? I started off working in the Environment Agency directorate that dealt with environmental regulation and legislation of big business.
A year or two later, I plucked up the courage to apply for the Environment Agency’s Corporate Writer & Reporter role and was delighted to get it. A few years later (after having kids) we moved to Dursley and I started working for Ecotricity as their Staff Writer & Content Manager.
What does your current role involve?
I’m now a self-employed brand storyteller with my own business called Brand New Story. I’ve been developing a piece of brand storytelling work for changemakers in business and the third sector to create a powerful brand story that speaks from the heart and helps to skyrocket their brand.
How has your role changed over the past few years?
Leaving Ecotricity was a tough decision. On paper, it was my ideal job. But I wasn’t fulfilled. It was really scary for a long time. Three years later, things are starting to take off and I’m really excited about what the future holds.
What’s the best part of your work?
I love it when people start to see the power of their own story, or when the creativity flow / serendipity gets to work and the magic happens.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Admin and making sure I’ve always got the right amount of work in the pipeline.
What was the last development/training course/event you attended?
I attended a mastermind taster session called enACT with two amazing women called Tamsen Garrie and Niki Matyjasik. During the session, I got to ask fellow business owners for help in an area of my business I was struggling with. Self-employment can become isolating if you let it, so it was really good to talk things through with some nice people.
What did you bring back to your job?
Clarity on who my business is aimed at, a new direction and a to-do list that I’m thrilled to be working through.
What is/are the most important skill(s) for your role and why?
Writing, obviously. All my work is writing based. Also, being able to tap into my intuition when I’m working with clients. It took me a while to have the confidence to share my ideas and insights with people but it always makes for a better story. Honesty too, if someone’s brand doesn’t look and sound the best it could be it’s my job to share that with them.
Where do you see the environment/sustainability profession going?
I think the world and the existing story of how we all live, work and do business is in transition. We can’t carry on living like this and I think the philosophy of people like Charles Eisenstein and others like him will come to the fore during the next few decades in order to help us evolve.
Where would you like to be in five years’ time?
I’d like to be living out Brand New Story’s vision of changing the existing story of ‘business as usual’ from one of corporate greed, inequality and environmental destruction to a new one of practicality, responsibility, compassion and well… love.
It’s all about changing the system from the inside and helping businesses to become more heart-centred in their words, actions and products or services.
What advice would you give to someone entering the profession?
Listen to your heart, follow your instinct and take care of yourself first.
Contact info https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-savage/ @brandnewstoryhq (Facebook) @brandstoryqueen (Twitter)
To find out more and book your place at the Catalyst Bootcamp on 22nd- 24th August visit