From Apprentice to Senior Account Manager: Chelsea's Journey at Lesniak Swann

In the world of marketing and PR, starting as an apprentice and climbing up to senior manager status in a decade is a pretty big deal.

Now a Senior Account Manager at Lesniak Swann, Chelsea Haddon started her career after impressing recruiters in 2013. Despite having no background in marketing, she was welcomed onto the team as an apprentice, ahead of 200 other applicants.

Chelsea sat down with Agency Hackers News to share her ten year journey and reflect on the time she has spent with the B2B marketing agency.

A Surprising Start

Chelsea’s journey began in an unexpected way.

She joined Lesniak Swann as an administrative apprentice, not knowing much about marketing.

“I literally didn’t know anything about marketing before I started here. My previous job was at a leasing agent, and I was just doing admin,” she recalls. But it didn’t take long for her to catch the marketing bug.

Just three months in, she switched over to an Account Executive role. “I started learning about marketing and what marketing agencies do, and that’s sort of where I got the interest from.”

Growing with the Company

Lesniak Swann turned out to be the perfect place for Chelsea to grow.

The agency was, and still is, all about helping their team grow and progress.

“They really push us to develop. They will help us to do the training courses that we need to do,” she explains. And Chelsea took full advantage of this, completing two CIM courses, a mini MBA in marketing, and leadership training.

“Throughout every stage, they’ve always supported me.”

I’m really looking forward to having my own team and being able to help people that are just starting out on their career
Chelsea Haddon

Building Client Relationships

Chelsea’s role evolved a lot over the years. She’s built strong relationships with her clients, managing some accounts for up to eight years.

She shared: “I’ve really enjoyed seeing long term accounts succeed and our ad campaigns being successful. It’s really nice when you put in all of that hard work, and you see the results.”

The way Lesniak Swann handles clients is thoughtful and results-driven, with Chelsea adding: “We don’t just do stuff for doing’s sake.

“For example, we routinely challenge our clients to ensure we’re giving them the best service.”

A Positive Work Environment

Chelsea is very vocal about the positive culture at Lesniak Swann, especially after a rough experience with a previous employer. “It was the most toxic environment possible,” she says. “Then I came for the interview here, and it was just like a house on fire straight off.”

And this supportive atmosphere is a big reason that so many team members, including Chelsea, have stayed for over a decade at the agency. This in itself is a huge testament to the work the senior team puts into fostering a nurturing and positive environment for staff to grow.

Lesniak Swann also runs a great apprenticeship and internship program, which Chelsea finds rewarding. “We run a joint intern scheme…and we’ve had some really good feedback. We actually let them work with real people on real accounts, which works really well,” she says.

Now Chelsea gets to help her own team and mentor new apprentices in the way she was supported in her early days.

Looking Ahead

Chelsea is looking forward to the future, aiming to take on even more responsibility.

“My next step would be to become an Account Director. I’m really looking forward to having my own team and being able to help people that are just starting out on their career,” she shared.

Chelsea’s journey at Lesniak Swann shows how starting with an open mind and grabbing opportunities can lead to great things. Her story is not just about personal success but also about how a company that supports its people can make a big difference.

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