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“Words Were My First Love”: Charli Nordone’s Journey from Writer to CEO

2 weeks ago

Charli Nordone’s journey to being The Writer’s CEO has not been the typical rise to the top.

She joined The Writer in 2010, starting as a copywriter and trainer. Little did she know, this would be the first step in a much longer journey. Charli spent three years at The Writer before making a bold move to launch her own business – a food walking tour company in London.

  • “I had this urge, an itch, to go and set up my own company,” she explains, sharing that her love of food and the inspiration she drew from her travels was a huge part of setting up the successful business.

The experience proved invaluable, teaching her vital skills and giving her a new perspective on leadership. “Words were my first love, food my second love,” she shared. After five years of running her own business, she felt it was time to reunite with her first love, and so she re-joined The Writer in 2018 as Head of Training.

When she returned, her career really took off. 

Within six years, she progressed through various leadership roles, including Creative Director, Group Creative Director, and Chief Creative Officer, eventually stepping into the role of CEO in April 2024. 

Charli’s leadership style is characterised by a deep understanding of the business and a genuine care for the people within it.

Her years spent working as a copywriter and creative leader have given her a very unique insight into the challenges her team faces daily. 

If you write in a way that people can easily understand, it helps customers, employees, and the business as a whole.

Charli Nordone

“I know the pain points,” she says. “I’ve gone through all the scheduling problems they’ve had, or the fear that comes with a tight deadline when you’ve got to be creative in tight pockets of time.”

As CEO, Charli has taken on the financial and operational responsibilities that come with the role, but she remains firmly grounded in the creative side of the business. “I didn’t expect to be in Excel spreadsheets as much as I am,” she admits, but notes that her passion for the work comes from knowing that behind each figure in the spreadsheet, “there’s a person or a process, and I know that person, or I know that process.”

Looking ahead, Charli has ambitious plans for The Writer. She’s determined to elevate the role of language in business, a mission she’s been passionate about throughout her career. 

“Words have the power to change – brands, businesses and the bottom line – I want to prove that through the
work we do.”

One part of this vision is Charli’s hope to make The Writer the leader in ‘accessible language.’ “Everybody benefits from that,” she explains. “If you write in a way that people can easily understand, it helps customers, employees, and the business as a whole.” 

Despite the challenges of stepping into such a high-profile leadership role, Charli’s transition has been smooth, thanks to the support of her team and her figuring out her work-life balance. Something that became especially clear to her after becoming a mother. “I’ve got a better balance now than I had in my earlier career, because of the little boy that knocks on my door at the end of the day, and gets me closing my laptop.”

  • For Charli, leadership isn’t just about driving the business forward—it’s about nurturing the next generation of talent at The Writer.

“I’m keen to work on bringing up the next group of people,” she says, highlighting her desire to restart the company’s apprenticeship scheme.

As The Writer continues to grow under Charli’s leadership, one thing is clear: her journey from copywriter to CEO is a true testament to the value of passion, creativity, and a willingness to take risks.

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