At Manchester Digital, we like to interview our members to find out a bit more about what they do and their work in the Greater Manchester digital and technology sphere. This week we're speaking with Lucy Roue, Managing Director of Time and Tide Content.
What does your organisation do?
Time and Tide Content is a full-service consultancy based in Manchester.
I founded the business after years spent in regional journalism including roles with the Manchester Evening News where I was business editor for 12 months and regional commercial editor for two years.
Time and Tide Content enables working journalists to deliver top-notch content into businesses with me acting as an account director and content strategist on every account we win.
What do you think is currently the biggest issue facing the digital and tech industry?
Gender equality is a massive issue in the digital and tech space. We need to help get more local talented girls into STEM subjects and give them the self-confidence and skills needed to pursue a tech career.
What is your organisation’s biggest achievement?
My biggest achievement is getting this far! Within our first week of business, we onboarded four clients and ‘hired’ four freelance creatives.
It is also making a profit from day one and I can see it growing quite rapidly because of the flexible business model.
What would you consider to be your organisation’s biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge we have is getting people to understand the model as it’s quite disruptive. We only work with NCTJ-trained journalists to create content for businesses. But they all still working in the media and have full-time jobs.
With Time and Tide Content we let our writers work around their other commitments including work, family life and social commitments. We don’t ask them to do any of the PR work, as it’s a conflict of interest, and we pay them via freelance contract on a weekly basis.
What do you think the future looks like for Manchester’s digital and tech sector?
Exciting! Manchester is one of the best cities in the world to work anyway but to work here in digital and tech puts us all in a really favourable position.
I think we will continue to grow as the original tech superpower of the North and lead the way in gender equality in the industry – especially with programmes like Digital HER from Manchester Digital, which is an amazing initiative to be involved with.
Tell us something we might not know about your company?
It was launched two days after I got diagnosed with ADHD. I always knew I wanted to run my own business and be my own boss but I didn’t have the confidence and self-belief until I got my diagnosis and understood myself better.
I’m lucky to have some really great cheerleaders around me and those that keep me grounded too (my boyfriend Dan). Going forwards I’d really like to support national ADHD charities and help others get the help that they need – especially if they can’t afford to go private!
Thank you Lucy!
