At Missive you don’t have to ask to work from home or leave early to hit the gym. The team is trusted to get the job done to a high standard. And they’re rewarded with a multitude of additional benefits to the norm, including holidays abroad, cash bonuses and an annual wellbeing allowance, on top of interesting work that keeps them challenged.
Emma, what is so exciting about tech PR?
Working with tech clients means working on something new and evolving every day. Our generation is living through the technology revolution and working to support the tech industry means we are the centre of modern culture and living. Our client portfolio keeps us challenged and our team finds that exciting. We try and focus on clients that have an impact on the world and people’s lives, so our briefs include weapons detection technology, mental health tech, global R&D labs, and payments solutions in emerging markets.
Tech matters and there is nothing more exciting than that.
We have particular specialisms in mobile telecoms and fintech, as both are pivotal to the strength of both the British and global economy and life for global citizens. Tech matters and there is nothing more exciting than that.
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Why was Missive founded?
Missive was founded four and a half years ago to achieve two things. Firstly, we wanted to leave PR in a better state than we found it. We don’t believe in PR for PR’s sake and we never accept briefs where we don’t think we can make a material impact on a client’s business. We are honest and flexible and are very results focused.
The second reason was to create an outstanding place to work where people have ownership of their career and are able to work in a way that suits them. At Missive, you don’t have to ask to work from home or leave early to hit the gym. Our team is smart enough to get the job done to a high standard and enjoy the life they want; we don’t need to babysit them. And, most importantly, we pride ourselves on our compassionate culture, where everyone is treated with respect and warmth. If our clients’ businesses are performing better and our people are healthy and happy, then we’re achieving what we set out to do.
How do you reward your team?
We make sure that our pay and benefits package is broad, generous and attractive for everyone. As well as above-industry-average pay and matched pension contributions, our team receives an annual bonus, new business commission and a cash bonus for employee referrals. Our benefits package includes £500 annual wellbeing allowance, additional holiday on your birthday, flexible working as standard, unlimited fancy coffee, monthly socials, ad hoc gifts, a paid sabbatical after four years, £1000 a year to spend on training, enhanced maternity and paternity and more.
We have shaped our business so our team can super-charge their career and hopefully one day have a seat at Missive’s board table.
Every year we take the whole team away on holiday to a destination beginning with ‘M’. We’ve been to Malta, Manhattan, Montisi in Tuscany and this July, we are off to Marbella. But reward is about more than just this stuff. We have shaped our business so our team can super-charge their career and hopefully one day have a seat at Missive’s board table. As of this year, every member of staff owns a bit of Missive as we have gifted share options to mark our fifth birthday.
Watch now: What is it like to work at Missive?
What are the benefits and disadvantages to working in a small PR agency?
I can’t speak on behalf of all consultancies but, at Missive, the benefit of our size is that everyone is truly involved in directing and shaping the business for the future. We are a close-knit team of 15 people and, while we grow year on year, we work hard to keep our family culture alive, where everyone is treated with respect and kindness.
Another benefit of our size and independence is that we can make changes and ad hoc decisions whenever we choose. Shall we all upskill in content marketing? Sure, why not. Shall we find an energy tech client? Sure, why not. Shall we all down tools and play tennis at 4pm? Sure, why not. One disadvantage is that we have to work harder to network and be known than some larger consultancies, but our clients do a good job of referring us. And there aren’t 100 other people to socialise with, but that’s why we are based in the biggest co-working space in central London. We think it’s a win-win.
What will Missive look like in five years?
Missive will undoubtedly have grown because the moment you stand still is the moment you begin to decline. Our PR skillset will have diversified to take us down new, exciting avenues and, whilst we already represent a number of large businesses based in Europe today, you can expect to see Missive take on more of an international presence.
You will see us campaign publicly for improving workplace standards across industry, as this was a founding principle of Missive.
We will continue to strengthen the level of senior council delivered to startup, scaling and big tech businesses, fuelling their growth and expediting their success. Even more of our big day to day business decisions will be made by Missive’s team and some very talented individuals will be running some big exciting portfolios. You will also see us campaign publicly for improving workplace standards across industry, as this was a founding principle of Missive. In short, we intend to become the most sought after tech consultancy around, so watch this space.
What do you look for in new recruits?
We look for potential, not performance, so the right attitude is key. We are impressed by open-minded, thoughtful people who are willing to try something new, give their very best for our clients and develop personally. Missive is grounded in a philosophy of quality, so high standards are important to us. We also have a track record of hiring those who challenge us with new ideas and aspirations to innovate on Missive’s behalf. We would like the talent pool for PR to diversify as the richer the pool of talent, the better able we are to serve the world’s organisations and individuals. The PR and communications industry has so much to offer a diverse workforce; it’s exciting, ever-changing and highly rewarding.
