If you’ve noticed a difference to MyPass®’ digital presence lately then it’s likely due to the arrival of our newest, most Scottish team member, Rachael Munro.
Rachael joined MyPass® in June as our Digital Marketing Lead and has had an immediate impact on this area of the business. We sat down with her to learn more about her background in Marketing, experience moving halfway across the world and her journey with MyPass® so far.
So Rachael, when did you first hear of MyPass®?
I came across MyPass® when a good friend of mine referred me to Alex Goldrick, our Growth & Strategy Lead who also has an Executive Search practice. He was advising me on the local job market because I’d just arrived in Perth so didn’t have any contacts. He knew of this opportunity in the communications team and because that’s my skill-set, he put me in touch with the team. After being offered an interview I was very impressed with the hiring process because it was thorough so I thought it was a really good sign that you didn’t skip any corners. As it was quite rigorous, it made me feel as though you were protective of your work culture and wanted to make sure I was the right fit. I felt very confident that you were doing your due diligence. So that’s how I heard of MyPass®, and I don’t want to fill you with hot air, but I’ve never felt so comfortable and welcomed within a new role. I actually really see a future and hope to be part of the long-term goals. I feel very lucky to be part of the team.
You mentioned moving to Perth, where you were living before that?
I left Scotland over five years ago. I’m from a town north of Edinburgh and I’ll always consider it to be home, however, adventure called and I wanted to broaden my perspective and get out of my bubble. I did a bit of travelling in South East Asia and then moved to Wellington, New Zealand where I stayed for three years working in the digital team of a creative marketing agency. I worked with a broad range of clients across different industries which was such a great experience. From there I moved to Sydney for a year and then found myself working in a little pub in rural Western Australia for a few months, before arriving in Perth just before lockdown.
It wasn’t my intention to stay away from home for this long and much to my Mum’s dismay I’m still loving life from the other side of the world.
What was the most 'Australian' thing you saw when working in the outback?
A kangaroo in a pillowcase being fed by a little bottle was quite unreal for me. Also, those big Bobtail Lizards were everywhere but they scare off snakes so they’re friends. And lots of mullets! When I was out there I received some great advice from a customer at the pub who said:
“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” I thought that was brilliant.
How did you get involved in Communications?
I studied Marketing at Uni in Glasgow and after graduating in 2013, I interned in a Social Media team in Edinburgh which turned into a full-time gig. I love finding the right words to communicate effectively and landing on a message that will resonate with a specific group. Words are my thing and I’ve always got my head in a book, so I enjoy a well-scripted ad or article. I just really enjoy communications as it’s a bit like creative problem solving – finding the right way to speak to unique audiences.
Did anything surprise you about working in Marketing?
I don’t think I expected it to be so ever-changing. It evolves almost overnight, there’s so much to keep up with especially in terms of the digital world – there are all these new technologies to stay ahead of the game. Especially social media which is a given now, it’s non-negotiable, whereas when I started out it was considered 'modern technology'. If you were doing it you were ahead of the curve whereas now there are so many different routes to engage and communicate with your audience. That was a key lesson – stay curious, keep rediscovering and keep learning.
Any particular reason for enjoying writing?
I kind of fell into it. I found I was quite good at it so I was intrigued to try new things and I really enjoy establishing a tone of voice for a new brand and working with different clients. The ability to communicate in a concise and engaging way is a really valuable tool for any company, but especially one that’s offering an innovative solution to a genuine industry problem.
Can you recommend any books?
I find myself wandering in bookshops if I ever feel stressed. This week I bought a book called “How the world thinks” which is about global philosophies that are outside the western way of thinking. This is slightly heavier than my usual fiction though!
Coming back to MyPass®, what’s been the top things on your list in your first month as the Digital Marketing Lead?
With any new job, it can be a bit overwhelming to get your head around the product, audience, the vision of the company and so on. It’s important to get to a position of understanding where we’re trying to go and what we’re trying to achieve. We’re currently working with a marketing agency AMMO and there’s some real momentum behind our growth in Australia and internationally. It’s so great to have those points around our growth strategy but also getting my head around social media, blog writing, email campaigns and these day to day activities. I’ve been working on making sure the team knows that when they need comms put together I’m the go-to 'gal' to help out.
What are your aspirations for the Marketing team?
My goal is to have an established brand and voice that’s instantly recognisable. I’d really like to have a constant flow of really unique and interesting content going out across all of our channels to really solidify our position as the industry standard. The focus is definitely on growth within Australia right now and to be regularly communicating with our stakeholders and audiences so to help drive that forward is very exciting.
Finally, if you were a type of fruit, what would you be & why?
My instinct says Pear, the lesser-known but much cooler cousin to the common apple.
