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Helen Trevorrow - Agency Owner

Helen Trevorrow studied Communication Studies at Trinity & All Saints College in Leeds, before getting her first professional break at a London PR agency via a work experience placement. With over thirteen years experience she has worked in-house and in agencies, in particular spending time at Ketchum working with the likes of Hugo Boss and Max Factor.

In 2005 Helen launched her own PR agency, Green Row, with the aim of providing “honest advice that helps clients transform their businesses”. Green Row provides strategic advice and runs campaigns for large, small and start-up companies, as well as providing a range of PR training.

We spoke to Helen about her career to date, about her experiences setting up and running Green Row, and her advice for budding communicators.

By Unicorn Jobs

How did you first get into PR?

I had a telesales job selling industrial cleaning products in Maidenhead, so when I secured a work placement at a PR agency in Kensington I virtually flew into Paddington station! Once there, I got my feet firmly under the table and did whatever I was asked to do and lots more besides. I was lucky and they asked me to stay.

Did you study PR at university? If so, how useful has it been in your professional career?

Yes, I studied Communication & Cultural Studies at Trinity & All Saints in Leeds. And yes, what I learned there is as relevant today as ever. It was a fantastic practical course which looked at the way the media shapes public opinion. It couldn’t have been more true or relevant.

Tell us how your career progressed after that first job in Kensington?

I found PR really suited me, especially the agency life. I’d had part time jobs since I was 12 years old and was used to manically juggling tasks and projects. That constant juggling really suited me. I’ve worked in-house as well, in New York, in media, but really I am a consumer PR and an agency person through and through.

You now run your own agency. How did Green Row come into being?

I set up Green Row in 2005 from the spare bedroom and it just went from there! Initially I ran the company from my home, though when a client delivered 20 palates of coffee product on an articulated lorry to my house, we knew it was time to step things up and get an office! We had to set up a human chain with the neighbours to get all that coffee in the house.

How would you say Green Row differs to other agencies?

We are really honest and down to earth! We balance larger clients with the many small businesses and start-ups that we train and help

What does your role at Green Row currently involve?

I still handle some of our media relations work myself – selling stories into journalists. Nothing excites more than getting a really good bit of coverage. I got a full page corporate profile last week and I was delighted. However, alongside that work I also do a lot of training and client management and, of course, all those bits and pieces that go into running a successful business

Give us an idea of a typical day at work

There is no such thing as a typical day!

Usually I’ll come to the office for 9.15am and meet with the team to discuss what will be the key focus of the day or week. Then I’ll check out all the papers and web news services, normally over a cup of tea. I try to speak to clients on a regular basis, so will probably make some calls next. And If I’m lucky, then I’ll get to take a journalist out to lunch!

In all likelihood, we may be working on a strategy document or new business pitch, so we will set aside time to give that some real thought. We do lots of PR training as well, so once a week I will spend the afternoon training an SME or entrepreneur on how to do their own PR.

Tell us about some recent projects

Eleasha (our Assistant Account Exec) blew up 150 footballs for our Arniston Bay World Cup promotion. We were also nominated for a Green Award for Best PR Campaign for Thandi wine, and last week the team sat in on a laser eye surgery operation for one of our clients.

Do you think social media is having a big impact on PR as a profession?

Yes, but it’s only eighteen months old. I think there are a lot of charlatans around pretending to be experts. I think it’s a very natural fit for PR people to seamlessly integrate social media into their campaigns and that is where it should sit. But I’m very interested to follow the progression of traditional media too. I think it will be a great loss to society if independent traditional news reporting is lost because it’s no longer commercially viable

What advice would you have for anyone considering a career in PR?

Get lots of work experience and read the media.

What kind of people do you hire?

Those who can role their sleeves up and get stuck in. Also, street wise people with common sense, you can teach the rest.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The sheer diversity. I feel like you get to be backstage of everything, you know how to read between the lines.

What’s the worst thing about your job?

Don’t be so negative!

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

I’ve done so much weird stuff that it would only sound like showing off to anyone who wasn’t there! Every PR knows what I mean. I’ve launched a ship, an enormous big sixteen storey ship, smashed the champagne off its side and waited as it bounded down into the sea. Not many people get to do that at work on a Tuesday morning.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that we couldn’t find on the internet.

It could have all been so different, I was the lead singer in a band called Shovel. We nearly made it!