Angel Gaskell is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and marcomms expert with over 20 years at the forefront of marketing.
She has faced the challenges of running an agency during the COVID-19 pandemic and generated £2.5 million in turnover working with household names, Fortune 500 companies, and challenger brands. She is now working on her newest venture, The Alternative.
- Tell us a little bit about your business…
The Alternative is a marketing studio without borders which harnesses the power of fusing human creativity and technology. Our team is a creative force with experts from a number of sectors, but it also operates the ALT AI Academy, which trains businesses looking to streamline their processes and increase efficiency in their marketing with artificial intelligence. The final piece of the puzzle is the ALT Associates, a group of industry specialists on board to provide deep insight into client work across a range of specific niches.
2. How did you get into the industry?
I started in a bustling ad-sales team during the dot-com boom. It was a challenging environment for a young professional, but I wasn’t afraid to push for more and drive excellence from early in my career. It was from here I decided to take my skills into the world of marcomms, and over the past two decades, I’ve dedicated myself to becoming an industry expert and business leader, managing and scaling a successful agency throughout innumerable challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic. Since exiting, I’ve launched my newest venture, The Alternative – a global marketing studio designed for the future of AI, marketing, and creativity.
3. What are the biggest opportunities and challenges in your industry?
The biggest opportunity for the industry right now is AI. With its enormous potential it has to streamline, energise, and revolutionise how we manage clients and projects, embracing AI is no longer optional. Used correctly, it leads to more free time for strategic thinking, human creativity and driving tangible business results, which can drive business growth up to and beyond its full potential.
However, the key challenge with AI is the multitude of tools available in comparison to the time we have to get to learn, understand, and implement them. The difficult task is being able to identify the ones that truly drive efficiency and when money and time are on the line, we have to find the best solutions quickly and with little to no financial risk.
It’s a bit of a balancing act, but myself and the incredible team around me are constantly working to find the perfect blend of AI-powered solutions that will propel our marketing efforts forward. We’re not only using our knowledge and expertise with AI to help support other businesses with their integration of AI, but we’re also leading in identifying the best AI to use for the industry through the AI Gig List, a newsletter which anyone cans sign up to.
4. How would you describe your leadership style?
My leadership style can be likened to Marmite—polarising yet impactful. Just as Marmite evokes strong opinions, my approach can spark passionate discussions and diverse perspectives. I believe in hiring the right people who share a commitment to authenticity and transparency; this trust in my ability to lead encourages an environment where everyone feels empowered to express their ideas. Some may find my assertiveness and directness refreshing, while others might see it as challenging. Nevertheless, like Marmite, I thrive on bringing my true self to leadership, resonating deeply with those who appreciate boldness and clarity. My style fosters robust dialogue and values differing viewpoints, leading to innovative solutions. Whether loved or loathed, my leadership presence is unmistakable, driving change and engaging others to embrace their own uniqueness—with a clear understanding that, like Marmite, not everyone will love it, but those who do will thrive.
5. How do you get the most out of the people who work for you?
Getting the most out of the people who work for me hinges on three core principles: trust, accountability, and authenticity. I try my hardest to foster an environment of trust by encouraging open communication and actively listening to my team’s ideas and concerns, which enhances collaboration and builds our undeniable sense of style. Accountability goes hand in hand with trust; I ensure that everyone understands their responsibilities, promoting a sense of ownership over their tasks and time.
6. What are the most crucial elements to your business running smoothly and being successful?
By cultivating meaningful relationships with both my team and clients, we encourage open communication and creative thinking. In today’s transformative marketing era, we have to staying relevant. This commitment to relationships and ongoing learning is business critical.
7. How has the past 12 months been for you?
The past 12 months have been transformative. Launching The Alternative five months ago and seeing a successful first quarter has been a joy and we’re already elevating such incredible businesses across the UK, Europe, and beyond, with clients such as Mutt Motorcycles, Oasis Group, and delaware.
Since launch, we’ve made it a top priority to work with people and businesses we truly believe in and to make important hires that believe in The Alternative way to bolster our fantastic team, which is what we’ve done with the launch of the ALT Associates programme. Our unique expertise and dynamic thinking are already making waves within the world of marketing, and we can’t wait to see it continue.
8. What will the next 12 months look like for your business?
The next 12 months will see us continuing to do things The Alternative way, with our current turnover already being projected to be £1 million. We’ll see further rollout of the ALT AI Academy to help future-proof other businesses and their marketing teams through the adoption and integration of AI. We’ll also continue to build out our ALT Associates programme, ensuring our clients are receiving better and more tailored services and are fully supported by industry leaders in all areas of work.
At the heart of what we do is client delivery, and in that way the next 12 months won’t be too different. While we continue to educate and expand, our core pillars will remain – to deliver impactful, creative campaigns and work with people we believe in.
9. What are the highlights of your career so far?
By far, it’s launching the Alternative. Having lived and breathed the marcomms with a successful agency, it became clear that brand and customers needed an alternative approach, enabling them to maximise marketing output, whilst not compromising on quality. Being able to produce this change with The Alternative, igniting the post-agency rebellion, and supporting so many businesses with the immense potential of both tech and human creativity, have been one of the highlights of my career.
10. What’s the biggest business mistake that you’ve learnt from?
The biggest business mistake I’ve made was ignoring my gut. I’ve learnt that our instincts are there for a reason. They’re constantly guiding decisions based on what our experiences, our skills, and our goals, and they shouldn’t be ignored. Advice and perspective are key, but letting it drive decision making can often lead you astray.
11. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
I am the voice inside your head’ – highlighting the importance of internal dialogue and intuition in decision-making.
