Christina Darling
Christina Darling is the Founder and Co-Owner of multi-award-winning Prime Mix Marketing Ltd which is a strategic marketing agency for business owners in SME to large B2B organisations, in the Technical, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Defence Sectors.
She helps them raise their profile through extensive strategic expertise and Prime Mix Magic!!
- Tell us a little bit about your business…
Prime Mix turned ten at the end of 2023 and over that time we have perfected taking the stress out of businesses marketing. Whether it’s marketing consultancy and strategy, social media marketing, mentoring and training, or PR, we bring a dynamic mix of ideas to any business.
- How did you get into the industry?
I graduated from University with the B.Sc. (Hons) Degree in Biology so I probably haven’t had the classic route into marketing. In fact after my degree I went into sales and then studied with the Chartered Institute of Marketing. I’ve had various client side marketing roles which lead into management before then establishing Prime Mix Marketing after the birth of my second daughter. My varied background has given me knowledge and experience to help me run Prime Mix Marketing for over 10 years which I’m immensely proud of, in a industry that has changed so much over that decade.
- What are the biggest opportunities and challenges in your industry?
There’s a real skills shortage within the marketing industry, where graduates have mainly just focused on their digital marketing skills, the knowledge about why and how we do strategic marketing is lacking in many organisations. We are embracing AI as way of enhancing certain aspects of marketing tasks, but the human thought process of strategically creating and promoting a successful business is needed more than ever in a competitive and crowded marketplace.
- How would you describe your leadership style?
I’m a very positive leader and support the team to use their own initiative and creativity to in turn support clients. Bringing new ideas to the table is very important to us so I always aim to inspire every member of the team so they feel valued. My business partner and I feel very passionate about maintaining a work-life balance as working mothers, particularly as juggling our family commitments in previous roles has been challenging. Family comes first and that ethos is echoed through the team.
- How do you get the most out of the people who work for you?
Health and wellbeing within the team is very important. We are widely known for our flexibility, can do attitude and that drive for going 110% for our clients and this wouldn’t be possible without a motivated team. Rather than considering ‘how we get the most out of the people who work for us’, for us we encourage and train staff to reach their full potential to help them share our vision for service excellence.
- What are the most crucial elements to your business running smoothly and being successful?
Our ability to adapt and pivot the business when the market changes keeps our offering fresh and exciting. We have never been short of clients and have grown the business organically because of being creative but also consistent in our service delivery. We are a strategic business and always have our eye on the numbers and being organised is critical for a profitable business. Of course we are experts in multitasking, which is second nature to us and we have mix skills and experiences within the team that we embrace. Communication and setting targets has underpinned our successes in the last 10 years and never be afraid to change if things are not going to plan.
- How has the past 12 months been for you?
The last 12 months has been an an exciting time for Prime Mix and our team. Our tenth anniversary has given us time to reflect and plan out the next phase of growth. Having a rebrand has marked this milestone and the business community has embraced our new look. Recently we are attracting clients who want to look strategically at the business, going beyond the day-to-day tasks of marketing which is where our strength lies. Strategic marketing consultancy can breathe life into a stale business and refocus sales to enter new markets.
- What will the next 12 months look like for your business?
Currently we are responding to the demand for marketing consultancy, particularly in manufacturing and the defence industry. Our offering for these sectors will be fine-tuned further providing a go-to offering to fully flex our capability and capitalise on our experience as professional marketeers.
- What are the highlights of your career so far?
The highlights of my career so far has been creating a successful business that can be flexible around my family. Women face many career challenges due to having children but I’m always of the mindset that if it’s not something that fits with me, I’m going to create something myself to change it. I’m a driven self-motivated professional, and being a woman doesn’t change that.
- What’s the biggest business mistake that you’ve learnt from?
I think many business owners find this too but being a busy fool and not focusing on what is profitable. My time is precious and learning to manage time allows me to prioritise tasks. Being a new business owner comes with a steep learning curve and sometimes we have to make tough decisions to the achieve the greater picture but maintaining integrity has meant that our business goes from strength to strength.
- What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
Listen to the marketplace, understand your customers and clients, and what they need and want will means that your offering will always be in demand. Also, the saying that ‘turnover is vanity profit is sanity’ has helped me view the business from a controlled and objective perspective, making sound business decisions. Running a business is a rollercoaster but by embracing the challenges, it can be the ride of your life filled with endless possibilities.
