Isla has worked as a consultant for some of the biggest names in business: Virgin, Sainsburys, Volkswagen, Balfour Beatty, Enterprise, Nokia to name just a few. She has fantastic breadth of knowledge of the approaches taken by businesses in a really wide range of industries. Isla prides herself on making things happen. Isla founded Ruby Star, selects our associates and is the person you are most likely to meet at your initial meeting. Connect with Isla on LinkedIn.
Melissa is a sales gladiator. She honed her skills in the toughest sales arena of them all, the car sales-room. With 20 years’ worth of experience in the automotive industry, including 11 years dedicated to training, coaching and developing effective sales teams. As well as a number of successful published courses and approaches she is a one-woman sale-skills whirlwind. She is passionate about showing people how to avoid that cringe-worthy shiny-suited approach which gave the automotive industry such a bad name.
“Presenting Queen” Catherine specialises in moving people from panic to poise when it comes to how their present themselves and their business. She understands how vital it is to be able to communicate confidently and effectively if you want to develop and grow your organisation. You can read more about Catherine’s work on her website or follow her on Twitter @presentingqueen.
Rachel is the master of supreme-systems and effortless organisation. If disorder is holding you back, or you don’t have the right things in place to keep track of your business Rachel can get everything back in control in no time. When she isn’t supporting our clients Rachel also keeps a lid on the creative chaos that we generate at Ruby Star Associates. You can read more about Rachel’s work in her outsourced assistant business here, follow her on twitter @rachelwarhurst, or find her on LinkedIn.
Adrian is our resident expert on not-just-for-profit structures and charities. He is a recognised, approved and accredited provider of advice, consultancy, training and research to various social enterprises, charities, sector bodies and other organisations.Adrian brings great knowledge of the changing environment and policy context in which social enterprises and charities operate. You can read more about him here or follow him on @adrianashton2.
Ruth has a background in facilitation and training, and is an expert in customer service and a whizz on social media. Over the years she’s worked with some big brands, grown her own company and advised others on how to grow their business. She has a real eye for an opportunity and is great at helping clients to find the untapped potential in their team or business model. She also LOVES Christmas way more than anyone should and once volunteered as a Christmas Elf in a garden centre.
Al is our marketing guru, with a particular strength for all things techy and whizzy. He knows almost all there is to know about relationship marketing – the technical term for making your customers feel really special. He’s worked for businesses big and small, including Bright Grey Insurance, Borders Design House, The Bathroom Restoration Company, Weloveretro.com and the Brightside Brewing Company. Al was one of the Ruby Star Associates’ first clients and we liked him so much we made him part of the family. Find out more on LinkedIn – Al.
Serial entrepreneur Stuart learnt about sales the hard way! He started his career at 16 and went on to apply his sales skills to a series of successful business-to-consumer businesses, including rapidly growing his own garage business to £1m turnover. His successful, human, but unconventional (by the standards of the industry) approach to sales quickly attracted the attention of the big players in the motor industry, before a return to his entrepreneurial roots, training in sales, negotiation and leadership for BMW, Nissan, Peugeot, Citroen, and of course… for us.
Kate Carney is the voice, eyes and ears of your customers. She can quickly put herself in your customers shoes to give a perspective that it’s hard to get when you’re busy building your business. If you need strategic marketing input and advice, it’s Kate you need. With a background of all things, marketing, innovation and customer Kate has gone on to establish STITCH as a unique provider of insight into the real experiences learners have on their college or Apprenticeship programmes to increase retention and lead conversion.
Anthony specialises in social and market research, and keeps us armed with the science that underpins everything we do. A truly multi-disciplinary professional, he is really good at casting the net widely to ensure we draw ideas and innovation from all relevant sectors, fields and sources. Anthony originally joined us on a funded internship and hasn’t managed to escape yet.
