Enterprise Nation

This home business owner has clout. Big brands come knocking at her door asking if she’ll access her global network of young minds and offer advice; advice on branding and targeting the teen/youth market. She’s a star act. She’s Ruby Pseudo.

When did you start your business?

Officially, I probably started around March 2008, although I’ve been writing under the name Ruby Pseudo since the late 90s... I’d left a full time job with Edelman to consult for them, work at Advertising Agency Wieden and Kennedy as their Youth Planner and continue my retained work with brands like Nike, etc. The work I was being offered whilst at Edelman just meant that push kind of had to come to shove... Never a bad thing, although as a phrase, it’s an odd one...

In a nutshell, what does the business do?

Brands often make an arse of themselves with warped views of the youth market, we help them connect with kids across the world to stop that happening through goose-bump insights and a no bull policy. They often hear about the kids, we help them hear from the kids.

How do you identify your contacts/network across the globe?

It actually has quite an nice way of working itself out... Kids introduce other kids that they know can do the job and almost ‘edit’ for me... No kid is going to introduce someone who compromises the work they already do with Ruby, so it works out pretty nicely... Also, it’s that whole global village thing, the Internet has given us quite a few ways to get in touch huh?!

Your clients include Nike – very impressive – how do you promote yourself so that these top brands come across you?

I actually worked for Nike for two years before my retained work, as their head of Consumer Insight and Ideation for the UK, but other brands tend to come across us through the blog, or by word-of-mouth, often within house. We don’t actually do any promoting, we’re just a bit vociferous, I think that helps.

Do you work from a dedicated home office?

I work everywhere, from coffee stores with Internet access, to any place I can find free to sit in at Wieden + Kennedy. I prefer working from home, however, and have just moved house to have an extra room to  work in and write from. I also brought at 1910 antique table that can seat everyone. It has extendable sides and makes me terribly happy. On top of that, my biggest dedication is probably clearing my Blackberry at night, as long as that’s working, I can be anywhere.

What does Rosie do? And does she come work with you at home each day?

I have Rosie a 23 year old working with me, Tarik a 19 year old, Ellie another 19 year old and Shaun, who’s about to turn 24. On top of that, of course, there is the network itself and a roster of freelancers. They all have different roles, but we all chip in and do what needs doing... Rosie and I used to live on the same road before I moved, now I’m about 4 minutes away, I don’t think it’s too long a way to walk...

What are your plans for the business this year?

To grow with grace.

Do you think more young people will go self-employed/start their own business? If so, what one piece of advice would you offer to a corporate looking to market their brand to young people as business owners?

I believe this next generation of business minded individuals has the greatest capacity and resource to start their own businesses, many of them are already running their own nights, clothing ranges, and everything else besides. On top of this, they understand the essence of being brand in their own right as they are the brand. Social networking and everything else besides has meant that these kids are aware of how they present themselves and this translates in to business. Corporates need to know that this is an optimistic and highly adept generation, who – as we always say – don’t want to be like brands, but want brands to be like them. Underestimating them would be one of the worst things to ever do. Ouch... 

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