Drew’s Look Back At One Year In The Kaizen Academy

Hi! I’m Drew Munday. I love fashion, music and all things social media. After working for a short while at a small travel PR agency, I soon decided that I wanted to experience the fast-paced digital PR agency lifestyle.  I applied to the Kaizen Academy with little PR and marketing experience and was lucky enough to be one of the five selected from hundreds of applications. The academy was a twelve-month rotational training programme covering Digital PR, Influencer Marketing, B2B marketing, and SEO, all designed to equip us with the skills and knowledge to succeed in our chosen department at the end of the twelve months.

Getting stuck in with Kaizen’s London Digital PR team

One of the most exciting aspects of the six months I spent working with Kaizen’s Digital PR team in London has been the chance to work with a diverse range of clients across different industries, such as Lovehoney, Comparethemarket, Remote, and many more. The Digital PR department exposed me to the fast-paced, dynamic industry from day one. Whether it’s developing media lists or re-angling my campaigns, I have learned the importance of tailoring strategies to meet each client’s specific needs and KPIs. 

Working in such a fast-paced environment taught me how to quickly and efficiently ideate and outreach campaigns, and push ideas to meet tight deadlines. Most of all, it gave me a unique perspective on the importance of effective communication, teamwork, and relationship-building. 

A highlight has been the opportunity to work closely with an expert team of Digital PR professionals. Their mentoring and guidance have been invaluable in developing my skills and helping me navigate the industry. Whether learning the latest PR trends or joining team ideations, working in the department and closely with my manager has been my constant source of inspiration and growth.

Diving into all things Influencer Marketing

Being part of the influencer marketing department at Kaizen really opened my eyes to the power of social media and how it can be leveraged to promote our clients successfully. Over the three months, I worked with various influencers, from lifestyle to fitness. From jumping on TikTok trends, to handling communications with micro and macro-influencers, it has been an incredibly rewarding experience watching the team’s ideas come to life. 

Finally, I love how creative and dynamic the three months were. By working closely with our influencer clients, I aided the development of successful, authentic content that resonated with our client’s target audiences and drove real results. 

SEO

As a complete beginner to all things SEO, Kaizen’s amazing SEO team taught me the ins and outs of the industry through one-to-one mentoring and training sessions while gaining practical experience working on some of our biggest accounts.

Overall, I am so happy with how far I have come. Both my personal and professional growth have been so much greater than I ever imagined. I’m so proud of myself for securing a full-time position as a Digital PR Assistant; I can’t wait to continue my growth and contribute to this incredible growth marketing agency’s success!

My key highlights: 

1. Securing coverage for my clients in top-tier publications such as Metro, Daily Express, Huffington Post, The Sun, LadBible, and more.
2. Working with some of my dream clients, such as Lovehoney, Comparethemarket, Lenstore, Travelbag, Remote, and many more. 
3. Pursuing further education on the side of my full-time role by completing a Level 3 Digital Marketing apprenticeship 
4. Building valuable connections within the industry

If you’d like to learn more about Kaizen and what we can do for your brand’s online visibility, get in touch today!