During her time as head of influencer marketing at MediaCom for two years, Ana Thorsdottir consulted and worked with some of the biggest consumer brands including Mars, Coca Cola, Brand USA, Suntory, Shell and Boots, all while using the Tagger SaaS software that helped make her team more efficient and MediaCom’s profitability higher.Now, Thorsdottir is the head of business development and partnerships at Tagger Media. She works closely with Hannah Monds, MD of EMEA, to grow the award-winning business and also helps the marketing team with global strategy and thought-leadership content.She tells us what her day is usually like as a remote worker pre-lock down, and how things may have changed.
panel with Takumi, GLEAM, Tanya Burr and Ana

7am:

I’m guilty of checking emails and LinkedIn as soon as I open my eyes! Since joining Tagger, I’ve always worked remotely and so my days are very flexible and varied. I’ll usually go to the gym or for a swim but lately, I’ve been getting into running due to the lockdown. On a “normal” day, I’d then head out for a breakfast meeting, which is typically three times a week.I work in multiple time zones so platform demos and meetings may also happen during the morning hours with UAE and Asia.While I walk or commute, I usually listen to upbeat Latino music or podcasts. I’ve recently been intrigued by The Missing Crypto Queen podcast, and I enjoy listening to The Property Podcast to learn something new. A colleague also recommended The Anxious Achiever, where leaders tell candid stories about mental health in business. If I don’t have much time, I’ll listen to something quick that lifts my mood and sets the tone for the day like The Daily Boost.As for all of us, March was due to be a manic month for me and I was really looking forward to a lot of events ― award ceremonies, a speaking arrangement in Qatar, a pitch in Dubai, and preparations for YMS London, New York, and San Francisco. 2021 will definitely see a busy social calendar for us all.

9am-12pm:

If I’m not at a (virtual or non-virtual) breakfast meeting, I’ll go to a café or near my next meeting area and focus on generating new leads. On a normal day, I’ll go to events, conferences, and networking opportunities so every day is unpredictable and our output is based on our input so each day is exciting and flexible. Networking has been a challenge as of late but we’ve found fun virtual ways to make this work.

12pm-1:30pm:

I do a lot of my meetings over lunch, so I’ll always see someone different every day. It’s invaluable to get this time with talent agents, agencies, and brands. Constantly being in touch with industry contacts helps me keep my fingers on the pulse of this rapidly changing industry, regulations and the talent within it. These have inevitably been swapped for virtual Deliveroo lunches now, which have proven successful.

1:30pm-4pm:

After getting back to more emails, I’ll discuss proposals with potential clients, and prepare for pitches the next day or week. We’ll often pitch several times a week and want to ensure every potential client sees the platform perform best for their own personal needs and ambitions, with Tagger as a key partner and not just a SaaS provider. Bigger enterprise pitches take up days of preparation and sometimes require travelling abroad, too. Even at a time like this, we’ve had some exciting new business wins, which proves the value, the quality, and the need for the product.
influencer marketing show

4pm-5pm:

I’ll usually spend a few hours researching for the next partnership or writing a thought leadership piece for our Tagger blog. I work closely with our CMO Diogo and our director of content Kelsey, and we’ll have a call to make decisions about our next thought leadership pieces, our guest contributor topics and PR tactics and upcoming global event sponsorships.

5pm-6pm:

Our friends in L.A. and NYC are in the office by now so once a week we’ll have a catch-up call discussing sales updates, client needs, product developments or have a marketing brainstorm. I always reserve this time for our HQ as it’s important we connect with the founder, CEO and CMO on how our P&L is doing. It’s nice to have a smaller, close-knit team and be able to feel on top of everything that’s happening in our global offices.

6-7pm:

I’m lucky because I no longer have a regular commute and most afternoons I work from home or in a cafe near my flat. This means I’ve got more time to plan and cook dinner as well as getting more quality time with my partner, so I’ve been enjoying that! My partner owns his own business down the road from us so we’re lucky to be able to enjoy early and long evenings together. I’ll also use this time to catch up with my family in Bosnia, Italy and friends in Iceland ― this is the only reason I still have Facebook.

7-8pm:

Although I always keep an eye on my emails, I make sure this time is taken to switch off from the day and not reply to anything unless it’s urgent. I usually check Instagram or read Quora, which can be a bit of a rabbit hole of insight and intrigue. Recently I’ve been obsessing about property investment or watching YouTube videos about something new I want to learn before I head to bed for Netflix time. I’ve been enjoying Patricia Bright’s new channel called The Break Platform or researching the ins and outs about business ventures from international digital nomads.

8-11pm:

I’m in bed by 9pm and 11pm is when it’s lights out. I feel the healthiest and most energetic when I have a good morning and evening routine, so I try to keep that up as much as possible even when I travel. I even manage to keep coffees to just a couple per week! With flexible and remote working, it’s important to set boundaries and look after yourself so I try not to neglect this and keep a good balance.

Want to feature in the next lockdown edition of A Day in the Life? Get in touch content@talkinginfluence.com

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