Q&A with Vincent Wood, Content Executive

The content team is growing with Vincent being our most recent hire in the department. So we sat down with him to chat about all things Vincent, including his experience in the industry, his hobbies, his coffee blog and more.How did you get into the industry?

I’ve had a passion for writing and storytelling from a young age and ended up doing a Creative Writing degree. I wanted to work in a field where I could utilise these skills and fell into copy and content writing. I’ve had a few career detours since then but nearly 10 years later and I’m still doing it!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love the opportunity to be creative, even within set parameters. Some people think copy and content writing can be quite rigid, depending on who or what you are writing for, but I see it as a puzzle. What word will elicit what response? How can I provoke a reaction in 150 words etc.?

What’s your favourite campaign or client you’ve worked on?

In a previous role, the opportunity to write about mental health issues came up and while it was heavy going at times, it was extremely gratifying to see the responses it garnered and to feel you’ve produced something that may genuinely make a difference to someone.

Best achievement in your career so far?

Although not strictly copy and content, I’ve had a few short stories published and won a couple of awards. Nothing of major notoriety or importance but I still cling to them with immense pride because I produced them off my own back for my own self-satisfaction and they’ve been recognised for whatever others have seen in them.

Any tips or advice for your younger self, when you were starting your career?

Don’t lose faith. The amount of times I’ve been out of work or struggling in an in-house position for an industry I don’t really care for have driven me to the brink of quitting and changing careers many times but I genuinely love my craft.

So if you have a passion for it, just keep on keeping on, it will eventually get better if you enjoy what you do and are prepared to put the work in. Maybe not overnight but it does happen.

What does your ideal weekend look like?

Recovering from a Friday night gig seeing mates by hiking up some remote mountain or wandering in some untouched woodlands. Taking some time to read or write and then getting home in time to spend a few hours with my baby niece before watching an Arsenal game on telly (preferably one they’ll win) in the evening with a takeaway on its way. If it’s not another night out then it’s jumping online to remind the lads who’s king at Mario Kart.

Do you have any interesting or not so interesting hobbies or interests?

I have a coffee blog called www.GetBeand.com. I used to be a barista so I am very passionate about my coffee. I also, rather sadly, collect Sonic The Hedgehog merchandise. I have no idea why, he was a childhood icon and was created the same year I was born so I just became obsessed with the character and now my house looks like a shrine to this super-fast, blue woodland creature.

Thanks, Vincent! Sounds like you’re offering yourself up as the official Honchō barista…

Connect with Vincent on LinkedIn for agency news & content updates.