TGT Meets... Juliette Keyte - IWD Special

This time in our series of International Women's Day interviews we talked to Juliette Keyte, Marketing Manager of Flight Club, the Social Darts venue that's taking over.

Name: Juliette Keyte 

Location: London 

Occupation: Marketing Manager  

Which woman would you compare yourself to or aspire to be like? 

There are so many women that I admire and aspire to be like. Whether it’s close friends who have gone through and overcome personal challenges, or the likes of Malala Yousafzai who has incredible resolve and determination, Michelle Obama who operates with dignity and class whilst being strong and successful in her own right, or Adele who is unashamedly herself, talented and also uses her platform to raise awareness about the Grenfell tragedy.  

Each of these women, and many others I have huge respect for share the same qualities; they’re strong, they put their head above the parapet for things they believe in making sure their voice is heard and they are hugely talented. I admire their confidence, ability and dedication.  

What’s great about your role within your business? 

I’ve worked at Flight Club for over 3 years; from the early days when we’d just launched one venue. We now have 5 venues; three in London, one in Manchester and another in Chicago. I’m proud to work for an exciting innovative brand, to be part of its growth and development, and to be part of a team who are passionate about what they do.  

Within the business, our marketing team may be small in size but we’re two strong women and I’m proud of our achievements together. Within my role I have autonomy and ownership which allow the freedom to deliver the best possible results for the company. This level of trust and respect is hugely rewarding, and I love seeing our ideas come to life. One of my favourite moments was launching Flight Club Manchester; I went to uni here and had my first job here. I love the city so much, so to bring Flight Club here was nerve-wracking and exciting all at the same time. 

Do you think it's important to have an International Women's Day? 

The obvious answer is that every day should be International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day. However, until we reach a more balanced state, I think championing Women globally will never be a bad thing, so why not have this as a platform to make a stand on.  

Do you have family (and/or children)? How do you maintain a work/life balance? 
 
I don’t have children, but I think it’s vital that whether you have 5 children, no children, and anything in between, a work life balance is key. Personally, I love living in cities and the lifestyle that comes with this, but I also love the countryside, so getting fresh air and a bit of space is really important to me. This industry and job comes with peaks of activity when we have new launches, so weekend work naturally occurs. It’s important to know that when this happens, you have to acknowledge it, and make sure you get the balance back afterwards.  

Your life can’t all be about work, because then I think you risk not being able to see the wood from the trees and having perspective on what you’re doing.  

Have you ever had to give up or miss out on anything in order to pursue your career? 

I think it’s challenging as a woman to ‘have it all’, so it’s about what ‘all’ means to you. Have I had to miss a couple of dates? Yes. Do I think I’ve missed out? No. The industry I’m in is very much a 24/7 lifestyle, so I know that checking the odd email out of hours is part of the deal. I’m incredibly sociable and if anything my job’s helped this - I visit some of the best bars to see what’s working, and what isn’t and I get to share this with my friends too.  

Do you ever experience any discrimination in the work place because of your gender? 

In short no.  

In my experience men have a natural confidence, that women have to push themselves harder to develop and act upon. There’s a study that says men will apply for a job if they’ve got 60% of the credentials, whereas a woman will only apply once she has 100%, which I definitely think is true. In work I push myself to speak up when necessary and I think having that voice is important.  

What advice / tip would you pass on to the next generation of women in Business? 

First of all, back yourself. Know what you’re capable of and don’t apologise for it. You can always learn from a mistake, so it is always better to try something than wonder what if. And not just because the wondering what could’ve been will drive you mad otherwise.  

Most of all, always be kind. There seems to be this myth that you have to be tough to succeed in business, which is absolute rubbish. You never know what will happen in your life and career, and there may come a time where you need help or support, and the people around you will remember how you’ve treated them. Nothing good will come from throwing people under the bus or not helping someone. Being kind and supportive will always make you feel better than holding grudges or putting yourself ahead of others.  

Do men ever feel intimidated by your success? 

I’ve had experiences with different reactions - some, positive, some confused as to how a woman could be ambitious, or why. It's challenging because there is rarely surprise at men being ambitious, and no matter what people's views are regarding my determination, I will never apologise for being ambitious. 

If you could have dinner with 5 inspirational women dead or alive, who would they be? 

Michelle Obama, Stacey Dooley, Adele, the Queen and my late grandma Phyllis. The more well-known names because I think they’d each have incredible stories; imagine the Queen on equal terms and how many people and events she’s encountered, plus I think they’d all be great after a few gins, and Adele for karaoke has got to be a winner! Finally, my grandmother because I sadly never met her, but I know she was a strong woman if she raised my mother, who has instilled these values in me, so I’d love to have that opportunity to sit with her.  

As a successful female, where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? 

I’d like to run my own business at some point in my life. I really enjoy organising events, so something around this – I’ve inadvertently helped with a few weddings, as well as previous jobs running conferences and some pretty great parties. It’s about the right idea coming along and seeing where that takes me.  

I also see myself being potentially more involved in my Dad’s business. It’s a family company, started just under 20 years ago, and is something I take great inspiration from. I’ve always been part of the company, and I feel there’s an opportunity to take on increased responsibility if needed. My father’s instilled in me that it’s never too late to try something new, put yourself out there and ‘If it was easy, everyone would do it’, which are values I live by. 

I also think it’s important to pay it forward, so I’d like to be a mentor in some capacity, helping to guide someone in their career as many people have helped me in my journey so far.