Founder of popular Northants discovery platform launched marketing company following third redundancy
The founder of a popular Northamptonshire discovery platform on social media has launched her own marketing company following her third bout of redundancy.
Emily Askew is the founder of NorthantsHour, which has been running for 13 years to promote what’s on, where to go and what to do across the county, and her latest venture From Socials launched in July.
After nearly a decade-and-a-half of giving her time to NorthantsHour and funding the platform herself, Emily has managed to secure paid partnerships to make the platform financially stable while still championing local businesses.
Having been made redundant from her marketing and communications role this summer, Emily took the leap to start From Socials by bringing together her professional marketing experience and everything she has learned through running NorthantsHour.
She believes there are many founders who know how good their businesses are, but their social media does not reflect that quality and it can be disheartening at the lack of engagement – which is where Emily steps in to assist.
Emily helps with strategy and content that shows what makes businesses worth noticing. This is achieved through social media audits, planning sessions, generating content ideas, photography and video creation, hands-on support, ongoing marketing help, and event and campaign support.
“There’s so much to celebrate in Northamptonshire, and one of the things I love most about running NorthantsHour is getting to meet the people behind our local businesses,” Emily told the Chronicle & Echo.
“I love hearing how they started, why they took that leap and how much their business means to them. Often I come away from a visit thinking that more people need to know about this place, and that feeling is what’s kept me doing this for 13 years.
“When you spend time with someone in their business, you notice things that don’t always come across on their social media. The thought that’s gone into every little detail, the warm welcome they give their customers, the knowledge they’re so happy to share.
“To them, it might just be what they do every day, but to someone discovering them for the first time, it could be the very reason they decide to visit. I absolutely love helping people see that.
“I know putting yourself and your business out there can feel daunting, especially when you’re already juggling so much. Sometimes you need someone alongside you who can see what you’ve built, get excited about it with you and help you find the words and confidence to show it.
“That’s why starting From Socials felt like such a natural next step. There’s a real person behind every business, and it means a lot to be trusted with their story. I want more people to discover them, walk through their doors and appreciate what they bring to our towns.”
Emily says launching From Socials is something she has always wanted to do, and she was faced with the decision between going straight back into another full-time job or taking advantage of the situation she had been dealt.
Talking about the feedback she has received since launching the business, Emily said: “It’s been amazing for people to say I’ve done so much for them and now they want to support me.
“Trust is something you earn over time. I’ve spent 13 years showing places and experiences I genuinely believe are worth sharing. I understand strategy, building an audience and I care about helping people’s businesses succeed. I put everything into it and I’m invested in them being seen.”
Looking to the future of NorthantsHour, Emily wants to continue growing the platform and its highly popular monthly what’s on guide to bring more people to the county and spending money.
When it comes to From Social, Emily is building a career that gives her freedom and is passionate about forming long-term relationships. She has had a great start as the PR and marketing consultant for Corby in its bid to become the UK’s Town of Culture.
“I’m passionate and want to help,” Emily concluded. “I want to be the missing piece when someone doesn’t know what to post and feels lost. I want to help businesses with their social media so it’s something to remember and when people are asked how they heard about them, they respond from socials.”