Getting to know... Rachel McBryde

In a new feature for Bdaily looking at the person behind the business profile, Rachel McBryde, founder and director of Newcastle-based communications agency McBryde & Co, talks about what sparked her love of writing, her delight at helping businesses tell their stories and how she made an impression on music superstar Beyonce.

We know you as the founder of McBryde & Co, but who is the person behind the title? Tell us a little about what makes you tick… 

Did you always want to work in marketing and communications?

No, not directly. I always loved writing, and I wrote my first ‘book’ for my sister when I was 11, called Charlotte and The Frog. 

One of my English teachers suggested I could use my writing skills as a journalist, so my Year 11 work experience was at the Morpeth Herald, and from there I was hooked. 

I went on to study journalism at university, and my first job in the industry was for BBC Worldwide. 

I got to work on Top of the Pops magazine and Radio Times. 

Eventually, I wanted to move back to the North East from London, but it was hard to find a job in journalism, so I hopped the fence and went to work as the media manager at Gateshead Council before moving agency side. 

I’ve been in communications for more than 20 years. 

What’s the best bit about your job? And the worst? 

I love meeting people and finding out what makes them tick and what their aspirations are. 

When I meet a client with a compelling story to tell, and I can help them tell it, that makes me happy. 

That might be growing their business and creating jobs, or a public sector client looking to deliver positive change in local communities. 

You get to meet so many different characters, all with various talents and skills; it’s a gift to step into their world. 

And because I’ve worked in the North East for so long, and it’s a compact place, I am often able to join the dots and make introductions to my network that help each other out. 

There is admin in every job, and it’s not the most thrilling, but you have to get on with it! 

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? 

Aside from my children, I’m proud to be able to offer people fulfilling jobs in the North East that enable them to live their lives, to pay their mortgage, go on holiday and buy the things they want. 

It’s a privilege to have that opportunity.

How do you relax outside of work?

I discovered sport in my 20s, and after a long period competing in triathlon, I now focus on riding my bike(s). 

Last year, I toured around the Western Isles of Scotland, and I also took my kids to Les Gets in the Alps, to experience downhill mountain biking. 

I find cycling incredibly freeing, and I am drawn towards big, open, natural landscapes you can get lost in, where you have no choice but to stay in the moment, concentrate on your surroundings… and stay upright. 

What makes the North East such a great place to live and work? 

It’s a place where you can balance work and life quite easily. 

From my home in the countryside, I can be at our office in the city centre in 25 minutes door-to-door – it’s a far cry from my slog from A-B when I lived in London. 

I love that the coast, countryside and city are so closely linked, which means you can wake up on any given day and have a different experience. 

The business community is also extremely open and supportive, and that has been invaluable on my business journey so far. 

Tell us something about you we didn’t know…

I’ve competed in the European Ironman Championships in Denmark, and I’ve interviewed Beyonce twice – she told me I have great eyebrows! 

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