WORK ANNIVERSARY: 3 x HURRAY for NADJA!

MILESTONE! Precisely three years ago, a young lady called Nadja Borstlap started her first day at MARNIX and ALLY as a junior PR executive. Three years later, Nadja has grown into a full-on PR consultant with a knack for beauty and fashion. She’s our ray of sunshine and our always-in-a-good-mood colleague (always!). We sat Nadja down for a nice chat to find out how she experienced the past couple of years and how she sees her bright future at M and A. Read on!

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who is Nadja?

I would describe myself as an ambitious, enthusiastic person who wants to get something positive out of every day! I try to tackle everything with a smile, because why waste time being moody when a simple act of kindness makes everything so much better already? Family and friends mean the world to me and I wholeheartedly value these relationships. I have a big heart for animals. In fact, for every living being on this planet.

I am a hard worker, passionate about my job and I have a wide range of interests which make me want to know everything about anything. After my working hours you can often find me in a cosy restaurant or bar with a tasty drink, great food and good company. Or at the movies, I simply love being in a movie theatre, these places really got a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’. Furthermore, I love to dance and I’m a sucker for pretty, colourful things!

What is your role at M and A and how did it evolve over the years?

After leaving school, M and A immediately offered me a job opportunity and I was over the moon! Since it wasn’t just my first job, I immediately hit the dream job jackpot. I remember starting off as a junior PR account, very eager to learn. Soon I got to extend my working field by managing the social media of M and A. It was very instructive and inspiring to be able to experience both these sides. Today, I’m proud to say that I’m working at MARNIX and ALLY as a full-on PR consultant with a rucksack full of expertise in beauty, fashion and social media!

I create and implement fully-fledged PR and influencer strategies and maintain the relationship between different brands and external media partners. I tell their story by writing content and finding the right match with influencers/content creators. Over these past three years I have been given more responsibilities and have grabbed these opportunities with both hands. Sometimes you have to take the plunge and just do it. This way you learn so much more than you can imagine!

PR is ever-changing. How do you keep up with the latest trends and changes?

Actually, we are trend forecasting all year round in order to be ahead of the upcoming trends and changes. So we don’t get caught up in “what’s hot now.” It’s important to think beyond today in order to be ahead of tomorrow! My top 3 tips?

Stay inspired: Read articles that have to do with PR (concerning fashion, beauty, influencers, social media, etc.) Follow current affairs to be in tune with what’s going on in the world. Or listen to inspiring podcasts about relevant subjects.

Network: Regularly talk with colleagues, journalists, influencers and entrepreneurs about their experiences and activities. These conversations will surely spark ideas!

Get out of the office: Go out and observe what people are doing, wearing and buying. A change of scenery inspires you to think out of the box.

Do you feel you are still being challenged? That you are still growing?

Absolutely! The fact that PR is every-changing means that new opportunities, challenges and projects keep coming my way. Every brand is different and requires a specific approach and result. This alternation is what keeps my job interesting and challenging. Every day is a new opportunity to grow!

I love to help different (young) entrepreneurs launching new brands and advising them to adapt their brand to our modern world. To give an example, when Miss Rona came along: the arrival of the pandemic called for a different approach and outlook. We had to come up with a win-win situation; a learning opportunity for both parties.

How do you feel in our little M and A club?

Having an inspiring job is great, but having amazing coworkers you can consider as friends is even better. Challenges become more fun when you get to overcome them together! I think we complement each other perfectly and create incredibly beautiful things as a team. Besides that, I strongly believe in M and A’s vision: to support purpose-led brands with great esthetics in order to make the world a better place to live in.

What about ending with your favorite quote? Or song? Or something that really describes who you are?

Look for something positive in each day, even if some days require you to look a bit harder!

A big thank you for your hard work, you big smile and these kind words, Nadja. Happy work anniversary, here’s to many more!