Victoria Taylor, Founder & Experience Consultant, VictoriaTaylUK
Victoria Taylor is a human-centred experience consultant and international speaker, who puts different in experience. Her purpose is to help brands become leaders in experience. She gets brands to ‘Raise-the-Bar’ in experience by thinking different, creating different and doing different. She consults on audience, employee, customer and brand experience, working with boutique businesses, fortune 100 brands, and everything in between. She works closely with the hospitality industry. She's a proven customer experience leader who brings together the digital and physical worlds, transforming experience at every moment and interaction someone has with a brand. She tells her clients that they need to Make People Matter, by putting people at the centre of decision making. Victoria is far from finished and her mission to Raise-the-Bar in experience continues, one day at a time, one brand at a time, one experience at a time.
What is your favourite social media platform?
That's a close call between Instagram and Linkedin. Instagram is a place where I am able to flex my creativity a little bit more, but both platforms provide great places to build and nurture relationships.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I'm the founder and consultant of VictoriaTaylUK a UK based experience consultancy. I'm obsessed with the question: 'How can we make this better?" and I believe that all brands, no matter what the size has the ability to create exceptional experiences. Experience isn't simply a thing 'I do' It's everything I do.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
Experience is about people. Without people, you have no business. I love putting people at the centre of problem-solving and helping brands to create ideas that make them leaders in experience. You need to differentiate in experience to be extraordinary and doing that daily, with a human-first approach is the most fulfilling and exciting thing I've ever done.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Be kind with strong boundaries. You can be kind and caring whilst not tolerating c**p! It has stood me in good stead. I'm the kindest person in the world but don't cross my boundaries!
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
People inspire me. There are too many to mention. I'm surrounded by good people. I think it is really important to have a small circle of world-changing people in your life! I'm lucky I have that! they inspire me, motivate me and help me to be better.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
I'm proud of myself. I'm proud of my business. I'm nearing 10 years in my consultancy now and I've worked with some incredible brands and individuals along the way. Business aside, I'm proud of never giving up when I've faced exceptionally difficult personal challenges. So for anyone reading this facing them now... keep going. You're strong.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
This is a real mixed one for me, but I like to pave the way with my own methods. In my time, I've attended some great physical networking events but I have also enjoyed building relationships online too. I've got a number of great events lined up to attend as the world opens back up, but I will be more selective of where I network going forward. There is opportunity everywhere, so I think it is important to try new things and not get too comfortable in the same environment without trying new places, groups and ideas.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
This might sound cliche, but actually being at university. My business doesn't necessarily fully relate to my degree (I did a degree in Media and Cultural Studies) so I guess it was loosely related, but the discipline of research and building independent studies throughout my degree has really helped me in project delivery. In order to make clients differentiate in their market, research is critical to delivering exceptional. My degree also helped me to become a better writer. My time at university was full of fun too, so I really grew my experience of meeting and networking and building relationships with all kinds of people, this has been critical to my business. I also held some pretty senior positions (for my young age at the time) in organisations that helped me to become wise beyond my years, but I’m always learning and unlearning new ways.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
Everything works out and don't take it all too seriously. I enjoy every day now, I wish I'd done this more when I started.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
Creative, 100%. I'm continuously in awe of others creativity, creativity shows us difference and uniqueness. Creativity shows us, humans, in their most vulnerable and also most flourishing form. It's a beautiful thing.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
Gosh, I have so many. I'm an experience seeker of all kinds! Gastronomical, adrenaline-filled, travel based. You will find me at my happiest soaking up the rich tapestry of experience that the world offers us. I'll always choose experiences over things! I'm also a pianist, I sing (a little) and enjoy reading, listening to audiobooks and spending time with my closest friends, family and special ones. Interesting people excite me too, I love listening to a good idea over a gin and tonic, a glass of wine and some good food.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you been managing it?
Positive. The business has been consistent for me throughout, from working exceptionally hard. It has absolutely come with challenges and I think I've had to work much harder creatively than I ever have in my life. Personally, I've surrendered to the present and really enjoyed my own company more. I certainly tolerate a lot less than I did previously and I'm immensely grateful and thankful for the good people in my life. It has strengthened good relationships and highlighted ones that needed to go too! I feel like I'm more intentional with everything I do and the ability to slow down has made everything much more meaningful. Slowing down really helps you to flourish and grow into a better version of yourself.
Do you have a mentor or have you ever mentored anyone?
I have mentored a number of people over the years and have also carried out work with universities in helping to prepare graduates for the workplace. I believe that if you have the ability to help someone, then you should. The world needs more of that. I have never personally had a business mentor as such, but I am surrounded by very smart friends and colleagues who have really helped me in my growth over the years.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
Enjoy it and don't get too swept away by meaningless jargon. All brands need to connect to their people, start with people and work back from there, you'll never go wrong by putting people at the centre.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Not enough self-belief. Believe me, there were times when I could have given up, but something inside had to be very strong. In our world where social media is very dominant, try not to get caught up in others' perception of you... your own self-belief is everything that you need. Don't ever forget that.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
I do, there are a number of quotes I like. But I think quotes are pretty overused too. We all have our own and we all quote others' I think sharing quotes is easy, giving your own thoughts and ideas on them is important. It's what you interpret them to be that I think is more valuable and how you can use them for your own learning
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
In all honesty, I think a lot of independent businesses are really flying the flag when it comes to delivering great experiences. They are really raising the bar in standards of experience so the standards of customers are continuously increasing. Larger brands need to keep up with this. When it comes to large businesses, I really like Innocent Smoothies (For their ability to really connect with people through their conversations, touchpoints and interactions). I have always been a big Disney fan for their exceptional storytelling ability and imagination that inspires possibility. But, currently, I really look to organisations who treat their people well, when you create a great employee experience, this naturally flows to your customer’s experience. There is a great UK brand called Timpson (traditionally cobblers) who are exceptional when it comes to employee experience.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I think success is very personal to every individual. What I deem as success you may not, but I truly think that for me success lies in the ability to enjoy and be happy in the present moment.