Why working at Hedgehog is just like riding a horse
BY JANE SALTER
Hi. I’m Jane Alderton Salter: equestrian, fashion-fanatic and account manager at Hedgehog Agency. I’ve been riding horses since I was 2 years old. It’s my everything. There’s something about strapping on my bridle and feeling the vibrations of the canter (the three beat gait between a trot and a gallop) of my beautiful horse Dolly, my 9-year-old warmblood. I never thought I could enjoy anything more than my experiences with Dolly until I started working at Hedgehog earlier this year. Here are five reasons why working as an account manager at Hedgehog Agency feels just like riding a horse:
1. The compassion for animals
I’ve always struggled with the notion of being placed on brands that don’t treat animals ethically. Owning a horse means that I’m a huge animal lover (Dolly is my baby, and I treat her better than I do myself)! In the past, I always kind of accepted that working in agencies meant that I had to sometimes work on clients with whom I didn’t share the same moral compass. But that all changed when I started working with Hedgehog. Hedgehog Agency believes in taking on clients that only do good for the world — in the medical, charitable, food and fashion space. They decline brands that are not ethically-minded — which means that I’m guaranteed to work on a whole host of clients that treat animals well. (Heck, our CEO is an animal, a hedgehog called Hilda).
2. The hurdles
Riding a horse comes with lots of hurdles. Physical ones. That you have to jump over. The same can be said about working at Hedgehog Agency. We’re constantly being faced with metaphorical hurdles and obstacles — and the fun part is strategizing how we, as a team, can jump over them.
3. The exhilaration
Riding a horse is truly thrilling. An adrenaline-charged rush courses through your veins as soon as you step into your stirrups. The same can be said about working at Hedgehog. From pitches to coming up with killer ideas to getting a crazily low cost-per-click on a Facebook ad — every day is filled with electrifying excitement, that leads you wanting more.
4. The ride
I’m more than just an account manager at Hedgehog Agency. I’m an office manager, project manager and controller. This means that I manage the team’s time. I make sure everyone makes deadlines. And just like a good project manager, I ride our team until everything’s done :)
5. The win!
Dolly and I have participated in a lot of horse competitions. We’ve also won our fair share of them. I used to think that there was nothing more exciting than winning a horse comp. But now I know the feeling of scoring a new job. Of winning a big pitch. Of astounding your clients. Even Dolly would have to agree, that there really is no better feeling.
If you want to see a 4-minute video of me riding a horse (compiled by our fantastic copywriter, Millie) please click here.
