Print HERStory Month 2026: Victoria Blackwell

1) What does “making your move” mean to you at this stage of your career?

My career in print started in 2010; every job I’ve done has added another piece to the puzzle. From learning the tech by running machinery, understanding the processes by working in prepress, getting closer to customers in a design studio, and eventually shaping how brands communicate as a marketer. Many hats have been worn!

So right now, “making my move” isn’t about changing roles again or reinventing myself. It’s about using everything I’ve learned over the last 15+ years and bringing it together in a way that has real impact.

In my current role as Group Marketing Manager, that means shaping how our brands work together, strengthening our story, and helping the wider group grow. It’s about momentum, pushing things forward, and taking the people around you with you.

2) Can you share a moment when you took action that moved your career forward?

One of the biggest moments for me was changing jobs in 2023, and again last year!

I’d been with my previous company for several years and moved from the studio into marketing, but I knew going agency-side would push me in a totally different way. It meant leaving somewhere familiar and taking on a three-hour weekly commute (which was challenging enough on its own!)

Working in an agency changed the way I approached marketing. The pace, the volume of work, the variety of clients, it all forced me to operate at a different level. I learned fast, I produced some of my best work, and I was surrounded by people who pushed and supported me.

Then in 2025, I returned to my previous company in a completely new role. Coming back with a fresh perspective, more confidence, and stronger industry connections felt like another step forward.

3) What helped you recognize the right time to make that move?

For me, it’s usually that feeling that I’m getting too comfortable.

Comfort is great, but it can also slow you down and even make you stand still. I realised I needed a new challenge, something that would broaden my skills even further and give me a different viewpoint. That’s what pushed me to the agency.

Coming back was a different kind of decision. It felt right because the company had grown, I’d grown, and the timing lined up. What I’d learned agency-side made it possible for me to step into a group-wide marketing management position that I may not have had the right experience for if I’d stayed.