Emma Naumann

Emma Naumann 

Tell us about your career journey 

My background has been operations, sales and marketing within the Leisure and hospitality industry. In 2017 I branched out and set up a consultancy focusing on digital marketing and strategy and working across various industries including retail, charities and governments. The reason I joined Cogito after a few years of consultancy was that I realised I wanted to get back somewhere I could add value and be part of a journey. 

Cogito’s exciting because it’s growing fast and it’s unique in what it offers. I think that our offer is very apt at the moment for what people need. And it was a great chance for me to use all of my skillsets in one place.  

What does a typical day look like? 

So my role is Head of Sales and Marketing, and it involves putting different caps on. Firstly we are looking at transforming the marketing and online presence of Cogito itself. The team have been so busy that they haven’t had a chance to demonstrate the full extent of what they can do to the outside world! So that’s going to be my role – to get those messages out and let people know what we do.  

The other cap I wear is Sales – connecting with existing clients, bringing onboard new prospects and clients and going out into the market and showcasing what we can do. That could be through events, webinars, or directly speaking to people or networking through LinkedIn. So for me, I guess I’m the face of the business. Going out there and representing the company and bringing the new business through, but also demonstrating the solutions we offer.  

What attracted you to Cogito? 

Cogito is very dynamic in what they do. I had a real sense of warmth from my interviews with them and I felt that they were genuine. Everyone’s here to better the business and wants to strive for better. It’s a nice environment to work in. They’re also very flexible – it’s not about clocking in and clocking out.  

I’m also excited about where the business wants to go. Being part of that growth journey is inspiring. There are lots of opportunities. I think people have progressed quite quickly through the company. Even though it’s still relatively small, it is growing and that creates an opportunity for more people to come on board. 

It feels like you’re at the beginning of something that’s going to explode and get much bigger. It’s quite nice to be part of that. But we’re still small enough to allow you to put your own stamp on things from the beginning. So anybody joining will find that their opinion will be heard and often implemented straight away if it’s a good idea. That can be often missed in other businesses.  

What does it feel like to work for Cogito? 

It’s in a good location. It’s right in the middle of Bristol and has a great buzz about it. The office environment is good. It’s a nice building, the amenities are there. The culture itself is friendly, genuinely friendly. There’s an open office and a relaxed vibe. There’s a mixture of age groups, which is quite good as well. There are social elements but also, many people such as myself have families that we need to work around, so flexible working and that openness around that is very important. I’ve worked in places where it was not always the case that you can openly talk about your family, your flexibility and your working commitments. So it’s got a culture that can work for anyone. 

I also like the feeling of credibility that we have. I speak to clients every day and they all see value in the offering, have often re-engaged in further project work and are always open to that conversation about Cogito in the future. I think what’s been delivered is of a good standard and that’s quite a nice feeling as a salesperson.